5th Sunday After Trinity

Readings: Wisdom 1v13-15&2v23-24; Psalm 30; 2 Corinthians 8v7-end; Mark 5v21-end.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth, and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word: As I read them, I noticed how varied and different the readings set for this week are. The book of Wisdom was written by the King of Israel, David’s son, King Solomon. It is a book that reflects on life, the meaning of life and the impact of how we live. In the reading, Solomon has come to the view that life is a strange and perplexing mystery because what we do in life seems to make no real, lasting or long term difference. In the book as a whole, Solomon considers all sorts of things, he points out the wonders and absurdities of life and reminds us that human life is pointless, if we try to live it by ourselves and on our own terms. It is because of what Solomon has to say about so many things that, I believe it is a book that we can recommend to everyone and anyone, regardless of what they do or do not believe, because it’s a book that shares the kinds of thoughts that so many of us have as we try to think through and make sense of life here on earth. It is also a book that closes with the conclusion that the only point of life is to worship God and do God’s bidding.

The psalm was written by David, the boy chosen by God and anointed to be King in place of King Saul. The same David who killed the giant warrior named Goliath using only a stone and a catapult. The man who was hunted by the King Saul of Israel. The man who became the King of Israel after Saul. The King who did both good and bad things. The King who was the ancestor of Jesus. Throughout his life, David wrote many psalms and in this one David was giving praise and thanks to God for: hearing and helping him when he was being hunted by King Saul. It is a prayer calling all God’s people to sing praise and thanks to God for the love that God has for us. The love that helps us during difficult times, the love that rescues us, the love that brings us through to better times.

In Mark’s gospel we hear about people who had faith in Jesus and believed he had miraculous power. The first person we hear about was the leader of the synagogue, a man named Jairus, a man who came out to beg Jesus to save his dying daughter. The second was an unnamed woman who trusted and believed that because Jesus had such immense power that she would be healed even if she only touched the hem of his garment. In the reading we hear that both were granted the miracles they hoped and prayed for. Meanwhile in Paul’s letter we hear his appeal to the people of Corinth to continue the work they had committed themselves to – of raising funds to help with the costs of spreading the gospel. Alongside this Paul gave his commendation of the people he was sending to visit them with his encouragement and advice to show them their love. Thise visiting included: Titus who had been chosen by Paul and his companions; another person sent, who was a popular preacher; and a number of delegates from other churches.

But what does all this say to us, here and now? I believe that it calls us to start from where we currently are. If we are trying to make sense of life, we can get help from the Book of Wisdom. Or if we are in times of trouble, we can get help from David’s psalms. If we are in need of miracles, we can ask for them and leave the answer to God. If we have committed ourselves to working for God’s kingdom we should continue doing whatever it is that God would have us do. Like the disciples of the past who wrote letters of encouragement, who raised funds, who spread the gospel, who visited other Christians and welcomed all visitors.

Let us pray: Serenity prayer: God grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change; courage to change the things we can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking this world as it is, not as we would have it be; trusting that God will make all things right, if we surrender to His Will; so that we may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.

Thank you for joining us.