Sunday, October 11th, 2020

Sunday, October 11h, 2020 Proper 23, Year A

The Collect

 Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

 

First Reading Isaiah 25:1-9

 O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the palace of aliens is a city no more, it will never be rebuilt. Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you. For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat. When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm, the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place, you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds; the song of the ruthless was stilled. On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. 

Psalm 23 

1 The LORD is my shepherd; * I shall not be in want.

 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures * and leads me beside still waters.

 3 He revives my soul * and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.

 4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

 I shall fear no evil; * for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

 5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *

 you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over.

 6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *

 and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

 Second Reading Philippians 4:1-9 

My brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

 The Gospel Matthew 22:1-14

 Once more Jesus spoke to the people in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.” 

Go Into The Streets - A Litany

O Great Creator you have called us all

you have taught us to live and be wise

you have told us that we are interdependent

and that we called to be dressed to celebrate.

Send us into the streets with your love.

Our world is on the precipice of failure

disease, violence and disparity rule

we ache to be present to the suffering

yet we fear the other in these times.

Send us into the streets with your love.

We are tempted to protect our own

to live in a bubble of our self making

yet you would have us see connection

a web of relations and interdependence.

Send us into the streets with your love.

Make us living examples of your welcome

make us the vessels of your loving presence

expands our hearts, our capacity and flexibility

so that your hospitality might flow forever.

Send us into the streets with your love.