Today's gospel, 14 July

 

Coming up, next weekend 

Outdoor Prayer and Praise - Friday 18 July, 7pm, in the Churchyard of St Thomas's, Knappagh. With music led by Jame Kilbane. 

Mini-pilgrimage on Achill - Sunday 20 July, starting at 3pm in St Thomas's Dugort



Themes and challenges from today's gospel reading

Today's gospel touches on several weighty themes, including: 

- the call to let God truly be God in our lives

- that to follow Christ is costly and requires "taking up the cross"  

- that the gospel both unities and divides

- the significance of welcome

- the significance of giving "a cup of cold water" in Christ's name.


Matthew 10:34-11:1

‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to set a man against his father,

and a daughter against her mother,

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’ 

Now when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and proclaim his message in their cities.



Carrying the cross, literally and symbolically, on Good Friday



Christian Art

You can find a helpful reflection on the gospel here:

https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-10-34-11-1-2025/



Sacred Space

"Because God is God, he can never take second place in our lives."

https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2025-07-14/



Swords into Ploughshares
Sculpture, at the Priory, Benburb



Mini-pilgrimage planning, 13 July, Mulranny
Mary Farr (Westport), Valerie Raitt (Diocesan Pilgrimage/ Spiritual Tourism Co-ordinator),  
and Revd Suzanne Cousins 


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