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3923665-3086100000Sunday June 28th ~ Trinity 3 (Proper 8): Matthew 10.40-42Welcome to Praying Together but SeparatelyHymn Suggestions HYPERLINK "" And can it be HYPERLINK "" Jesus Calls UsCome People of the Risen King HYPERLINK "" All who are thirstyGathering Before GodMake sure you are sitting comfortably. I am in the presence of the Living God, Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Prayer of the DayGod our saviour,look on this wounded worldin pity and in power;hold us fast to your promises of peacewon for us by your Son,our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.Confessing our Need of GodLord forgive us when we put our own needs first. Jesus, lead us into life.Lord forgive us when we choose to do wrong.Jesus, lead us into life.Lord, forgive us when we treat others badlyJesus, lead us into life.Lord, forgive us when we do nothing as others are treated badly or are in need. Jesus, lead us into life.Lord, set us free from sin, and teach us to serve you. Jesus, lead us into life. Loving God, you are merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Thank you for your mercy at work in our lives and in your church. Amen.ReflectionBreathe slowly and deeply. Ask God to speak to you through the passage that you are about to read.Bible Reading: Matthew 10.40-42“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.?Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous;?and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”Read through the passage once. Read it quietly out loud but say each word out loud. Try and take note of any words or phrases that strike you. Say that word or phrase quietly out loud or underline it with a pen.Read the passage a second time. As you read, think about how the word or phrase you notice might speak to you today. After you have read the passage again, sit in silence and try and come up with a sentence or two that sums up what you think the word or phrase means for you today. Read the passage a third time and prayerfully think about what Christ has said to you.Some thoughts for further Reflection: Receiving and giving hospitalityThis passage is about receiving hospitality whilst engaged in the task of sharing the Good News. The 12 disciples have been chosen by Christ and then sent out to the ‘lost sheep of Israel’ to proclaim the message that the kingdom of heaven has drawn near; and to show this by healing the sick, driving our demons and raising the dead (Matt. 10.5-8). They are to do this without receiving payment, meaning that they will have to rely on the hospitality of those to whom they are sent. The verses for this Sunday begin with receiving hospitality: ‘whoever welcomes you, welcomes me.’ (v.40). However, let’s talk about how the disciples are to give hospitality first inasmuch as they are to bring healing and preach the Good News. We are likely to have heard a million sermons on preaching the Good News, even if we might struggle to actually do it. Many of those sermons may have used a direct reference to hospitality to illustrate the point: ‘Imagine you had the best gift in the while universe,’ we are told, ‘wouldn’t you want to share it?’The disciples are told, on one level, to offer hospitality: to tell people the Good News of the kingdom of God: God is here with us. It is a bit like the ability to throw the best dinner party ever – the best food, best entertainment, guaranteed good times. But elsewhere Christ implied that the reality was not quite that simple. You may remember he even told a couple of parables about inviting people to the best, biggest and free party that had ever been thrown – and that people didn’t want to come. We offer people the life-changing news that God is with us…and people can’t believe it; won’t believe it; try to believe it and fail; or – perhaps worst of all – don’t see the point in believing it. Who wouldn’t want to get involved in the best party ever?! Quite a few people apparently. But what about those who do come – what can they expect?Jesus says in verse 7 of this chapter that they are to tell people that ‘the kingdom of heaven (or the kingdom of God) has drawn near.’ Which is strange, because if we go back 4 chapters of Matthew’s Gospel Christ is teaching his followers to pray, ‘Thy kingdom come, thy will be done…’So, which is it? Is the kingdom here or not? An either/or question with Jesus usually results in the answer: yes.If people say yes to the party, if they believe in the news that God and God’s kingdom is near, they soon learn that although that changes everything, it strangely also seems to leave some things unchanged. We still have to face the reality of coronavirus and lockdown. We still have to take those tablets we used to have to take every day. We still have moments in the midst of the beauty of creation when we feel pretty rubbish. We still take a look at our bank balance with a little bit of nervous dread. We still walk past homeless people in the street. The kingdom of God is here – but there are places where it isn’t.The disciples were told to back up the message of the kingdom that they were preaching by healing the sick, driving our demons, cleansing those with leprosy. I wonder how they got on with that? Perhaps they helped some people, perhaps others seemed helpless. But they offered that hospitality. Accepting hospitalityThe second side to this is less well known and perhaps less thought about, but Jesus makes is clear. The disciples are to put themselves in to a position where they have to accept the hospitality of others. ‘Anyone who welcomes you, welcomes me…’We can imagine how that might work: the disciples were to travel around from village to village, doing the things Jesus asked them to do. They would arrive in places and not have anywhere to stay, so they would ask if people in the village might look after them. If the village accepted the message of the disciples, then, of course, they would say yes and give them a place to sleep and food to eat. If everyone in the village thought the disciples and their message was nonsense, they would not be welcomed. How does that apply to us? Maybe we should ask ourselves a question that, if we answer honestly, will make us feel uncomfortable. When was the last time you felt vulnerable because of Jesus?Christ asks his disciples to do something that may have made them a little afraid – he thought so, as he told them not to be afraid. And the thing that frightened them was also a thing that made them vulnerable – made them depend on others. Jesus isn’t about to ask us, or the disciples, to do something he isn’t prepared to do. Remember the cross. Jesus made himself supremely vulnerable, and he did it from a position of supreme power: he went right from the top to the very bottom.When was the last time I did something for Jesus that made me feel vulnerable?Creative Prayer activity for at homeYou will need: a glass of water Hold a glass of water in your hands and recall the words of Christ in the reading today. Think of the needs of family, friends, neighbours, church family, and those in the community (schools, first responders, etc.) Ask Christ to bless these people and meet their needs. Take a sip and pray that their thirsts will be quenched.Think of your own needs. What are you thirsty for in your own life?Jesus said if anyone was thirsty they ought to come to Christ and drink. Ask the Spirit of God to fill your life afresh. Take another sip, and another. Savour the freshness of the water and feel in trickled down your throat. Pray for Jesus’ living water to refresh and satisfy you. Creative Prayer activity for use in the church BuildingYou will need: ‘glass pebbles’ – available from online retailers, and a print out of the reading.Make sure you lay the glass pebbles out on a table in your church building so they are spaced out and in such a manner that those using this prayer activity only touch the pebble that they use – and then take home with them.Set up a table with today’s reading printed on, and some glass pebbles (preferably blue, white or clear ones – we hope these represent the cup of water in the reading). Also print out the following instructions. Pick up a glass pebble and hold it in your hand. Read the reading from Matthew’s Gospel – the words that Jesus said. If you want to, welcome Jesus in to your heart. Even if you have done this before, repeat this welcome. Ask the love of Jesus to fill your heart. Now think of others you know who need love and grace. Say their name, quietly, or silently in your heart. Ask Jesus to give them what they need and to refresh them as water is refreshing to the thirsty.Pray for God’s world. For many clean water is a luxury and is not something that can be taken for granted. Pray for aid agencies that seek to bring fresh, clean water to all people. As well as your prayers, are there practical ways you can help?Take your pebble home with you and place it close to the taps in your kitchen or bathroom. Each time you wash your hands remember to pray for those in need – including yourself.OUR PRAYERSLord, you are with us as we proclaim the good news, as we reach out to heal, to cure, and to raise up;you are with us when we battle against evil. We pray for the church throughout the world,for all involved in mission and outreach.Lord as you call usmake us worthy of that calling.Lord, you have called us to work together. We pray for the work of the United Nations and World Health Organization. We remember all who are seeking to build up communities.We pray for those in government, and leaders of industries.We pray for all who have a sense of vocation and dedication.We remember those whose work is thwarted by the greed or violence of others.Lord as you call usmake us worthy of that calling.We give thanks for all who have called us to a knowledge of you.We pray for those who have sacrificed for us,those who love us, and those whom we love.We give thanks for all who have been examples to us,and pray that we may be an example to others. Lord, as you call us,make us worthy of that calling. We give thanks for carers, for home helps and social workers.We pray for all those whose vocation has been cut short by sickness and disease,for all whose lives are restricted by poverty or oppression.We pray for all those who are suffering as a result of shielding because of the coronavirus. We pray for all those who have lost any sense of vocation or meaning to life. Lord as you call usmake us worthy of that calling.We are glad for all who have fulfilled their callingand have entered the fullness of your kingdom.We pray for those who mourn their death.We pray that, like them, we may follow you for ever. Lord as you call usmake us worthy of that calling.From ‘Clouds and Glory: prayers for the Church Year’ by David AdamA prayer concerning the CoronavirusGod of compassion,be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation.In their loneliness, be their consolation;in their anxiety, be their hope;in their darkness, be their light;through him who suffered alone on the cross,but reigns with you in glory,Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.An act of spiritual Communion My Jesus,?I believe that Youare present in the Most Holy Sacrament.?I love You above all things,?and I desire to receive You into my soul.?Since I cannot at this momentreceive You sacramentally,?come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.Amen.The Lord’s PrayerOur Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; ? ? thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. ? For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. ................
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