Trinity XII- Mark 7:31-37

The Gospel for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity is from Mark 7:31-37. Like the collect for the day, it emphasizes divine mercy and grace. It is a miracle of the healing of a deaf-mute. This miracle takes place in the Decapolis, a region east of the Jordan. In the first century, this region had both Jewish and pagan Greek-speaking inhabitants. This circumstance points to the significance of Christ's ministry for all people. The healing of a deaf-mute of unspecified national origin suggests that divine grace is for all peoples. This healing also points to Christ's fulfillment of Messianic prophecies (Isaiah 35:5 and Ezekiel 24:27). So this fairly simple Gospel passage points to two profound themes: 1) the universality of divine mercy and grace, and 2) the arrival of the Messianic kingdom in the person of Jesus Christ.

Trinity XI- Luke 18: 9-14

 The Gospel for the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity is from Luke 18:9-14 and emphasizes God's mercy toward humble and penitent sinners such as the tax collector. Frequently, when human beings think of divine power, we tend to focus on creation, amazing miracles, extraordinary natural phenomena, or divine judgments against sin. We can certainly see manifestations of divine power in such things, and we should appreciate them. However, today's Gospel points us in a very different direction. Although God's creative work and His justice are notable expressions of His power, His grace, pardon, and mercy are even more powerful. We see this same emphasis in the opening words of the traditional collect for the day. Those words are "O God, who declarest thy almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity...." 

Like both the Pharisee and the tax collector, we are all sinners in one way or another. All fallen human beings deserve judgment and separation from God. Nevertheless, God is loving and merciful, and if we are open to His grace expressed in Jesus Christ, then we can humbly repent, receive divine mercy, and be justified or set right with God. God's great power is chiefly expressed through His love, mercy, and compassion! For all of us, that is certainly the Gospel, or Good News!

Trinity X- Luke 19:41

The Gospel for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity comes from Luke 19:41-47. This passage follows Luke’s account of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. These verses highlight our Lord’s concern for the city and its people. St. Luke 19:41 says, “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it…” There were various reasons to weep over first-century Jerusalem. The city was important for several reasons, and it suffered from diverse forms of corruption.

In this post, let us focus on the key aspect of corruption: Jerusalem's role as the heart of the Jewish religion. The city was the place where the whole Jewish people focused their relationship with God. In general, the people honored the religious establishment even though many religious leaders lacked living faith. Such leaders thought all was well as long as certain external forms were maintained. Most of the priests and religious scholars viewed Jesus as a troublemaker to be neutralized. Most official religious leaders sought to maintain the respectable, prosperous, and powerful situations permitted by Rome.

Of course, worldly Rome would only allow these leaders to continue for so long. Rome was greedier and more powerful than the Jerusalem priests and scribes were. The Empire would eventually tire of Judean party squabbles and rebellions; in 70 AD, Roman military might would destroy the rebellious city. Such then was the city over which Jesus wept. He wept because He loved His people, and He still honored the religious heritage and values which Jerusalem symbolized. He wept because of the corruption, spiritual blindness, and sin that endangered the city and the Jewish people.

There is a historical aspect to this Gospel selection. It is about first-century Jerusalem. However, it is also about the human story, and sadly, it seems to have many applications to present-day Christianity. Like the religious parties of first-century Jerusalem, many contemporary Christians, especially the religious leaders, do not know the things that bring true peace. Many who profess Christ do not follow Him, and the problem is more than general human weakness or individual sins. Our post-modern religious institutions are permeated by various forms of moral and spiritual corruption. 

Christendom does have a great heritage, but so did ancient Jerusalem (and so did ancient Rome). Even a great heritage can become so corrupt that it collapses from internal weakness and external pressures. Christ's Church will continue to the end of the age, but particular institutional and civilizational expressions of the Church may fade away. That includes, for example, the Vatican and Canterbury, as well as many smaller religious organizations. The dangers are real and acute.

Yet, we are not without hope. Christianity is a faith based on repentance and renewal. If even a remnant heeds Christ and lives by His truth and His values, their message survives through the chaos and destruction. Jesus Christ offers us a different way than the worldly way. He offers true peace, peace with God and fellow believers. He offers new life through divine grace and living faith. The question that faces supposed Christians is whether we really accept Him and His peace, or we ignore Him and pursue the corrupt ways that lead to destruction. Lord, have mercy upon us.

The Transfiguration of Christ- 6 August- Luke 9:35

The feast of the Transfiguration is based on an occurrence in the Gospels (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-10, Luke  9:28-36). This event is a striking manifestation of Jesus' divinity. Our Lord takes Peter, John, and James up onto a mountain where He has a shining appearance as He prays. Moses and Elijah appear and converse with Jesus, and a heavenly voice proclaims, "This is my beloved Son; hear him" (Luke 9:35).

Despite its clear biblical basis, this commemoration has not always been emphasized. The Latin Church did not begin to observe the Transfiguration as a universal feast on August 6 until 1457. In liturgical simplifications during the Reformation, the Feast of the Transfiguration was removed from many calendars, including the calendar of the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. It was restored as a minor commemoration or "black-letter day" on the Elizabethan calendar of 1561. The celebration was finally provided with "propers" as a feast of our Lord in the 1928 American BCP. (Some recent Anglican calendars have adopted the Lutheran custom of observing the Transfiguration on the Last Sunday after the Epiphany.)

Although often overlooked, the Transfiguration of Christ is a significant Christian observance. It illustrates the continuity between Christ's Gospel and the Law and the Prophets. Furthermore, it indicates that Christ's authority remains after Moses and Elijah have faded from view. It manifests our Lord's great inner glory and approval by God the Father. It is also a reminder that the Son of Man must suffer before His glory is more fully revealed (Matthew 17:12).