Vicar's News - 13 July 2025

Fr Ian
11 minutes ago
2 min read

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Vincent Van Gogh, The Good Samaritan, 1890 — Vincent Van Gogh, *The Good Samaritan*, 1890

Pentecost 5

The Samaritan had every reason not to become involved as he passed by the injured man. As a foreigner on hostile territory, he may well have sought to avoid a situation which could have led to him being suspected of having committed the attack, placing himself in direct danger. Despite the danger the Samaritan does stop and care for the injured man. The narrative is told in a matter-of-fact style without embellishment, highlighting the integrity of the Samaritan.

A lawyer had asked Jesus, 'Who is my neighbour?' This narrative from St Luke's gospel is often shared as an illustration of how to care for one’s neighbour, and the term 'good Samaritan' has become synonymous with someone who cares for others. That would assign the term ‘neighbour’ to the man robbed and left for dead and the commandment to ‘love your neighbour’ as a directive to care for those in trouble.

However, Jesus turns the question into a different one. He asks the lawyer, who was neighbour to the one in distress? The answer to this question assigns the Samaritan as ‘neighbour’. Through this discourse Jesus forced the lawyer firstly to claim the Samaritan as his neighbour and therefore a member of the community. Secondly, the lawyer was forced to recognise in the Samaritan an exemplar of neighbourliness – it is the Samaritan who has modelled what it is to be neighbour. The parable demonstrates that in Jesus’ eyes it is more important to be a neighbour than to know who your neighbour is, widening the love of neighbour to include love of enemy.

Music for Sunday

PENTECOST 5

LAY CLERK EUCHARIST (Phoebe) @ 10.00 AM

Prelude: Berceuse’ from Dolly Suite – Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) (arr. Martin Setchell)

Hymns: Processional Lead us, heavenly Father, lead us

Gradual Holy Spirit, come, confirm us

Thanksgiving Now we come, our heavenly Father

Post Communion Through all the changing scenes of life

Setting: Parish Eucharist – Michael Dudman (1938-1994)

Psalm: 82 Macfarren in A Flat (RSCM)

Anthem: Alleluja from Exsultate Jubilate – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Motet: Pie Jesu from the Requiem – Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)

Postlude: Prelude and Fugue in C major BWV 545 – J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

PENTECOST 5 EVENSONG

LAY CLERK EVENSONG (Phoebe) @ 6.00 PM

in the warm Lady Chapel

Prelude: ‘Tempo di Menuetto’ from Sonata Op 49 No 2 –

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Hymns: Processional All people that on earth do dwell

Dismissal The God of Abraham praise

Responses: Ferial

Psalm: 25.1-10 Ouseley in G (RSCM)

Canticles: Plainchant

Anthem: Laudate Dominum – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Postlude: ‘Presto alla Tedesco’ from Sonata Op 79 – Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Vale

Sadly we record the death of much-admired Anne Martin, long-time associate and parishioner of St Andrew's through her own pastoral work and that of the late Fr Barry.

Her funeral will be here on Friday 18 July at 11am.

May she rest in peace and rise in glory.