God the Gatherer

Devotional Reflection, Monday, June 4, 2024

Proper 4, the week of the second Sunday after Pentecost

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

Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:

47 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 968)

AM Psalm 41, 52; PM Psalm 44

Eccles. 2:1-15; Gal. 1:1-17; Matt. 13:44-52

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Martyrs of Uganda. (See below.)

David’s Reflections

One of the images of God’s kingly rule in today’s Gospel reminds us of another image Jesus used when calling his disciples.  He promised those who fished for a living that they would now fish for people.  Here, Jesus presents the image of a fish net, a device that gathered the catch.  The fishers would separate the fish.  Separation is the basic idea involved in judgment.  (See Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25 in which the king separates sheep from goats.)  The fishers in this parable separate the good fish from the bad.  However, the fishers’ primary work is gathering;  separating is secondary.  So with God—God’s primary work is the gathering work of salvation;  separating and judging is secondary,  or as the Epistle of James puts it, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

God’s kingly rule resembles fishing in that the net gathers fish of every kind.  God seeks to gather people of every kind into the experience of divine love and forgiveness and into loving community with others.  I feel such deep connection with the image of God as one who gathers us.  Other gathering images for God’s seeking and saving love—a shepherd gathering sheep, a harvester gathering wheat, a mother hen gathering her chicks under her wings.

I am thinking today of the story of Sara Miles, a story she shares in her book Take This Bread.  Sara grew up in an atheist family and had no interest in and little  knowledge of religion.  By chance, she wandered into an Episcopal Church in San Francisco and received communion.  In that moment, she felt God’s loving and forgiving presence and became a person of faith.

In her words,

Early one winter morning, . . . I walked into St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in San Francisco.  I had no earthly reason to be there.  I’d never heard a Gospel reading, never said the Lord’s Prayer.  I was certainly not interested in becoming a Christian— or, as I thought of it rather less politely, a religious nut. But, on other long walks, I’d passed the beautiful wooden building, . . . and this time I went in, on an impulse, with no more than a reporter’s habitual curiosity.

We sat down and stood up, sang and sat down, waited and listened and stood up and sang, and it was all pretty peaceful and sort of interesting. ‘Jesus invites everyone to his table,’ the woman announced . . . . we gathered around that table.  And, there was more singing and standing, and someone was putting a piece of fresh, crumbly bread in my hands, and saying, ‘The body of Christ,’ and handing me the goblet of sweet wine, saying,  ‘the blood of Christ,’ and then something outrageous and terrifying happened. Jesus happened to me,+

Our inviting people to worship unites us with God’s gathering love and it’s constant seeking of all people. Our third space activities outside worship unite us with that gathering love—pub nights, social events, group trips to ball games, church hiking groups, church picnics. All forms of gathering away from Sunday worship that make the community more porous to outsiders and outsiders more comfortable.

In addition, we can see Sunday worship as a public assembly in the world and an act of missional proclamation. Reframing worship in that way and becoming more sensitive to the presence of nonmembers will make a more hospitable space for the Sara Miles’s of the world.

Each weekend, people attend worship with the same  lack of intent that Sara felt that day.  But, on any Sunday, Jesus can happen to them.  We are involved in God’s great gathering work.  May we pray each Sunday that Jesus will happen to people each time we gather.  Many Sara Miles types live and move among us.  Be aware.  Ask for sensitivity.  Ask for boldness.  Tell God you want to be part of that great gathering effort.  Make yourself available.

Collect of the Day: Proper 4

O God, your never-failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and earth: Put away from us, we entreat you, all hurtful things, and give us those things which are profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 229)

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Martyrs of Uganda (died 3 June 1886 CE).

http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Uganda.htm

Collect of the Feast of the Martyrs of Uganda

O God, by whose providence the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church: Grant that we who remember before you the blessed martyrs of Uganda, may, like them, be steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ, to whom they gave obedience even unto death, and by their sacrifice brought forth a plentiful harvest; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for the Renewal of Life

O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (BCP, 99)

Prayer in a Time of War

O Almighty God, the Father of all humanity, turn, we pray, the hearts of all peoples and their rulers, that by the power of your Holy Spirit peace may be established among the nations on the foundation of justice, righteousness and truth; through him who was lifted up on the cross to draw all people to himself, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

William Temple (1881-1944), Archbishop of Canterbury

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

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100, 257)

Daily Office Gospel, Matthew 13:44-52

44 ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

47 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 ‘Have you understood all this?’ They answered, ‘Yes.’ 52And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’

Daily Offices in the Book of Common Prayer

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

Noonday Prayer, page 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