THE SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
JULY 11, 2021
TODAY AT ST. MARY’S
10.30 A.M. HOLY COMMUNION. Claude Schroeder preaching.
LIVE AUDIO STREAMING during today’s service is available on the Order of Service page. Recorded audio will be added following worship.
GOSPEL IN THE GARDEN. Children will be invited to gather at St. Mary’s Garden to care, tend, and delight in that which has been planted in the soil of St. Mary’s raised beds, and then will care for, tend, and delight in that which has been planted the soil of their hearts: the seed that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
PARISH LIFE NOTES
PROTOCOLS FOR WORSHIP. Today marks the beginning of the lifting of public health orders of the Provincial Government. With the blessing of Bishop Rob, today ‘social distancing’ and the ‘wearing of masks’ will no longer be required at worship, and food and beverages are allowed to be served. The Holy Communion, however, will continued to be shared in ‘one kind’ only. As we “feed on Him in our hearts by faith with thanksgiving,” ( BCP p. 84) we receive the fullness of the blessing of Christ’s self-sacrifice for us on the Cross. In this time of transition, parishioners are encouraged to act in accordance with their conscience, wearing masks as desired, and participating in worship as they are able.
GUEST MUSICIAN. We rejoice and give thanks to Jeremy who is our guest musician at the piano today.
VESTRY MEETING will take place this Tuesday at St. Mary’s at 7:00 p.m.
ST. MARY’S OUTDOOR YARD SALE will take place on July 24th. We will start accepting items starting July 18th from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Household items, clothing, treasures, jewelry, toys, tools, books (no Encyclopedias or Reader’s Digest). Volunteers of all ages welcome! Please call Clara.
SPIRITUAL NOTES
Let your door stand open to receive Christ, unlock your soul to him, offer him a welcome in your mind, and then you will see the riches of simplicity, the treasurers of peace, and the joy of grace. Throw wide the gate of your heart, stand before the sun of the everlasting light that shines on every one. This true light shines on all, but if any close their windows they will deprive themselves of eternal light. If you shut the door of your mind, you shut out Christ. Though he can enter, he does not want to force his way in rudely, or compel us to admit him against our will.
Born of a virgin, he came forth from the womb as the light of the whole world in order to shine on all. His light is received by those who long for the splendor of perpetual light that night can never destroy. The sun of our daily experience is succeeded by the darkness of night, but the son of holiness never sets, because wisdom cannot give place to evil.
Blessed then is the person at whose door Christ stands and knocks. Our door is faith; if it is strong enough, the whole house is safe. This is the door by which Christ enters. So the Church says in the Song of Songs: “The voice of my brother is at the door.” Hear his knock, listen to him asking to enter, “Open to me, my sister, my betrothed, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is covered with dew, and my hair with the moisture of the night.”
When does God the Word most often knock at your door? When his “head is covered with the dew of night.” He visits in love those in trouble and temptation, to save them from being overwhelmed by their trials. His head is covered with dew or moisture when those who are his body are in distress. That is the time when you must keep watch so that when the bridegroom comes he may not find himself shut out, and make his departure. If you were to go to sleep, if your heart were not wide awake, he would not knock and go away; but if your heart is watchful, he knocks and asks you to open the door to him.
Our soul has a door; it has gates. “Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, eternal gates, and the King of glory will enter.” If you open the gates of your faith, the King of glory will enter your house in the triumphal procession in honor of his passion. Holiness, too, has its gates. We read in Scripture what the Lord Jesus said through his prophet: “Open me the gates of holiness.”
It is the soul that has its door, its gates. Christ comes to this door and knocks; he knocks at the gates. Open to him; he wants to enter, to find his bride waiting and watching.
From Commentary on Psalm 118, 12-14 by St.Ambrose (ca. 334-397) Archbishop of Milan.