The Call of God

Sunday 5^th July – 4^th after Trinity (Proper 9)

Zechariah 9: 9-12. This piece of messianic prophesy is quoted in Matthew and John’s gospel so is well known and is seen as a prophesy of Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, not on a war horse but on a Donkey symbolising peace. His dominion stretches to the ends of the earth. The “You” in verse 11 (2^nd person feminine singular!) refers to Israel – the daughter of the covenant – and assures them that they will be delivered from all their enemies.

Romans 7: 15-25. The Power of sin is pervasive, and Paul has already said that sin can even use and subvert the law to its own ends even though the law is “holy, just and good”. So if sin can subvert the law how much more will it be capable of using and subverting every good intention and desire of human beings? A difficult message to preach, especially to Christians trying to do good, knowing that even as we may re-double our efforts they will be undermined by the pervasive power of sin. But take heart! As much as we may be flawed and have feet of clay, and have no may of achieving anything by our own merits Christ has already done the work and died for us and there is now “No condemnation” for anyone who knows the saving work of Christ, no matter how much we fail.  

Matthew 11: 16-19, 25-30. Both John the Baptist and Jesus are criticized but for different reasons. John is a crazy ascetic, and Jesus is a self-indulgent libertine. It is like children squabbling in the playground over whether to play “funerals” with John (mourning their sins) or “weddings” (celebrate the dawning kingdom) with Jesus. But both are necessary and complimentary.

Then Jesus compliments those who see as “infants” – sincerely and with honesty – that he is the only Son of his Father in heaven. The final three, well known verses tell us that those who find this truth will experience a peace that passes all understanding.

  

Your king comes to you, humble and victorious, riding on a Donkey writes Zechariah. “The bringer of peace” prophesied by Zechariah Christians put a name to -  Jesus Christ and this peace bringer is I believe needed now more than ever when all our lives have been upended by the health crisis and fractures in society have erupted into street demonstrations and our society is threatened by possible mass unemployment.

The peace of God speaks not just of a truce, a temporary cessation of hostilities but a permanent sense of inner peace and wholeness, which speaks  to us naturally of communion with God and our fellow men and women.

Our spiritual communion with God is given flesh, is incarnated, in this service of Holy Communion.

Our offering of bread at the altar represents everything we are and everything that is offered to God. It is then blessed broken and shared out and given back to us as representing the body and blood of Jesus whose life was poured out for the Life of the world.

We offer mortal life and have eternal life given back to us.

This mystery speaks of the real presence of Christ not only in or restricted to the elements themselves but present in this whole assembly.

In church we are used to speaking about “having a calling” or responding to God’s call. But in Church we habitually and wrongly restrict that sense of calling to things like ordination. That is indeed a specific call but there is also an overriding primary call to everyone to return to God. So the call is to everyone but as Christians we are all responding to God’s call because we recognise God’s voice when Christ speaks.

We are all called primarily to be in communion with Christ and we are all responding to that call in the communion service.

In the gospel reading, Jesus upbraids people for wilfully misunderstanding what he or John the Baptist were about and goes on to say that this truth has been revealed to people who receive the truth as infants – which means accepting him with sincerity, openness and honesty. Accepting him without an agenda or an axe to grind – accepting with humility.

As you come to receive the sacrament of God’s real presence, here Jesus himself is calling you forward.

So imagine Jesus standing here in front of you, beckoning you forward and saying to you…

“Come to me all that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest.

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”.

Hear him call.

And when you rise to come forward to answer the call, you can be sure that Jesus will rush to meet you, just like the Father in the parable of the prodigal son. You meet and then you feed on his very being and communion is experienced.  

Let that communion with God, strengthen you and give you that inner peace and security that is your anchor both in this life and the next, for all eternity.

Amen