Thursday September 16 Pentecost 16
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Psalm 70
God can be trusted to deliver the poor from evil.
These two psalms are often used on Thursdays, the mini-anniversaries of the approach of Jesus’ death in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Psalm 71
In old age I am filled with praise for the God who has rescued me in so many ways throughout my long life. People are attacking me now, but I trust in your salvation as you have acted for me all my life.
1 Kings 22: 29-45 What’s Kings about?
King Ahab rejects Micaiah’s faithful prophecy of disaster, and goes into battle, persuading the king of Judah (the southern part of the country centred in Jerusalem) to wear his royal robes while he himself, fearing Micaiah may be right, goes in disguise as a common soldier. However, despite his attempt to cheat death, death comes to him regardless, by accident so it appears, and he suffers the final humiliation of his body being desecrated in exactly the way Elijah had said God would do. The consequences of his choice to abandon justice cannot be evaded.
The subsequent kings, even the good ones, do not obey God, and they allow false gods, of greed and oppression, to be worshipped. We can see that the final disaster of being conquered by Babylon is becoming inevitable.
Matthew 5: 1-10 What’s Matthew about?
Jesus is saying, ‘Congratulations, poor people! Congratulations if you are in grief!’ Jesus’ original proclamation was that when you are in deep need, you become aware of God’s generosity and know that you are safe and loved. Congratulations if that has happened to you!
Jesus turns all our usual assumptions about success upside down. In Luke’s version of this passage, Jesus expresses sorrow for those who are wealthy because when you are wealthy you become afraid because you have nothing else to trust and you know that wealth has no loyalty to you. That’s why it’s fortunate to be poor.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you call your Church to witness
that in Christ we are reconciled to you.
Help us so to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may turn to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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