Yet it was the will of the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief; when he makes himself an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall  prosper in his hand;  he shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous; and he shall bear their iniquities.

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

    R. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

    Upright is the word of the LORD,
    and all his works are trustworthy.
    He loves justice and right;
    of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.

    R. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

    See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
    upon those who hope for his kindness,
    to deliver them from death
    and preserve them in spite of famine.

    R. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you

    Our soul waits for the LORD,
    who is our help and our shield.
    May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
    who have put our hope in you.

    R. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Today's Epistle is from the Letter of Paul to the Hebrews, beginning at the 4th Chapter, and the 14th Verse:

        Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

+ A Reading from the Gospel of Mark, beginning at the 10th Chapter, and the 35th Verse:

        And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."  And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?"  And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory."  But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"  And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."  And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John.  And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.  But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant,  and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.  For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
 

        Suffering is not something I have a great deal of interest in preaching on -- having done too much of it on my own, and seen too much in others.  It is, however, like evil, a persistent fact of life, on that must be faced and dealt with.

        Isaiah says of the righteous one, the Servant of the Lord, that he will be bruised -- beaten, and that he shall bear the iniquities of the many.  This surely describes Our Lord, who came into the world, specifically to suffer and die for us, and "make many to be accounted righteous" -- as He has done by establishing the Sacraments and the Church to lead us back to the Father.

        Paul exhorts us to draw near the throne of grace -- to the Father of Our Lord and to reach out for His mercy.  It is possible to endure hardship and suffering, if we have the hope of a better life, if we have the hope of salvation, if we have the hope of God's love and grace in time of need.   We are promised just that love, just that comfort in the Gospel which Jesus, the Apostles, and the Church preach in all times and all places.

        In today's Gospel, Jesus replies to the ancient question that all people in groups always ask:  "Who shall be first?" by saying that whoever is most truly the servant of others -- and thus suffers with and for them -- shall be the first among equals.  He says the He, himself came not to rule -- be served -- but to give His life for many.  Like our Founder, it is also our destiny to serve and suffer -- to give our lives, as shepherds of His sheep.

        Let us then say, with the Psalmist:  "Our soul waits for the LORD,  who is our help and our shield.    May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us  who have put our hope in you."

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