The Gospel for Sunday June 8th, 2006

Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.

And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."

While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well." Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, "Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district.

This Gospel reading offer two examples of what I have been studying of late to increase my prayer life.

First notice the lady - she called for something that was not yet .... what I term the calling of things that are not as though they were ...

She said I will be well ....... her faith made it so, as Jesus recognized her faith. Her faith was not in touching the garment - but the calling of being well .... and as declared by her and recognized by Christ ... she was well.

The second thing here in the Gospel reading is Christ's example of calling for things that are not - yet .... He declared the the girl to be sleeping - instead of dead .... if he had agreed that the girl was dead - then of course she could not have been "awakened" .... but instead he called her asleep .... even with the funeral musicians and wailers present and scoffing .... as they had all declared her DEAD.

I am aware that there will be sermons all over the gambit tomorrow ... some will be good and some not. Few if any will recognize the pattern here and teach or preach it. Quite frankly it would take a faith that many of our ministers in the Anglican Church no longer possess - or comprehend.

It takes a lot of study to work out the entire principles of this calling of things that are not ... but when you read through the Bible - hopefully now you will start to notice a simple but profound truth that God has place in the scriptures.

The Watching Warden