BCP: The First Sunday after Trinity

1 Samuel 2:1–10 (NCPB)

And Hannah prayed, and said,

‘My heart rejoiceth in the Lord,

my horn is exalted in the Lord:

my mouth is enlarged over my enemies:

because I rejoice in thy salvation.

There is none holy as the Lord:

for there is none besides thee:

neither is there any rock like our God.

Talk no more so exceeding proudly,

let not arrogance come out of your mouth:

for the Lord is a God of knowledge,

and by him actions are weighed.

The bows of the mighty men are broken,

and they that stumbled are girt with strength.

They that were full have hired out themselves for bread;

and they that were hungry ceased:

so that the barren hath borne seven,

and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.

The Lord killeth, and maketh alive:

he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich:

he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust,

and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill,

to set them among princes,

and to make them inherit the throne of glory:

for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,

and he hath set the world upon them.

He will keep the feet of his saints,

and the wicked shall be silent in darkness;

for by strength shall no man prevail.

The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;

out of heaven shall he thunder upon them:

the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth,

and he shall give strength unto his king,

and exalt the horn of his anointed.’

Romans 12:9–16 (NCPB)

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with, brotherly love, in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you, bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one towards another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Luke 1:39–49 (NCPB)

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill-country with haste, into a city of Juda, and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leapt in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And she spoke out with a loud voice, and said, ‘Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leapt in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.’

And Mary said,

‘My soul doth magnify the Lord,

and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:

for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

For he that is mighty hath done to me great things,

and holy is his name.

My Soul doth magnify the Lord.

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

Exodus 40:34–35 (NCPB)

Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

Tension - Gen. walking in the garden; fall & slavery; out of slavery.

Beginning of the Gospel is the angel’s annunciation to Mary, “Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with thee.” And Mary’s response, “Be it done unto me according to thy word.” Mary then described in the same language as the tabernacle.

The figure of Mary, who is full of grace, is then what happens when the levitical sacrificial system is fullilled. The system which allowed God to come and dwell in his creation. To tabernacle with his people.

What does this say about the sacrifical system? What does this say about sacrifice? What sacrifice is? What sacrifice acheives and how it acheives it? Is sacrifice something transactional or something relational? Is sacrifice something which satisfies justice or is it something which satisfies a broken heart?

In the words of the famous philosopher, Elton John, “It's a human sign, When things go wrong, It's no sacrifice, No sacrifice at all.” In order for relation to be restored there often has to be a sacrifice of some kind. A giving up of something in us. Power structures.

Catholic catechism.

Very different to the evangelical understanding of sacrifice. Mary as model in paradigm shift, soul magnifies the Lord. In seeing Jesus, we see the end of the story of God and Israel and we understand that story better. In seeing Mary, we see the end of the story of Jesus and the world and we understand that story better.

What Jesus has acheived historic box tick which we trust or way of being which we imitate. Love God and love each other.

Visits Elizabeth and John kicks; like us in this world?

Carry the embryo of Jesus around with us, our souls sharing in the groaning of creation, waiting on the children of God to be born. Share what’s inside with the world so that they, like Elizabeth, might feel that kick inside them of something unseen and that, when we do fully behold Jesus, we too, with John, can say, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.”

Mass & The beginning of the Gospel.

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