Friday after the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on August 16, 2024 by under
Scripture: St. Mark 9:33-37 (NKJV)
9:33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
Devotion
What is it about children that Jesus praises so highly? Little children are not capable of taking care of themselves. The younger they are, the more they are dependent on the compassion of parents. Good parents love this about their children. This is a reflection of our relationship to God by faith. In spiritual things, we cannot do anything for ourselves, but are completely dependent upon God’s compassion for our salvation, knowledge of God, and faith. The more we mature in spiritual things, the more we learn to depend on God; and God loves this about faith. Faith is happy to depend on God, and God is happy to give everything which faith requires. Therefore, the Christian happily seeks what he needs in the Word and Sacraments, which are God’s gifts.
In worldly terms, children are the weakest because they are the most dependent. He who seeks worldly greatness cares little for dependent children, because they have nothing to give back. But the Christian, knowing the love of God, will love and protect little children in God’s name. Abortion and euthanasia have no place in Christianity, because they destroy those whom God has called us to love. He who loves the weak imitates Jesus, who loves us sinners.
Collect: Almighty and Everlasting God, Who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of Thy mercy, forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
