Third Sunday after Trinity
“ Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.’ ”
Overview
It’s a busy day today: we are welcoming a new member of our church family, Harry, who is being baptized today, we are saying farewell to our beloved Nathan as he takes up his new job in Scotland AND we are celebrating Pride.
Our reading for today tells the story of the healing of Naaman by the prophet Elisha, 2 Kings 5:1-14. This is an extraordinary story of a man who had great power, wealth and status who risked becoming a social outcast when he developed leprosy. Naaman is offered healing but is on the brink of refusing it because it involves wading into the river Jordan; a river which was used by everyone for everything. Something which offended his dignity. The wonderful thing about becoming part of God’s family is that everyone is included, everyone is invited. The appalling thing about God’s family is that … everyone is included, everyone is invited! Sadly, the Church of England still doesn’t reflect the inclusive and all embracing nature of God’s love. Thankfully this didn’t stop Nathan joining us and working with us to try and reflect that inclusivity here in Clapham, we shall miss him greatly. Naaman finally accepted the free gift that he was offered and was healed. Today we commit ourselves to accepting that gift: the gift of a love that values and embraces all God’s people, this is the family into which we welcome Harry with joy.
FIRST READING
2 Kings 5:1-14
Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favour with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, ‘If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’ So Naaman went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. And the king of Aram said, ‘Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.’
He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of garments. He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, ‘When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his leprosy.’ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, ‘Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.’
But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, ‘Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.’ So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.’ But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, ‘I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?’ He turned and went away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, ‘Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, “Wash, and be clean”?’ So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.
GOSPEL READING
John 20:24-29
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’
PRAYER
Taking Pride
In the God who made us and loves us
We take pride
In the created world and its beauty
We take pride
In the courage of our forebears
We take pride
In our brothers and sisters who fight injustice
We take pride
In the strength of our community
We take pride
In the gifts that God has given us
We take pride
In the hope for our future and the future of all humanity
We take pride
In all that is good and strong and true
In all that is loving and nurturing
In all that upholds and encourages hope
We take pride
Commitment to live justly
People of God,
Will you encourage others to see in themselves the image of God?
With the help of God, we will.
Will you seek to heal the wounds racism, homophobia and injustice?
With the help of God, we will.
Will you work for a just future for all humanity?
With the help of God, we will.
Will you endeavour to share the gift of yourself with your community?
With the help of God, we will.
Will you strive to take pride in yourself as God made you?
We will take pride.
