MAC KIRK

14 th S after Trinity. Prayer, Thanksgiving and Contemplation Luke 17 The moments in our lives pass by and we often pass by without noting the spiritual and beautiful moments that we have. This was the story last week when the religious leaders passed by the man who had been robbed and left "half dead." 10:30 It may be we are caught up in this as well with more worry about what hymn we are singing, what words we are saying instead of the kernal of the truth of God. Prayer ? Pausing? Living a contemplative ( the action of looking thoughtfully for some time, thoughtful observation) life? Bishop JC Ryle of the Church of England of the 1800's wakes us up with this :" To be prayerless is to be without God, without Christ, without grace, without hope, and without heaven." Yet this is so true of the practice of many Christians ( professing Christians) who do not have a habit of meditation, prayer and contemplation. Why? Perhaps we feel this way too.

Good Samaritan Luke 10 , a look again at what we need to know and do in our Christian lives "Contemplation is nothing else than a secret, peaceful, and loving infusion of God, which if admitted, will set the soul on fire with the Spirit of love." - St. John of the Cross "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? ..." 1. The Samaritan " came where he was as he journeyed , and when he saw him...." How do we know those to whom we are called? Go to where they ar

The Collect- Today's Collect for the 12 S. after T. "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. Amen. " Today's Collect for the 12 S. after T. talks about something that we should all know ; the Epistle Lesson from 2 Corinthians 3 as well affirms this truth. In the LORD, there is liberty. In the LORD there is mercy and our consciences may recollect things we wish to forget . However in the Lord there is forgiveness and goodness and He gives " more than either we desire or deserve." "Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life." Mark Twain in brainyquote.com or "Conscien

11th S after Trinity A True Dose of Humility which produces? " In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn't a technology problem like radar malfunction--or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship's presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late. " Closer Walk, December, 1991. Jesus says that humility is a part of being knowing Him. Luke 18 he tells the story of 2 men. "For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. " The word humbles himself means " l