Wednesday June 19 Pentecost 4
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Psalm 81
Praise to God because this is what we heard God saying: God longs that the people would respond so that God could give them everything they need.
Psalm 82
God is accusing all the other gods who do not care for the poor. Hurry up, God, and take your place as the just ruler of the whole world.
There are many gods today who care nothing for the poor. We, too, are to cultivate longing for the God of justice to rule.
Numbers 11.24-33(34-35) What’s Numbers about?
Two contrasting stories today about wanting more. Two men break the rules Moses has imposed about using the spirit of God to prophesy. In the first story Moses affirms their actions because of their commitment to respond to God. In the second story, God has been overwhelmingly generous to the people by feeding them with abundant food from quails. But some people have come to crave the food regardless of how much God gave, and they suffer the consequences.
Matthew 18.1-9 What’s Matthew about?
Jesus calls disciples to a level of trust that is normally only expressed by children. He then moves to warnings (as often in Matthew’s gospel since Matthew was concerned about the early Christian community becoming unfaithful) about abuse of “little ones” which can also mean “adult learners” or disciples.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God, without you we are not able to please you.
Mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit
may in all things direct and rule our hearts;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.