Welcome to Trinity Church, Newport
Trinity Church is a friendly welcoming community which seeks to enable people to explore the Christian life of faith, worship and service.
We regret that church services and activities have been suspended for the time being.
Reflection by Revd Fiona Brown
July 5th 2020
John the Baptist is in prison and having heard what Jesus was doing, sends his own disciples out to ask Jesus if he is the one they are to expect or if there is someone else who is coming. He means the Messiah.
Reading: St Matthew’s gospel chapter 11, verses 16 – 19; 25 – 30
Reflection:
It’s been a difficult 3 months and for some of us it has all seemed almost too difficult to cope with. The expectations that we had about “normal” have been shattered and we now have to get used to a “new normal” which isn’t as fixed or as “normal” as we might like. Life is different.
John’s disciples reported back to him a different way of life, one where the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and lots of other marvellous things were happening. Jesus appeared to be thinking that this was all quite normal, but it wasn’t what people had been expecting from the Messiah and so they weren’t quite sure about him.
What are our expectations of the Messiah? What were our expectations when we were first aware of him in our lives? Life would be simpler or easier? Problems would vanish? I do hope that no one told you that. If so, your expectations may well have been dashed!
We have a different expectation. With Jesus, we don’t carry our problems and burdens on our own. Jesus says “Come to me, all who are weary and whose yoke is heavy; I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you, and learn from me.” We have a saying: “A trouble shared is a trouble halved”. We share our troubles with Jesus – and with his body here on earth – the Church – and find it’s true. Praise God!
Prayer: Lord, as we see our way of life being adapted, help us to see you in it. Help us to be open to new ways of being Church and to seize opportunities as they open us up to new ways of sharing your wonderful Good News of your love.
Read: Singing the Faith 519 - Father, I place into your hands
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