‘Faith calls to faith’
HOMILY: Jesus was turned around. Jesus turned. Made aware of multiple needs, possible directions. Ministry on both sides (“all sides”) of the lake. Younger and older people. Life and death issues.
‘Regeneration’
HOMILY: Jesus says: “You shouldn’t be working for perishable food, but for life-giving food that lasts …” (John 6:27). The gospel directs us beyond immediate needs and shallow pleasures, and toward a maturity “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13).
Covenant – placing of sticks from Gadigal land
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY: The shapes, textures and colours express the joy of life in community.
‘Ever-present as promise’
HOMILY: Jesus says, “I am the bread of life …” There are seven “I am” sayings of Jesus in John’s gospel. In addition to the bread of life, Jesus compares himself to light in darkness (8:12), a gate to safe pasture (10:9), a good shepherd (10:11), the resurrection and the life (11:25), the way or path (14:6), and the true vine who fulfils Israel’s destiny (15:1; Isaiah 5).
Collects for Ascension and Pentecost
PRAYERS: The following Collects were written by participants in our monthly Liturgy Resource group.
‘Where none may perish’
HOMILY: We give thanks for the witness of John, the poet-evangelist whose gospel invites us to receive a poetic Word, dense and substantial like bread.
‘The fountain and the fig tree’
HOMILY: On Monday morning I met with Dorothy for a walk in Redfern Park. We talked about the gospel, about the apostles with Jesus in a boat (boundary crossings), about the tassels (tzit-tzit), the Torah, touch and healing.
‘Shake it off’
HOMILY: Jesus calls disciples to travel lightly and to live simply – to declutter, we might say, to discard weighty anguish, foolish ambition, gnostic wishes, fears of missing out, even worries over other people’s desiring and accumulating …
Intercessions
PRAYERS: Inspired by John 6:1-21, the following intercessory prayers were written for Ordinary Sunday 17B (July 25) by participants in our monthly Liturgy Resource group – Jane, Anne, Abner and Andrew.
‘Connectedness, the highest truth’
HOMILY: Far from being an exclusive “guru” figure dispensing eternal wisdom, John’s Jesus invites all who see and hear him to join him in humility as the One who goes to the cross, united with Abba God in redemptive suffering for the world.
