Patrick Comerford
We are continuing in Ordinary Time in the Church and this week began with the Seventh Sunday after Trinity (Trinity VII). The Calendar of the Church of England in Common Worship today (18 July) remembers the life and witness of Elizabeth Ferard (1883), first deaconess in the Church of England, and founder of the Community of Saint Andrew.
Before today begins, I am taking some quiet time this morning to give thanks, for reflection, prayer and reading in these ways:
1, today’s Gospel reading;
2, a reflection on the Gospel reading;
3, a prayer from the USPG prayer diary;
4, the Collects and Post-Communion prayer of the day.
Matthew 11: 28-30 (NRSVA):
[Jesus said:] 28 ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
This morning’s reflection:
I lost my mobile phone on the train earlier this week, having tripped in the carriage trying to get off at Tamworth. I found myself on my hands and feet between Tamworth and Lichfield, searching for it on the floor, but eventually decided I had to get off at Lichfield Trent Valley rather than risk travelling on not merely to Rugeley but ending up at the end of the line in Crewe.
For days after, I have spent hours on end trying to recover contacts and apps, and reload them onto a new phone. I have lost contacts and passwords, and every time I try to upload a new or old apps, I come across barriers that become overwhelming burdens.
Who is so perfect that they have a different password for each app – and can remember it?
Of course, I am worried that someone else finds my phone, guesses my passwords and security codes, and gains access to all my contacts, my details and my savings.
As I bought a new phone and began to reload everything I still feared for what may be lost, and I wondered throughout the week why it all had to be so difficult.
Of course, as I was reminded time and again, it was all for my own good, for my security and for my protection.
Indeed, as I have been reminded day after day this week, these are the terms and conditions.
The short Gospel reading in the lectionary this morning is particularly short. But it is a very appropriate reading for many people as they try to balance their work and lives, seeking a work/life balance.
But the offer and the promise in this morning’s Gospel reading hold out hope.
In the law of contract, there are two important elements … offer and acceptance.
This morning, Christ invites all of us who are tired, frazzled and bothered, weary and heavy-laden, to come to him – and if we do he offers us rest. There’s the offer.
What about acceptance?
He simply asks that we take his yoke and learn from him.
Ah, but many may ask, ‘What about the terms and conditions?”
As you know – as the banks and our mobile phone services constantly remind us – all contracts are subject to terms and conditions.
Well the terms and conditions are simple: for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.
I still remember how the former Dean of Lismore, the late Bill Beare, once challenged a clergy meeting in the Diocese of Cashel and Ossory in words like: Who said you couldn’t dump everything at the foot of the cross?
This morning, in all of my befuzzlement and frustrations that come with burdens of losing phones and the yoke of setting up a new phone with all the apps and finding their passwords in recent days, I am reminded how I ought to dump everything at the foot of the cross and get back into the joys of the present moment.
‘Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
Today’s Prayers (Thursday 18 July 2024):
The theme this week in ‘Pray With the World Church,’ the Prayer Diary of the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel), is ‘Advocacy, human, environmental and territorial rights programme in Brazil.’ This theme was introduced on Sunday by the Revd Dr Rodrigo Espiúca dos Anjos Siqueira, Diocesan Officer for human, environmental and territorial rights in the Anglican Diocese of Brasilia.
The USPG Prayer Diary today (Thursday 18 July 2024) invites us to pray:
Father God, we pray for religious leaders who commit their ministries and lives to proclaim full life to all.
The Collect:
Lord of all power and might,
the author and giver of all good things:
graft in our hearts the love of your name,
increase in us true religion,
nourish us with all goodness,
and of your great mercy keep us in the same;
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.
Post Communion Prayer:
Lord God, whose Son is the true vine and the source of life,
ever giving himself that the world may live:
may we so receive within ourselves
the power of his death and passion
that, in his saving cup,
we may share his glory and be made perfect in his love;
for he is alive and reigns, now and for ever.
Additional Collect:
Generous God,
you give us gifts and make them grow:
though our faith is small as mustard seed,
make it grow to your glory
and the flourishing of your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Yesterday’s reflection
Continued tomorrow
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org
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