The readings for Sunday, June 26:

Isaiah 2:10-17
Romans 6:3-11
Matthew 10:34-42
Psalm 89:1-18, 89:1-4,15-18

The Collect for this Sunday:

Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Quite often the collects are worth pondering, although during a service they go by so quickly there’s no time to really think about their meaning and relevance for us. But as is so often the case, this one speaks directly to us and our situation, as unity of spirit is something we at Holy Innocents and St Columba will need to have in order to move forward. We’ll certainly need it as we gear up for this summer’s fundraisers (the Car Show and the Flea Market)!

The Gospel is another uncomfortable one:

Matthew 10:34-42
Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple– truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”