There is a complaint at the center of this Sunday's Gospel, and it turns out to be the best news in the world. When the Pharisees grumbled, "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them," they meant it as an indictment. Without knowing it, they had described the whole work of Christ. He does receive sinners. He does eat with them. He came for no other reason.
Our Lord answers their grumbling not with an argument but with two small stories that everyone already knows to be true. What man, losing one sheep out of a hundred, does not leave the rest and go after it until he finds it? What woman, losing one coin out of ten, does not light a lamp and sweep the whole house until it turns up? Of course he does; of course she does. And in admitting it, we admit something about God: that He counts His lost ones not as acceptable losses but as treasures worth every trouble to recover.
Notice who does the seeking. The sheep cannot find its own way home; left to itself it only wanders further. The coin cannot even know that it is lost; it can only lie in the dust where it fell. Neither saves itself; neither so much as finds itself. The shepherd goes out. The woman lights the candle. And when the sheep is found, it is not driven home on its own tired legs, but it is laid upon the shepherd's shoulders and carried, while he rejoices the whole way. This is the Gospel in a single picture. As one faithful teacher put it: I did not seek Him; He sought me. I did not find Him; He found me. I did not save myself; He did that.
That is why this Sunday is, before anything else, a summons to humility. St. Peter reminds us in the Epistle that God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble, and he bids us cast all our care upon Him, for He careth for us. The proud man insists he was never really lost; he will not be carried, because he will not admit he cannot walk. But the one who confesses that he is the stray, and lets himself be lifted, discovers that he is already on his way home.
And heaven is not indifferent to that homecoming. Twice our Lord tells us there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. The same angels who sang at creation and over Bethlehem rejoice again each time one of us turns back. Repentance, then, is not a grim duty but the doorway into that joy. It is not something done once, but forms the shape of the whole Christian life.
So this week, do not stand off at a distance with the grumblers. Draw near with the publicans and sinners who came simply to hear Him. Let yourself be found. And come to the altar, where the old accusation is answered again in glory: here, still, this Man receiveth sinners, and feeds them with Himself.
Who’s Up for Summer School? If there is sufficient interest, I will offer a fairly relaxed, informal course of evening classes on the hymnal. We will start with a brief introduction to the hymnal itself — there is much more in it than just hymns! — and then spend the following weeks looking at specific hymns, focusing on the circumstances of their writing as well as their theological and pastoral content.
Every hymn has a story behind it, and many of them are fascinating.
Pop Quiz: What do these six people have in common?
John Bunyan
G. K. Chesterton
Oliver Wendell Holmes
Francis Scott Key
Rudyard Kipling
Christina Rossetti
Answer: They are all authors of hymns included in our Hymnal 1940.
Please note that I propose to discuss the hymns — meaning the words — not the music. I'm no musician and cannot offer much insight into the tunes to which these texts are set.
If you are interested in these classes, please let me know at church Sunday or by emailing me at rmbragg@gmail.com. My intention is to begin on Wednesday, July 8, and run until Wednesday, August 26. Each meeting will be a stand-alone session, running from 7:30 to 9:00 PM in the undercroft.
--Fr Bragg +
SERVICES & EVENTS
Sunday, 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM services, for online participation go to https://www.facebook.com/saintsofscotland or to https://www.youtube.com/@StAndrewandStMargaret/streams
Nursery during both services
Sunday School, on recess for the summer, returns in September
Wednesday, June 24, Feast of St. John the Baptist, Services at Noon & 7:00 PM, for online participation go to https://www.facebook.com/saintsofscotland or to https://www.youtube.com/@StAndrewandStMargaret/streams
Monday, June 29, Feast of St. Peter & St. Paul, Services at Noon & 7:00 PM
Saturday, July 4, at Noon – Holy Communion service
Save the date, Sunday, Sept 20, Annual Parish Picnic, following combined 10:00 AM service. More information to follow as the date draws near and plan to invite family and friends.
MaRiH Crisis Pregnancy Center: Updated Critical Needs & More
Below are 2 updated lists: the critical needs list and the needs list:
Critical Needs: Diapers, sizes 5 and 6 Spring/Summer clothing (Boys & Girls), size 0-3 months, size 2T Baby Wipes Baby Blankets Baby formula: Similac Advance Formula Bibs: toddler Car seat: infant Other needs: Diapers, newborn, 1, 2, 3, 4 Spring/Summer Clothing, 3-6 month, 9-12 month, 18-24 month, Bibs, infant Maternity clothes (Spring/Summer) Wash cloths Hooded towels Diaper rash ointment, Baby Shampoo Baby bottles There are two options for helping the Center with these needs: Option 1 Amazon has all the specific items needed. You can order the specific item(s) and have them delivered directly to the Center.
The MaRiH Center 3230B Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314-4521 703-370-4774
Option 2 Go to your local store, purchase the items requested and drop them off at church on Sunday. We will deliver them to the MaRIH Center .
Food Bank Needs
The food bank continues to need our assistance to feed the hungry. Please help this month with a food donation if you are able. Those we help feed are very thankful for the food we provide to them each month. Please also buy low sugar cereals (and not the kid's types that have lots of sugar). Also lower sodium products are better and more healthy.
Current needs include the following: canned meats (chicken, corned beef, spam) tuna (cans or foil packages) peanut butter. jelly canned vegetables (corn, green beans - (regular and low sodium) individual fruit cups (low sugar) canned fruit (low sugar) canola or vegetable oil (48 oz) boxed cereal (low sugar) and instant or old fashioned oatmeal (18 oz or 42 oz) pasta (regular and gluten-free): instant potatoes single serving fruit juice macaroni & cheese soups: Chunky or Progresso, chicken noodle soup; chicken broth, cream of mushroom. tomato coffee, cooking oil, flour, sugar
