Good Morning,
Welcome to your online worship from St. Mark’s for Thanksgiving Sunday, October 13, 2024.
In my Thanksgiving sermon this Sunday, we reflect on Jesus’ teaching from Matthew 6:25-33, where Jesus reminds us not to be consumed by worry, but to trust in God’s faithful provision. Putting God at the centre of our lives brings peace, perspective, and the freedom to live generously and share with others.
Today’s Opening Sentence
Those who sowed with tears will reap with songs of joy. – Psalm 126:6
Today’s Reading – Matthew 6:25-33
Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you — you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.1
Your Online Message and Prayers
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Reflection questions for the week:
- What is one area of your life where you tend to worry the most? How might trusting more in God’s provision help ease that worry? Reflect on how you can release some of your anxieties and make more space for God’s peace.
- In what ways can you begin to “strive first for the kingdom of God” in your daily life? Consider how you can put God at the centre of your decisions, priorities, and actions this week.
- How can the abundance of the harvest remind you of God’s faithfulness in providing for your needs, both physical and spiritual? Think about moments when God has provided for you in unexpected ways.
- What can you let go of to make more room for generosity and trust in God’s provision? How can you actively share with others from the abundance you’ve been given? Reflect on opportunities in your life to give and serve, trusting that God will provide what you need.
A continued reminder that if you are at all uncomfortable being in-person for worship, or if you are not feeling well, please join us here online.
Thank you again for joining with your parish family in our online worship today.
Find out how you can support our ministry and good work in the community here.
God Bless you and have a blessed week. Be well!
Peace,
The Rev’d Canon Rob Park
- Scripture quotation is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.