Weekly letter from St Luke's - 10th November

Dear Parish Friends

As the church year moves towards its end (the new year begins with Advent Sunday at the start of December), our gospel readings from Matthew become more eschatological, looking to the 'end times'. Jesus tells a parable of ten bridesmaids waiting fore the bridegroom, five of whom let their lamps go out for lack of spare oil. Matthew, placing this in the days just before Good Friday, reminds his community of the need to keep a view of the light that is Christ, even when the days ahead seem dark. This is a message that has ongoing relevance for all generations - probably in every single generation there are 'wars and rumours of wars' (Matthew 24:6), as we are people of the Kingdom, with a sure and certain hope for the future. In the meantime though, we have job to do, to bring these Kingdom values to the world around us.

The 11th of November is also Remembrance Day, and so we will acknowledge this at of services on Sunday with an act of committent that includes the Ode, a recognition of the past and prayers of hope for the future, something that is so needed today as the news from Israel and the Gaza Strip, Ukraine, and elsewhere show.