Patrick Comerford
We are in Ordinary Time in the Church Calendar, and this is the Second Sunday after Trinity (Trinity II, 14 June 2026). I hope to be involved in the Parish Eucharist in Saint Mary and Saint Giles Church this morning, reading one of the lessons, leading the intercessions and singing with the choir. Later in the day, Folk on the Green, Stony Stratford’s own music festival, is taking place on Horsefair Green from 12 noon until 7 pm.
Meanwhile, before today begins, I am taking some quiet time this morning to give thanks, to reflect, to pray and to read in these ways:
1, reading today’s Gospel reading;
2, a short reflection;
3, a prayer from the USPG prayer diary;
4, the Collects and Post-Communion prayer of the day.
Matthew 9: 35 to 10: 8 [9-23] (NRSVA):
35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; 38 therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’
1 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim the good news, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” 8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.’
[9 ‘Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for labourers deserve their food. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.
16 ‘See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19 When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.’]
Today’s Reflections:
In the Calendar of the Church, we are in what is known as Ordinary Time, the time between Trinity Sunday and the beginning of Advent.
This morning’s Gospel story this morning begins with an image of Christ in ordinary, everyday situations, going ‘about all the cities and villages’ (Matthew 9: 35), mixing with ordinary people. These are people who need hope, people who are sick, sore and sorry, people who are distressed, marginalised and suffering, and Christ has compassion for these weary and worn-down people, because they are harassed and helpless, ‘like sheep without a shepherd’ (Matthew 9: 36).
They are ordinary people, indeed, in ordinary places, in ordinary time, but suffering and often isolated and marginalised in their everyday lives.
And to answer their plight, to carry out his mission, Christ chooses 12 disciples, 12 ordinary people, with ordinary backgrounds and careers: Peter, who denies him three times; Andrew his brother, a fisherman; James and John, ‘Mammy’s boys’ who jockey for position, unsure of what the Kingdom of God is about; Philip, who could easily turn away Greek-speaking Gentiles; Matthew, despised as a tax collector; Thomas who doubts him; Judas who betrays him … (see Matthew 10: 2-4).
In our ordinary everyday lives, Christ calls us to follow him, not for our own self-satisfying feeling of being good, chosen, select or even elect, but to proclaim the Good News; not for our own advantage and enrichment, but because that is what the suffering world needs today.
We are called as ordinary people to do that; our Baptism is our commission to do that; our Confirmation is our ‘Amen’ to that.
In the reading from the Book of Genesis today (Genesis 18: 1-15 ), Abraham and Sarah, in the extraordinary circumstances of the time, being childless and now going into old age, must still have thought they were living through a very ordinary day when they were visited that day at the oaks of Mamre.
God visits us in very extraordinary circumstances, in the midst of our very ordinary, everyday lives.
At first, Abraham sees ‘three men’ standing near him, and they seem to be human in appearance. But he addresses them as ‘my lord’ and offers them courtesy and hospitality, washing their feet, providing shelter from the mid-day heat, bringing ‘a little bread’ and then preparing a full meal.
As they accept this hospitality, it becomes clearer who they are. One of them speaks, promises to return and promises that Sarah will have a son.
In the second part of that reading, which provides an optional ending to this story next Sunday (Genesis 21: 8-21), we hear how God keeps his promise.
This reading has often been read as an early understanding in the Bible of the Trinity, and so is an appropriate reading in these Sundays after Trinity.
In the Gospel reading, Christ sends the 12 out in mission to the marginalised and the outcast. They are to proclaim the ‘good news,’ as Saint John the Baptist announced, that ‘the kingdom of heaven has come near’, is at hand.
We might ask, as we prepare to welcome a new Rector to Stony Stratford next month, whether we are preparing too to welcome back once regular worshippers, churchgoers and parishioners. But we might also ask whether we are ready to delight in meeting strangers in our midst and bringing them into our tent, to share the kindness, friendship and hospitality found within. For the kingdom of God is at hand.
I find myself thinking about a well-known prayer by Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711):
O God, make the door of this house
wide enough to receive all who need human love and fellowship,
and a heavenly Father’s care;
and narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride and hate.
Make its threshold smooth enough to be no stumbling block to children,
nor to straying feet,
but rugged enough to turn back the tempter’s power:
make it a gateway to thine eternal kingdom.
Today’s Prayers (Sunday 14 June 2026, Trinity II):
In Pray with the World Church, the prayer diary of the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel), the theme this week, from 14 to 20 June 2026 (pp 10-11), is ‘Rooted in Compassion’. This theme is introduced today with a reflection from the Ven Titus Oluwalusi, the Anglican Chaplain at Saint John’s Church in Casablanca, Morocco:
To mark Refugee Week, we turn to Morocco, where the Venerable Titus Oluwalusi ministers to a diverse congregation from more than 20 countries. Many are migrants from sub-Saharan Africa or temporary residents, navigating life in a new and often challenging environment.
In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus teaches us about love for our neighbours. The story shows that the root of love is compassion. True compassion goes beyond mere sympathy; it combines heartfelt concern with action. Mercy has no measure and requires no qualification. The Samaritan crossed boundaries to meet human need.
Jesus saw the crowds and was filled with compassion for them. He healed the sick and cared for those who were like sheep without a shepherd. He calls all of us to follow His example of compassion, outreach, and missionary care.
In Casablanca, many people are transient, isolated, or navigating new lives far from home. Here, every opportunity to care, disciple, and provide pastoral support is vital, helping people remain grounded in faith and connected to a supportive community.
There is always a chance to be kind. If we miss it, others may not. For the sake of the lost and for the glory of God, we need hearts full of compassion. To grow in love, we must first grow in compassion. A compassionate person will be more useful in God’s hand than a gifted one who lacks it.
The USPG prayer diary today (Sunday 14 June 2026, Trinity II) invites us to pray:
Read and meditate on Colossians 3: 12: As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
The Collect of the Day:
Lord, you have taught us
that all our doings without love are nothing worth:
send your Holy Spirit
and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtues,
without which whoever lives is counted dead before you.
Grant this for your only Son Jesus Christ’s sake,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Post-Communion Prayer:
Loving Father,
we thank you for feeding us at the supper of your Son:
sustain us with your Spirit,
that we may serve you here on earth
until our joy is complete in heaven,
and we share in the eternal banquet
with Jesus Christ our Lord.
Additional Collect:
Faithful Creator,
whose mercy never fails:
deepen our faithfulness to you
and to your living Word,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Yesterday’s Reflections
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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