Praying Together 19th October 2025

So the commandment is a challenge. To love those who betray you. Those who jeer. Those who wield the whips embedded with flint, hammer in the nails, pierce your side.

A Meditation for Trinity 18 and 19 2025

Collect

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Help us to hear them, to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that, through patience, and the comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and for ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Almighty and everlasting God: Increase in us your gift of faith that, forsaking what lies behind, we may run the way of your commandments and win the crown of everlasting joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

2 Timothy 3: 14 – 4: 5

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.

After Paul encountered the Lord on the Damascus Road, he was blinded and led by the hand into the City, and told to await the visit of a man called Ananias. He was a disciple who had heard about Paul’s persecution of Jesus’ followers and was (understandably) more than somewhat reluctant to go – but the Lord insisted.

‘But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Ananias went as directed. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.’ (Acts 9:15-19)

Thus begins the story of a young Jewish man through whose faithful ministry I am sitting here in my office writing this meditation. Over thirty years, his mission will send him on five evangelistic journeys, visiting more than 50 cities including appealing directly to Emperor Caesar and his entire household – as well as writing fourteen letters, spending at least five years in prison and training others to carry on the work – one of whom was Timothy, the recipient of today’s readings, the epistles known as Paul’s final discourse.

He shares his experience with those who will follow him – through the ages, today and beyond; those who continue to proclaim the good news of salvation. He knows that it will involve difficulty, self-denial and suffering. People will reject the Gospel message, seduced by worldly false teaching. But you have a race to run, he tells them – sustained by prayer and scripture, to fulfil your missionary calling to teach the world the truth of Jesus Christ and His endless, amazing love.

2 Timothy 4: 6 – 8, 16-18

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

At my first defence, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Now, Paul, an old man, writes from prison. He is aware that he is probably going to be executed. He is tired, but not exhausted – like the runner crossing the line at the end of a gruelling Marathon race but who still has the strength to rejoice. The pain of all the training, all the hurdles, the failures, the opposition is left behind, for he has finally won the prize, a prize not of this earth. The crown of righteousness awaits him in the safety of the heavenly Kingdom.

That’s not his only reward.

You may remember the scene towards the end of the film ‘Chariots of Fire’, when the Union Flag is raised above the Olympic stadium showing that the runner Harold Abrahams has won the 100m Gold medal. His coach Sam Mussabini, excluded from the Amateur games by virtue of being a professional trainer, sees the flag raised from his hotel room outside the stadium and punches his straw boater in exhilaration. The medal is not just for his protégé Abrahams – it is the prize shared with his coach Mussabini as well.

There are so many who have been alongside us in our Christian Journey, Paul only being one of them. We have their example, coaching, teaching and encouragement to use our God-given gifts to the full, and as we do, they too are awarded the crown of righteousness in the Kingdom.

In our own proclamation of Jesus as Christ the Lord and His victory over the power of sin, we are the medals they wear.