First Sunday After Trinity, June 2, 2024
First Sunday After Trinity, June 2, 2024
These words challenge us. They confront us with the question, “Do you have ears to hear?” Like Jesus’ frequent admonition, “Let the one with ears, hear,” these words from the Abraham of Jesus’ story call into question our ability to hear. Those original twelve disciples (and perhaps the others who followed along with them) didn’t have ears to hear. They couldn’t hear the Son of Man as he was preached through Moses and the Prophets. Jesus had to open their minds to understand what the Scriptures said about him. Certainly, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the other religious leaders didn’t have ears to hear. Otherwise, what was Jesus doing there hanged on a cross? And the Romans? They like Pilate most likely scoffed at words from such a parochial, itinerant preacher as Jesus. But now… now in this day… Jesus has risen from the dead. Now… now the question is, “Do you have ears to hear?” Thanks be to God that Jesus has not stopped opening minds… opening them through your ears. He and his Father insist that you hear… they insist that your ears work… they insist on delivering the Holy Spirit to you and for you whenever the Word of God is preached. Preached so that you might hear and believe (cf. Ro. 10:17).
Prayers from the hard of hearing…
Father, you have promised faith through our hearing of the Word of Christ, give us ears to hear that Word when it is proclaimed to us. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father, you have promised faith through our hearing of the Word of Christ, in the hearing of that Word deliver us into faith… faith that you have made us a new creature in the New Creation. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father, you have promised faith through our hearing of the Word of Christ, grant that as the new creature we may live in this old creation through faith in the gospel rather than faith in our obedience to the law. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father, you have promised faith through our hearing of the Word of Christ, as we live out of this gospel faith, turn us to our neighbors in spontaneous acts of usefulness. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father, you have promised faith through our hearing of the Word of Christ, as we are useful to our neighbors in their needs, grant that they in turn are useful to us in our needs. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father, you have promised faith through our hearing of the Word of Christ, continue to hold the Institute of Lutheran Theology in the faith of Jesus Christ. For Jesus’ sake. Amen
Father, you have promised faith through our hearing of the Word of Christ, grant this faith to be renewed upon every occasion that the Word of Christ is poured into our ears. For Jesus’ sake. Amen