Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity (and Weekly Pastoral Letter) - 2024

 

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

Cantate Domino.

Psalm xcviii

O SING unto the Lord a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.

With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.

The Lord declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.

Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.

With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.

Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is : the round world, and that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord : for he cometh to judge the earth.

With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the peoples with equity.

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.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always *prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

*N.B. In older use prevent meant: to act ahead of; forestall; to precede; to anticipate. 

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 13.15-21

Psalter: Psalm 91, 92 | 105, 60

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 14.1-11 

Homily

 

This was my pastoral letter to my congregation this last week: 

I love the Old Testament prophets, and one of my favorite is Habakkuk. Many, many years ago Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the Welsh Calvinist-Methodist preacher (yes, there once was such a creature as a Calvinist-Methodist church) wrote a teeny book working through Habakkuk. The book is made up of his sermons on Habakkuk that were printed in 1953, not long after WWII, in the middle of the Korean War, and at the hieght of the Cold War. It is titled “From Fear to Faith” and you can still order it. Here’s a little taste of Lloyd-Jones as he ponders various passages in Habakkuk. 

“The key to the history of the world is the kingdom of God…And ultimately history today is relevant only as it bears upon the history of the Christian Church…The problems of today are to be understood only in its light. What God is permitting in the Church and in the world today is related to His great purpose for His own Church and kingdom” (p.21-2). 

“There are, in our time, grave dangers confronting the Church and, unless she is careful, like Israel of old she may enter into political alliances to try to stave off the very thing which God has directed. It is essential that the Church should not view things with a political eye, but learn to interpret events spiritually and to understand them in light of God’s instructions to her” (p.23). 

“If we desire to be at peace within, in spite of what is happening in the world around and about us, the only way to do so is to understand this biblical philosophy of history which explains what is happening in the secular world and its bearing on the Church of God. The essential principle is that history can be understood only in terms of God’s kingdom – that is, the rule of God in the world as a whole and including the Church. All history is being directed by God in order to bring His own purpose with respect to the kingdom to pass” (p.45-6). 

“Turning to the positive aspect of this truth (2:14) we read, ‘For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea’. It is not for anyone to attempt to predict what is going to happen in detail, but we can be certain of one great fact, namely, the ultimate triumph of God” (p.53). 

“In the light of all this, what, then, is our final conclusion? … God forbid that we should trust, or commit ourselves to, any power other than God Himself, to any idols man may set up, even though they be the British Commonwealth or the United Nations! … Put your trust in nothing of man, but in God alone! ‘But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him’ (2:20)” (p.54). 

Brothers and sisters, I hope you will find a copy of this book and read it. No matter what is happening here at home, in Europe, Bangladesh, the Middle East, or anywhere else, our God is overseeing it all, and steering it all in the right direction. And when that reality has gotten hold of us, then truly “the righteous shall live” and he shall live “by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4b). 

Pastor Mike

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity - 2023

 

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

Cantate Domino.

Psalm xcviii

O SING unto the Lord a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.

With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.

The Lord declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.

Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.

With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.

Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is : the round world, and that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord : for he cometh to judge the earth.

With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the peoples with equity.

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.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always *prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

*N.B. In older use prevent meant: to act ahead of; forestall; to precede; to anticipate. 

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 13.15-21

Psalter: Psalm 91, 92 | 105, 60

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 14.1-11 

Homily

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity - 2022

 

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

Cantate Domino.

Psalm xcviii

O SING unto the Lord a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.

With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.

The Lord declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.

Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.

With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.

Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is : the round world, and that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord : for he cometh to judge the earth.

With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the peoples with equity.

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.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always *prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

*N.B. In older use prevent meant: to act ahead of; forestall; to precede; to anticipate. 

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 13.15-21

Psalter: Psalm 91, 92 | 105, 60

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 14.1-11 

Homily 

 

 “This is the universal rule, in evangelism as elsewhere. God will make us pray before he blesses our labors in order that we may constantly learn afresh that we depend on God for everything. And then, when God permits us to see conversions, we shall not be tempted to ascribe them to our own gifts, or skill, or wisdom, or persuasiveness, but to his work alone, and so we shall know whom we ought to thank for them” (J.I. Packer, “Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God,” 119).

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity and St. Michaels and All Angels (29 September) - 2021

 

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

Cantate Domino.

Psalm xcviii

O SING unto the Lord a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.

With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.

The Lord declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.

Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.

With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.

Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is : the round world, and that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord : for he cometh to judge the earth.

With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the peoples with equity.

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.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always *prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

*N.B. In older use prevent meant: to act ahead of; forestall; to precede; to anticipate. 

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 13.15-21

Psalter: Psalm 91, 92 | 105, 60

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 14.1-11 

Homily 

Saint Michael and All Angels

{29 September}

Psalm 113

Laudate, pueri

PRAISE the Lord, ye servants : O praise the Name of the Lord.

2. Blessed be the Name of the Lord : from this time forth for evermore.

3. The Lord’s Name is praised : from the rising up of the sun unto the going down of the same.

4. The Lord is high above all heathen and his glory above the heavens.

5. Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath his dwelling so high : and yet humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and earth?

6. He taketh up the simple out of the dust : and lifteth the poor out of the mire;

7. That he may set him with the princes : even with the princes of his people.

8. He maketh the barren woman to keep house : and to be a joyful mother of children. 

Collect

Everlasting God, who hast ordained and constituted the services of Angels and men in a wonderful order; Mercifully grant that, as thy holy Angels alway do thee service in heaven so by thy appointment they may succour and defend us on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Old Testament Reading: Daniel 12.1-3

Psalter: Psalm 103

Epistle Reading: Revelation 12.7-12

Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 18.1-10 

The Feast of St. Michael this year is the 18^th anniversary of our Order: http://orderofcenturions.org/history.html 

The Feast of St. Michael is a good time to prayerfully reflect on our Vows we have taken: http://orderofcenturions.org/vow.html 

Finally, here is the Prayer of the Order: 

Almighty God, our sovereign Lord, who called Cornelius the Centurion to be the first Christian among the Gentiles, who healed the servant at Capernaum in accordance with the Centurion's great faith, and who inspired the Centurion at Calvary to glorify Jesus; strengthen us in our faith that we might follow their example to love, serve, and glorify you as faithful members of the Church Militant, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity - 2020

 

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

Cantate Domino.

Psalm xcviii

O SING unto the Lord a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.

With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.

The Lord declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.

Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.

With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.

Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is : the round world, and that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord : for he cometh to judge the earth.

With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the peoples with equity.

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.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always *prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

*N.B. In older use prevent meant: to act ahead of; forestall; to precede; to anticipate. 

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 13.15-21

Psalter: Psalm 91, 92 | 105, 60

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 14.1-11 

Homily 

Almighty God, who judges the world with righteousness and the peoples with equity, look upon your servant (Mr. Trump, his wife and family) who has contracted this virus. Lift up their hearts, sustain their healing, give rest and refreshment to them body and soul, and grant them a speedy recovery. And during this time, as they feel the aches and discomfort, may they reflect more on you, your mercy and grace, than on their own ailment. Draw them close to you, that they may show themselves joyful unto the Lord, singing, rejoicing and giving thanks. Through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity - 2019

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

Cantate Domino.

Psalm xcviii

O SING unto the Lord a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.

With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.

The Lord declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.

Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.

With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.

Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is : the round world, and that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord : for he cometh to judge the earth.

With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the peoples with equity.

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.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always *prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*N.B. In older use prevent meant: to act ahead of; forestall; to precede; to anticipate.

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 13.15-21

Psalter: Psalm 91, 92 | 105, 60

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 14.1-11

Homily

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity - 2018

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

Cantate Domino.

Psalm xcviii

O SING unto the Lord a new song : for he hath done marvellous things.

With his own right hand, and with his holy arm : hath he gotten himself the victory.

The Lord declared his salvation : his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.

He hath remembered his mercy and truth toward the house of Israel : and all the ends of the world have seen the salvation of our God.

Show yourselves joyful unto the Lord, all ye lands : sing, rejoice, and give thanks.

Praise the Lord upon the harp : sing to the harp with a psalm of thanksgiving.

With trumpets also and shawms : O shew yourselves joyful before the Lord the King.

Let the sea make a noise, and all that therein is : the round world, and that dwell therein.

Let the floods clap their hands, and let the hills be joyful together before the Lord : for he cometh to judge the earth.

With righteousness shall he judge the world : and the peoples with equity.

Glory be to the Father, &c.

As it was in the beginning, &c.

The Collect.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always *prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*N.B. In older use prevent meant: to act ahead of; forestall; to precede; to anticipate.

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 13.15-21

Psalter: Psalm 91, 92 | 105, 60

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 14.1-11

Homily

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity - 2017

{If our weekly prayer reminders, Psalter selection and Scripture reading have blessed you, take a look at our website: http://orderofcenturions.org/ . We are a fellowship of Christians who have been in the military, Law Enforcement, Firefighters, First Responders, etc. who our bound together around Jesus Christ the Lord. Consider joining our Order.}

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.129-136

Mirabilia

129. THY testimonies are wonderful : therefore doth my soul keep them.

130. When thy word goeth forth : it giveth light and understanding unto the simple.

131. I opened my mouth, and drew in my breath : for my delight was in thy commandments.

132. O look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me : as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name.

133. Order my steps in thy word : and so shall no wickedness have dominion over me.

134. O deliver me from the wrongful dealings of men : and so shall I keep thy commandments.

135. Shew the light of thy countenance upon thy servant : and teach me thy statutes.

136. Mine eyes gush out with water : because men keep not thy law.

The Collect.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always *prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*N.B. In older use prevent meant: to act ahead of; forestall; to precede; to anticipate.

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 13.15-21

Psalter: Psalm 91, 92 | 105, 60

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 14.1-11

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity17_071.html

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity, Autumn Ember Days and St. Matthew - 2016

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.129-136

Mirabilia

129. THY testimonies are wonderful : therefore doth my soul keep them.

130. When thy word goeth forth : it giveth light and understanding unto the simple.

131. I opened my mouth, and drew in my breath : for my delight was in thy commandments.

132. O look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me : as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name.

133. Order my steps in thy word : and so shall no wickedness have dominion over me.

134. O deliver me from the wrongful dealings of men : and so shall I keep thy commandments.

135. Shew the light of thy countenance upon thy servant : and teach me thy statutes.

136. Mine eyes gush out with water : because men keep not thy law.

The Collect.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always *prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*N.B. In older use prevent meant: to act ahead of; forestall; to precede; to anticipate.

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 13.15-21

Psalter: Psalm 91, 92 | 105, 60

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 14.1-11

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity17_07.html

Autumn Ember Days

http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/ember.html

Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
[September 21]

O ALMIGHTY God, who by thy blessed Son didst call Matthew from the receipt of custom to be an Apostle and Evangelist; Grant us grace to forsake all covetous desires, and inordinate love of riches, and to follow the same thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 3.1-6

Psalter: Psalm 119.1-16

New Testament Reading: 2 Corinthians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: Matthew 9.9-17

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/matthew.html#homily

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity - 2015

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.129-136

Mirabilia

129. THY testimonies are wonderful : therefore doth my soul keep them.

130. When thy word goeth forth : it giveth light and understanding unto the simple.

131. I opened my mouth, and drew in my breath : for my delight was in thy commandments.

132. O look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me : as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name.

133. Order my steps in thy word : and so shall no wickedness have dominion over me.

134. O deliver me from the wrongful dealings of men : and so shall I keep thy commandments.

135. Shew the light of thy countenance upon thy servant : and teach me thy statutes.

136. Mine eyes gush out with water : because men keep not thy law.

The Collect.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always *prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*N.B. In older use prevent meant: to act ahead of; forestall; to precede; to anticipate.

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 13.15-21

Psalter: Psalm 91, 92 | 105, 60

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 14.1-11

Homily: http://orderofcenturions.org/documents/trinity17.html#homily

Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity - 2014

The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity.

Psalm 119.129-136

Mirabilia

129. THY testimonies are wonderful : therefore doth my soul keep them.
130. When thy word goeth forth : it giveth light and understanding unto the simple.
131. I opened my mouth, and drew in my breath : for my delight was in thy commandments.
132. O look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me : as thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name.
133. Order my steps in thy word : and so shall no wickedness have dominion over me.
134. O deliver me from the wrongful dealings of men : and so shall I keep thy commandments.
135. Shew the light of thy countenance upon thy servant : and teach me thy statutes.
136. Mine eyes gush out with water : because men keep not thy law.

The Collect.

LORD, we pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 13.15-21

Psalter: Psalm 91, 92 | 105, 60

Epistle Reading: Ephesians 4.1-6

Gospel Reading: St. Luke 14.1-11

Toon: “Here we address the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as the LORD, in Hebrew YHWH, the revealed Name of God given to Moses at the burning bush in the wilderness (Exodus 3). He is I AM WHO I AM and I AM WHO I SHALL BE and I AM & SHALL BE WHO I WAS. He is the utterly faithful One from generation to generation and from age to age. And his Son, the One Mediator between God and Man, who also shares the name of LORD is the same yesterday, today and for ever (Hebrews 13:8).

To this eternally existing, infinite and ineffable God, who came to us in Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Son of the almighty Father, we are most highly privileged to be able to bring our petitions and to offer our praise and thanksgiving.

Here we use a verb Prevent whose meaning in this context is the old one [to anticipate, to forestall, to be beforehand with]. And we make two petitions which are connected to each other. First of all, we ask that the grace (the personal presence and unmerited mercy) of God (that is as the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete, present in the world as the Spirit of Christ) may always both go before us and come behind us, so that we are always surrounded on all sides by the divine omnipresence and infinite care. In the second place, being thus placed within the gracious favour of God, we ask that we shall continually respond in faith and faithfulness to be and do that which is pleasing in his sight -- loving God with all our being & loving our neighbour as ourselves.

There is great strength in the word always. We need God’s personal presence and assistance not sometimes, not even often; but, rather, always. We may wish to compare this Collect for Trinity XVII with the Fourth Collect at the end of the Order for Holy Communion where we pray, Prevent us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favour. That is, we ask God, as it were, to bring up the rear as his Church moves through space and time. The same Collect also asks, Further us with thy continual help. Here, we ask God to surround us and to go before us with his Presence.

Let us be clear that the LORD, the Blessed, Holy and Undivided Trinity of the Father, together with the Son and the Holy Ghost, is wholly desirous of being with his children in a complete and satisfying way for their salvation and their general good. His promises of his presence and his help are many. What he looks for in us is faith and faithfulness so that we are truly, consciously and continually his people and he is known by us always as our covenant God.

The Epistle reminds us of the Christian vocation which always includes maintaining the unity of the church. The Gospel proclaims the virtue of humility before God and amongst men” (http://www.pbs.org.uk/the-bcp/seventeenth-sunday-after-trinity).