Fourth Sunday after Trinity (and Letter to the Congregation) - 2022

 

The Fourth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.49-64

vii. Memor esto verbi tui.

O THINK upon thy servant, as concerning thy word, * wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust.

50 The same is my comfort in my trouble; * for thy word hath quickened me.

51 The proud have had me exceedingly in derision; * yet have I not shrinked from thy law.

52 For I remembered thine everlasting judgments, O Lord, * and received comfort.

53 I am horribly afraid, * for the ungodly that forsake thy law.

54 Thy statutes have been my songs, * in the house of my pilgrimage.

55 I have thought upon thy Name, O Lord, in the night season, * and have kept thy law.

56 This I had, * because I kept thy commandments.

viii. Portio mea, Domine.

THOU art my portion, O Lord; * I have promised to keep thy law.

58 I made my humble petition in thy presence with my whole heart; * O be merciful unto me, according to thy word.

59 I called mine own ways to remembrance, * and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

60 I made haste, and prolonged not the time, * to keep thy commandments.

61 The snares of the ungodly have compassed me about; * but I have not forgotten thy law.

62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee, * because of thy righteous judgments.

63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, * and keep thy commandments.

64 The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy: * O teach me thy statutes.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son * and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be * world without end. Amen. 

The Collect.

O GOD, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; Increase and multiply upon us thy mercy; that, thou being our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not the things eternal: Grant this, O heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ’s sake our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Lamentations 3.22-33

Psalter: Psalm 19, 20 | 24, 25

Epistle Reading: Romans 8.18-23

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 6.36-42 

Homily

From my letter to the congregation this last week:

Over the last few weeks we have worked through Ecclesiastes 7. Two sets of verses have stuck with me and I am beginning to memorize them. Pastor Wes has also begun storing one or two in his head. Maybe I can persuade you to do the same. 

The first set is Ecclesiastes 7:9-10:

[9] Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools. [10] Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this. 

The first of these verses (7:9) resonates deeply with Proverbs, such as “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly” (Proverbs 14:29). The reason I find memorizing and meditating on 7:9 helpful is because outrage sells in our day, and is contagious. It sells products, talk radio shows, podcasts, opinion pieces, “news,” etc. But the God-fearing approach is to not become clothed in outrage, which is foolishness. Think also of personal relationships and how easy it is to “snap”. It’s not that there aren’t things to become angry over, because there are. The problem is that, more times than not, we explode and flare up over self-serving things, words and actions that insult my notions and my agendas and my honor. So, as I’m memorizing this verse I also pray for God’s help that I would not have a fool’s heart that lodges anger. 

The second verse (7:10) reminds me that there has never been a golden age. As I said in a sermon recently, times may be bad now, but because of human sin, times have always been bad. The “Good Old Days” may not have had “these” sins, but they did have “those” iniquities. Since the fall, there has never been a golden age. So, being wise recognizes this truth and starts pondering how to learn from the past, so that we will know how best to act in the present with a view to the future. This verse restrains my heart from longing for the past, and instead to seek God’s aid for what is before me now. 

The second set of verses are Ecclesiastes 7:21-22:

[21] Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. [22] Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others. 

These two verses cause me to slow down, pause, and recognize that the very things that concern me in others are most likely in my own heart. It also brings me to slow down and not react too quickly when accused or slandered. In all honesty, my heart does tell me that I have done similar things regarding others, and before I rise up in self-vindicating indignation, I just might need to do some honest-to-God confession of my sins, ask forgiveness of another, and take stock on a new direction. As I often (maybe too often) say, when pointing one finger at others, I need to see three more pointing back at me. 

So, I’m striking out on the Bible-Verse-Memorization trek. I hope I’ve at least gotten you to consider memorizing these passages with me. It would be a pleasure if some of you would join me in this endeavor.