Sunday November 13 Pentecost 23
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Psalm 66
God, everyone praises you because you have rescued us from disaster so I will delight in praising you.
Psalm 67
Because of God’s blessings to all the nations we will all sing God’s praises.
Habakkuk 1.1-2.1 What’s Habakkuk about?
This short book was written around the time of the first invasion of the land about 700 years before Christ. The theme of the book is that God would only allow such a thing because of of the injustice practised by the Jewish leaders and people.
The book begins with Habakkuk complaining that God has not acted to restore the country to peace and justice. God responds that God is calling these invincible foreign powers to punish Israel for not upholding justice among themselves. Habbakuk responds that God is allowing the people to be treated like fish caught in a net and challenges God to explain.
Matthew 23.13-24 What’s Matthew about?
Jesus is merciless in his criticism of those who use religion for their own benefit. The purpose of religion, he insists, is to do justice—that is, to ensure dignity for every person, especially for the poor.
Matthew is describing the escalating conflict between Jesus and the religious leadership which will shortly result in his execution.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you sent your Son Jesus Christ
to be the light of the world.
Free us from all that darkens and ensnares us,
and bring us to eternal light and joy;
through the power of him
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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