Aughaval Group of Parishes

  Gospel reading      Matthew 9:32-38 After they had gone away, a demoniac who was mute was brought to him. And when the demon had been cast out, the one who had been mute spoke; and the crowds were amazed and said, ‘Never has anything like this been seen in Israel.’ But the Pharisees said, ‘By the ruler of the demons he casts out the demons.’ Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’ Sacred Space You can find a gentle prayer guide and short reflection here: https://sacredspace.com/daily-prayer/2025-07-08/ Christian Art https://chri...

  Today's gospel touches on the themes of the healing, wholeness and salvation through Christ and the divine touch. 'Encounter', mural in the Chapel of Encounter , Magdala Photo: Author, November 2017     The gospel reading        Matthew 9:18-26 While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue  came in and knelt before him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.’ And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples.  Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from haemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.’ Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ‘Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well.  When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute-players and the crowd making a comm...

Orthodox Icon of the Seventy Apostles, 2020 Creative Commons via Wikipedia   https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ikon%C3%AB_e_t%C3%AB_Shtat%C3%ABdhjet%C3%AB_Apostujve.jpg The Gospel Reading Luke 10: 1-11, 16-20 After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way.  See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you en...

  Sunday 6 July 2025 in the Aughaval Group of Parishes Hymns, or as announced 39 - For the fruits of his creation  247 - When I survey the wondrous cross 517 - Brother, sister, let me serve you 478 - Go forth and tell! O Church of God, awake!  Collect  Almighty God, you have broken the tyranny of sin and have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts, whereby we call you Father: Give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service, that we and all creation may be brought to the glorious liberty of the children of God; through Jesus Christ our Lord.                                           Naaman in Jordan River , artist unknown Credit: Wikipedia The First Reading 2 Kings 5: 1-14 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favour with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man,...

Services this weekend in the Aughaval Grouped Parishes: Sat, 7pm in Turlough Church, Evening Prayer Sunday, 10am in Christ Church Castlebar, Holy Communion/ The Eucharist Sunday, 12 noon in St Mary's RC Church, Westport (for Holy Trinity Westport), followed by tea in Carrowbeg House Sunday, 3pm in St Thomas's, Dugort, Achill,  Holy Communion/ The Eucharist Today’s gospel      Matthew 9: 14-17 New cloth on an old garment Chistiancliparts   Then the disciples of John came to him [Jesus], saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, ...

Jesus calls Matthew  from a church window in the Netherlands  Source: Pixabay Today’s gospel      Matthew 9:9-13 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’   The Calling of Matthew by Orcagna, Florence, 1367-68 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Orcagna,_s._matteo_e_santi_,_da_orsanmichele_(uffizi),_1367-68,_05.jpg In this 14th century painting Jesus is presented as standing between the diminutiv...

  3rd July, Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle:  Seeing Jesus through faith The Incredulity of Saint Thomas Caravaggio, 1601- 1602 Public domain John 20: 24-29 But Thomas (who was called the Twin ), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’ A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’ Sacred Space You can find ...

Please note that, as previously mentioned, there will be no Midweek Holy Communion on Wednesday morning, 2 July, nor will there be Online Prayer and Bible Study in the evening. Map of Decapolis  Creative Commons Attribution, via  https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/18/Thedecapolis.png Today’s gospel      Matthew 8:28-34 When he [Jesus] came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. Suddenly they shouted, ‘What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?’ Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. The demons begged him, ‘If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.’ And he said to them, ‘Go!’ So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and perished in the water. The swineherds ran off, and on going i...