The First Sunday after Trinity - Reflection by Canon Leslie

Last Sunday was Trinity Sunday, and we are now back into that phase of the Church’s year known as ‘ordinary time’. The Gospel reading for today resumes this year’s systematic reading through Mark’s Gospel.
 
Today Mark’s narrative is picked up in chapter 3. Earlier Jesus has called his disciples. He has healed the sick and won the hearts of the crowds. But Jesus has also begun to make enemies and to stir up conflict by the way in which he welcomes outcasts and challenges the religious leaders. In today’s Gospel reading Mark contrasts the way in which the sick, the possessed and the outcasts flock to Jesus with the way in which the religious leaders refused to recognise Jesus’ authority and stirred up controversy against him.  In this passage even Jesus’ closest family questioned his sanity, while the scribes insisted on attributing Jesus’ actions to evil sources.  In his reply to the scribes Jesus asserts his own authority to overturn the forces of evil.  It is this conflict which leads inevitably to the crucifixion later in the Gospel.
 
For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited reflection on the image of conflict. In today’s picture, from his book The Grumpy Day, Teddy Horsley is stirring up conflict around the breakfast table at home.
 
Lord Jesus Christ,
you faced conflict in your ministry.
When we face conflict,
help us to follow your example,
that we may choose the right way
and not the wrong way;
now and always.
Amen.
 
Next Sunday, our journey through Mark’s Gospel takes us to two of Jesus’ parables about growth, the Parable of the Growing Seed, and the Parable of the Mustard Seed. The image to help us prepare for next Sunday’s theme is growth. You can find out more about that theme here https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. We would really appreciate you letting us know how you are using these materials. Please send us your ideas and photos of the things you may create; email them to [email protected].
 
To learn more about The Grumpy Day and to find more adventures with Teddy Horsley, you can follow this link to his page on the St. Mary’s Centre website: http://www.st-marys-centre.org.uk/resources/TeddyHorsley.html, as well as this link to his own website: https://teddyhorsley.org/.
 
You are warmly invited to join us in worship online. We are livestreaming our 10:30am service on both our Facebook and YouTube pages. To stream the service on Facebook, follow this link to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LiverpoolCathedral. To stream the service on YouTube, follow this link to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/LiverpoolCathedral/videos.
 
Teddy Horsley sends his Sunday greetings to all.
 
Canon Leslie