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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 Absolution
00:00 / 00:18

The Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):

The Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):

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)

2 Samuel 7:1-14a
00:00 / 02:36

Our second reading for today:

(click the 'play' button below to listen)

Ephesians 2:11-22
00:00 / 02:08

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:

A reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Mark.

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
00:00 / 01:34

Listen to David speak to this gospel

Compassion !
00:00 / 11:47

or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:

Sermon for Ordinary 16, Sunday, 21st July 2024

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>

Jesus and the disciples are exhausted; “For many people were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat! (Mark 6:31)


I’ve had days like that and I’m sure you have too. We’ve all been there, where the whole of our day, from dawn to dusk, is jam-packed with jobs coming one after another and that can include teaching and talking about Christ, shepherding the lost, and caring for wounded friends.

Sharing in the life of The Risen Christ, caring in our respective communities, is capable of exhausting us!

Jesus, by the end of the day that Mark is talking about, was exhausted, and it’s a scene where Jesus is being swamped by people needing his touch.

“They ran all over the countryside”, we are told, “and began carrying the sick on their mats to any place where they heard he was” (Mark 6:55). Jesus was to find no peace as that day ended!

Remembering our gospel reading from last week, I also get the impression that, with Jesus, His need for a break was due to more than just normal physical exhaustion. For, as the the day appears to begin, He receives the news of the brutal beheading of His cousin, John the Baptiser.

Now we don’t know for sure that Jesus only found out about John’s death that day, and we don’t know exactly how heavily it weighed on him, but we do know that Jesus loved John, spoke very highly of him, claiming indeed that ‘no man born of woman was greater than John’ (Matthew 11:11), and that after this news of the death of John, Jesus made a whole series of attempts to get away by Himself to pray.

Was Jesus simply grieving the loss of His beloved friend, or was there more to it than that? Was He trying to get over the anger He must have felt towards Herod? Or was there more to it again?

Could it have been that Jesus saw in the death of John His own impending death, and was it this that was making Him try to take time out to be with His Father to reflect and pray?

In truth, we do not know exactly what was in Jesus’ mind at this stage, yet we know that He was tired, and we know that he was seeking a place of solitude.

So, at the beginning of that day Jesus was looking for a place of peace and quiet. By late that same evening He was still looking for somewhere where He could get some “quiet time” to think and pray.

Could Jesus not simply explain to the disciples and the crowds that He was in need of, and was going to take, a day off and that nobody was to bother Him for the next 24 hours? <PAUSE> But it was not to be - Jesus doesn’t work like that.

I simply do not know how Jesus could fail in His attempt to find solitude any more than we know how He performed His amazing miracles. Yet, what I am citing here as an apparent failure of Jesus is as impenetrable to me as are His amazing successes! I don’t really understand how any of it works. And yet I do understand why ….. because you and I are told.

We are told why Jesus abandoned His search for privacy … It was because He ‘had compassion’.

“As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34) Jesus had compassion, so He taught them! <PAUSE>

THIS must be the prayer – for all of us who would follow Jesus – that we who share in His exhaustion might share in His compassion also; that we who share the tiredness of Jesus might also be overcome with the compassion of Jesus, such that we might be driven beyond our tiredness. <PAUSE>


I put it that way deliberately, lest anybody should think of ‘compassion’ as one of those lovely, “touchy-feely” virtues that helps bring balance to a full life. For if one thing is clear from this gospel, Jesus’ compassion did not balance out His life. It was what kept it off balance! Kept Him busy, caring, preaching, healing, feeding others.

Jesus needed rest. He didn’t get it. He didn’t take it. Why not? Because He had compassion!

The disciples needed rest. They didn’t get it either. Why not? Because Jesus pushed them to show compassion too!

“Greater love hath no man than this”, says Jesus, “that a man lay down his life for his friend!” THAT’S the language of compassion. It’s not some “touch-feely” language of inner-health. Laying down your life does not bring you greater inner earthly peace. What it does bring you, by definition, is death!

Jesus was driven by compassion during His earthly ministry and we know full well where it led Him! Within three years Jesus’ compassion got Him crucified!

We have met Jesus in His exhaustion. We have found Jesus in the cross. Let us then take on our share of His compassion, so that we might ultimately share in His joy and His eternal glory. <PAUSE>

So - think on this … Compassion isn’t a virtue, it’s a commitment! Compassion isn’t something we have or don’t have - it’s something we choose to practice no matter How tired we feel - - - and to God will be the glory.

I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu. <AMINE>
In the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit <AMEN>

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":

apostles_creed_pic02.jpg
Image by Allef Vinicius

... and now let us pray for the Church, the World, and Ourselves, giving thanks for God's goodness.

​Let us pray aloud, and together:

Holy God out of Your goodness, Jesus revealed himself as “The Compassionate One” and supplied the needs of a great crowd.

In this time of prayer we thank You for supplying all our needs and offer You the love of our hearts as we pray for our Your people and for our callings with all their varied ministries; from the youngest to the oldest; for those of certain faith and for those who struggle with doubts.

(LONGER pause for silent, personal reflection)

In response to the call today “Lord, in Your mercy” Our response is, “hear our prayer!”

(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer

Creator God we pray for those throughout the world who are physically hungry. We know that so many of the world’s people lack enough nourishment; help us to be diligent in prayer and generous in giving to those agencies which try to alleviate their suffering.

(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer

Father God, we raise before You our homes and our relationships for You to work in. We thank You for the community of which we are part; for those who share with us in its activities, for all who serve its varied interests.  Help us, to make our own contribution to the community and to learn to be good neighbours at all times.

(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer

Loving God we place in Your hands those who are sick. We ask that You ease their pain, and heal the damage they are suffering in body, mind or spirit.  Be present with them through the support of friends and in the care of doctors and nurses.

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 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

Merciful God we offer our thanks for lives well lived but that have now come to an end. May all those faithful saints now rest in Your eternal peace as they most surely have risen in glory.

Be close to those bereaved by their passing and console them with Your unfailing love.

(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. Make the things that we choose to do be worthy of the sacrifice of Your Son.

(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer

Faithful God, through these prayers we offer, freshen our lives as well as our words; send us out into the world determined that each moment from now on becomes an offering of love for You.

(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.

lord's_prayer_pic01_edited.jpg

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.

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