FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Readings:
Key Verses (using the World English Bible):
1 Pet. 3:14, 15b: “Even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed… and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you.”
Luke 5:8-9: “Simon Peter… fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.’ For he was amazed… at the catch of fish which they had caught.”
Reflection
For my nephew’s last day of school last week, we treated him to dinner and the movie Inside Out. If you haven’t seen the film yet, you should. Far from being just a “kids’ movie”, Inside Out depicts the complexities of pre-adolescent emotional development in a way that’s simple (and quite entertaining) both for kids and adults to understand. I won’t give too much of it away, but the film follows the story of an 11-year-old girl, named Riley, and the five principal emotions that live with her inside her brain: Joy (played by the hilarious Amy Poehler), Anger, Disgust, Fear, and Sadness. Since Riley’s birth, the golden-colored Joy has taken it upon herself to do everything possible to keep Riley happy. And although she recognizes the usefulness of her other “emotional” co-workers, she can’t quite figure out the role of Sadness, whose Midas-like touch adds a depressing blue hue to Riley's "core memories", contained in glowing crystal balls.
What do we do with sadness? Perhaps you’ll be surprised to note that the readings for this Sunday may in fact be asking us this question. In the Trinity Season, I’ve made it a point to say that we’re being called to examine the seven “passions”, not “sins”, that live inside us, and today’s “passion” is a clear example of why we need to make that distinction. Sadness, or “dejection”, as the ancient Church called it, is not a sin, nor is it an evil—but, as today’s Gospel reading shows us, it can still affect our relationships with God, with each other, and with ourselves.
In the Gospel, Jesus asks Simon Peter to put out to sea so that he might help them catch fish. Peter objects at first, saying that they’ve worked all night without success, but will nonetheless do what Jesus asks and let down the net. Of course, we know what happens next; with Jesus’ supernatural help, the first disciples catch a large number of fish, and Jesus uses that event to illustrate how his followers will now “catch people.” The story is repeated in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but only Luke adds a curious detail to his expanded version of the story. Peter actually tells Jesus to go away: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.” Peter already has an idea of who Jesus is, since he called him “Master” and took him at his word even when logic told him not to. But Peter’s first reaction to seeing Jesus’ display of power is to tell him to go away—because he’s “sinful”, unworthy to have the power of God come so personally into his life.
A Huffington Post article has the following to say about depression:
“Depression has a way of tricking even the happiest of people into thinking that life isn’t worth experiencing. Their energy is evaporated, what once was pleasurable is now less-than appealing and the physical symptoms are completely taxing.”
We don’t know enough about Peter to diagnose him with depression. But what he does, at least in this story, resembles the experiences of millions of people worldwide affected by depression, and certainly resonates with my own experience. You can be staring at happiness and love right in the face; you can be surrounded by the laughter of friends and family; you might not even be able to pinpoint any specific thing wrong in your life, and yet you can’t shake off the sinking feeling of sadness in your heart. You just don’t have the energy to join the party of joy that surrounds you, and so you wish for it to go away, so you can be alone with your tangled web of emotions.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Epistle reading comes from the First Letter of Peter. In it, the author reminds us that we have been called to “inherit a blessing.” Indeed, the passage itself is very encouraging, reminding us (again) that we are blessed, that we shouldn’t fear or be troubled, and that there is hope within us. Though it’s unlikely the real Peter wrote this letter, the two readings might be viewed together as symbolic bookends to Peter’s life, and, by extension, to the life of any dejected follower of Jesus. We purge ourselves of dejection by constantly bringing to mind the blessings, the hope, and the love to which we have been called, even if (or especially when) we don’t see or feel these in our lives. And when we feel so emotionally drained that we, like Peter, ask for even God to go away, we have to remember that that’s when God comes closer. God does not abandon us, but speaks directly to us in our hearts, calling us to recharge in God’s love, and renewing us for our next adventure with God.
Prayer of the Day
Grant, O Lord, we pray you,
that the course of this world
may be so peaceably ordered by your governance,
that your Church may joyfully serve you
in all godly quietness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.
—Collect for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity, Book of Common Prayer, 1662
O Jesus Christ, Son of the living God,
you have given us your holy word,
and have bountifully provided for all our temporal needs.
We confess that we are unworthy of all these mercies,
but we pray you:
forgive us our sins,
and prosper and bless us in our several callings,
that, by your strength,
we may ever be sustained and defended,
and may praise and glorify you eternally.
Amen.
—Collect for the Fifth Sunday after Trinity by Veit Dietrich, 16th century Lutheran theologian and reformer; adapted by Joseph A. Soltero, 2015
(Words: Daniel C. Roberts, 1876; adapted by Joseph A. Soltero, 2015
Tune: ‘National Hymn’, George W. Warren, 1888)
God of our fathers, whose almighty hand
Leads forth in beauty all the starry band
Of shining worlds in splendor through the skies,
Our grateful songs before your throne arise.
Your love divine has led us in the past.
In this free land, by you our lot is cast.
O be our ruler, guardian, guide, and stay,
Your world our law, your paths our chosen way.
From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence,
Be your strong arm our ever sure defense.
Your true religion in our hearts increase,
Your bounteous goodness nourish us in peace.
Refresh your people on their toilsome way.
Lead us from night to never ending day.
Fill all our lives with love and heav’nly grace.
Forever yours be glory, laud, and praise.
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