TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Readings:
Key Verses (using the World English Bible):
Col. 3:9-11: “[B]e filled… in all spiritual wisdom and understanding… to please [God] in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work… strengthened with all power… for all endurance and perseverance with joy…”
Matt. 9:22: “But Jesus, turning around and seeing her, said, ‘Daughter, cheer up! Your faith has made you well.’ And the woman was made well from that hour.”
Reflection
Here we are at the finish line, at the last of the traditional 24 Sundays after Trinity, at the end of our self-struggles, the passions that rage within us, and the lessons we have needed to learn as people of faith. Where has all of that led us? To answer that, I will rely on Reverend David Phillips’ article, “The Rationale of the Trinity Season Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer,” which I credit for not only having inspired me to write this blog, but also to explore the 1500-year-old wisdom that lies at the heart of our Christian tradition, wisdom that still speaks to us today.
We get a sense of completion or finality from the excerpt from the Letter to the Colossians. Paul—or someone writing in his name—gives thanks to God for this congregation, not just because of their faith and hope in Christ, but also because of “the word of the truth of the Good News, which has come to you.” And then, just as the keyword was “one” at the beginning of the union cycle seven weeks ago (“one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God…”), today it’s “all”: “all spiritual wisdom… all respects… every good work… all power… all endurance.” After our long 24-week journey, we have reached the One who is the All, the One who gives All, the One “who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love.”
What is it like to be brought over into the Kingdom of God? Today’s Gospel presents us with a story—actually, two stories in one. A ruler comes to Jesus because his daughter has died, but he has faith that if Jesus comes to her, she will live. Along the way, a woman suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years, comes behind Jesus and secretly touches his garment, hoping to be healed. Jesus turns around, looks at her, and tells her to “cheer up! Your faith has made you well.” Then, upon reaching the ruler’s house, he resurrects his dead daughter. Well, that’s not quite true—the traditional excerpt from the Gospel deliberately cuts out the resurrection. Rev. Phillips suggests that it’s “perhaps a sign that it is to be read allegorically,” and when we do, a treasure trove of mystical food for thought is opened.
The other Gospels tell us that the dead girl is twelve years old, the same number of years the older woman has suffered illness. Are we supposed to make a connection between these two women? Paul has told us earlier in this season that our old self has been crucified with Christ, and that we are now to put on our new self. Is that what has happened? Did our old self—represented paradoxically by the young, immature girl—die, and has our new self—the older, wiser woman—risen to new life?
In iconography, the bleeding woman is usually pictured near the ground, reaching for Jesus’ garment, and Jesus lifts her up to talk to her. Can this also be a picture of the soul, worn after years of struggling with the passions, reaching out to God with her last bit of strength?
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| The bleeding woman reaches out to Jesus, just as the soul continually reaches out to God. |
Does God in Christ turn around and lift us up into the very fullness of God? Are we assured that our final reward is the vision of God? A God who raises us up into wellness, wholeness, and newness of life?
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| Jesus lifts up the woman into health, just as God lifts up our souls into heaven. |
They say it takes thirty days to create a new habit. Does it take twelve years to conquer the passions and master ourselves? Does it take twenty-four years to align our own fractured lives with God’s free flow of life and healing? I don’t think we can say for sure; allegory takes us many places, but never towards literalism. But the core message of this season has stressed that such progress is possible, if we commit to it. Albert Einstein once defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.” But what if we do the same thing over and over again, year after year, Trinity Season after Trinity Season, aiming for the same result, committed to the same goal? Maybe that’s the definition of faith. And when we believe that God is both our beginning and our end, suddenly our journey doesn’t seem so long.
Prayer of the Day
Lord, we pray you,
keep your household, the Church,
in continual godliness,
that, through your protection,
it may be free from all adversities.
and devoutly given to serve you in good works,
to the glory of your Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
—Original Collect for Trinity 24 from the 6th-century Gregorian Sacramentary
Almighty God,
by our baptism into the death and resurrection
of your Son, Jesus Christ,
you turn us from the old life of sin.
Grant that we who are reborn to new life in him
may live in righteousness and holiness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
—A collect for “Daily renewal” in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006).
Hymn: “Be now my vision”
(Words: early 8th-century Irish hymn, translated to English prose by Mary Byrne, then versified as ‘Be thou my vision’ by Eleanor H. Hull in the 19th century; adapted by Joseph A. Soltero, 2015
Tune: ‘Slane’, Irish ballad melody, arranged by David Evans)
Be now my vision, O Lord of my heart.
I seek nought else save the love you impart;
You, my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, your presence my light.
Be now my wisdom, and be my true word;
I ever with you, and you with me, Lord.
You, my great Father, your own may I be;
I at one with you, you dwelling in me.
High King of heaven, when vict’ry is won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
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