Sunday 28th June 2020
Trinity 3
Thy Hand O God has guided
The Collects for the day
Almighty God,
you have broken the tyranny of sin
and have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts whereby we call you Father:
give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service,
that we and all creation may be brought to the glorious liberty of the children of God;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
God our saviour,
look on this wounded world
in pity and in power;
hold us fast to your promises of peace
won for us by your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Almighty God,
you have broken the tyranny of sin
and have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts whereby we call you Father:
give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service,
that we and all creation may be brought to the glorious liberty of the children of God;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
God our saviour,
look on this wounded world
in pity and in power;
hold us fast to your promises of peace
won for us by your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
All things bright and beautiful
Genesis 22: 1-14
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.
When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’
After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.
When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’
Lord , Enthroned in Heavenly Splendour
Matthew 10: 40-end
‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’
‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’
The Heavens Are Telling (Franz Haydn)
From the Vicar:
The Gospel today from Matthew
German — Willkommen! Spanish — ¡Bienvenido/a!
French — Bienvenue ! Italian — Benvenuto/a!
Portuguese — Bem-vindo/a! Swedish — Välkommen!
Turkish — Hoş geldin! Polish — Witaj!
Indonesian — Selamat datang!
DescriptionA welcome is a kind of greeting designed to introduce a person to a new place or situation, and to make them feel at ease. The term can similarly be used to describe the feeling of being accepted on the part of the new person. In some contexts, a welcome is extended to a stranger, to an area or a household.
Welcome may be the first words a stranger hears when they enter St. John’s, but the big question is what are we welcoming people to? If it’s the building then I guess does it feel warm or cold? It all makes a difference. If it’s the body of the church - you and I, then the same question applies are we warm or cold?
Christ says whoever welcomes you welcomes me and the one who sent me. To be the first to say hello or welcome is a great responsibility, to meet and greet the stranger: to offer out the hand of friendship (or in these days the elbow of friendship) for me it’s not the handshake but the smile and the glint in the eye.
We are Christ’s representatives here at St. John’s - his handshake, his elbow, his smile. The day can’t come quick enough for me to be able to say hello to you all and smile and welcome you, for whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me.
As always, your friend and priest,
Padre Fran
The Gospel today from Matthew
German — Willkommen! Spanish — ¡Bienvenido/a!
French — Bienvenue ! Italian — Benvenuto/a!
Portuguese — Bem-vindo/a! Swedish — Välkommen!
Turkish — Hoş geldin! Polish — Witaj!
Indonesian — Selamat datang!
DescriptionA welcome is a kind of greeting designed to introduce a person to a new place or situation, and to make them feel at ease. The term can similarly be used to describe the feeling of being accepted on the part of the new person. In some contexts, a welcome is extended to a stranger, to an area or a household.
Welcome may be the first words a stranger hears when they enter St. John’s, but the big question is what are we welcoming people to? If it’s the building then I guess does it feel warm or cold? It all makes a difference. If it’s the body of the church - you and I, then the same question applies are we warm or cold?
Christ says whoever welcomes you welcomes me and the one who sent me. To be the first to say hello or welcome is a great responsibility, to meet and greet the stranger: to offer out the hand of friendship (or in these days the elbow of friendship) for me it’s not the handshake but the smile and the glint in the eye.
We are Christ’s representatives here at St. John’s - his handshake, his elbow, his smile. The day can’t come quick enough for me to be able to say hello to you all and smile and welcome you, for whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me.
As always, your friend and priest,
Padre Fran
Closing Prayer
O God, whose beauty is beyond our imagining
and whose power we cannot comprehend:
show us your glory as far as we can grasp it,
and shield us from knowing more than we can bear
until we may look upon you without fear;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
O God, whose beauty is beyond our imagining
and whose power we cannot comprehend:
show us your glory as far as we can grasp it,
and shield us from knowing more than we can bear
until we may look upon you without fear;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
