Patrick Comerford
We are continuing in Ordinary Time in the Church and this week began with the Seventh Sunday after Trinity (Trinity VII, 19 July 2026).
We are attending a funeral later today. But, 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 13: 18-23 (NRSVA):
18 ‘Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’
Today’s Reflections:
In the Gospel reading at the Eucharist today (Matthew 13: 18-23), we continue a series of readings about the Parable of the Sower and the Seed and its interpretation.
Sometimes these readings have seemed more relevant for Harvest thanksgiving services, which are still many weeks. But as I travelled by train to an from Cambridge earlier this week, I realised the time of sowing has past and work of harvesting is now in full swing.
This morning’s reading concludes with Jesus comparing the seed that was sown on good soil with ‘the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.’
Do you think that the apostles, as they preached or sowed the word and the Good News had debriefing and review meetings, as good management practice might expect today, and compared notes about their ‘yields’, one 100-fold, another 60-fold, and yet another 30-fold?
I sometimes find I am ill-at-ease with the discussion how hear about church-growth, with people boasting their church attendance over recent years has increased 30-fold, 60-fold or even 100-fold. In some parishes I ministered in, church attendance on Sunday mornings was often below 100, below 60, most often even below 30.
To judge my ‘performance in ministry’ based on those figures, others might have judged me a failure. But they were faithful, they were caring, they believed, they were generous, and they came Sunday-after-Sunday, with failure, even when the crops and the fields and the cattle had to be attended to, the shops opened, customers’ needs attended, and the margins were so slow that everything was run on a shoestring.
When the harvest was gathered in, they would share generously in the bounties of creation.
The late Father Herbert Edwin William Slade (1912-1999), a priest of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist or the Cowley Fathers in Oxford, once wrote: ‘The Eucharist is the supreme model of an intimacy with nature which is universal. All creation is God’s body. God indwells all of his creatures. God’s Spirit is present in all that God has made. Therefore, our intimacy with creation must never stop short at contemplative admiration.’
God’s harvest, the Kingdom of God, is all-embracing, is greater than my imagination. It includes all aspects and dimensions of creation, the harvest of the fields, and a harvest of people, including even those I am in danger of thinking do no count, even in danger of ignoring and leaving behind.
Who are the small people, the small numbers, the 30-fold rather than 100-fold the church who think they are successful in terms of numbers and church growth are in danger of counting out, leaving to one side?
The harvest is greater than we can imagine, greater than we want to admit.
In a recent posting, my friend and colleague, the Revd David Messer, has helped me to draw a comparison between my daily blogging and some of my experiences in ministry:
‘I wish I had something worthwhile of my own to say, but at the moment, I haven’t the wherewithal … because rural ministry means living in a permanent state of failure – which is exhausting. So instead, here’s a wonderful quote from Giles Fraser, which gives me heart:
‘In a world where we semaphore our successes to each other at every possible opportunity, churches cannot be blamed for failing to live up to this austere and wonderful message. The worst of them judge their success in entirely worldly terms, by counting their followers.
‘Their websites show images of happy, uncomplicated people doing good improving stuff in the big community. But if I am right about the meaning of Christ’s passion, then a church is at its best when it fails, when it gives up on all the ecclesiastical glitter, when the weeds start to break through the floor, and when it shows others that failure is absolutely nothing of the sort.
‘This is the site of real triumph, the moment of success.
‘Failure is redeemed.
‘Hallelujah.’
Moving from ideas such as these into prayer, I might pray in these words, although I do not know who wrote them:
‘May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, superficial relationships, so that you will live deep within your heart.
‘May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people, so that you will work for justice, equality and peace.
‘May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them and change their pain into joy.’
Today’s Prayers (Friday 24 July 2026):
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 19 to 25 July 2026 (pp 20-21), is ‘Flood Relief in Mozambique’. This theme was introduced on Sunday with a programme update from the Revd Mauricio S Mugunhe, Executive Director Anglican Social Action, Igreja Anglicana de Moçambique e Angola (the Anglican Church of Mozambique and Angola).
The USPG prayer diary today (Friday 24 July 2026) invites us to pray:
Lord God, we pray for the Igreja Anglicana de Moçambique e Angola, for its bishops, clergy, and lay leaders. Strengthen the ministry through Anglican Social Action, that the Church may shine like a light to all in need.
The Collect of the Day:
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.
The 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.
Collect on the Eve of Saint James:
Merciful God,
whose holy apostle Saint James,
leaving his father and all that he had,
was obedient to the calling of your Son Jesus Christ
and followed him even to death:
help us, forsaking the false attractions of the world,
to be ready at all times to answer your call without delay;
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.
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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