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<figure style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://edge.churchdesk.com/non/ckeditormedium/public/o/3001/2024-09-08.jpg" data-image="2009685" style="width: 370px; height: 278px;"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Readings: Proverbs 22.1–2, 8–9, 22–23 Psalm 125 James 2.1–10 [11–13] 14–17 Mark 7.24–end&nbsp;
Collect: Lord God, defend your Church from all false teaching and give to your people knowledge of your truth, that we may enjoy eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reflection: James 2:1-10 – Rich and Poor 
Who do you think was rich and who was poor of the following people? Who was happiest, most fulfilled and at peace?&nbsp;
The final years of Marylin Monroe’s stardom were marked by mental illness, personal problems, and a reputation for unreliability and being difficult to work with. She died at the age of 36, supposedly after a drug overdose.&nbsp;
Amy Winehouse, also unreliable and difficult to &nbsp;&nbsp;work with, was prone to abusive outbursts. She was taken over by the music industry just out of school for her fantastic voice. World-famous soon after, she became addicted to drugs and died of alcohol poisoning aged&nbsp;27.
Francis of Assisi was the son of a wealthy cloth merchant, lived the high-spirited life typical of a wealthy young man, then had a Godly vision that directed him back to Assisi, where he lost his taste for his worldly life and was moved to live in poverty. Francis returned home, began preaching on the streets, and soon amassed a following. He died aged 45 while preaching and left us the legacy of the Christmas manger scene, depicting Jesus in poverty.&nbsp;
Ignatius of Loyola was a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain" title="Spain">Spanish</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight" title="Knight">knight</a> from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_people" title="Basque people">Basque</a> nobility. After being seriously wounded in a battle, he underwent a spiritual conversion in recovery. He abandoned his military life and devoted himself to God, following the example of spiritual leaders such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi" title="Francis of Assisi">Francis of Assisi</a>. He died aged 65 leaving us a legacy of spiritual exercises in prayer and discipline that are still used in the training of Catholic Priests today. He also founded the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_Jesus" title="Society of Jesus">Society of Jesus</a> (Jesuits).
So, who did you conclude was rich or poor? Of course, it all depends on how you define rich and poor, and what kind of richness and poverty we are talking about.
 
In the Revelation of St John the Divine, we read a couple of comments from Jesus to different churches about riches and poverty: 
I know your afflictions and your (worldly) poverty&mdash;yet you are (spiritually) rich (Rev&nbsp;2:9a) (bracketed words are mine).
 
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. (Rev&nbsp;3:17) 
 
Jesus also reminded his disciples that, ‘Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’ (Mt 6:21)
 
Sometimes, we want to hang on to wealth because of insecurity in where we are headed. Or maybe, we just want to use it all for ourselves. One confession puts it, ‘We store up goods for ourselves alone, as if there were no God and no heaven.’ However it happens, the temptation is to hang on to riches rather that to be rich towards God by being generous to others. The reading from Proverbs this week is also very clear about different attitudes here.
If there is just one thing to take away from our readings this week it is this: like St Paul, to learn how to be content in all circumstances. That is, to be at peace with Jesus, so that we can sit lightly to the riches of the world, which after all belong to God anyway!Revd Dave Talks

Watling Valley Partnership

Readings:
Proverbs 22.1–2, 8–9, 22–23
Psalm 125
James 2.1–10 [11–13] 14–17
Mark 7.24–end

Collect:
Lord God, defend your Church from all false teaching
and give to your people knowledge of your truth,
that we may enjoy eternal life
in Jesus Christ...

Thought for the Week - 8 September 2024

Night Prayer with Lynne & Andrew Smith 1 September 2024<a href="https://youtu.be/3CiFwdDtu88">Night Prayer with Lynne & Andrew Smith 1 September 2024</a>

Night Prayer with Lynne & Andrew Smith 1 September 2024

Night Prayer with Lynne & Andrew Smith 1 September 2024

Night Prayer with Lynne & Andrew Smith 1 September 2024

Night Prayer with Mike Leggett 25 August 2024<a href="https://youtu.be/y32MaOfsiJ0">Night Prayer with Mike Leggett 25 August 2024</a>

Night Prayer with Mike Leggett 25 August 2024

Night Prayer with Mike Leggett 25 August 2024

Night Prayer with Mike Leggett 25 August 2024

Night Prayer with Michael Bannister 11th August 2024<a href="https://youtu.be/nzW9WTLJ_u0">Night Prayer with Michael Bannister 11th August 2024</a>

Night Prayer with Michael Bannister 11th August 2024

Night Prayer with Michael Bannister 11th August 2024