The Twenty-First Sunday after Trinity - 2014

The Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.161-168

Principes persecuti sunt

161. PRINCES have persecuted me without a cause : but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

162. I am as glad of thy word : as one that findeth great spoils.

163. As for lies, I hate and abhor them : but thy law do I love.

164. Seven times a day do I praise thee : because of thy righteous judgements.

165. Great is the peace that they have who love thy law : and they are not offended at it.

166. Lord, I have looked for thy saving health : and done after thy commandments.

167. My soul hath kept thy testimonies : and loved them exceedingly.

168. I have kept thy commandments and testimonies : for all my ways are before thee.

The Collect.

GRANT, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 59.15b-21

Psalter: Psalm 120, 121, 122 | 133, 134, 135

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 6.10-20

Gospel Reading: St. John 4.46-54

Toon: “God never does things by quarters, thirds or halves. The verb to grant from the Latin largire has the sense of grant largely or bountifully. We know that God is wont to give more than we either desire or deserve (Trinity 12,Collect), and that when he feeds a multitude there remain of fragments twelve full baskets (Matthew 14:20).

We can humbly yet boldly use the verb grant and address the Almighty Father as the merciful Lord because of the expiation and propitiation provided for our sins at Calvary by the Incarnate Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. The Father has demonstrated in the fullest and clearest way in the Incarnation, Death and Exaltation of Jesus that he loves us with an infinite and eternal love and that he is ready to give unto us pardon, remission and forgiveness of our sins, to reckon us to be righteous in his sight, justified by faith, and to adopt us as his children.

In fact not only is the Father, because of the merits of his Son, always ready to be in a state of peace or reconciliation with us, so that we are no longer his enemies, but he is also desirous to place in our souls by the presence of the Holy Ghost that internal peace, which passes understanding and which endures through pain and tribulation, persecution and trials.

In response to such a bountiful provision by the grace and mercy of the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, we ought to be enthusiastic about and consecrated to the service of God, with a mind, heart and will that are focused” (http://www.pbs.org.uk/the-bcp/twenty-first-sunday-after-trinity).