Partakers of thy Heavenly Treasure – The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

Rev. Andrew Brashier / September 1, 2025

This entry is part 45 of 45 in the series A Walk in the Ancient Western Lectionary

Thro’ the night of doubt and sorrow

Onward goes the pilgrim band,

Singing songs of expectation,

Marching to the promised land;

Clear before us through the darkness

Gleams and burns the guiding light:

Brother clasps the hand of brother,

Stepping fearless through the night.

The glory of God is shown in how the Holy Creator bends down to give us His heart, that is, His only-begotten Son, to save us dead sinners. He “declarest thy almighty power” not in powerful displays of His magnificence but “most chiefly in showing mercy and pity” to our weak and weary race. (Collect of the Day). The great rescue plan from the Most High does not rely upon our own efforts, but upon His grace. We see this demonstrated when Jesus “spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.” (Gospel lesson, Luke 18:9, KJV). Jesus tells us, “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.” (Luke 18:10, KJV). Juxtaposed, we have the self-righteous and knowledgeable Pharisee who undoubtedly could recite the Torah forwards and backwards, and the hated tax collector who commonly thieves by taking from the least of these more than what they actually owed the authorities.

However, our rash judgment is about to be turned upside down. “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” (Luke 18:11-12). How many of us secretly feel the same in our heart of hearts? We look along the pew and judge those who do not appear to tithe their money nor their time to the parish, and we thank God we are not like those Baptists down the road. We congratulate ourselves on tithing to the penny and fasting and praying the daily offices like clockwork.

But do we turn away from our pride and towards God? Or do we use our pride as a mirror to judge others by?

One, the light of God’s own presence,

O’er His ransomed people shed,

Chasing far the gloom and terror,

Brightening all the path we tread;

One, the object of our journey,

One, the faith which never tires,

One, the earnest looking forward,

One, the hope our God inspires;

Enter in the hated tax collector, whom Jesus tells us, “standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13). Tell me, whose prayer does our liturgy emulate? The Pharisee or the tax collector?

Look no further than that Litany, where we respond to our petitions to God by crying out, “O holy, blessed, and glorious Trinity, three Persons and one God: have mercy upon us miserable sinners.” (The Litany, 1662 Book of Common Prayer). Again, we echo the tax collector’s words when we confess our sins in Morning and Evening Prayer, praying, “But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders.” (The Confession, Daily Offices, 1662 Book of Common Prayer).

The publican’s prayer, which we join in with, does not bemoan our actual feelings – though they should – but is a true statement about the miserable condition man finds itself in apart from God. Yet when we merely acknowledge our sad state of affairs, something incredible happens. A repentant sinner is who God is seeking, and when the Good Shepherd finds him, Jesus says something absolutely shocking and full of grace: “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 18:14, KJV).

Oh, the marvelous grace of God for the confessing sinner!

One, the strain that lips of thousands

Lift as from the heart of one;

One the conflict, one the peril,

One, the march in God begun;

One, the gladness of rejoicing

On the far eternal shore,

Where the One Almighty Father

Reigns in love for evermore.

The Lord God is so full of abundant grace that He shares with us; therefore, boldly we pray this week, “Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Collect of the Day). We are midway through our Trinitytide journey, and yet there is a change in the air. The air carries a whisper of crispness. The oppressive heat and humidity break their hold just a hair earlier each day. Night draws in closer and closer upon the earth. Could it be that autumn nears?

Yeah, and more than cooler weather, but also shorter journeying as the daylight draws to an end quicker and quicker. God’s grace shows us that the race nears its end. Obtaining His gracious promises, they are arriving sooner now than ever before. Soon, we shall not only partake in the heavenly mysteries of the Body and Blood, but shall rest in partaking of His heavenly treasure: abiding in He who saved us and seeing Him face to face. The race draws nearer to an end, and we can run along in His holy and heavenly way by resting upon the fulfilling and filling bounty of His grace.

O weary sinner, lay down your burden upon your Maker, and He shall give you the lighter load of grace His Son won for you at the Cross! Renew and be refreshed from the deep well of grace mid-Trinitytide and hear once more, “the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” (Epistle Lesson, 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, KJV). You believe not in vain what St. Paul “delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

This Gospel was not made up by St. Paul nor carefully crafted to deceive; instead, this Gospel was received and is delivered and declared to you once more for your refreshment and nourishment. This Gospel is verified, and St. Paul challenged the Corinthians to test what he witnessed and received through the testimony of the then-living saints, for Christ Jesus “was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.” (1 Corinthians 15:5-8).

We who now live as recipients of this Gospel can see through the lives of the saints of yore and living saints of today the witness of Jesus Christ living through them, in them, and with them by the fruit of sinners saved and redeemed for good works. We, too, are living members of this reality by the Holy Ghost who transforms you and I from children of darkness into sons of the Light. Despite our sinful past, God takes the least and makes the most out of them. Hear St. Paul, who confesses, “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:9). Do not think today is too late for salvation or that you have done too much evil for your forgiveness and sanctification to be possible. It is God who forgives – are you greater than the Master and Creator of the cosmos that He could not forgive you?

Far from it.

It is all grace my friend, for “by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. ¹¹ Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.” (1 Corinthians 15:10-11). Since it is all a gift of grace to be reconciled and made friends – nay, even sons of the Most High! – how much more shall we share this good news with all those whom we encounter? For the glory of our works belongs to God, just as our salvation, reconciliation, sanctification, and redemption.

The Master drew you up out of the well and saved you from certain death. Praise the Father for the Son’s salvific act upon the Cross and glorify Him in the Holy Ghost by receiving His all-abundant grace. Take in the love of God and receive the divine and grace-filled reminder of His love in the blessed Sacrament. Be filled and now go out and fill up all those you meet with the grace of the Good News. The end of the race is in sight, and the King draws near to crown the victors in Christ. Finish well, finish strong.

Onward, therefore, pilgrim brothers!

Onward, with the Cross our aid!

Bear its shame, and fight its battle,

Till we rest beneath its shade!

Soon shall come the great awaking;

Soon the rending of the tomb;

Then, the scattering of all shadows,

And the end of toil and gloom!