Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
What follows is a worship service which, I pray, you can participate in at a time(s) that are convenient to you. This 'service' will take about forty five (45) minutes.
I pray that you will feel called to ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE in this service.
The text that is in regular typeface (that is what you are reading at the moment) is to be read quietly, while the text that is in bold face (like you are reading right now) is meant to be read aloud.
Opening Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we commence our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
A Call To Worship:
We meet in the name of God,
Creator of the universe,
source of true humanity,
mother and father of all. Amen.
An Assurance of Forgiveness:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
The Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):
I will give you thanks for what you have done and declare the goodness of Your name.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Our first reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Our second reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Gradual Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we raise out voices in praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
Listen to David speak to this gospel
or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:
Sermon for Ordinary 16, 20th July 2025
Welcome friends and peace be with you. May the words of my mouth and the meditations in our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. <Amen>
Our gospel today takes us back to the well-known story of Mary and Martha and, I think there are lots of times when people say things like, "Oh, she’s such a Martha!” or “I'm such a Martha," as if that's some sort of bad thing. As if it’s a choice between being one or the other.
So, today, I’d like to take this opportunity to clarify this a little bit because it's important for us to understand what is happening during Jesus’ visit to their home.
Let me be quite clear, right from the start. Jesus did NOT say that Martha was doing something wrong. Let’s not fall into that trap! Let’s just look a little deeper and we may find that Martha was doing a very good thing. <PAUSE>
One of the most humbling elements for Christians is what we call “The Incarnation” - God chose to became one of us - human. He humbled himself to the point where He got hungry, He got tired and He got thirsty.
Now here's the question, if Jesus showed up to your house and he was hungry, tired, or thirsty, what would you do? Well, you'd probably do what Martha did. I mean, all of us would jump for joy at the opportunity to give God incarnate something to eat, something to drink or to let Him sleep on our sofa?
This would be marvellous and we’d probably rush around trying to make sure Christ had everything he needed to rest and recover. Yes ? <PAUSE>
In our gospel today, we hear Jesus pointing out that Mary's chosen “the better part”, BUT - AGAIN - THAT IS NOT BECAUSE MARTHA HAS DONE ANYTHING WRONG! <PAUSE>
I say this because there will come a day when we can no longer serve God and I mean that in the sense of Matthew 25 when Jesus said, "whatever you did to the least of these brethren (those who are hungry, those who are poor, those in prison, those in hospitals) you did it to me.”
However, the day is going to come when we die and we will no longer be able to serve Jesus, in that way, on earth. When that day comes, God willing, we'll be in Heaven, and what we'll do forever is we'll be able to just sit (Mary-like) at the feet of The Risen Christ, gaze upon His face and just listen to Him, in His perfect, eternal peace.
So when Jesus says, "Mary has chosen the better part," what He is ultimately saying is that, "Mary has chosen the part that you're going to get to do for eternity.” Jesus is NOT saying that Martha was doing something wrong, because that kind of service is what we get to do while we're on this earth.
Let’s not fall into the trap of thinking this is an either/or situation. It is not! It's not as though Mary is the "good sister" and Martha is the "bad sister.” Dating back to that great early Christian scholar and writer, Origen of Alexandria (AD 185-253), who wrote over 2,000 books, essays, and papers, we keep falling into that trap. Let me say this again, it’s NOT a case of a "good sister," and a "bad sister”. That's simply not this case. <PAUSE>
If there's someone who embodied this in the in recent years it is Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Nobody could ever accuse Mother Teresa of being someone who ignored the poor. She served them when they were hungry, sick and dying, she cared for them … but she also spent hours a day, every day of her life in quiet prayer and adoration of Jesus. Sitting, kneeling at His feet, just like Mary.
Mother Teresa was someone who said, "I'm BOTH Martha and Mary. I'm serving Jesus while I can on this earth, but I'm also adoring Him and worshipping Him, and being loved by Him.
So here are the questions that I’d like you to take away from my message today:
“Where, today, can I serve Jesus and the people near me by serving them?”
"Where, today, am I going to take time away from the busy-ness of the world, to just kneel or sit at the feet of Jesus - and just adore Him, just thank Him, just Love Him … and … just be loved by Him?” <PAUSE>
Remember this story of Mary and Martha is NOT an either\or situation … Jesus’ visit to Mary and Martha shows us that we are made FOR BOTH and in doing both:
we grow in Christ, and Christ in us,
we pray and spend time with Christ, and
we serve Christ by serving others.
Thanks be to God.
I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu. <AMINE>
Pause and Reflect
Just take a moment now to pause. Bow your head, close your eyes.
Allow these words of Holy Scripture and this interpretation of them today to speak to you.
An Affirmation of Our Faith
Let us affirm our faith by saying aloud, and together, "The Apostles Creed":
... and now let us pray for the Church, the World, and Ourselves, giving thanks for God's goodness.
Let us pray aloud, and together:
Everlasting God, we pray today for Your blessing to be upon all those who gather here and for Your people around the world. We bring our prayers to You, Lord of all nations, asking that Your blessing of love and peace may be known to all people everywhere.
Help us always chose “the better part” in every situation in which we find ourselves.
<longer silence for personal reflection>
Eternal God, Light of the nations, in Christ you make all things new: guide the nations of the world and their leaders through the inspiration of Your Spirit, that understanding may put an end to discord and all bitterness.
Give us grace to rebuild bonds of trust that together we may work for the dignity and flourishing of all; through Jesus Christ our Lord..
<short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Father God, Your Son Jesus Christ enjoyed rest and refreshment in the home of his friends. May we, like Martha, serve Christ faithfully in the person of our brothers and sisters; and like Mary, feed on his Word and grow in his love and grace.
Give us the will to love You, open our hearts to hear you, and strengthen our hands to serve you in our families and communities.
<short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Gracious God, we pray for Your healing touch to rest upon those who are sick; Your strength to be felt by those who are tired; Your wisdom and your love to encourage those who live with despair and fear.
For all who are troubled in body, mind or spirit.
Give the song of joy to all who are now on the road to recovery and recuperation and the song of thanks to all who helped them on that road.
We especially raise before You now all those who have asked for our prayers from around the world … those we know in New Zealand, in Singapore, in Argentina, in France, in Australia, in the US, in Canada, in Austria, in Ukraine, in China, in Germany, in the Czech Republic, in Syria and any others we now name aloud, or in the silence of our hearts, and those who are known only by You.
<short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Mighty God, through the ministry of Your son Jesus Christ You have freed us from the grip of the tomb. We pray for those who have departed this life and ask You, through Your loving kindness, to have mercy on their souls. We pray too for those bereaved by their passing.
We especially raise before you at this time our recently departed sisters and brothers : Mary-Ann (Australia), Lara (Colombia), Robert (Spain).
May they, and all the faithful departed, now rest in eternal peace as they most surely have risen in glory.
<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
In a moment of silence we pray for ourselves, our families, friends, for all whom we love and for our personal ministries.
Fill our hearts with the love and peace of Your Son.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Almighty God, may Your presence be seen clearly in what we do each day throughout the coming week. We pray that Your joy and Your love will flow freely in us and through us as we take up Your yoke and follow where you lead us.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Forth in the peace of Christ we go; Christ to the world with joy we bring; Christ in our minds, Christ on our lips, Christ in our hearts, the world’s true King.
Merciful father: accept these prayers for the sake of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
Remembering that we are confident to pray this day, and every day, because Jesus Christ continues to teach us:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Let us conclude our prayers by praying together and aloud:
God of mercy,
you have given us grace to pray with one heart and one voice,
and have promised to hear the prayers
of two or three who agree in your name,
fulfil now, we pray,
the prayers and longings of your people
as may be best for us and for your kingdom.
Grant us in this world to know your truth,
and in the world to come to see your glory. Amen.
The Blessing
May The Risen Lord Christ turn His face towards each and every one of you.
May He cause His light to shine upon you, and
may He grant you His peace, and
The blessing of Almighty God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you and all of those whom you love,
on this day and forever more.
A Closing Hymn:
Let us conclude our worship today by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we unite in another hymn our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
The Dismissal
Go now, go out into the world
to love and serve The Lord.
Go in peace.
AMEN, we go in the name of Christ.
