25 January 2026
10:30 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
A cold and unwelcoming day outside but not in St Mary's. Fr Chris was busy elsewhere on his other duties so we had the pleasure of Fr Roger conducting our morning service today. His homily pointed out the vagaries of the readings at this time of the year with things happening out of sequence. The children were busy with nets of fish as Our Lord's first deciples were fishermen, hard working and used to adversary as Fr Roger said.
Lots of folk afterwards in the rooms for chat and tea and coffee. All are welcome.
A reading form the book of the prophet Isaiah.
There will be no gloom for those who were in anguish.
In the former time he brought into contempt
the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
but in the latter time he will make glorious
the way of the sea,
the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied exultation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,
by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you be in agreement
and that there be no divisions among you
but that you be knit together in the same mind and the same purpose.
For it has been made clear to me by Chloe’s people
that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.
What I mean is that each of you says,
“I belong to Paul,”
or “I belong to Apollos,”
or “I belong to Cephas,”
or “I belong to Christ.”
Has Christ been divided?
Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name.
I did baptize also the household of Stephanas;
beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.
For Christ did not send me to baptize
but to proclaim the gospel—
and not with eloquent wisdom,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.
For the message about the cross is foolishness
to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved
it is the power of God.
Matthew 4:12-23
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea,
in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles—
the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.”
From that time Jesus began to proclaim,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw two brothers,
Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother,
casting a net into the lake—for they were fishers.
And he said to them,
“Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”
Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
As he went from there, he saw two other brothers,
James son of Zebedee and his brother John,
in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets,
and he called them.
Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus went throughout all Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues
and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom
and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
