There will be an open air service at Burton at 10am. Please bring a chair. Then an indoor service at Barlavington 11.30 - please bring a facemask. The Gospel is once more from Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 15.10-28. We shall concentrate on the second part of the reading (verses 21-28). This passage is challenging. Jesus is abroad (a topical Gospel for August?) with his disciples. He is once more trying to find time to be away from healing, teaching, miracle working, and he is confronted by a Canaanite mother, desperate to have her child healed. She shouts at him, and he doesn’t answer her. His disciples urge him to send her away. Jesus’ response is to stress that he has been send to the lost sheep of Israel, ie he is concentrating solely on his own people. This desperate mother comes and kneels before him. She begs for his help. Jesus’ reaction is one of the hard sayings. Is he calling her a dog? She is foreign and a woman, both reasons to have nothing to do with her. Is that a reason to be so harsh in his reply? But she doesn’t give up. She turns his rejection round and wins the argument. Her daughter is healed. It is her persistence and her humility that win through. We can learn from her. It is ironic that she comes from a part of the Middle East which is very much in the news at the moment.
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One of the themes from last Sunday’s Gospel was the compassion of Our Lord.
This carries on this week. Jesus stays behind to make sure all these people get on their way safely. He is then able to do what he really wanted to in the first place - be alone with God and pray. But once again other people disturb his prayers. This time it is the disciples getting into difficulties in a storm on the lake that draw his attention. He breaks off his prayers and goes to save his friends. You can imagine their surprise to see him approaching them on the water. Some even think it must be a spirit they are seeing. Once again, we hear Jesus’ oft-repeated phrase: “Do not be afraid.” How we have needed to hear his voice say these words over the past months and how we may well need to hear them again and again over the coming months. In times of stress and danger we need his calm voice to reassure us. Peter now pipes up, asking to come to him on the water. Impetuous as ever, he then leaps out of the boat and starts to walk on the water, until his nerve fails and he starts to sink. Jesus saves him from the waves, and they both get into the boat. It is further proof for the Twelve that Jesus is the Son of God. However we understand the story, it is Jesus' compassion and understanding that we take away from it. He chides Peter, yes, but only for lack of faith. What could we all not do if only we were able to throw off our fears and trust him?! Gracious Father, revive your Church in our day, and make her holy, strong and faithful, for your glory's sake in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen We are once more in St John's in Sutton, socially distanced, and you will now see we are commanded to wear face masks! I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. |
AuthorCanon John Green Archives
May 2021
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