Holy Communion, Trinity I

The Collect.

O GOD, the strength of all those who put their trust in thee; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because, through the weakness of our mortal nature, we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle. 1 John 4:7-21

BELOVED, let us love one another: for love is of God: and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, be cause that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he bath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

The Gospel. Luke 16:19-31

THERE was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lift up his eyes. being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, an Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee there fore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

The Sermon

The Collect today begins with the acknowledgement that, in ourselves, we are incapable of pleasing God. The Apostle Paul says it this way in Romans 7:18 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." We pray that He would move within us by His grace to enable us to do those things which please Him.

The Apostle John exhorts us to "love one another". We learn from this scripture that "God is love". This is His primary attribute, the most defining character of His being. Therefore, if God is in us, and we respond to God by loving Him in return, the fruit of that should be that we love the people around us. Note that God did not just sit up in heaven thinking warmly about us. He acted: "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." Paul also says the same thing in Romans 5:6, 8 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. . . God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Love is action, not feeling. We should act in a manner that makes love visible.

In the Gospel according to Luke, we read the story of the rich man and Lazarus. The story is familiar to us. It is important to note that scripture does not label this passage as a 'parable', though it is often called such. Lazarus was poor, and in poor health, sitting at the gate of a rich man, who wore fine clothes and ate rich food. He must have passed by Lazarus every day going in and out of his house, but seemingly took no notice of the poor man. The two men passed away, and ended up in very different places: Lazarus to comfort in the 'bosom of Abraham', and the rich man to flaming judgement in hell. There is no description of either man's spiritual health before their respective deaths, but we can see that the rich man did not act to alleviate the poor man's suffering. He did not have love toward his brother.

We recite at the beginning of every Mass the summary of the Law:

"Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matt 22:37-40

Love, then, is the essence of God, and the foundation of all the Law and the Prophets.

Beloved of God, let us call upon God to move within us by His Holy spirit, that we would fulfill the requirements of righteousness by acting in Love.