Second Sunday after Trinity

The Propers for today are found on Page 188-190, with the Collect first:

Second Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

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LORD, who never failest to help and govern those whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love; Keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Ryan Hopkins read the Epistle for the Second Sunday after Trinity which came from the Third Chapter of St. John‘s First Epistle, beginning at the Thirteenth Verse.

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ARVEL not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of com-passion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

John gave us God’s commandment: That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another. We are exhorted to love one another not in word only, but in deed and in truth. We are to carry out the word we have been given, not just to repeat the words.

Actions speak louder than words. If we are to lead people to Christ, we must be in front of them showing the way.

Jack Arnold, our Deacon Striker, read today’s Gospel started in the Fourteenth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. Luke, beginning at the Sixteenth Verse. This is another of Jesus’ stories. This one is of a rich man who made a great supper; a thing of great value in times of hunger.

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CERTAIN man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

Are we like the busy people, are our lives so filled with important activities that we have no time to come to the Lord’s Supper? Think about that when you set your bedtime on Saturday, think about that when you schedule the outing for Sunday morning.

Sermon – Time and Action

Today’s sermon discussed the need to act on belief. Our souls are saved through the action of One, Jesus Christ. We are saved by faith, His faith and our faith in Him. No amount of good works will save us. Having said that, the continual theme of the Bible, of the prayers in the Book of Common Prayer, is that we must ACT on those beliefs. As in today’s Gospel, what counts is ACTION. You say you believe, you say you will worship, you say you will do this and that. Then, what are your actions? Do you spend the night howling with the alley cats; then find yourself too tired to make it to church? Don’t schedule yourself for failure! Do you believe, but don’t have time to help others, even your own family? Do you borrow money for a BMW, but can’t afford to help your parish?

Believe, then act on those beliefs.