28 June 2020
00:30 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
Audio files can be found on "The Message" page.
‘THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK’ FROM THE REVEREND STEPHEN GUISE, PRIEST IN CHARGE – THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY, 28 JUNE
‘THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK’ FROM THE REVEREND STEPHEN GUISE, PRIEST IN CHARGE – THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY, 28 JUNE
16th-century
Russian icon of The Nativity of John the Baptist, Hermitage Museum
Dear
Friends
This
Sunday, the third after Trinity, falls just after the Feast of the
Nativity of St John the Baptist, which is celebrated by the Church on
24 June. Throughout the Gospels, we have indications of the way in
which people at the time speculated about the respective roles and
ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus – not least in the Gospel
passage (Matthew 11:16-19 and 25-end) which is due to be read next
Sunday, the fourth after Trinity. In that passage, Jesus shows that
he is aware of the way in which he was being compared to his cousin,
and, of course, many of the comments and criticisms were misplaced.
Just as today anyone who puts his or her head above the parapet is
likely to be misunderstood, either wilfully or through ignorance, so
John the Baptist was accused of being possessed by demons because of
his ascetic lifestyle, whereas Jesus was assumed to be a ‘glutton
and drunkard’ because he was prepared to enjoy a meal with both
‘friends and sinners’ alike! You can’t win!
The
Gospel ends, however, with words of comfort and reassurance, as Jesus
exclaims that the mysteries of the Kingdom are being revealed to
‘little children’ – i.e. those who trust that God’s purposes
are being worked out in the person of Jesus himself - who are
contrasted with the ‘learned and the clever’ – i.e. the Jewish
religious leaders who were rejecting all God’s advances, whether
made through the stern penance of John or through the courtesy of
Jesus. For those who accept the gentle mastery of Jesus, there is
the great promise that he will give them rest: ‘Come to me all you
who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest. Shoulder
my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and
you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my
burden light.’ The original context of this saying is probably to
be found in ideas associated with the burden of the Law and the
additional Pharisaic observances – the ‘yoke of the Law’ was a
familiar metaphor in use at the time – but Jesus’ words have
continued to resonate through the centuries as his followers find
that he offers us rest and hope, and a place where we can lay down
our burdens, whatever they may be.
Fr
Stephen
Collect
for the Third Sunday after Trinity
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. Amen.
Acts 12.1-11
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
About that time
King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church.
He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword.
After he saw that it pleased the Jews,
he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
(This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.)
When he had seized him, he put him in prison
and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him,
intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
While Peter was kept in prison,
the church prayed fervently to God for him.
The very night before Herod was going to bring him out,
Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers,
while guards in front of the door were keeping watch
over the prison.
Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared
and a light shone in the cell.
He tapped Peter on the side and woke him,
saying, "Get up quickly."
And the chains fell off his wrists.
The angel said to him,
"Fasten your belt and put on your sandals."
He did so. Then he said to him,
"Wrap your cloak around you and follow me."
Peter went out and followed him;
he did not realise
that what was happening with the angel's help was real;
he thought he was seeing a vision.
After they had passed the first and the second guard,
they came before the iron gate leading into the city.
It opened for them of its own accord,
and they went outside and walked along a lane,
when suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter came to himself and said,
"Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel
and rescued me from the hands of Herod
and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."
Gospel Matthew 16.13-19
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Chris according to Matthew.
When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi,
he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
And they said, "Some say John the Baptist,
but others Elijah,
and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter answered,
"You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
And Jesus answered him,
"Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah!
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you,
but my Father in heaven.
And I tell you, you are Peter,
and on this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,
and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
