Readings for October 30

Posted on October 24, 2005 by ginny

The Collect

Almighty and merciful God, it is only by your gift that your faithful people offer you true and laudable service: Grant that we may run without stumbling to obtain your heavenly promises; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Old Testament

Micah 3:5-12

Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets
who lead my people astray,
who cry “Peace”
when they have something to eat,
but declare war against those
who put nothing into their mouths.
Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision,
and darkness to you, without revelation.
The sun shall go down upon the prophets,
and the day shall be black over them;
the seers shall be disgraced,
and the diviners put to shame;
they shall all cover their lips,
for there is no answer from God.
But as for me, I am filled with power,
with the spirit of the LORD,
and with justice and might,
to declare to Jacob his transgression
and to Israel his sin.
Hear this, you rulers of the house of Jacob
and chiefs of the house of Israel,
who abhor justice
and pervert all equity,
who build Zion with blood
and Jerusalem with wrong!
Its rulers give judgment for a bribe,
its priests teach for a price,
its prophets give oracles for money;
yet they lean upon the LORD and say,
“Surely the LORD is with us!
No harm shall come upon us.”
Therefore because of you
Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
and the mountain of the house a wooded height.

The Psalm

Psalm 43 Page 644, BCP
Judica me, Deus

1
Give judgment for me, O God,
and defend my cause against an ungodly people; *
deliver me from the deceitful and the wicked.

2
For you are the God of my strength;
why have you put me from you? *
and why do I go so heavily while the enemy oppresses me?

3
Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, *
and bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling;

4
That I may go to the altar of God,
to the God of my joy and gladness; *
and on the harp I will give thanks to you, O God my God.

5
Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *
and why are you so disquieted within me?

6
Put your trust in God; *
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

The Epistle

1 Thessalonians 2:9-13,17-20

You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers. As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.

As for us, brothers and sisters, when, for a short time, we were made orphans by being separated from you– in person, not in heart– we longed with great eagerness to see you face to face. For we wanted to come to you– certainly I, Paul, wanted to again and again– but Satan blocked our way. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? Yes, you are our glory and joy!

The Gospel

Matthew 23:1-12

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father– the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Throw Wide The Doors

Posted on October 24, 2005 by ginny

U.S. Episcopal leader says church must be inclusive

The Episcopal Church must reach out and “embrace all whom God sets before us,” the church’s top American cleric told a Sparks’ congregation Sunday.

The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church in the United States, gave a sermon at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church as part of the Diocese of Nevada’s annual convention this weekend. The event coincided with the 100th anniversary of St. Paul’s.

In his sermon, Griswold cited Christ’s analogy of the kingdom of heaven being like a wedding banquet, a feast reserved not for the chosen but for all people.

“And so the door to the banquet hall is flung wide and all sorts of riffraff, troublesome to us but close to the heart of God, are ushered in and given a place at the table,” Griswold said.

Throwing the doors open has been a recurring theme at Holy Innocents of late; it was one of the images that kept coming up in the recent Bishop’s Committee retreat – the one that started the new “Mission, Ministry, Evangelism” program that we’re in the process of formulating.

On a recent Sunday, this metaphor was taken to an extreme. It was a warmish fall day outside, but quite chilly inside. The red French entrance doors were both opened wide. No one got up to close the doors, because keeping the doors open and in fact opening them even wider has been a topic of several recent sermons. So no one closed the doors, but everyone kept their coats on.

Now that the weather has finally changed from Indian summer to late fall, the doors will remain closed during services, but they are always “open” to everyone.

Prayers for the Diocese of Southeast Mexico

Posted on October 20, 2005 by ginny

Hurricane Wilma battered the beaches of Cancun and the situation there is still pretty dire. Large crowds of people have been released from shelters but reports of looting are widespread, while many tourists are still waiting for the airport to reopen.

Cancun is part of the Diocese of Southeastern Mexico. Regular Anglican services are held there during the “high” tourist season at the Casa Magna Marriott. Little is known how badly the hotel has been damaged in the storm or what the situation is with the local Anglican community at this time.

Information:
Diocese of Southeastern Mexico
St Michael and All Angels, Cancun