Valentine's Day

Readings and a reflection for the 14th February 2022.

It is Valentine’s day this week, where romantic love is celebrated. You may receive some flowers, some chocolates, or if you are really lucky, a bottle of something nice.

But we are blessed with love of so many different types in our lives, with family, friends, neighbours. Most important of all, we are loved by a God who loves us abundantly, without measure, regardless of who we are, of where we come from, or who we love.

Maybe, this week, we should spend a little more time thinking of that and reflecting His abundant love back out into the world with our words and actions.

Reflection for the week

• How can we show God’s love to the people that we meet and talk to this week?
• How can we remind ourselves of the special gifts that God has shared with us?
• If someone is running away from a wrong picture of God, does that take them further away or closer to Him?

Readings for Sunday 13th February

Psalm 1

Happy are those

   who do not follow the advice of the wicked,

or take the path that sinners tread,

   or sit in the seat of scoffers;

but their delight is in the law of the Lord,

   and on his law they meditate day and night.

They are like trees

   planted by streams of water,

which yield their fruit in its season,

   and their leaves do not wither.

In all that they do, they prosper.

The wicked are not so,

   but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,

   nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,

   but the way of the wicked will perish.

Luke 6:17-26

He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.

Then he looked up at his disciples and said:

‘Blessed are you who are poor,

   for yours is the kingdom of God.

‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,

   for you will be filled.

‘Blessed are you who weep now,

   for you will laugh.

‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

‘But woe to you who are rich,

   for you have received your consolation.

‘Woe to you who are full now,

   for you will be hungry.

‘Woe to you who are laughing now,

   for you will mourn and weep.

‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

Readings for the week

Monday 14th February Isaiah 49:1-6, Mark 8:11-13

Tuesday 15th February Mark 8:14-21

Wednesday 16th February Mark 8:22-26

Thursday 17th February Mark 8:27-33

Friday 18th February Mark 8:34 - 9:1

Saturday 19th February Mark 9: 2-13