Saturday October 26 Pentecost 22
Click here for simplified daily office prayers
Psalm 30
Because of its references to being in the grave, followed by joy, this psalm is often used on Saturdays, the weekly mini-anniversary of Jesus’ being in the grave.
“God’s wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye”-it’s not that God is losing God’s temper, but that God made the world so that actions have predictable consequences-anything else would produce chaos. It’s inevitable that evil selfish actions on our part have consequences but the psalm proclaims that God’s goodness acts to overcome the evils that we have caused. Christians interpret Jesus’ dying and rising as the process by which God accomplishes fulfilment and joy for us despite our evil.
Psalm 32
When I acknowledged my sin, I received immense joy. When we acknowledge our participation in oppressive policies, we know God will overcome those, and we can also be in joy instead of living in denial or guilt. Then we will have the energy to act against those oppressions.
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 15.9-20 What’s Ecclesiasticus about?
Advice about making good choices, taking responsibility for one’s actions and not blaming God for one’s bad decisions.
Luke 11.1-13 What’s Luke about?
Jesus teaches the Lord’s prayer-our commitment that the kingdom come. Be absolutely confident that God will shower you with whatever you ask. If we are doubtful that will happen, he compares God to a neighbour who won’t help you because it is inconvenient, but will help because you persist, or to a parent who would never give a live snake or a live scorpion for food to their child. So much more will God bring in the kingdom which we pray for in this prayer which Jesus taught us.
This week’s collect:
Almighty and everliving God,
increase in us your gift of faith,
that forsaking what lies behind
and reaching out to what is before,
we may run the way of your commandments
and win the crown of everlasting joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Click here to share your thoughts on the web site.