Join us for the Fourth Sunday after Trinity, June 19th, 2016

Fourth Sunday after Trinity, Sunday, June 19th, 2016

The Bible is often referred to as "The Good Book."  I refer to it by this name sometimes in my sermons or when I speak in general.  But, actually, as most of us know, the "Good Book" is really many smaller "books" added together into one large volume that we know as the "Holy Bible" or the "Good Book."  As such, you know as well as I that there is a lot of wisdom that can be gained by reading the pages contained in the "Good Book."  There is much to be learned from reading the Bible, obviously.  It is God's Word after all.  But some people pick and choose which verses from the Bible they want to focus on.  In fact, you will hear verses of the Bible quoted by people to try and support their position or justify their beliefs.  For example, sometimes either in person or on TV or in a movie, you will hear someone say " . . . . an eye for an eye . . . ."  And typically when you hear someone say that in a movie or in person, the context is that if someone hurts you you are going to hurt them right back in the same way.  People must have been in the habit of using this Scripture verse to justify their actions two-thousand years ago because even Our Lord takes time to speak about it.  "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for and eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." (St. Matthew 5:38-39)  So you see even back then Our Lord had to explain things and put things into proper perspective.  God is not about revenge and hatred and "getting even."  Listen to Our Lord putting things into proper perspective:  "BE ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." (St. Luke 6:36)  It is never wise to "pick and choose" Scripture verses to justify our own beliefs.  There is ample opportunity to "pick and choose" random Bible verses if some people choose to do that.  But as I say so often in my sermons, we need to know the context of what the specific Scripture verse is that we are reading and/or citing.  So, too, we need to do this with God in general.  Our Blessed Lord showed us the "context" of His Heavenly Father:  God is merciful. God is love.  And as we heard above, we are called to be merciful as Our Father is also merciful  Is this easy?  No, certainly not.  But on the other hand, how easy was it for Our Blessed Lord, hanging from the Cross after hours of being tortured, bruised and beaten to say:  "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do" ?   All we can do in these situations is to remember Our Lord's words "Be ye therefor merciful as your Father also is merciful."

Please join us on Sunday, June 19th, 2016 at 9:30 AM as we celebrate Mass for the Fourth Sunday after Trinity.  St. Margaret Anglican Church worships in the Chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.  Join with us as we listen to the Word of God found not only in the King James Version of the Bible but also from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.  Join us as God speaks directly to each one of us.  Take just one hour out of your busy schedules so that you can worship Our Blessed Saviour and dedicate that time to the One Who gives you so much.  And, finally, join us as we receive the Precious Body and Blood in Holy Communion