Friday July 19 Pentecost 8
Click here for simplified daily office prayers
Psalm 31
I am being attacked from all sides but trust that God will rescue me. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus quotes from this psalm as he is dying. Appropriate for Friday as the weekly mini-anniversary of the crucifixion.
Joshua 4.19-5.1, 10-15 What’s Joshua about?
The people cross over into the land they were promised, and the Jordan resumes flowing. Again, God is seen as the ruler of the entire world, not just the local god of the Israelites, an insight that had become clear to the compilers of these stories a thousand years later.
The people eat the Passover, which repeats the Passover they ate just before escaping from Egypt. The manna, the magical food God provided in the wilderness, comes to an end and the people from now on eat the food of the land God has given them.
Finally, an angel, representing God, appears to Joshua and repeats the command given to Moses at the burning bush, to remove his sandals because the land is holy. God is making Joshua become a new Moses.
Matthew 26.17-25 What’s Matthew about?
Jesus has the Passover supper with his disciples, and the disciples begin to wonder who is going to betray him. Matthew, as always, is concerned about behaviour and loyalty within the Christian community and makes it clear that the consequences of betrayal are dire.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless
until they find their rest in you.
May we find peace in your service,
and in the world to come, see you face to face;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.