Sunday, June 20th - Proper 7

    

                                                Sunday, June 20th, 2021    Proper 7

The Collect 

O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 Old Testament 1 Samuel 17: 32-49 

 David said to Saul, “Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.” David said, “The LORD, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.” So Saul said to David, “Go, and may the LORD be with you!” Saul clothed David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. David strapped Saul’s sword over the armor, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them.” So David removed them. Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd’s bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine. The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field.” But David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s and he will give you into our hand.” When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. 

Psalm 9:9-20 

9 The LORD will be a refuge 

for the oppressed, *

a refuge in time of trouble. 

10 Those who know your Name 

will put their trust in you, * 

for you never forsake those 

who seek you, O LORD. 

11 Sing praise to the LORD 

who dwells in Zion; * 

proclaim to the peoples 

the things he has done. 

12 The Avenger of blood 

will remember them; * 

he will not forget 

the cry of the afflicted. 

13 Have pity on me, O LORD; *

see the misery I suffer from those

 who hate me, O you who lift me up 

from the gate of death; 

14 So that I may tell of all your praises 

and rejoice in your salvation * 

in the gates of the city of Zion. 

15 The ungodly have fallen 

into the pit they dug, * 

and in the snare they set 

is their own foot caught. 

16 The LORD is known 

by his acts of justice; * 

the wicked are trapped 

in the works of their own hands. 

17 The wicked shall be given

 over to the grave, * 

and also all the peoples 

that forget God. 

18 For the needy shall not

 always be forgotten, * 

and the hope of the poor 

shall not perish for ever. 

19 Rise up, O LORD, let not

 the ungodly have the upper hand; * 

let them be judged before you. 

20 Put fear upon them, O LORD; * 

let the ungodly know they are but mortal.

The Epistle 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 

As we work together with Christ, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.” See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see-- we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything. We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. In return-- I speak as to children-- open wide your hearts also. 

The Gospel Mark 4:35-41 

When evening had come, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

A Litany for Sunday

Gracious and loving Creator

you fill the world with beauty

to help us to thrive where planted

yet we are often lost and fearful.

Be present with us in the storms of life.

The world is a paradise for some

and a dangerous place for others

yet you love us all and protect us

You draw near to those who call out to you.

Be present with us in the storms of life.

We are overwhelmed with changes

returning to a normal we don't know

trying to reconnect and recreate 

feeling lost on very rough seas.

Be present with us in the storms of life.

You calmed the seas for the disciples

Come, dear Savior and be with us today.

We lose direction and lose our faith

Yet you are present in every storm.

Help us to seek you in every moment

For you are our God and love us still.

Gracious Creator, restore our faith

Be present always in the storms of our lives.