Sermon for the 31st of August - Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

“Alleluia. Blessed are those who fear the Lord!” – these are the opening words to the Psalm appointed today [related Psalm 112]. ‘Fear of the Lord’ is a concept that is rich throughout the Bible, very notably in the Psalms, but also in the Gospel’s and Epistles. However, it’s also a phrase that is misunderstood in the languages of our modern era.

We today understand the word fear to be a negative thing. Fear is an emotion in reaction to harm or danger. But this is not so in the Biblical sense. Fear of the Lord might be better understood as reverence of the Lord; to be in awe and admiration of God, of all that he is, and all that his hands have done. To respect him, to respect his creation, and thus to also respect our brothers and sisters; As Psalm 95 puts it ‘He is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.’ – If we are of his hand, then we likewise need to show reverence to our siblings, because we are his.

Our final hymn this morning will be Tell Out My Soul. It is an adaptation of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s hymn known as the Magnificat. She sings this hymn when John the Baptist, still in the womb of his mother Elizabeth, recognises Mary as the mother of our God. Mary sings that ‘God’s mercy is on them that fear him’. 

But how do we show forth that fear, that reverence. The Letter of the Hebrew’s suggests ‘continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.’ That is, to hold before us our God who is Lord of all and to worship him as he deserves.

Mary goes on and says ‘He hath put down the mighty from their seat : and hath exalted the humble and meek.’ And here, likewise, is another way of showing that admiration and acknowledgement. We are to be humble in service of the Lord and our brothers and sisters.

Our Lord says in the Gospel today, “When you are invited to a dinner, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’

The point isn’t to gain a false sense of glory, to flaunt in front of the guests how much better you are because you’ve moved up in status. But rather, to humble ourselves in all things, not just at a fancy party, but in your way of life. Christ tells us towards the end of the Gospel, humility is done without an exception of being repaid.

Hebrew’s again notes, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it” – entertained in this context not meaning you have given them a joyful show in your acts, but rather that you have ministered to them without knowing it. “Keep your lives free from the love of money … Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

We have then some prime concepts of what fear of the Lord can mean. Worship and humility, the latter begets works of justice and mercy; giving to the poor, minister to strangers, not to be tainted by love of money, and to serve our brothers and sisters. All of these can intertwine with one another in harmony for such acts are pleasing to God, and thus we fear him rightly. 

And in fear, worship, and humility, we can find the grace of God, his mercy, love, and his rest. 

I am a great advocate of the Daily Offices, of those ancient rituals of praying the Psalms, reading Scripture, and meditating on them. At my best they can structure the flow of the day in the rhythmic reading of the Psalms. And even though it is my voice which speaks, it’s a great opportunity for the soul to be silent and to ponder the Word of God. One can become humble in this silence, for you do not boast of your own words but that of God. And within this humility one can find that rest of Christ, if you just give up the immediate agency of the soul and let God speak.

The mystic St. John of the Cross says that silence is God’s first language. And how true this is. The great prophet Elijah heard destructive wind, earthquake, and fire, but knew the presence of God in the sheer silence. 

Let us then follow suit in God’s language and in which we can surrender ourselves in fear of the Lord, as an act of worship, as an act of humility, and as an act of duty. 

Because we are not thinking of ourselves, but of God. He continually calls us to himself, in Word, Sacrament, and Spirit. Let us heed that call in adoration and reverence, to praise continually that which is his due, to silent our souls and let God direct us, to the glory of his Name. Amen.