{"id":577,"date":"2021-06-01T12:07:42","date_gmt":"2021-06-01T12:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/?p=577"},"modified":"2021-06-06T06:46:28","modified_gmt":"2021-06-06T06:46:28","slug":"trinity-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heuristika.co.uk\/lfgdiscussion\/2021\/06\/01\/trinity-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Trinity 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Trinity 1 \u2013 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A short service of Morning Prayer, today\u2019s Gospel Reading and some thoughts on it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With every blessing to you all,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mary Tucker<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the day that the Lord has made,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s sing together,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holy, holy, holy!
Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning
Our song shall rise to Thee Holy, holy, holy!
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holy, holy, holy!
Though the darkness hide thee
Though the eye of sinful man
Thy glory may not see
Only Thou art holy
There is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in love and purity<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together we confess our sins and are forgiven<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have mercy on us and redeem us, O Lord<\/p>\n\n\n\n

for our merits are your mercies<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and in your judgement is our salvation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happy the one whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is covered,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

. . . You surround me with songs of deliverance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us pray in the words of St Benedict,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gracious and Holy Father,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

give us wisdom to perceive you, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

diligence to seek you,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

patience to wait for you,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

eyes to behold you,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a heart to meditate on you<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and a life to proclaim you,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

through the power of the Spirit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

of Jesus Christ our Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gospel Reading<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark 3:20-26, 31-35<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

20 <\/strong><\/sup>Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 <\/strong><\/sup>When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, \u201cHe is out of his mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

22 <\/strong><\/sup>And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, \u201cHe is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

23 <\/strong><\/sup>So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: \u201cHow can Satan drive out Satan? 24 <\/strong><\/sup>If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 <\/strong><\/sup>If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 <\/strong><\/sup>And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come . . . \u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

31 <\/strong><\/sup>Then Jesus\u2019 mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 <\/strong><\/sup>A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, \u201cYour mother and brothers are outside looking for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

33 <\/strong><\/sup>\u201cWho are my mother and my brothers?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

34 <\/strong><\/sup>Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, \u201cHere are my mother and my brothers! 35 <\/strong><\/sup>Whoever does God\u2019s will is my brother and sister and mother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some thoughts on the Reading<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Misunderstanding – that\u2019s the text for today. Misunderstanding of Jesus by the authorities, by his disciples, even by his own family. And, in the, frankly worrying, passage we\u2019ve just read from Mark\u2019s gospel, the possibility, nay probability of misunderstanding of Jesus by us too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a piece of scripture which has caused pain and worry for many Christians down the ages and certainly makes uncomfortable reading. So we must be willing to look the problem straight in the eye and give it some time and thought. If we are not willing to do this we may become guilt ridden and fearful, but if we will do so we have words that, in the end, are the words of eternal life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus is, not surprisingly, the central figure in today\u2019s gospel reading. People are crowding around him for several reasons. To begin with, he has been healing the sick, forgiving sins, casting out the powers of evil and teaching with authority and conviction. There\u2019s no doubt that he has power. Even his enemies have to admit that – and he does have enemies. The opposition that will eventually bring Jesus to the cross has already started. Their accusation of him as working for Satan is shown quickly and forcefully to be arrant nonsense and dismissed with the contempt it deserves. But, there are the people who aren\u2019t his enemies who still don\u2019t understand him, in fact, think he\u2019s gone mad \u2013 that he\u2019s crazy. Sadly, these include some members of his own family. They want to take him home and sit him down quietly until he\u2019s better. They are, I am sure, genuinely worried for him. Put yourself in their place and perhaps you will have some sympathy for them but also for Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They see their son\/brother\/friend giving up everything, pouring himself out endlessly, sacrificially to all and sundry. Not only that, but they see the attitude of the authorities. They see the danger he\u2019s putting himself into. They truly believe that it\u2019s all been too much, that the balance of his mind has been disturbed, that they need to restrain him and so they come to persuade him to abandon his mission of madness as they see it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Jesus however the painful truth is that even his family misunderstand him. What must it have cost this supremely loving man to say those words, knowing that God\u2019s work for him could not be abandoned even for the ties of kinship and love?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Had Mary told him of Simeon\u2019s words to her in the temple three decades before? If she had then the sword piercing the heart had perhaps become a reality for the first time that day – not just for the mother but for the son too facing the true cost of faithful obedience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is a sword which has pierced the hearts of many Christians down the ages and the accusation of madness still goes on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Much learning has made you mad,\u2019 says Festus to Paul at his trial in Rome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018What crack brained fanatics,\u2019 cried the men of the Eighteenth century to Wesley and Whitfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018God is a delusion. . . invented by mad, deluded people,\u2019 asserts Richard Dawkins in his famous book denouncing Christianity in favour of Science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand this Gospel reading may bring great comfort to those, rejected by home and family when they commit to Christ. One hopes such folk will find love and support in him and in his church but, like Jesus, they must not cease to love and care for their families<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It does not, however, make any easier the following of a Lord who in his own life points to a loyalty and a commandment far more basic even than hearth and home – the claim of God that goes far deeper than the claims of an earthly family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let those of us who can then, give thanks that God\u2019s call for us is one that is, thus far, inclusive not just of loving but also of being with and alongside our own whether they consider themselves Christian or not. Let us pray that we may be protected from having to make such soul piercing decisions but let\u2019s also be mindful of those whose sacrifice of family ties down the years has added to the growth of the kingdom though at great personal cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Misunderstanding of the priorities of God\u2019s way will continue to be a stumbling block in the eyes of the world but there is reassurance for, in apparently turning from his own, Jesus turned to us the surrounding crowd, the Church, turned to us opened his arms and said, \u201cHere are my mother and my brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A reassuring poem based on Psalm 121<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I lift up mine eyes to the quiet hills,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And my heart to the Father\u2019s Throne;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In all my ways, to the end of days,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord will preserve his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And a few words from St Anselm<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus, like a mother you gather your people to you, you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.  Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness, through your sweet goodness, through your gentleness we find comfort in fear.  Your warmth gives life to the dead, your touch makes sinners righteous.  Lord Jesus in your mercy heal us, in your love and tenderness remake us, in your compassion bring grace and forgiveness and for the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final words and a blessing<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord bless us and keep us,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious to us,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon us and give us peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the blessing of God Almighty,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

be with us this day,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

with those we love and those we pray for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amen<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in the name of Christ<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Trinity 1 \u2013 2021 A short service of Morning Prayer, today\u2019s Gospel Reading and some thoughts on it. With every blessing to you all, Mary Tucker This is the day that the Lord has made, Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let’s sing together, Holy, holy, holy!Lord God AlmightyEarly in the morningOur song … <\/p>\n

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