Eleventh Sunday after Trinity -2014

The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.81-88

Defecit anima mea

MY SOUL hath longed for thy salvation : and I have a good hope because of thy word.

82. Mine eyes long sore for thy word : saying, O when wilt thou comfort me?

83. For I am become like a bottle in the smoke : yet do I not forget thy statutes.

84. How many are the days of thy servant : when wilt thou be avenged of them that persecute me?

85. The proud have digged pits for me : which are not after thy law.

86. All thy commandments are true : they persecute me falsely; O be thou my help.

87. They had almost made an end of me upon earth : but I forsook not thy commandments.

88. O quicken me after thy loving-kindness : and so shall I keep the testimonies of thy mouth.

The Collect.

O GOD, who declarest thy almighty power most chiefly in shewing mercy and pity; Mercifully grant unto us abundantly  thy grace, that we, running to thy promises, may be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (1549 BCP).

O GOD, who declarest thy almighty power most chiefly in shewing mercy and pity; Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (1928 BCP).

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 26.12-19

Psalter: Psalm 63, 64 | 54, 55

Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 15.1-11

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 18.9-14

Toon: “The petition we offer to God the Father here is firmly based upon the doctrine that we remember in his presence from his Revelation as we make use of the relative clause (who declarest). This doctrine is the amazing teaching that God the Father manifests and reveals his omnipotence primarily when he makes known and shows his mercy and pity to undeserving sinners. And to state this is to speak of the great Event of propitiation and expiation at the Cross of Calvary where the Incarnate Son of God shed his blood as a sacrifice for sin, in order to reconcile us to God, his Father. Here the almighty power and generosity of God, that created the universe and keeps it in motion, dealt with the enormity of human sin and cosmic evil and by overcoming them brought in for the world salvation, redemption, reconciliation, pardon, justification and sanctification.

On the basis of the meritorious death of the Lord Jesus Christ, we ask God in his great mercy to grant us so large a measure of his abundant grace that we may live in such a way as to please him and arrive at our heavenly home. Without grace [the personal presence of the Holy Ghost representing the Lord Jesus with us] we cannot begin to please him! The way to please the Lord is to live faithfully in the way of his holy law, his commandments, for in such obedience we actually obtain, by his design, his promises concerning his abiding presence and the gift of everlasting life and heavenly reward. In fact, by his grace we shall become joint and fellow partakers of the heavenly reward with all the saints as we not merely walk but run in obedience to his Law. Thus we shall lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal.

In the Epistle we read of the Saving Events of the Cross and Resurrection that assured the victory over evil, sin, death, Satan and hell. In the Gospel we read of the right relation we ought to seek and have before God our Father [repentant sinners]” (http://www.pbs.org.uk/the-bcp/eleventh-sunday-after-trinity).