St. Mark's Parish

Greetings from Medford on the tenth Sunday after Pentecost and a slight break in the heat and mess of Southern Oregon summer.

We gathered with a remembrance that God comes to us to lead us and to protect us from the vagaries of the world if we follow God’s goodness. Our first lesson from Genesis was the story of Jacob wrestling with an angel the night before he meets Esau on his return to Israel. The Psalmist gives voice to the human hope and the claim of being without guile. The reading from the letter to the Romans is Paul’s reminder that he is truthful to what he has been given by God in Christ. Matthew’s gospel is the story of the crowd coming to Jesus after John’s execution and the feeding of the 5,000+.

An overarching point in these scriptures today is the reminder that how God does things is less important that the promise that God does work. That message applies to us too, what we have is sufficient for what is needed. Even when the angel wrestles with Jacob, the encounter isn’t intended to deter or stop Jacob. The angel serves as a vehicle to reconnect Jacob to God and God’s plan. The story of Jacob is a reminder that our humanity is faithful and lacks faith at the same time. Jesus’ interaction with the disciples reminds them that God’s job is God’s to do, and theirs is their job. Once the disciples let God do God’s thing, they will be amazed that they are more capable than they imagine.

How do we remind ourselves and invite others to do their part and to let God do God’s part? Which people need to hear about God’s grace and blessing today? I invite your comments,
Les+

Lessons: Genesis 32:22-31; Psalm 17:1-7, 16; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:13-21
Sermon link: https://audiomack.com/fatherles-2/song/pentecost-10-sermon-2