Quinquagesima Sunday 15 March anno domini 2026 Holy Communion
The Epistle. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 The Gospel. St. Luke 18:31-43
O Lord, who hast taught us that all our doings without
charity are nothing worth; Send thy Holy Ghost, and
pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of charity,
the very bond of peace and of all virtues, without which
whosoever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant this
for thine only Son Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.
“What does love have to do with this?”
As we reflect on the two selections of scripture for today, let’s ask a question that seems to be answered in both texts. ‘What does love have to do with this?’
When we read the great ‘love’ chapter of 1st Corinthians 13,we see where Paul outlines what is really the single most important aspect of God’s love towards mankind. He writes of gifts, ministries, great acts of charity, giving all to the poor, etc., he keeps focusing on the most important aspect of it all. Love, as the King James renders it, ‘charity’.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
None of these acts of giving, gifts of prophecy, discernment of mysteries, even having all faith, none of it is important with out the Love that is the foundation of our salvation by the once and for all gift of Christ’s death and resurrection to render that salvation final. We are nothing without the understanding that God’s love is what has bought us and redeemed us from eternal damnation.
It is a nice use of this chapter in faith based marriage ceremonies, but in truth, it is far more than just good thoughts and actions. It is in fact, the very real aspect of God’s love towards his creation, mankind, and the covenanted salvation promised at the Garden after the Fall.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
Then Paul concludes this chapter with the very familiar ‘faith, hope, charity’. But we must read the entire verse, ‘...but the greatest of these is charity [love]...’ And as we should understand, that love [charity] is what God displayed in the once and for all sacrifice of his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Now let us look at the Gospel connection of this love theme.
In this passage from Luke chapter 18 starting from verse 31, Jesus outlines the plan, proclaimed by the prophets, declared several times by Christ himself, what now must be done to fulfill God’s plan.
31 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
As a modern reader, who has the entire narration, sometimes we tend to smirk at the reactions and remarks of his close followers. They vow to never let Jesus be arrested, they vow to fight to save his life, they say ‘surely none of this will transpire’. Several times Jesus gently rebukes them and on one occasion, openly shouts down the remarks of Peter. ‘Get thee behind me, Satan’
And yet, as Jesus indicated in the previous four verses, these things must happen in order for prophecy to be fulfilled.
Then in a very merciful way, Jesus demonstrates his Father’s love toward a social outcast. We read how the crowd tried to hush the blind man, they tried to get him to stop asking Jesus to help him. Twice the blind man called out ‘Jesus, thou Son of David’. The Holy Spirit revealed to the man with no sight, who it was walking by. The Son of David, this is one of the phrases that the psalmist David used several times to refer to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ.
35 And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging:
36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.
37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.
38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, {the Holy Spirit revealed to this blind man who Jesus was *} have mercy on me.
39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David*, have mercy on me.
40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,
41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.
42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. Notice this. This blind man, led by the Holy Spirit, asks for Jesus to heal him. Jesus does AND also tells the newly sighted man, that he has been saved from his sin. 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: From this miracle that Jesus performed on this blind man will cause those who were following along with the crowd to praise God. ...and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.
How do these two passages connect the theme of God’s love. Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth is about the all consuming Love that God poured out on his creation, made in his image, all pointing back to the greatest gift ever given to these creatures, mankind, by an ever loving God. Then the good doctor Luke relates the every looming sacrificial death of Christ in Jerusalem, foretold by the prophets, and then to add emphasis; the miracle of the blindman receiving his sight. All this comes back around to point to the love of God for his creation.
As we approach the 40 days of Lent, let us use the time to read God’s Word, to reflect on the great sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ, and the promise of Salvation from the great Resurrection of Christ Jesus from the grave. He overcame death, he completed the covenant God made with Adam and Eve in the Garden, all was settled during that final True Passover over two thousand years ago on that hill called Golgotha.
Let us pray:
O LORD Jesus Christ, who didst endure unto the end, and whose courage never failed in the midst of great dangers: Grant that inspired by Thy example I may trust completely in Thy promise to be with me even unto the world's end, and that so, amidst all dangers I may have a heart inflamed by Thy courage, and a spirit inspired by Thy faith; through Thy mercy, O our God, who art blessed, and dost reign, and govern all things, world without end. AMEN.
O GOD, whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive; Receive our humble petitions; and though we be tied and bound with the chain of our sins, yet let the pitifulness of thy great mercy loose us; for the honour of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
