13 JULY 08

THE EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

13 JULY 08

LECTIONARY READINGS

Morning Prayer: Psalm 119:33-48; Ecclesiasticus 1:18-27; John 7:14-24

Mass: Romans 8:12-17; Matthew 7:15-21

Evening Prayer: Psalm 25; Ecclesiasticus 6:22-end; Luke 10:38-end

REFLECTION

The Gospel. St. Matthew vii. 15.

BEWARE of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

The Scriptures have much to say about false teachers. Jesus warns us not to have anything to do with a false teacher of religion. However, that is not always the easiest thing. Think of Jesus' warning to his disciples at Matt. 24:4: "Beware lest anyone mislead you. Because many will come in My name saying: 'I am the Christ' and they will deceive many." False teachers always claim that they are of Christ.

I was flipping through cannels the other day…My wife can tell you I am a typical man and I oh so love to flip channels. In fact, I’m known for my ability to run down the battery on the television remote just by flipping back and forth to “see the score of a ball game while watching something else entirely about forty times in a given hour of TV viewing”… However, the other day I stopped for a second and watched a big toothed and handsomely wavy haired fellow that had his trophy wife sitting nearby while he was speaking to a stadium full of people. I thought to myself…”What’s this fellow saying that is getting so many people excited in this stadium.” It didn’t take me long to figure it out. He was a false teacher. He was speaking about “How if you follow Jesus Christ great wealth and blessings are coming your way…You’re guaranteed to get wealth and health and all kinds of good things will happen to you if you followJesus….Well…And you need to call the toll free number flashing below on the screen.” I thought about my recent sermon regarding St. Peter. I thought about Saint Peter choosing to be a martyr. I thought about the fates of all those closest to Christ and the early Church Fathers.

-Matthew suffered martyrdom by the sword.

-Mark died after being dragged throughthe streets.

-Luke was hanged on an olive tree.

-Peter was crucified at Rome with his head downward.

-James the Greater was beheaded at Jerusalem.

-James the Lesser was thrown from the top of the Templeand beaten to death below.

-Philip was hanged against a pillar.

I could continue this list for a very long time…I believe you get the idea now. Those closest to Jesus suffered the most. This is a simple fact. Christians in the East have a wonderful saying…”Every tragedy is an opportunity to know God”. There is a story about a priest who went to the hospital and gave someone Holy Unction and guess what? They died and the family asked the priest, “How could this horrible thing happen?” The priest basically said, “God doesn’t always change the laws of physics and the material world to suit us.” Why should he? After all, God rules the universe from his perspective… not ours. I don’t ever recall reading in scripture bad things don’t happen in this world. I don’t understand how believing in Jesus is going to stop me from losing a loved one or getting my heart broken. However, entire congregations are built around such teachings. When you are the infinite (and God certainly is) you can see further ahead then we can in our hopefully seventy or eighty short years. Why do horrible things happen to people? A false teacher would say becausesomeone doesn’t have enough faith or their faith has lapsed. I would say.. “I don’t know why.” I really don‘t know. However, I DO know that God loved us so much that He came to dwell among us in the flesh and suffered and died as one of us. God gave us the way out of spiritual and permanent death in sin and suffering and that way out is through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. Yes, our lives are temporary and we suffer in this life but if you believe in Christ Jesus death and suffering are temporary as well.

Fr. David

***Fr. David Straw is Asst. Rector of Trinity Anglican Church, Evansville, Indiana. Visit their website at http://www.tacuec.org/***

THE COLLECT FOR THE EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

O God, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE SAINT OF THE DAY

St. Silas, Martyr (1st century)

Saint Silas was a companion and fellow labourer of the Apostle Paul: "And Paul chose Silas and departed...and he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches" (Acts 15:40-41). He later became Bishop of Corinth, and reposed in peace. Saint Silvan became Bishop of Thessalonica, and also reposed in peace. Saint Crescents, whom Saint Paul mentions in his Second Epistle to Timothy(4:10), became Bishop of Chalcedon, and brought many to the Faith. As for him whom the Apostle of the Nations praises as "my well-beloved Epenetus, the first-fruits of Achaia unto Christ" (Roman 16:5), he became Bishop of Carthage, and after enduring many afflictions from the idolators, and bringing many of them to Christ, he departed to the Lord.

***from www.goarch.org***

THE COLLECT FOR ST. SILAS

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God : that by the prayers of thy holy Martyr blessed Silas, we may be delivered from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.