6th Sunday After Trinity

Readings: Ezekiel 2v1-5; Psalm 123; 2 Corinthians 12v2-10; Mark 6v1-13.

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: In the reading from Ezekiel, we hear that God anointed him with the holy spirit and sent him with a message to the people of Israel. God said that this was a message for a rebellious, defiant and sinful people. A people who were to be told the message - even if they do not listen.

The psalm is a faithful prayer asking for God’s help and mercy in a world in which the rich are arrogant brutes who kick down all people who do not matter to them.

In Mark, we hear that people in his own hometown who knew Jesus as a child were unable to stand back and see him for who he really was. This was even though he taught with great wisdom and healed a few sick people. After this, we learn that Jesus sent his disciples out pairs, anointed them with God’s power and authority to do God’s bidding and gave them instructions. They were told: to be content with simple and modest lodgings; to quietly withdraw if people did not listen; and to be on their way if they were not welcomed. We hear that as they went, the disciples: preached joyfully; sent demons packing; and healed the sick in body and spirit.

In the letter to the people of Corinth, Paul tells us about a man who was swept into heaven. A man who heard about things he was forbidden to share. A man who was plagued by a problem that he fervently prayed would be taken away. Later in the reading we hear that this man was Paul himself and God answered his prayer for his problem to be removed with the reply: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” A reply that was proven true time and time again in Paul’s life.

These readings show us the range of ways that God intervenes in the world. From Ezekiel we learn that God cares enough to send messages to rebellious, defiant and sinful people – even if we refuse to listen. From the psalm we learn that God hears the prayers of those who call to him. From Mark we learn that God pours his power into those called and sent out to do God’s bidding in the world. From Corinthians, we learn that when we are weak that God’s power is made perfect.

These many and varied ways that God works with us in the world are a blessing because God is at work always doing what is in our best interests by: calling us to our senses, holding us as we pray, taking action in the world and being present with us when we suffer.

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.