This Sunday’s readings present us with an exceptionally important series of metaphors.
In Isaiah we hear Israel described as a beautiful vineyard. The Lord dug the soil, cleared the stones, and planted choice vines. He even built a tower and a wine press. The image is one of pride, love, and attentiveness in all that the Lord did for his vineyard. But it provided nothing but bitter grapes.
In our gospel reading Jesus tells a parable which clearly draws on this imagery from Isaiah. He speaks of a group of servants who run a vineyard badly and refuse to listen to their master’s orders when he wants to collect his produce.
They even mistreat his messengers and kill his son. Jesus teaches us the vineyard will be taken form them and given to workers who will produce better fruit.
Our readings prompt us to contrast how much the Lord has done for us, his attentive his care for us, how extensive his concern for us; and the callous way in which we so often ignore that love, spurn his messengers, and reject his son whenever we sin.
Let us pray in our liturgies this Sunday that we are enabled to bear the good fruit that God wills, rather than the bitter grapes which our own ego and selfishness so often bring forth.
Fr Peter Anthony
Recording of this Sunday’s Mass
A recording of this Sunday’s Mass (27th Sunday in Ordinary Time) with a homily will be available here on our parish YouTube channel from the evening of 3rd October.
This week’s pew sheet is available here: 27th Ordinary Time 2020..
Online Theology seminar: Reflecting theologically on lockdown through literature. Thursday 8th October 2020 6.00 pm
All of us have a lot to process from the time of lock down, the “new normal,” and continued anxieties about Coronavirus.
One thing a lot of people seemed to have more time for during lockdown was reading. This seminar will be an opportunity to share insights we gained about life and faith from what we read and witnessed happening around us in lock down.
There may be books you found particularly helpful, or films and poems that especially spoke to you in a new way. Bring your experiences and share with others at this seminar as we seek to make some sense of where God was at work in our lives through this difficult and curious year.
To access the seminar, click on this link. Alternatively, use the following Zoom meeting ID for 8th October: 842 9462 9130
Theology Book Club: Ghost Ship by A.D.A. France Williams
Tuesday 27th Oct 7.30 pm
Our next theology book club session looks at an extraordinary new work called Ghost Ship just published this year by A.D.A. France Williams. His book tackles head on the problems of racism and prejudice within the Church of England.
Sam Wells has the following to say about Ghost Ship: ‘France-Williams employs a formidable range of approaches – among them testimony, academic categories, careful research, interviews, anecdote, poetry, humour, parody, exegesis and close reading – to mount a compelling and urgent argument for the church’s institutional and personal failure to receive the gift the Holy Spirit in the lives, bodies and callings of its BAME witnesses. Most of all he models prophetic ministry: pleading, portraying, persuading and ultimately inspiring the church that has caused so much hurt and grief but that despite all he still bravely loves. This is a testament of truth; and an epistle of power.’
The purpose of the St Benet’s Book Club will be to offer a forum for theological reflection and debate in the light of a book that we agree to read together. The Theology Book club meets by Zoom. The idea is that a book is discussed each time we meet at 7.30 pm on a Tuesday evening. It would be ideal to have read the book before the seminar, but if you are still half way through or just starting, don’t let that stop you joining us.
It is expected that participants acquire their own copies of the texts to be discussed. All of the books proposed are currently in print as paperbacks and can be obtained on Amazon.
To access this seminar, clink on this link. Alternatively, use the following Meeting ID: 820 0252 0620
German worship: Zoom Evening Prayer.
Sunday 4th October 2020 4.00 pm
Instead of our usual German Mass followed by Kaffee und Kuchen, our German speaking community will meet by Zoom on Sunday 4th October for Evening Prayer at 4.00 pm. This will be followed by an opportunity for conversation in German.
The text of Evening Prayer in German which we will use can be found here: German Evening Prayer.
To access Evening Prayer in German, click on this link. Alternatively, use the following Zoom meeting ID: 885 2804 7372
No Mass on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week
Please note that there will be no Mass on Tuesday 6th October because Fr Peter is at a training day, and no Mass on Wednesday 7thOctober because Fr Nigel is being licensed as the new Assistant Priest at St Michael’s, Croydon, at 7.30 pm. All are welcome to join Fr Nigel for his licensing.
Church Cleaning day next Saturday
Saturday 10th October will be a church cleaning day from around 11.00 am onwards.
Services for the week beginning 4th October 2020
Sunday 4th October 2020
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
11.00 am Sung Mass
4.00 pm German Evening Prayer
7.00 pm Mass
Tuesday 6th October
S. Bruno
N.B. No Mass today.
Wednesday 7th October
Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
N.B. No Mass today.
Thursday 8th October
Feria
7.30 pm Mass
Friday 9th October
S. John Henry Newman
11.00 am Mass
Saturday 10th October
S. Denis
6.00 pm Vigil Mass of Sunday
Sunday 11th October
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
11.00 am Sung Mass
7.00 pm Mass