First Sunday after Trinity
Hosea 5.15—6.6 Psalm 50.7–15 Romans 4.13–end Matthew 9.9–13, 18–26
In cities, towns and villages all up and down this land we can find places of worship. They may be cathedrals, churches and chapels, or house groups. People are gathering together to worship God.
But what is this worship that we offer? Whatever it is it can take one of many forms. Our worship of God it multifaceted. We may sing hymns, possibly one of the first things people think of when they speak of churches, or we may spend our worship time in contemplative silence or reading. The hymns that we sing are often in the form of a prayer set to music. Over the years we have accumulated hundreds of hymns of different types. Some are joyful which, as we sing them, almost make us wish to jump and dance with glee, whilst others are of a more gentle nature with words which reflect upon life.
The worship that we offer also comprises of prayer. This is our opportunity to speak with God and tell him of our want and needs, to give him our thanks for his goodness, to praise him for all that we have and for who we are. As Christians we also look further afield than just ourselves. We see about us situations that are beyond our control, events happening in distant lands. Our hearts pour out to those who are enduring suffering, those in situations from which they have no escape.
Singing and praying may be the basis of our worship and of our love of God. But more is required of us to fulfil our title of being a Christian. In the gospel reading Jesus says, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” Just what is this that Jesus is desiring?
All about him he could see the scribes and pharisees going about being pious. They were doing what they thought was their duty to God by being holy, or even more holy than thou, in their attitudes. Dressing up in fine robes and carrying themselves in such ways as to draw attention to themselves. ‘Look at me. I am a holy man. You should look up to me.’ Such attitudes do little in the way of active worship of God. They strutted about so much that there was little room for any practical help. This is just what Jesus meant when he used that expression, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”
Someone may go through all of the motions of doing what is deemed right and proper in the way that they go about their life, but if there is no room to help where help is needed then they are not really fulfilling their religious duties. Those duties include the requirement to help a neighbour in distress, to give aid and help where it is needed.
It is all well and good going through life stretching out ones hand and arm in prayer, offering all kinds of petitions to God, heaping upon him all kinds of praise and thanks, if at the same time the person in need is being ignored.
It can be so convenient to sit back and read good works, to be with God in prayer all to the exclusion of the world about us. Yes, God does want us to broaden our knowledge of him by reading and studying, learning from what those who are learned in theology have to teach us. But he also wants us to go out into the world and help where help is needed, to be like the Good Samaritan, to nurture the fallen, all these if we are able.
But we live in the real world. Not all of this is possible. For those who just cannot go out and be a charity worker in distant lands, for instance, there are other options. Yes, we can spend much time in prayer offering to God those situations where there is deprivation, where there are people going out there to help where they can. We, through our prayer, support them. They, in their turn, can feel buoyed up knowing that they are bring prayed for. Prayer is indeed a powerful tool. Much has been achieved through prayer. Prayer alone is a good thing, but, when possible, prayer plus action can be just as powerful.
Collect for the First Sunday after Trinity
O God,
the strength of all those who put their trust in you,
mercifully accept our prayers
and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature
we can do no good thing without you,
grant us the help of your grace,
that in the keeping of your commandments
we may please you both in will and deed;
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.