The 9th Sunday after Trinity is a perfect Sunday like any other. For me it was special, because I was to celebrate the divine service together with the members of the Lutheran Church at Thandakukhanya near Piet Retief. Arriving at 8:30 while listening to "Alle volke loof die here ... " with Fanie Smit on RSG, we saw countless people on their way to church too. Having parked our car, we were greeted with the beautiful sounds of music from the brass band under the batton of Mr. J. Mdiniso. They would accompany the hymns during the following service and seemingly never tire from their beautiful noise.
On this special day 7 people were baptized - 3 grown-ups and 3 teen-agers and 1 baby. Beautiful!
31 young adults were confirmed. One of them was a HIV/Aids counsellor from the Piet Retief hospital. She was deployed in Tel Aviv for 5 years and is now back and has received adult instruction from P. Vilakazi. Beautiful!
20 ladies of the congregations were installed and inducted into the various levels of the LCSA Women's league. This moving procedure I witnessed last year for the first time, when I was in Ntshongweni. Beautiful!
After three hours of divine service I was asked to preach the gospel of the day. What a privilege! I took the gospel of St. Matthew 13, 44ff on the kingdom of God as treasure/pearl as point of departure and showing that Jesus Christ is our treasure, that is handed out to us in his holy word/sacraments; then illustrated various points by making use of the other readings for the day: St. Peter's warning in 1.Pt.4,7-11 that the end is near and that we should get our eyes/hearts/lives fixed on Jesus; Jeremiah 1, 4ff [Go speak ... no, I am too young]; Mt. 25,14ff on the talents given by God and that the one receiving least is in the greatest peril here; Phil. 3,7ff [St. Paul on comparing the old and the new, past glories/prides/treasures with the knowledge/faith in Christ]; I enjoyed it very much, but even more I was moved by the great honour, privilege and grace that I may preach the gospel of Jesus Christ although I don't know Zulu, am just a poor, miserable sinner and yet the people receive me like I was St. Paul himself. Well, they probably know very well in whose name I come! And is that not a delightful pleasure! Obviously it is and I am so thankful that I may preach the gospel still. And I was even asked to help to distribute the most holy Sacrament of the Lord + Here we have a lot to learn still. We don't need to rush this so desperately and the cups should not spill the most precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and we should somehow find a way to do this more dignified, kneeling down and not risking getting speeding fines on the way. May God have mercy and honour his promise that his word will not come back empty and that all those, who were at his table to receive the most venerated and holy body and blood of IX that they will live the lives Jesus Christ has called them to. It is his word, mission and Church +
After 4 and a half hour we left the church in a procession again only to start greeting, taking photos, eating and being thankful for the wonderful and gracious service of our Lord +
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