Good Morning,
Welcome to your online worship from St. Mark’s for Sunday June 11, 2023.
One of the impacts of the pause of our in-person worship led to offering this online service of prayer and reflection on the Gospel message. As the weather warms and opportunities for outside events and activities grow, it makes it hard to make sure there is place for worship in our week. I do hope that this online worship service might be something folks could participate in and help them stay connected and spiritually nourished, when coming to services are not possible, for whatever reason.
Of course, I also continue to be grateful from those of you who have continued to watch and pray with me and your St. Mark’s community here online. Hearing from you and knowing that you find this online offering helpful and is very encouraging that our faith is strong enough to keep us together in spirit, even when we are physically apart.
Today’s Opening Sentence
“The Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor and release to the captives.” – Luke 4.18
Today’s Reading – Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.
And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district.1
Your Online Message and Prayers
Click on the above image to view our online worship on YouTube.
Reflection questions for the week:
- We have all been sorted into a category by our society and culture in one way or another. We been sorted by where we were born or to who, by our appearance, by our resources, by our status in our communities, and countless other ways. How have you been “sorted” and how has that impacted your life?
- How has the way others been sorted (family, friends, or others) impacted how you have acted or treated them?
- It seems that there is a growing effort being made by those in power, or seeking power, to sort us and separate us into distinct groups. These distinctions seem to be intended to make us less caring or compassionate toward each other. Think about the differences and distinctions that you have become more aware of in the last few years? What have been the driving factors in our society for making more important those distinctions?
- Jesus is our measuring stick as we live our life as Christians. How can you and I act more like Jesus in our lives so that we reflect better our belief that we are all God’s Children?
This week music is provided by Ryan Van Dijk, our Music Director, and the choir. Thank you to them all for their ministry of music!
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.