Emberdays in September co-inside with the change of seasons in the Western World. Autumn is upon them , the warmer weather has gone , the nights are getting cooler and the leaves begin to fall.
I am writing from Bendigo in Australia , where it happens to be spring time , after winter the beginning of new life. An emberday is used for prayer, fasting and reflection and I thought I reflect for
a few minutes on the Holy Gospel for this day:
The Gospel
St. Luke iv. 16.
JESUS came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
It is a beautiful piece of scripture. I want to think a bit further and then looking at myself in the role of an Anglican Catholic Priest. Whilst I have not healed any blind people at this stage I have carried out the healing Ministry in the name of Christ. In fact my Bishop, when he ordained me , annointed me and I am expect to carry out all these tasks in the Name of our Blessed Lord. May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless me and my fellow Priest and continue to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Amen
Father Ed Bakker
Anglican Catholic Church / Original Province
Mission of Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne
Bendigo Australia
