ST. MAXENTIUS WORSHIP AT HOME – Trinity 17, Sunday 9th October

INTRODUCTION

Good morning everyone and I hope this finds you well. Today’s reading from Luke is about the 10 lepers, only one of which came back to thank Jesus, the reflection is by Rev Peter. The intercessions are by our church warden Joyce. Many thanks to them both.

PRAYER OF PREPARATION

Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden; cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen

PRAYER OF PENITENCE

Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with all of our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with you, our god. Amen.

THE GLORIA

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us. You are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

THE COLLECT

Gracious God, you call us to fullness of life: deliver us from unbelief and banish our anxieties with the liberating love of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE NEW TESTAMENT READING

2 TIMOTHY2. 8-15

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The saying is sure:
If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself. Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

THE GOSPEL

LUKE 17. 11-19

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke. Glory to you O Lord.

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’

This is the Gospel of Christ. Praise to you O Christ.

REFLECTION

To understand this passage some background may be helpful. Lepers were unclean in Jewish understanding, and so excluded from the community and from everything religious. If they thought they were healed, they needed to go to the priests to “prove” it and so be able to rejoin the community. I am not sure how often that happened in reality – they lived outside the villages, begging and making do as best they could. They were deemed outside the love of God.

Nine of these lepers are presumably Jewish, and one is Samaritan. The nine, now healed can go back to their families and communities, once cleared by the priest, and presumably this is what they do, excited and eager to reconnect.

When Jesus says to the Samaritan, “Your faith has made you well” he uses a verb which also means “saved you”, with a theological meaning. This is then distinguished from the physical healing and the social restoration that has also happened for the 10. The Samaritan returns to Jesus to acknowledge what he has understood, that Jesus is not just a “healer” but more – he prostrates himself and worships Jesus, giving glory to God.

Now Luke has included a Samaritan before, albeit in a story that Jesus told – Back in ch. 10 it is the Samaritan, rather than the religious priest and Levite who offers practical care, modelling love for neighbour. Now Luke tells us how a Samaritan, someone the Jewish people disliked and even despised, who models thanks and faith. And Jesus speaks of his faith because this man has seen, in his healing, the presence of God. The other nine, for whatever reason, see no deeper element in their restoration, and, for whatever reason, also do not offer thanks for what Jesus has done; they seem to take it for granted, even though they trusted Jesus to set off to the priests (and they were healed as they went, not before!). They had been excluded from the people of God but now they have been restored; but no recognition of the one who can cleanse and restore them. The Samaritan on the other hand understands that something far more profound than just healing has happened – he knows that God has been at work and his response is one of worship – giving glory to God, and one of thanks.

Two challenges which are also wonderful gifts if we can see them in that light. First do we have a sense of worship and thanks for what God has done for us; making us whole, making us well, restoring us to his community, saving us, whatever language we use. How would we describe what God has done for us? Secondly can we see when others, different from us,have discovered blessing from God, and can we rejoice with them?

And maybe we should also note how delighted Jesus was that one came back to thank him, and to hear the sadness in his tone that the others did not.

Rev Peter.

THE CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen.

INTERCESSIONS

During the intercessions, we pray for the church, our country, our government, people in difficulty and those who have died. You can use your own prayers or if you prefer here are some on today’s theme.

Loving God, teach us to be still in your presence, to listen to your voice, to seek your will and to respond to your guidance. Deepen our relationship with you through Christ, so that we may know your presence with us more fully each day, and share your life more abundantly each moment. Amen

Loving God, guide your Church into ways of spiritual beauty and gracious wisdom. May your word be spoken out with passion and heard with humility and joy. Sustain and feed us so that we bear fruit in abundance.