Today's gospel: An unsettling parable, featuring rejection, usurpation and violence
Please scroll down for today's gospel reading, notes and notices.
Please note that there will be no midweek service on Wed 3 June in Holy Trinity Westport. Rather, the church will be open for private prayer. There will be online prayer and Bible reading at 8pm as usual.
Today's gospel Mark 12:1-12
Then he [Jesus] began to speak to them in parables.
‘A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watch-tower; then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his share of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent another slave to them; this one they beat over the head and insulted. Then he sent another, and that one they killed. And so it was with many others; some they beat, and others they killed.
By Meister des Codex Aureus Epternacensis, circa 1035-1040. Public domain, via https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=155244
He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But those tenants said to one another, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.” So they seized him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this scripture:
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is amazing in our eyes”?’
When they realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowd. So they left him and went away.
Question: Today's gospel includes a parable with themes of rejection, usurpation and violence. How might it speak to us today?
Sacred Space
A helpful prayer guide and reflection on this gospel can be found here:
Christian Art
An informative reflection on Justin Martyr, written by Roman Catholic writer Fr Patrick van der Vorst:
https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-5-13-19-2026/
Notes and Notices
Subject to change
This week: Please note that there will be no midweek service on Wed 3 June in Holy Trinity Westport. Rather, the church will be open for private prayer.
The Church’s Ministry of Healing Ireland
CMHI invites everyone to sign up for its new series, God’s Compassion; Self-Compassion, created and facilitated by Lydia Monds.
The series offers four live sessions on Wednesdays from 17 June to 8 July, 7.30-8.15pm, and four pre-recorded videos, available to watch at any time.
When we criticise ourselves harshly for “not being good enough,” we deny ourselves the lovingkindness that God offers, and which never falters or fails.
Join Lydia as she gently guides us through prayerful practices that can help us to follow the call to live like Christ, who spoke to those he met from a place of radical compassion. Book via www.ministryofhealing.ie or email lydia@ministryofhealing.ie
Carra Singers, in concert, Thurs 4 June at 7.30pm,
Thank you!
Sun 14 June, Confirmation Service, 3pm in HTW, for all the parishes of the Aughaval Group. Bishop Michael Burrows will confirm and preside at the Holy Communion. Our final two preparation sessions will be on Sat 23 May and Sat 6 June at 10am in the Rectory, Westport.
For all the children and young people of the Aughaval Parishes,
their families and friends.
Parents are welcome to stay for the event.
Westport Festival of Chamber Music
Westport Festival of Chamber Music, 2026, in HTW:
Bringing faith to life through Muddy Church
‘Muddy Church’, ‘Messy Church’ and 'Forest Church' are fun yet serious all-age faith-building innovations, tried-and-tested in other parishes and places over many years. With the help of our Youth and Children's Ministry team, we plan to introduce variations and aspects of these expressions in the parishes, as occasional and supplemental to traditional services in these summer months, for the benefit especially of our children and young families.
Please continue to pray for our young people, and, 'Watch this (outdoor) space!'
- Holy Communion on 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month.
- Evening Prayer on 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month.
Castlebar*
Sundays Weekly at 10am:
- Holy Communion on 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month.
- Morning Prayer on 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month, followed by tea/coffee.
Open church every Friday from 11am - 1pm.
*Christ Church Castlebar is a registered charity: Registered Charity No. 20206867
Westport
- Sundays Weekly at 11.30am, in Holy Trinity Westport; Holy Communion or Morning Prayer, followed by tea/coffee.
- Wednesdays at 10.30am, Midweek Holy Communion, followed by coffee (from 11.05am) in the Clew Bay Hotel. These gatherings are valuable and uplifting times of fellowship and friendship. You're welcome to drop in!
Dugort, Achill
- 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month at 3pm. Evening Prayer/ Holy Communion
Services are followed by tea/coffee occasionally.
Online Prayer and Bible Reading
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/83306729968?pwd=mVKnDXWs7Npn3aCnRPykJbJK7THANM.1
One-time donations
You can securely give towards these costs and the upkeep of the churches using your phone or electronic device using the link or QR codes (below) which will direct you to the parishes’ iDonate pages.
Regular giving
Regular giving can be by means of the weekly envelope system (-information on request), or by standing order.
Tax refund on donations
If you are a tax-payer, a tax refund on your donation can be made to your parish at no additional cost to you.
For help or more information, please contact one of the Hon Treasurers (contact details on request) or the Rector (details below), or see
https://aughaval.tlk.ie/2025/11/giving-towards-upkeep-of-churches.html .
Thank-you +
Westport-Dugort Union of Parishes: includes Holy Trinity Church Westport, St Thomas's Dugort, and Holy Trinity Inishbiggle
Westport-Dugort Parishes*
(Info. Babs Strutt, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request)
Christ Church, Castlebar*
(Info. Trevor Ardill, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request)
Turlough Church of Ireland Parish Church
https://www.idonate.ie/cause/TurloughChurchofIreland
Turlough Parish Church*
(Info. Karin Shaw, Hon. Treasurer - contact details on request)
*Turlough Parish Church is registered as a charity with the Charities Regulatory Authority under the Tuam, Killala and Achonry charity No. 20015237 and the Revenue Commissioners No. CHY 7241.
Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA)
CRA status of the Aughaval Group of Parishes, United Dioceses of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe, Church of Ireland:
Christ Church Castlebar is a registered charity: Registered Charity No. 20206867.
Westport-Dugort Union of Parishes and Turlough Parish are in process of applying for their own CRA registration numbers. In the interim the parishes are included in the CRA registration of the TLK Diocese, as outlined below by the Diocese:
The United Dioceses of Tuam, Killala and Achonry is registered as a charity with the Charities Regulatory Authority under No. 20015237 and the Revenue Commissioners No. CHY 7241. The United Dioceses of Limerick, Killaloe and Ardfert is registered as a charity with the Charities Regulatory Authority under No. 20015688 and the Revenue Commissioners No. CHY 7327. On 1st November 2021, the dioceses amalgamated to become the Dioceses of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe. The Diocesan Councils remain separate.
For further information, please contact Diocesan Secretary, Mrs Lorna Sharpe at limerickdiocsec@gmail.com, or Assistant Diocesan Secretary, Mr Damian Shorten at admin@tka.ie.
Revd Suzanne Cousins
Tel. +353 83 800 3233 / +44 77 1303 7447
Aughaval Parishes' website aughaval.tlk.ieFacebook https://www.facebook.com/AughavalParishes
