Page 1

Week After Pentecost �-? Monday

Today�-?s readings, followed by a few small pastoral and personal thoughts.

Philippians 2:12-16 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my
presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear
and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good
pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be
blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and
perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word
of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured
in vain.

Luke 6:24-30 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. 25
Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye
shall mourn and weep. 26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did
their fathers to the false prophets. 27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies,
do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which
despitefully use you. 29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the
other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to
every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

Phil 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence
only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling.

It is quite easy to behave correctly when in the presence of authority. This action applies
as much as the other things mentioned in yesterday�-?s Gospel in which our Lord stated
�-�Even sinners do�-?. The test of a Christian is if he does good and is obedient when others
are not present. Of course, we fool ourselves whenever we think we are alone, because
God sees all, but nonetheless, our vanity and dishonesty goads us into attempting to
appear more obedient , than we really are when we are with others, especially those who
have some authority over us, or whom we wish to impress. This is in direct contradiction
to the command of the holy apostle.

This desire is also shared by parents, pastors, and teachers. Whoever tries to instill in
another person a sense of right and wrong, and attempts to enable them to be good feels
this way. I often think about my flock, and wonder how they are doing during the day.
You are all in God�-?s hands, and my influence is but for only a short time each week (or
even less than that!), so I console myself by praying for everyone in my small flock every
day.

Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good
pleasure.