Meditation for Trinity 2 2025
Collect for Trinity 2
and to Jesus Christ our Lord, your living Word.
Luke 9:51-62
As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.
As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
The dog ate my homework…
Human beings are inventive when it comes to making excuses. The Bible is full of them.
Genesis 3:12 Adam: Eve made me do it. 3:13 Eve: The serpent made me do it. (We can imagine the serpent saying – what did they expect? I’m a snake. That’s what snakes do.)
Exodus 4:10: “Moses said “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
Jeremiah 1:6: “Sovereign Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am too young”
Jonah 4:2 “I told you so! You should have listened to me!”
Judges 6:15: Gideon – “Excuse me, sir! How can I rescue Israel? Look at my whole family. It’s the weakest one in Manasseh. And me? I’m the least important member of my family.”
There are many more examples – including the excuses made to avoid Jesus’ invitation to follow Him:
Luke 9:57-62:
I will follow you wherever you go – by the way, which hotel are we staying at
Follow me, said Jesus. Give me a minute, said the man – I’ve got important things to do first then I’ll catch you up.
I will probably follow you, said another, but I’m not altogether sure, so I’d like to make sure I’d be welcome back home if it doesn’t work out.
Jesus is looking for commitment. Absolute, unconditional, commitment. When I think of what that means, I’m always minded of Martina Navratilova’s remark: “The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed.”
Follow Him. Or do not follow Him. Your choice – but don’t make excuses for your refusal to choose.
Angel Gabriel: “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.”
Mary: OK.
Previous Posts
Praying Together 25th December 2023
Without the crib, there is no cross.
Without the cross, the crib has no meaning.
Unto us a child is born…
… a Saviour who is Christ the Lord.
Praying Together 17th December 2023
May you walk in His light throughout your life; may you be His body on earth, share Faith, Hope and Love, and use the all the gifts He gives you to bring His Kingdom in.
Praying Together 26 November 2023
They know what they should do. But they don’t do it. It is the ones who do God’s work, who serve without expecting any reward who will receive eternal life in the Kingdom.
Praying Together 19th November 2023
It might not be the trumpet. Or the Clarinet. A Trombone, Double Bass, a singing voice. It may not be music at all. If not, there are many other skills you may have been given that you are not yet aware of: artistic talent, hospitality, compassion, intercession, forgiveness, unconditional love. There will be some.
Praying Together 12th November 2023
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Praying Together 5th November 2023
“Do as I say, not as I do”. The mantra of hypocritical leaders through the ages. It is important to note that Jesus makes a clear distinction between the righteous observance of the Law and the self-important practice of the Pharisees.
Praying Together 29th October 2023
Hallowmas is a season we should not ignore, but instead celebrate as a festival of light, in the beauty of Autumn colours and enjoying a time for creation to rest in peace.
Praying Together 22nd October 2023
When the world lives in Christ, it’s laws are true and just. When it doesn’t, they are not, and we must reject them. There can be no compromise.
Praying Together 15th October 2023
Whoever we are – even unto this last -Jesus asks us to dine with Him. He has bought us the entrance fee. All He asks is that we accept Him as Lord.
Praying Together 8th October 2023
Throughout the centuries, God offers a gift being able to choose life and starting again, but when continually refused, He shakes the dust off His sandals and moves on. Could you blame Him, then, if He turns Hs blessing to the poor?
Praying Together 1st October 2023
The reward for accepting Him is the joy of knowing freedom, and then to accept His command to work in the vineyard, to feed His lambs – not with empty words, but with deeds.
Praying Together 24th September 2023
Heavenly Father, help us to work to accomplish your will for us according to our individual gifts without comparing ourselves to others. Help us to acknowledge our own failures and avoid condemning others for theirs.