Thomas Bray: Priest and Missionary
 
“After this the Lord appointed 70 others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”
Luke 10:1-2, NRSV

Feb. 15, is the day set aside in our church calendar to honor and remember Thomas Bray, priest and missionary. In 1696, he “was commissioned to report on the condition of the Church in the colony of Maryland. He spent only 10 weeks in the colony, but he radically re-organized and renewed the Church there, providing for the instruction of children and the systematic examination of candidates for pastoral positions. He founded 39 lending libraries and numerous schools.”[i] These are just a few of Bray’s accomplishments as he continued after that time to preach, teach and work on behalf of others. Bray was especially concerned with the education of children and the quality of those called to serve as clergy. He believed that clergy should have a good report from the ship they sailed on to the New World; that they had prayed regularly and preached on Sundays during the voyage.[ii] In all that Bray did, he worked to spread the Gospel and to call others to do the same. Bray worked to improve the conditions of those who were not in a position to advocate for themselves, especially children, slaves and prisoners. Just as the 70 were appointed by the Lord to go into the world, and as Thomas Bray went into the world, we as followers of Christ are all called to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the world through our actions, the work that we do and those we help. As you are called and sent out to be a laborer for Jesus, how might you spread the Gospel today?

Collect for the Day

O God of compassion, who opened the heart of your servant Thomas Bray to the needs of the church in the New World: Make your church diligent at all times to propagate the Gospel, and to promote the spread of Christian knowledge; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

[i] Thomas Bray by James Kiefer, Satucket Lectionary, accessed 2-2-2022, http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Thomas_Bray.htm

[ii] Episcopal Church. 2019. Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018: Conforming to General Convention 2018. New York, NY: Church Publishing Incorporated. Pg. 94.
The Rev. Lisa R. Neilson
Associate for Pastoral Care and Women's Ministries
If you know someone who would like to receive our daily devotions,
please forward your copy to a friend.
If you would like to reply to this devotional, please email
the Rev. Lisa Neilson at lneilson@stmartinsepiscopal.org.