Morning Prayer
Saint Matthew the Apostle - HD (Red) [transferred from September 21]
Psalms: Psalm 37, Pt 1
King James Version
1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. 9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. 10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. 13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. 14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. 15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous. 18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever. 19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away. 21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth. 22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
First Lesson: Proverbs 3:1-17
King James Version
1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. 11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: 12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. 13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. 16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
Second Lesson: Matthew 19:16-end
King James Version
16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. 23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. 27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? 28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. 30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
Reflection
The question put to our Lord in today’s Gospel is one which sounds commendably serious: “What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” The man is not mocking Christ. He is not asking for an excuse to remain as he is. He wants life, and he wants to know the good path by which it may be obtained.
Our Lord first directs him to the commandments. This is no small matter. The Christian life is not built upon private feeling, passing enthusiasm, or a religion invented afresh by each individual. God has given us his law. We are to honour father and mother, to refrain from murder, adultery, theft, and false witness, and to love our neighbour. The Proverbs likewise teaches us to keep God’s commandments in the heart, to bind mercy and truth about the neck, and to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways.
There is no Christian maturity in despising obedience. The Church of England, in her sober and excellent formularies, has never taught that grace makes God’s commandments irrelevant. Rather, grace turns the heart towards them. We are not saved by boasting of our goodness; but those who are being saved are taught to walk in God’s ways.
The young man answers that he has kept these things from his youth. Yet he knows that something is lacking. He has outward obedience, but he has not surrendered the deepest allegiance of his heart. So Jesus puts his finger upon the hidden rival: his possessions. “Sell what you possess, and give to the poor,” says the Lord, “and come, follow me.”
This is not a general command that every Christian must sell every article he owns. Scripture itself recognises lawful property, honest labour, and the duty of providing for those entrusted to us. But Christ’s word does expose the danger of riches. A man may possess wealth, while in truth his wealth possesses him. He may keep the commandments externally, yet cling inwardly to comfort, reputation, security, or self-sufficiency. The question is not merely, “What do I have?” but, “What has first claim upon me?”
The young man goes away sorrowful, because he has discovered that he wants eternal life without losing the earthly thing he loves more. That sorrow is a warning to us. We should not assume that a respectable life is necessarily a surrendered life. We may be diligent in religious duties and yet reserve one chamber of the heart for an idol which we will not let Christ enter.
The psalm gives us the better way: “Trust in the LORD, and do good.” “Commit thy way unto the LORD.” “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him.” It is a life of trust rather than anxious possession. Proverbs says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Such trust is not vague optimism. It is the deliberate placing of our whole life beneath the rule of God.
The disciples are astonished by our Lord’s warning about the rich. “Who then can be saved?” they ask. And that is the right question, provided we hear the answer: “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Salvation is not achieved by the strength of our moral performance, nor purchased by our renunciations. The man who could not give up his riches and the disciple who has given up much alike depend upon the mercy of God. Every Christian enters the kingdom by grace.
This is especially fitting on the feast of Saint Matthew. Matthew was called from the receipt of custom, from a settled occupation and a profitable position, to follow Christ. He did not become an apostle because he had first made himself worthy. He was summoned by mercy, and then made willing to obey. The same Lord who called Matthew calls us—not necessarily to abandon our particular duties, but to abandon the claim that anything is ours before it is his.
Let us therefore receive the wisdom of Proverbs, the patience of the psalm, and the searching command of the Gospel. Let us ask not only what good deed remains undone, but what affection remains unoffered. Christ does not call us merely to admire him, nor to add him as an ornament to an otherwise self-directed life. He calls us to follow him.
And when we find that such obedience is beyond our strength, we need not despair. With men it is impossible; with God all things are possible. His grace can loosen the hand, cleanse the heart, and make a disciple out of a sinner. Let us trust him, obey him, and follow him into the life that he alone can give.
Evening Prayer
Saint Matthew the Apostle - HD (Red) [transferred from September 21]
Psalms: Psalm 37, Pt 2
King James Version
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore. 28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever. 30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. 32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him. 33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. 34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it. 35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. 36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the LORD shall help them and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
First Lesson: 1 Chronicles 29:9-18
King James Version
9 Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy. 10 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 11 Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. 13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. 14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. 15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. 16 O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. 17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. 18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:
Second Lesson: Matthew 6:19-end
King James Version
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Reflection
“Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
Our Lord’s words are not merely a warning against possessing things. They are a searching question about what possesses us. Treasure is whatever we regard as most necessary, most secure, most worth preserving. It may be money, reputation, comfort, success, or simply the desire to remain in control. Whatever it is, there our heart will follow.
The readings appointed for Saint Matthew’s Day give us a wholesome correction. David and the people offer willingly for the building of the temple, and yet David immediately confesses that everything they have offered came first from God’s hand: “All things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.” Their generosity is real, but it is also an act of recognition. They are not owners standing before a needy God; they are stewards returning a portion of what God has entrusted to them.
That is the proper Christian understanding of possessions. We may use them, enjoy them, and employ them in our duties; but we cannot finally call them ours. Our days, too, are “as a shadow, and there is none abiding.” The Psalmist reminds us that even the powerful and prosperous pass away. The green bay tree flourishes for a time, and then it is gone. But “the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD.”
This is why our Lord tells us not to lay up treasures upon earth. Earthly treasures are not wrong because the material world is evil. They are dangerous because they are temporary, and because the heart is tempted to make them permanent. Moth, rust, and thieves are a picture of the world’s uncertainty. What appears secure can be taken from us; what appears lasting can decay. To build one’s confidence upon such things is to build upon sand.
Saint Matthew himself presents us with a living example. He was seated at the receipt of custom, occupied with the ordinary business of his calling, when Christ said, “Follow me.” Matthew rose and followed him. He did not merely add Jesus to an already crowded life. He allowed Christ to reorder the whole of it. His treasure was no longer measured by what he could collect, but by the Lord whom he had found.
That does not mean that every Christian must abandon his trade or dispose of every possession. The Church of England has never taught such a disorderly notion of Christian duty. Rather, we are to hold earthly things in their proper place, and to use them faithfully under God. The question is not whether we have possessions, but whether our possessions have us; not whether we make provision for the future, but whether we trust the future more than we trust our heavenly Father.
“Take no thought for the morrow” does not commend laziness or foolishness. Scripture commends honest labour, prudent provision, and care for those committed to us. Our Lord forbids anxious unbelief: the restless attempt to secure ourselves as though God did not know our needs. The birds do not live by idleness, nor do the lilies by anxiety. They live within the providence of God. So do we.
Therefore Christ gives us the order in which all things must stand: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.” First—not because food, clothing, work, and shelter are unimportant, but because they are rightly received only when they are subordinate to God. When the eye is single, the whole life becomes clear. We know what money is for, what work is for, what time is for, and what our life itself is for.
Matthew’s calling summons us to the same simplicity of heart. We are to offer willingly because all is God’s; to wait upon the Lord because his salvation is sure; and to seek his kingdom before every lesser security. Then, whether our earthly store is great or small, our true treasure will be safe: not in a cupboard, a bank, or a reputation, but with Christ in heaven. And where our treasure is, there shall our heart be also.
Electric See Chapel