11 September 08

THURSDAY AFTER TRINITY XVI

11 SEPTEMBER 08

LECTIONARY READINGS

Morning Prayer: Psalm 126, 128; I Kings 8:54-63; I Thessalonians 4:1-12

Evening Prayer: Psalm 121, 122, 138; Job 1:1-12; Matthew 10:32-11:1

REFLECTION

In today's reading from the Gospel, found in Evening Prayer, we find some very strong admonishments from our Lord.

- We are to confess Jesus
- We are not to love family more than Jesus
- We are to take up our cross and follow Jesus
- We are to lose our life for the sake of Jesus
- We are to receive Jesus, thereby receiving the Father too

Heavy stuff, folks. You see...it's all about Jesus! Everytime we look at an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary with Our Lord, she is always pointing the way toward Jesus. In fact, in everything she does, she points toward Our Lord. It should be the same with us. All that we are and do should be all about Jesus.

On another note, I wanted to point out that this Sunday is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. In today's Gospel we hear Jesus say, "...he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." All of us have a cross of some sort to bear. None of us escape that reatlity. May we ask God for strength and courage to pick up our cross daily so that we might follow Our Lord wherever He may call us to go.

Be blessed in Christ!

Fr. Greg

THE COLLECT FOR THE SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

O Lord, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.