Audio Sermon for the 10th Sunday after Trinity – 4th August 2024

Fr Leonard Doolan – St Paul’s Athens

Sermon for the 10th Sunday after Trinity – 4th August 2024: Exodus 16, 2-4, 9-15; Ephesians 4, 1-16; John 6, 24-35

Fr Leonard Doolan – St Paul’s Athens

‘Lord, give us this bread always’. (Jn 6,34)

Around the year 270AD Anthony, from the city of Koma in Lower Egypt, left his home and travelled deep into the desert to find space and freedom for contemplating God. Not the first to lead an ascetic life, nonetheless Anthony is considered the first of the Desert Fathers and Mothers. His desert life is depicted in many works of art through history, not least by Hieronymous Bosch.

We could discuss his life more fully, but we must press to the question, ‘why go into the desert?’ Part of the motivation for these desert monks and nuns was to find solitude, and partly to escape the metropolitan fleshpots – to turn their backs on the cities, full of noise and the babbling of people, to escape the moral corruption that is characteristic of city life. Where ate the fleshpots of Athens, I can hear you saying?

One of the adverse consequences of seeking this solitude, is that people from the fleshpots wanted to hear the spiritual advice of such saintly men and women – so far from getting the peace they wanted, the clamour of spirit-hungry humanity followed them. It was not so easy to escape from the fleshpots.

Moses has a slightly different situation to deal with. Having escaped from their slavery in Egypt, the People of Israel have had enough of the desert wandering – their patience in the search for the Promised Land is wearing thin. It is reported that the people are grumbling – a common theme in the scriptures – and that compared to all this freedom and lack of certainty, hunger, scarcity of comforts, endless travelling with seemingly no destination in sight – they lament the sort of lives they had in the fleshpots of Egypt.

Please, let us go back to them. We had everything there, and here we have nothing. How can this be better? What is God up to? Why are we following you, Moses and Aaron? Give us fleshpots any time.

The grumbling of the people is heard; their lament is noted. It is OK to grumble to God, to lament, to complain about how God might be responsible for our lamentable condition. There is a lovely verse in Psalm 56 (vs 8) ‘You have counted up my groaning; put my tears into your bottle; are they not written in your book?’ A beautiful image – our plight recorded in God’s book; our tears, the weeping of humanity, collected in his bottle and kept precious.

God hears their cries and God responds according to his nature, his essence. God gives of his bounty; God overflows with his graciousness; he gives not out of superior largesse, the noblesse oblige, but as an outpouring of himself.

Those essentials that the people associated with living in their past circumstances are provided – God provides, Yahweh Yireh.

We are told that the people are provided with quails, and the following morning with a ‘flake-like thing’, fine as hoarfrost. It is their bread. We of course would say it was their manna from heaven. The people’s needs are provided for by their God. ‘It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.’ Says Moses.

Jesus refers to this happening. He goes to the very heart of the event. It is not a human being like Moses who provided for the people, but God. It is God who provides – it is God who gave them their heavenly manna’ ‘Lord, give us this bread always’ is their response. These words resonate in the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples, a prayer than nourishes us now and countless billions of the faithful down through the Christian centuries, ‘Give us this day, our daily bread.’

In our eucharist we take bread, and we take wine, and we affirm our belief that the bread is the body of Jesus, the wine the blood of Jesus. ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.’

The eucharist is at the heart of our faith and practice – but our understanding of our daily bread widens beyond just our physical needs – our daily sustenance. God provides also for his whole church. He sustains us with the daily calling of his people –  each one of us, with no exceptions – that we may each sustain and nourish each other; our daily bread to sustain us in our faithful witness, both within and beyond our sacred gathering.

By God’s divine provision God calls us into ministry to feed one another spiritually, to feed the world spiritually. We are literally, each of us, bread for the world. Our bread is God’s grace – give us this daily, Father in heaven.

St. Paul informs us that ‘grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.’ (Eph 4,7). The divine gift is Christ’s very church – and this is you and me (and a good many other people besides). God takes us as we are and by his glorious alchemy he calls us into being ‘apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors teachers’ not for the sake of the individuals who have such ministries, but, as St. Paul says ‘to equip the saints (that’s you and me in St. Paul’s language) for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ’ so that we may grow together ‘to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.’ (Eph 4, 13). This is the real thing. This is not some dainty confectionary, but the bread of life for the feeding of the body of Christ. ‘Lord, give us this bread always’.

As we go through life – sometimes faithful, sometimes grumbling, sometimes having a clear vision sometimes cloudy, sometimes going through real personal sacrifice sometimes yearning for those fleshpots (that rather dubious place preferred by the grumbling Israelites), we pray and yearn for our daily bread that we may be sustained and nourished from the boundless generosity of our God.

To bring us to a close I would like us to sing that great and rousing hymn as we reflect on the bread of heaven.

Guide me, O thou great Redeemer,

Pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak, but thou art mighty,

Hold me with thy powerful hand.

Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,

Feed me now and evermore.

Readings for the Ninth Sunday after Trinity – 28th July 2024

Welcome to our Liturgy of Holy Communion (Sung Mass)

New English Hymnal numbers (tunes):

Entrance: 310 (Offertorium) We hail thy presence glorious

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 145; 10-19

Gradual: 305 (Anima Christi) Soul of my Saviour, sanctify my breast Offertory: 338 (Evelyns) At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow Post Communion: 357 (Sussex) Father, hear the prayer we offer Recessional: 433 (Hanover) O worship the King, all glorious above

For our Prayers: The world-wide Church & The homeless, those struggling with addiction and in recovery.

For Peace with justice in: Palestine/Israel, Armenia, Ukraine, Sudan, all Refu-

gees, Aid Agencies. The Church in Gaza, all victims of war. All affected by fires.

For the sick: Stella, Julia, Sherry, Helena, Jennifer, Jane, George, Eva, Austin, Linda, Theodore, Sue, Guy, Hilary, Margarita, Marcus, Christina, Takis, Diane, Lodo, Teresa, Dimitra, Fran, Nicholas and Christine, who is house-bound

And for the recently departed: Margaret Liveris; Teresa Bolam

FIRST READING

A Reading from the Second Book of the Kings (2 Kings 4: 42-end)

42 A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” 43 But his servant said, “How am I to set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” 44 So he set it before them. And they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 145; 10-18

Response: I will bless you and praise you forever, O God my King 10 All your works praise you, O Lord,

and your faithful servants bless you.

11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom

and speak of your mighty power (Response)

12 To make known to all peoples your mighty acts and the glorious splendour of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;

your dominion endures throughout all ages. (Response) 14 The Lord is sure in all his words

and faithful in all his deeds.

15 The Lord upholds all those who fall

and lifts up all those who are bowed down. (Response) 16 The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord,

and you give them their food in due season. 17 You open wide your hand

and fill all things living with plenty.

18 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving in all his works. (Response)

19 The Lord is near to those who call upon him, to all who call upon him faithfully. (Response)

SECOND READING

A Reading from the Letter of St Paul to the Ephesians (Eph. 3: 14- end)

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, 17 and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God.

20 Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Your Words are spirit Lord and the are life, you have the message of eternal life

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John ( John 6; 1-21)

Glory to you, O Lord.

6 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples.

4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him,

Jesus said to Philip, “How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii[a] would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!”

15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea rose because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[b] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat. They were frightened, 20 but he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

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Church Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Wednesday. 31st July  10 a.m. Mass

Sunday. 4th August 10 a.m. Mass; liturgy followed by refreshments

Dates for the diary

Coffee Morning: 12th September

Choral Evensong (in September (date to be confirmed))

Priest Chaplain: Fr. Benjamin Drury

frbenjamindrury@gmail.com; Home tel.: 210 72 14 906

Deacon Christine Saccali :  Day Off – Friday     697 737 7655

Swedish Church: Fr. Bjorn  694 6072428

Facebook @AnglicanAthens

www.anglicanchurchathens.gr

Donate via card by scanning the QR code,

thank you for supporting St Paul’s Church

Readings for Sunday 21st July – eighth Sunday after Trinity

Welcome to our Liturgy of Holy Communion (Sung Mass)

New English Hymnal numbers (tunes):

Entrance: 362 (Austria) Glorious things of thee are spoken

Congregational Psalm: (Ps. 23) 457 (St. Columba) The King of Love

Gradual: 434 (University College) Oft in danger, oft in woe

Offertory: 453 (Ellacombe) Stand up! – stand up for Jesus!

Post Communion: 383 (Aberystwyth) Jesu, Lover of my soul

Recessional: 495 (Benson) God is working his purpose out

For our Prayers: The world-wide Church & The homeless, those struggling with addiction and in recovery.

For Peace with justice in: Palestine/Israel, Armenia, Ukraine, Sudan, all Refugees, Aid Agencies. The Church in Gaza, all victims of war. All affected by fires.

For the sick: Stella, Julia, Sherry, Helena, Jennifer, Jane, George, Eva, Austin, Linda, Theodore, Sue, Guy, Hilary, Margarita, Marcus, Christina, Takis, Diane, Lodo, Teresa, and Christine, who is house-bound

And for the recently departed: Margaret Liveris; Terry Bolan

A Reading from the Prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 23; 1-6)

23 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, says the Lord.

5 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

A Reading from the Letter of St Paul to the Ephesians (Ephesians 2; 11-22)

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; 18 for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22 in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

Gospel acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord, I know them and they follow me.

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

+ A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 6; 30-34)

Glory to you, O Lord.

30 The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a lonely place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going, and knew them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns, and got there ahead of them. 34 As he went ashore he saw a great throng, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

The Gospel of the Lord: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Dates for the diary

Coffee Morning (12th September (to be confirmed))

Choral Evensong (in September (date to be confirmed))

Priest Chaplain: Fr. Benjamin Drury

frbenjamindrury@gmail.com; Home tel.: 210 72 14 906

Deacon Christine Saccali : Day Off – Friday 697

Facebook @AnglicanAthens

www.anglicanchurchathens.gr

Donate via card by scanning the QR code,

thank you for supporting St Paul’s Church.

Service for the 7th Sunday after Trinity – 14th July 2024

For our Prayers: The world-wide Church & The homeless, those struggling with addiction and in recovery.

For Peace with justice in: Palestine/Israel, Armenia, Ukraine, Sudan, all Refugees, Aid Agencies. The Church in Gaza, all victims of war. All affected by fires.

And for the recently departed: Margaret Liveris

A Reading from the Prophet Amos (Amos 7; 7-15)

7 He showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,

“Behold, I am setting a plumb line

in the midst of my people Israel;

I will never again pass by them;

9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,

and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,

and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said,

‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,

and Israel must go into exile

away from his land.’”

12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there; 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”

14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son;[a] but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, 15 and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

The Word of the Lord: Thanks be to God

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Service for the sixth Sunday after Trinity – 7th July 2024

Welcome to St Paul’s Athens,   especially if you are here for the first time or visiting Athens.

Please join us after the service for refreshments in the garden.

The worship is led by Licensed Reader Nelly Paraskevopoulou

Entrance  Hymn: All ye who seek a comfort sure 63

Minister:  Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you

All:            and also with you.

Minister:  O Lord, open our lips

All:            and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.

Minister: Give us the joy of your saving help

All:            and sustain us with your life-giving Spirit.

The minister then welcomes people informally.

Prayers of Penitence

Minister:   Jesus says, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. So let us turn away from our sin and turn to Christ, confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

All: Lord God, we have sinned against you;

       we have done evil in your sight.

       We are sorry and repent.

       Have mercy on us according to your love.

       Wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin.

       Renew a right spirit within us  and restore us to the joy of your salvation;

       through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Minister:  May the Father of all mercies cleanse us from our sins, and restore us

in his image to the praise and glory of his name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

All:            Amen

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Sermon for the Feast of SS Peter & Paul – 30th June 2024

Fr Benjamin Drury – St Paul’s Athens

The solemn feast we keep today, is one of our two feasts of title here at st Paul’s church,

In the red vestments we recall: The fire of the Holy Spirit and the blood of the martyrs.

They were filled with the holy spirit, they witnessed to the truth  that was in them by the shedding of their blood: St Peter on a cross, St Paul by the sword.

The feasts of these two great saints and Apostles (that is ones sent forth) could have been kept separately: indeed they have other fests that honour them, the feast of the Chair of St Peter, of the conversion of St Paul on the Damascus road:

But today’s feast of Ss Peter and St Paul is to show that at the heart of their lives for God, is a unity of purpose: at the heart of being sent forth for god, all the Apostles are united in Christ, united by the gift of the Holy Spirit, and no more so than Peter and Paul.

Perhaps in our church of st Paul and here in Athens where he preached on the areo-pagus we might focus more on St Paul, but on the seal of this church I am pleased to see both the sword symbol of the martyrdom of st Paul, and the crossed Keys of St Peter: a sign of the unity of St Peter and Paul in the love of Christ and in their calling to serve God in proclamation of the Gospel.

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Service for the feast of SS. Peter & Paul – 30th June 2024

Welcome to St. Paul’s Athens especially if you are here for the first time or visiting Athens.  Please stay coffee in the garden after the Liturgy.

The presiding priest this morning is Fr. Benjamin Drury, who is also preaching. The deacon is Revd. Deacon Christine Saccali

Entrance Hymn  : 214 Let the round world with songs rejoice

Priest: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit

 All:     Amen

Priest: The Lord be with you

All:      And also with you

The priest then welcomes the people of God and invites us to confess

Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed.

We have not loved you with our whole heart.

We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.

In your mercy forgive what we have been,

Help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be;

That we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God.

Amen.

Absolution: May almighty God have mercy on us,

forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen..   Amen.

Gloria Glory to God in the highest, peace to his people on earth

Glory to God in the highest, peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father,

we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ only Son of the Father, Lord God , Lamb of God,

you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us,

have mercy on us, you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the most High, Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father,

Amen,

In the glory of God the Father. AMEN

Collect:  Let us pray    (remain standing as the priest prays the Collect of the Day) 

Amen.

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Service for the Fourth Sunday after Trinity – 23rd June 2024

The Eucharist

with

the Licensing of

The Revd Benjamin Drury

as

Chaplain of Anglican Church of St Paul´s in the Greater Athens Chaplaincy

President:

The Venerable Dr Leslie Nathaniel

Archdeacon of Germany and Northern Europe and the East

Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness.

Come, my Life, and revive me from death.

Come, my Physician, and heal my wounds.

Come, Flame of divine love,

   and burn up the thorns of my sins,

   kindling my heart with the flame of your love.

Come, my King, sit upon the throne of my heart

 and reign there, for you alone are my King and my Lord (Dimitri of Rostov, d. 1709)

ORDER OF SERVICE

T h e   G a t h e r i n g

Opening Music

All stand

The president and the other ministers enter.

Opening Hymn 333 All my hope on God is founded

President says
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The president greets the people, welcomes friends and guests and introduces the liturgy.

The congregation is now invited to confession of their sins.

All say:

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in thought and word and deed, through negligence, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault.  We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may serve you in newness of life to the glory of your name.  Amen.

The president says the Absolution.

Almighty God, who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Gloria in Excelsis

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.
Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Collect

The president says:

God our Father, Lord of all the world, through your Son you have called us into the fellowship of your universal Church.  Hear our prayer for your faithful people, that in their vocation and ministry each may be an instrument of your love and give your servant Benjamin now to be licensed the needful gifts of grace; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

All sit

T h e   L i t u r g y   o f   t h e   W o r d          

                     New Testament Reading: 2 Corinthians 6.1-13

Read by Reader Nelly Paraskevopoulou

A reading from a letter to the Corinthians

As we work together with him, we entreat you also not to accept the grace of God in vain.  For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation!  We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,  but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: in great endurance, afflictions, hardships, calamities,  beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;  in purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love,  truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;  in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors and yet are true, as unknown and yet are well known, as dying and look—we are alive, as punished and yet not killed, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing everything.  We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you.  There is no restriction in our affections but only in yours.  In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.

This is the word of the Lord. | Thanks be to God.

Hymn 459 (Psalm 23): The Lord´s my Shepherd, I´ll not want

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Sermon for the 3rd Sunday after Trinity – 16th June 2024

Fr Benjamin Drury – St Paul’s Athens

A man throws seed on the land..he sleeps, when he is awake the seed is sprouting and growing.

It is good to hear the Gospel of Mark with you on this my first full Sunday with you here at St Paul: planting seeds new beginnings are in our minds as we prepare next week for the formal beginning of my time with you and sharing with you In God’s mission here in  Athens.

I am delighted to be with you, and am enjoying meeting you all bit by bit. Sowing seeds has already taken place at the parsonage flat: some have even come up in the troughs of earth: I hope these green shoots bode well for the times we shall share ahead working for God together.

From a tiny seed mustard seed  grows the great tree

From a tiny shoot a tiny cutting of a noble cedar tree will come forth:

Such is the kingdom of God in all its fullness like a mighty tree described by St Mark in our Gospel as like that tree from a mustard seed, and by the prophet Ezekiel a noble Cedar of Lebanon.

These great tree analogies are to express the all encompassing nature of the Kingdom of God. Like great trees bearing much fruit or holding all the birds of the air. The kingdom of God is there both to nurture and shelter those that are within it, but also to bear fruit that is for others and draws them in turn in to the Kingdom of God.

We who make up the body of Christ as his Church are to be like this, both  being nurtured ourselves by the Great tree of Life who is Christ, and by being joined to him, and in his power to share that life, to be fruitful and aid in God’s mission to all people to draw them in to his kingdom.

St Mark’s gospel the shortest, earliest and sometimes most immediate of the Gospels:  perhaps the directness of the fisherman St Peter is behind it: St Mark is always passing on Christ’s teaching about the Kingdom of God: not of this world but able to transform this world: just as we are made Christ like, made more in to the image of the one who came to save us by his cross and give us life through his resurrection, so too that transformative power of God is to be put in to effect through God’s Church, his Kingdom, his body in the world.

We his body are to be a transforming presence: growing many branches, welcoming in drawing in the birds to roost in the branches of the church, offering the prayer and worship to God and for the world: being fruitful in prayer and acts of mercy.

We are in St Paul’s city, his zeal for the kingdom of God brought him here:

In his letter to our neighbour long ago down in Corinth St Paul speaks of making our home in the lord.

I have come to make my home among you, but yet we have a true home only in Our lord Jesus Christ

Some of us might feel exiles in this land, some may feel we have found our true home here or somewhere else.

Remember what St Paul teaches us, that we are all exiles whilst we live in the body: exiles from the Lord. That is to say that we should never be quite at home in the World, because we belong not to it but to God.

Lest we be downcast St Paul reminds us that we are all new creations: in this life not just the next: meaning we are new because we are regenerate: re- born in to a life with Christ from the time of our baptism at whatever age.

I pray that God’s will be done here in Athens in our small church and beyond its walls. That we assist with the other local churches in building up his Kingdom together. By proclaiming our Faith in Christ the Risen Lord: by whose death we are saved and healed from our sins, and by whose resurrection has shared his life with us.

It is good to give you thanks O Lord.. to proclaim your love in the morning and your truth in the watches of the night

The Just will flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon.. still bearing fruit when they are old, still full of sap, still green.

Let us embrace together our calling always as Christians… little anointed ones, little followers of the Christ, in proclaiming his resurrection, in truth and in love, and by doing his will in love and in truth, and in his strength build up the Kingdom of God together.