For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from one end of heaven to the other, whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of.  Did any people ever hear the voice of a god speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and still live?   Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?  Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.  Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God gives you for ever."

Today's Song of Praise is taken from Psalm 33:

        For the word of the LORD is upright; and all his work is done in faithfulness.
        He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
        By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth.
        For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood forth.
        Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,
        That he may deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine.
        Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield.
        Let thy steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in thee.

Today's Epistle is from the Letter of Paul to the Romans, beginning at the 8th Chapter, and the 14th Verse:

        For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

+ A Reading from the Gospel of Matthew, beginning at the 28th Chapter, and the 16th Verse:

        Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.  And when they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."

    The Old Testament Reading, from Deuteronomy, tells the story of the Lord's great love for Israel, His Chosen People, and reminds them that he went to war with Egypt, the greatest empire of that time, to drag a poor and friendless nation of slaves out of servitude, and form them for himself.

        Moses tells his people:  "Know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other."  And the Lord has no other people, especially no other people He loves with such abiding passion.

        In today's Song of Praise, the author is celebrating the steadfastness and love of the Father, as seen at the time of David, son 3,000 years ago.  The Lord cherishes uprightness; He is faithful;  He loves righteousness & justice, but he also loves Israel.  The author concludes:  "Let thy steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in thee."

        St. Paul, in today's Epistle, makes the same point -- we are the beloved children of God, who call out: "Daddy" (which is what the Aramaic "Abba" means).  We are led by the Holy Spirit to the Father, and made children of God by that same Spirit.

        By the Spirit also, we are joined to the Son of God -- the Second Person of the Trinity -- Jesus Christ.  In our liturgy here, we join with Him, join with His sacrifice of himself on the Cross, join with His mighty Resurrection and Glorious Ascension.  We are physically united to him in the Communion, where we eat His Body and Drink His Blood, as He commanded at that Last Supper.

        Today's reading from Matthew's Gospel clearly shows Jesus speaking with the Authority the FAther has given to him:  He commands us, in the so-called "Great Commission", to:  " Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,..." a clear Gospel formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity.

        Let us therefore pray that we may be worthy to take up that Commission....

        In the Name of
        The Father     +
        And of the Son
        And of the Holy Spirit
Amen.