4 Pentecost Year B/6/16/24

Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalm 92:1-4, 11-14; 2 Corinthians 5:6-17; Mark 4:26-34

Opening Prayer: For Church Musicians and Artists

O God, whom saints and angels delight to worship in heaven: Be ever present with your servants who seek through art and music to perfect the praises offered by your people on earth; and grant to them even now glimpses of your beauty, and make them worthy at length to behold it unveiled for evermore; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The psalm we heard today, psalm 92, often has a sub-title under the heading in the bible versions – The sub-title reads: A psalm. A Song for the Sabbath Day. According to a commentary that I reviewed this week, this psalm, is the only one that specifically makes reference to the Sabbath Day. So, it is a good and joyful occasion that we read this psalm today.

This psalm: This song for the Sabbath day, is full of words proclaiming boldly: thanksgiving, praise, loving-kindness, faithfulness, music, joy, gladness, righteousness, growth, steadfastness…..it reminds us of the abundant fruits of the Spirit, the fruits of God’s Kingdom, as they have been described in Paul’s letter to the Galatians 5:22-23 as: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

The Sabbath Day is set aside to celebrate and proclaim the abundant fruits of God’s kingdom - His work, and his creation! We do this as we join together on Sundays as a community of God’s beloved, to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). We do this with our liturgy, the work of the people, by coming together to pray, praise and give thanks for the goodness of God.

And one of the most wonderful ways we glorify and give thanks to God, is in our music.

St Peter’s has a rich history of glorifying God with its music. We have been blessed beyond measure by those who have shared their musical talents with the people who have gathered here, over the years…those who have played the organ, piano, violin, and other instruments…and those who have sung their hearts out…they have truly used the gifts God has given them, to uplift all of us, to rejoice, to renew our lives, and to give thanks to God, for his Son, Jesus Christ.

I am very grateful to St Peter’s choir for all the ways they are helping to keep the music alive in this time together. They’ve had to adjust how they go about leading us all in the service music without a full time organist/pianist to guide them. And I think back to our time of covid, too…when they got together to record hymns to use for our weekly online services when we were unable to worship in person.

The music in our Sunday services and in our daily lives has a way of encouraging us to walk by faith, not by sight. Music has a way of uniting us in understanding, beyond the barriers of language, or culture. Music has a way of calling us up and out of the depths of grief and suffering. Music has a way of creating something new…when we don’t quite see the way, yet. It calms, it comforts, it encourages and uplifts us, into new life. And so it is with Jesus Christ: For if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see everything has become new!

It is often in our music, that we can see God at his best, in the ways in which music can create in us, new life. As we reflect on the different styles of music over the years, the new creations never cease. If you had the chance to attend the Sitka Summer Music festival this past week/weekend, you would understand what I mean about new creations in music. The Simply Three Trio was described in the program as (Classically Trained. Pop Influenced. String Driven). The piano player, Matt Herskowitz this weekend, breathed new life into some Chopin pieces, with jazz arrangements. Most likely a new creation beyond anything that Chopin would have imagined in his day.

As I looked around the room, while enjoying the concert, just about everyone there had a smile on their face. The energy was so uplifting, and you couldn’t help but be moved in some way.

If you ever check out any of the music programs offered through the Sitka Fine Arts Camp and throughout the year in our schools, you can see signs of new life and new creations in all the music lifted up for us to enjoy.

The different ways in which music is shared and enjoyed, seems to be ongoing… there always seems to be the creating of a new masterpiece, in the works. That’s what God’s kingdom is like. He is always creating, renewing and providing for us, all that we ever need. New seeds are scattered every day by us. He uses us to tend to his kingdom, to take care of each other, and to allow his work of creating new life, in us…to come to fruition…

But then, he says to us, after many days of working and creating… I’ve done all of this for you…sit for a moment….be still…be quiet…take a look, listen, enjoy…

2 And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 2:2-3)

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).

For it is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to His Name….Psalm 92:1

Closing Hymn/Prayer: When in our music God is glorified

My Heart Sings Out, #140 – vs 1,2,5

Music: Mayflower, Marty Haugen (b. 1950

1 When in our music God is glorified,

and adoration leaves no room for pride,

it is as though the whole creation cried:

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

2 How often, making music, we have found

a new dimension in the world of sound,

as worship moved us to a more profound

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

5 Let every instrument be tuned for praise!

Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise!

And may God give us faith to sing always:

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Rev. Julie Platson

St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church

Sitka, Alaska