29th September 2024 10.30am – Harvest – Eucharist

The Readings

1 Timothy 6.6-10

Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

Matthew 6.25-33

‘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.

Scripture Quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Sermon
By David, Reader at St Mary's.

This morning’s Gospel reading is one I’ve become familiar with over the years. It’s been read at a family funeral, and the version that appears in Luke’s Gospel was part of the Gospel reading at our wedding service.

It’s always been a source of comfort and reassurance.

But sitting down to preach on it forces you to read and reread the passage in a critical way. You end up stripping layers of meaning away to get to the next one.

It’s a bit like peeling an onion.

As I read through the passage and books exploring the passage, our two cats, Ellie and Fergie, began miaowing. I would say in the background, but these two don’t do anything half-heartedly, least of all asking for food.

For medical reasons they’re house cats, aren’t able to hunt for themselves and so rely on us for food. Despite what they would have you think, they are well fed!

But before we took them in, their life experience included abandonment and lack of food.

They still worry about where their next meal is coming from.

This is partly a result of their experience, but also natural for most mammals.

In our Gospel it appears Jesus is asking us to do something that goes against how we are programmed. That we should not worry about our basic needs of food, drink, clothing and shelter. That we should trust that they will be provided.

It’s a sentiment it’s easy to support when you live in relative comfort, as some of us do. When you don’t have to worry about where the next meal is coming from, or how to afford shoes for your children.

But when you live from pay check to pay check, with little to no safety net, or in poverty, it can be a platitude, at best, to be told not to worry about the basics of living.

The final verse of our Gospel makes this particularly difficult. “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well”. At first reading it seems that all we have to do is strive for God’s kingdom and our basic standard of living will be met.

But what does that feel like for those faithful Christians, or anyone else, who, for all their striving, doesn’t have their basic needs met?

Are they not striving for God’s kingdom strongly enough?

Some Christians would say yes. They would subscribe to a “gospel of prosperity”. Where your health, wealth and success are linked to your faith, and how much you give to church. That worldly success, measured by money and possessions, is a sign of God’s grace and favour.

This “prosperity gospel” is, quite rightly, criticised as being exploitative and false.

We don’t exist in isolation. We can strive for the kingdom and its values of humility, truth and love, but if others are striving for a world with vast inequality and for unjust power structures that keep people in poverty we will have an uphill struggle.

It is by transforming these unjust structures that we strive for the kingdom of God. In this way will the necessities of life be available to all.

Our God is one of abundance, not excess. There is enough food to eat, if it’s equitably shared.

We celebrate harvest today. A harvest of fruits and vegetables. Of grains and pulses. Of ingenuity and imagination. Of artistic talent and skilled craftsmanship. We give thanks for all that we are as God’s children and pray for a just and equal sharing of all that the earth offers.

The Prayers

Let us offer our prayers to God for the life of the world
and for all God’s people in their daily life and work.

God, the beginning and end of all things,
in your providence and care
you watch unceasingly over all creation;
we offer our prayers
that in us and in all your people your will may be done,
according to your wise and loving purpose in Christ our Lord.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for all through whom we receive sustenance and life;
for farmers and agricultural workers,
for packers, distributors and company boards;
as you have so ordered our life that we depend upon each other,
enable us by your grace to seek the well-being of others before our own.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for all engaged in research to safeguard crops against disease,
and to produce abundant life among those who hunger
and whose lives are at risk.
Prosper the work of their hands
and the searching of their minds,
that their labour may be for the welfare of all.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for governments and aid agencies,
and those areas of the world where there is disaster, drought and starvation.
By the grace of your Spirit,
touch our hearts
and the hearts of all who live in comfortable plenty,
and make us wise stewards of your gifts.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We pray for those who are ill,
remembering those in hospital and nursing homes
and all who are known to us.
We pray for all who care for them.
Give skill and understanding
to all who work for their well-being.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We remember those who have died,
whom we entrust to your eternal love
in the hope of resurrection to new life.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

We offer ourselves to your service,
asking that by the Spirit at work in us
others may receive a rich harvest of love and joy and peace.
Lord of the harvest,
in your mercy hear us.

Merciful Father:
Accept these prayers
For the sake you Son
Our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

St Marys Walkley

The Church on the Road: inclusive, eucharistic, a safe place to be with God

29th September 2024 10.30am – Harvest – Eucharist