Faith Daily |10 September 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p576

O God,

you know us to be set in the midst

of so many and so great dangers

that by reason of the frailty of our nature

we cannot always stand upright:

grant to us such strength and protection

as may support us in all dangers

and carry us through all temptations;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

GOSPEL for the Day: Luke 6: 43-49

43 ‘No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; 44for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.

46 ‘Why do you call me “Lord, Lord”, and do not do what I tell you? 47I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. 48That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.* 49But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house.’

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Rev’d Sandra

The Gospel today offers us the words of Jesus teaching about discipleship and the direct relationship that this has to the condition of a person’s heart. He explains that one of the easiest ways to understand the condition of a person’s heart is by what comes out of their mouth – their words and their actions.

In the previous section of scripture Jesus cautioned the disciples to be careful in ensuring that they are loving, generous and kind - for to be unloving and lacking in generosity, is to lack integrity in their following of him. Jesus rebukes such hypocrisy and likens such a situation to the blind leading the blind.

Now, he goes on to give an example of a house (a life, a church) being built on rock and solid foundations as compared to a house (a life, a church) that is built on shaky ground. When the floods come (difficulties arise) the house built on Jesus will stand strong. The house that fails to live according to his teachings and his ways, will fall when difficulties arise.

We are currently experiencing some difficulties in the national and international Anglican Communion, as we come to terms with a split in the church through GAFCON. This is particularly painful for our Diocese as a new denomination called the Diocese of the Southern Cross has split from the Anglican Church of Australia, led by a priest from our own Diocese. It seems to me we are all called to remember, more than ever, the words of Jesus today. Because if we hold fast to the words and example of Christ - to be compassionate, loving, merciful and kind, we can take comfort and assurance from Jesus himself, that our house (our life of faith, our Church) will continue to stand strong in times of trial.

FINAL PRAYER a Reflection from Teresa of Avila [The Interior Castle Chp.3.]

“We cannot know whether or not we love God, although there are strong indications for recognizing that we do love God; but we can know whether we love our neighbour. And be certain that the more advanced you see you are in love for your neighbour the more advanced you will be in the love of God.”

[Teresa of Avila “The Fourth Dwelling Places,”. The Interior Castle, Ch. 3, trans. Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodrigues (New York: Paulist Press, 1979). Cited in Zagano, Woman to Woman, 43.]