Every Sunday, across the world, Christians share an agreed three year cycle of Bible Readings in Sunday worship, this is called the Common Lectionary. We offer materials including prayers bible study and worship resources for each one of these Sunday's via our Lectionary Bible Notes Section.

Trinity 2

Jesus said some very dramatic things. He once said that if a part of our body causes us to sin we should cut it off. He could not have meant us to take this teaching literally, if we did then there would be people all over the place missing parts of their bodies! But this dramatic language did make the point to his hearers - take sin seriously. The same use of language by Jesus takes place in our reading today. Jesus want to make the point that he is calling people to a sacrificial discipleship, those who have other things on their minds are distrcted and no use him.

Jesus wants a wholehearted commitment and he is most certainly not in the numbers game which we are often very concerned about, judging the ministry of the church by the number of people who cross over the threshold of our church doors on Sundays. Jesus tells people that they should not be concerned with saying good bye to their families, they should not even turn back to bury a dead parent. Surely burying a dead father was a most important thing to do and I would not expect for one minute that Jesus would have us take the language literally. But the point is seriously made, think carefully before you follow Jesus, is this really want you want or is yoiur heart really somewhere erlse?. If we wish to be followers of Jesus then we must get our priorities right. It is no use trying to follow Jesus if our heart really isn't in it. Don't keep looking elsewhere, just look at Jesus and follow him. 

Interestingly Jesus uses the phrase ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’ I wonder ifd the call of Elisha was on his mind? In 1 Kings 18 we read that Elijah called Elisha to follow when Elisha was out in the fields ploughing. Elisha went back to kiss his father and mother goodbye, but we are told that he made a fire by burning his ploughing equipment, he then cooked the oxen and gave away the meat. Now that was really burning his bridges, there could be no return, no looking back, he was all in for discipleship. This was the sort of commitment that Jesus expected.

To read more for Trinity 2

Lectionary Material for every Sunday in Years A, B, C

Each morning and each evening
let the peace of the Father, be ours.
Each day and each night
let the peace of the Son be ours.
Each dawn and each dusk
let the peace of the Spirit be ours.
Let the blessing of the three in one be ours;
both now and for ever. Amen.
Carmina Gadelica