Eleventh Sunday after Trinity - 2026 and Pastoral Letter

 

The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119:161-176

xxi. Principes persecuti sunt.

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 judgments.

165 Great is the peace that they have who love thy law; * and they have none occasion of stumbling.

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.

xxii. Appropinquet deprecatio.

LET my complaint come before thee, O Lord; * give me understanding according to thy word.

170 Let my supplication come before thee; * deliver me according to thy word.

171 My lips shall speak of thy praise, * when thou hast taught me thy statutes.

172 Yea, my tongue shall sing of thy word; * for all thy commandments are righteous.

173 Let thine hand help me; * for I have chosen thy commandments.

174 I have longed for thy saving health, O Lord; * and in thy law is my delight.

175 O let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; * and thy judgments shall help me.

176 I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost; * O seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments..

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, 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). 

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). 

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 

Homily

 

From my letter to my congregation this week:

As I address Proverbs 30 this Sunday, there are two sections in that chapter that have much to say about contentment: 

First, there’s the prayer for ‘just give me enough…’: 

“Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:7-9).

 Then there’s the warning about perpetual discontentment and perpetual dissatisfaction:

“The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, “Enough”: Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, “Enough”” (Proverbs 30:15-16).

 Contentment is a big theme in Scripture, and the Westminster Shorter Catechism says some very pointed things about it as it explains the 10th Commandment regarding covetousness:

 Q. 80. What is required in the tenth commandment? A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbor, and all that is his. 

Q. 81. What is forbidden in the tenth commandment? A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his. 

Many years ago, for reasons wrapped in darkness, doubt, and dreariness, I wrote a prayer imploring Good God to bless me with contentment, and to turn my heart toward contentment. I have prayed this most weeks at least once, and have done so for around 20 years. Even this morning as I walked around the church building, it was one of my prayers as I reflected on Proverbs 30. I give it to you:

 

“O Lord God - help!

• Help me to flourish and fill out in faith, hope and love, as well as all other Christian virtues - here.

• Help me to find satisfaction with where I am, with whom I am with, with what I am doing - here.

• Help me to love you – here; to find my utmost joy in you – here; to become unstoppably secure in you – here!

• Help me to be content – but not idle; to be content – but not lazy; to be content – but not resentful – here.

• Help me to have a deep certainty that you have given me the victory in Christ Jesus our Lord; and so to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in your work, knowing - believing - confident - certain - assured that in Christ Jesus my labor here is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:57-58). 

O Lord God; hallowed be your name (here)! O Lord God; your Kingdom come (here)! O Lord God; your will be done on earth (here) as it is in heaven. Amen.”

 

“Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

 

Pastor Mike