Fourth Sunday after Trinity- Romans 8: 18-23

Both the Epistle and the Gospel for Trinity 4 are important passages. The Gospel for this Sunday from St. Luke 6:36- 42 is the significant selection on judgment or judging. Although it does not prohibit every form of judgment, it does warn against poor or unmerciful judgments rooted in self-righteousness and hypocrisy. (For further comment on this text, see posts from other years.)

This time, my focus is on the Epistle from Romans 8:18-23. Here the Apostle Paul encourages believers in the face of suffering. We should note Paul's Christian realism. He uses words like suffering, groaning, travail, and pain to speak of some of the earthly realities of a fallen creation. Yet, such harsh realities are not the whole human condition. Through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, hope for glory remains. Believers already have some of the first fruits of the Spirit, and in faith and hope, we await final redemption. God's grace, truth, love, and mercy will eventually triumph!

St. John Baptist- 24 June

On traditional church calendars, the primary feast commemorating St. John the Baptist is the twenty-fourth of June and is important for several reasons. First, it is noteworthy because, unlike many saints' days, it commemorates the day of birth rather than the death or heavenly birthday of the saint. Secondly, the whole of John's life is closely related to that of his cousin and Lord, Jesus. A third importance is liturgical since the Gospel includes the canticle Benedictus which is the most commonly used canticle in Morning Prayer. Of lesser importance is the cultural and geographical fact that this feast has given its name to several locations in the Caribbean and the Americas.

The Gospel from Luke 1:57-80 speaks of John's birth, circumcision, and naming. It shows Zachariah's reaction to his son's birth and his prophetic song of praise about God's coming work through John's ministry. John's purpose in life is to be the forerunner of the Christ, the Lord come among His people. John will "go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God" ( Luke 1: 76-79). Although unique, John's shares a vocation with every Christian: that is, to call people to repentance and to faith in the good news of Christ.

Third Sunday after Trinity- I Peter 5:5-11

This week, my attention has been drawn to the Epistle for the Third Sunday after Trinity: 1 St. Peter 5:5-11. In this passage, believers are urged to be humble. As surprising as it may be to some people, humility is the best way to withstand evil. In particular, the passage warns against the devil. Many modern people doubt the existence of the devil while some others have an exaggerated view of his presence and power. Even many professing Christians lack a sound biblical understanding of evil.

Of course, the New Testament, as shown by today's epistle from I Peter, takes the devil or Satan very seriously, and Christians are called upon to resist his influence. Pride is Satan's great flaw, and pride puts human beings in a vulnerable spiritual position. Humility, on the other hand, means that we are less likely to pursue evil. Humility is a recognition of our proper place in the universe and an acknowledgement of our dependence upon what God has done for us in Christ. We do not depend upon our own feeble efforts to defeat evil; we depend upon divine grace. Through grace, believers pass through the sufferings and afflictions of this world, and we look in faith and hope to our eternal future with Christ.