One Moment Please with Bishop Derek Hoskin 21 October 2021

The second Psalm Prelude which Herbert Howells included in Set 1is Psalm 37:11, “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (KJV), a melodic and soothing musical reflection on God’s word. This Scripture verse also reflects the tone and message of today’s reading from Matthew.

Matthew reports that when Jesus realized that his actions and message had angered the Pharisees to the point that they were plotting how to get rid of him, he withdrew from public view and ordered those whom he cured not to make his whereabouts known. Matthew sees in Jesus’ action a fulfillment of a prophecy from Isaiah: “He will be gentle—he will not shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush those who are weak or quench the smallest hope. He will bring full justice to all who have been wronged. He will not stop until truth and righteousness prevail throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.”

It is still the hope of the world today that all people will freely follow the King of kings; learning to live a life of righteousness, of justice for all, and of peacefully sharing of the bounty God provides.

Bible Reading: Psalm 37 (KJV), Isaiah 42:1-4 (NLT), Matthew 12:15-21