Communion and Mission

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, July 10, 2025

Proper 9, the week of the fourth Sunday after Pentecost

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrase for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:

44Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.

(You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end of this reflection.)

Daily Office Lectionary readings (BCP, 974)

AM Psalm 119:1-24; PM Psalm 12, 13, 14

1 Samuel 16:1-13; Acts 10:1-16; Luke 24:12-35

David's Reflections

How does Jesus respond to my doubts and uncertainties about my faith and about his identity, presence, and working in the world?  If this Gospel reading gives any light it is that he comes to us, wherever we are, he seeks to reassure us, and when that proves difficult he persists. His post resurrection appearances show that kind of response to his followers struggles with his death and resurrection.

Also, if this text gives us any hint about God's nature, we can only conclude that God seeks to include all people.  God desires that all people share this same intimate table fellowship and share in receiving the nurturing love and presence of Jesus. See verse 47, “repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations.”

Jesus led them to reread the Scriptures.  Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms refers to the entire corpus of Hebrew Scriptures, what we call the Old Testament. (See v. 44 above.)  In the Hebrew Bible, the prophets includes what we think of as historical books, Joshua-Kings. The Psalms are the first book in the third segment of the Hebrew Bible, The Writings. His followers needed his assistance to reframe their understanding of the role of Messiah, and that reframing involved rereading the Scriptures and seeing them from a new angle of vision.

  One can see in these texts the profound effect the worship of the earliest church had on the way these stories were preserved and transmitted.  The shape of early Christian worship affected the shaping of the Gospel tradition.  In yesterday’s reading from Luke 24, the four basic elements of Eucharistic worship can be seen:

*gathering— “¹While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them

*the liturgy of the Word—^2”Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.”

*the liturgy of the table—“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them”

*the dismissal to mission in the world]—“That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem”

I find these images reassuring—Jesus walking to Emmaus (yesterday’s Gospel) and Jesus at table with his followers (today’s Gospel), in both instances leading them to reread and rethink.  Jesus continues to undergird our reading, enabling us to find what we had missed and to see the text from new angles of vision, both in public worship and in our private reading.

Around a table, Jesus ate some of their food to demonstrate that he was not a phantom but a real person, risen from the dead.  That second act of reassurance seemed to settle their lingering uncertainty.  Then, he commanded them to take the message of his saving love into all the world. Our practice of Eucharist arose in part from these post resurrection meal scenes. (See John 21 for another post-resurrection meal scene.)

As we gather around the Holy Table, Jesus hosts us there; and, he becomes the main course, giving himself to us in bread and wine.  Then, he sends us forth from that table to gather all people to his banquet, so that all may know his love, forgiveness, and freedom.  Would that we would never gather at the Table for Holy Eucharist without having brought another hungry soul along and without grieving the absence of others we’ve prayed for and invited.

Whom will you bring to worship this weekend?  If this text says anything, it shouts to us that those without faith and those with doubts and questions belong at the Lord's Table. For whom will you be praying whose absence from the Table grieves you? How will you relate to and reach out to them the next week?

Henri Nouwen put it so well in his reflection on Luke 24. "In the Eucharist we are asked to leave the table and go to our friends to discover with them that Jesus is truly alive and calls us together to become a new people--a people of the resurrection.”*

*Henri J. M. Nouwen, With Burning Hearts: A Meditation on the Eucharistic LIfe  (Maryknoll, NY:  Orbis, 1994), p. 86.

Collect of the Day, Proper 9, Sunday, the fourth Sunday after Pentecost

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to your with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 230-231)

A Collect for Protection

O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night. Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  (BCP, 124)

For Peace

Almighty God, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that in tranquility your dominion may increase until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (BCP, 258)

A Collect for the Presence of Christ

Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen.  (BCP, 124)

A Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. (BCP, 101)

Daily Office Gospel, Luke 24:36-53

36 While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ 37They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate in their presence. 44Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’ 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’

50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, p. 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p. 109, Book of Common Prayer 

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer 

Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer