A warm welcome to my blog on this Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity!
The Epistle
Ephesians iii. 13.
I DESIRE that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
This exhortation to the Ephesians was made in times of early persecution of Christians. Saint Paul prays for strenght and an indwelling of the Faith. If you know the love of Christ, then you will be fullfilled with the fulness of God. Times , sadly, but true have not changed and this evening I want to particularly focus on my brothers and sisters in Christ in China, who are being persecuted for their Christian Faith by the Police. Their crosses and churches are being destroyed and
young people are being asked to denounce the name of Christ. I personally have a large number of friends in China and hear these very sad stories frequently. I have been writing notes of encouragement for as long as I think that I get away with it.
At Mass in our Mission here in Launceston we pray for the Church in China. Lets keep our Mission of encouragement and prayers up as much as we can, because as Blessed Saint Paul said that God is able to
do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. Let's pray that we may be filled with God's spirit so that we keep strong in the turmoil of this broken world.
I wish you a good week,
Father Ed Bakker,
Priest & Missioner,
Anglican Catholic Church / Original Province,
Mission of Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
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