Faith Daily | 9 September 2021

PRAYER of the DAY - PENTECOST APBA p579

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: 27-38

27“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

37“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

GOSPEL Reflection: Contributed by: Peta-Anne Warwick

Love for enemies! How contrary to human nature that is, and to the way of the world! Christ gives us commands and some principles that are practically impossible to carry out consistently. The sermon contains truths that Christ practiced and lived by. And perhaps it is all about attitude and inner disposition.

It is natural to reciprocate – to help those who help you and hurt those who hurt you. And it seems better than the more aggressive, selfish approach of today, that being “do unto others before they do it to you”. But yet Jesus is telling us that reciprocity is not enough, we need to set ourselves apart from the world…be in the world but not of it.

In this sermon, Jesus repeats and reiterates his message, and that is to not allow people of lesser principles set the agenda. But how do we love our enemies? We start doing what Jesus has taught us: we find a way to do good, not to shame but to fill our heart with love; we bless the person that is causing us problems; and we pray intercession prayers to ask God to help both us and them. Jesus demonstrated at the cross how powerful words of love and forgiveness can be. Mmmm - I have a lot of work to do.

Jesus says Ïf anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also”, “don’t judge and you won’t be judged”. I like to think that to offer the other cheek is a suggestion to change the way you are looking at the situation. For example, in my kitchen, I may see a perfectly laid table for dinner if my left cheek is facing forward, but if the right is facing forward, the kitchen sink piled high with dishes (some teetering on the edge) is now in my sight. I haven’t moved but the outlook is very different - order and chaos. If I try to see a situation from the another’s point of view, perhaps I will be better at “doing good”.

FINAL PRAYER: – From “The Gift of Julian of Norwich” Karen Manton and Lynne Muir

Thus in our Father God Almighty

we have our being

and in our mother of mercy

we have our reforming and our restoring,

in whom our parts be oned

and all made perfect.........

and by yielding and giving

in grace of the Holy Ghost we are fulfilled.

We are enclosed in the Father,

and we are enclosed in the Son,

and we are enclosed in the Holy Ghost.

And the Father in enclosed in us,

the Son is enclosed in us,

and the Holy Ghost is enclosed in us,

all might,

all wisdom,

and all goodness,

one God, one Lord. Amen.