Saturday July 27 Pentecost 9
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Psalm 55
I am terrified at what is happening. The city is full of corruption and my dear familiar friend has betrayed me. I will not cease imploring God to intervene and put things right.
Appropriate for a Saturday, when Jesus, betrayed by friends, waits in silence in the grave.
Joshua 23.1-16 What’s Joshua about?
Our readings skip the details of many similar battles and the distribution of the land to the various tribes, and we come to the end of Joshua’s life. Joshua exhorts the people to remain faithful to the God of justice so that they may continue to live in the land. This is parallel to the speech that Moses gave when he died before entering the land. Joshua is being remembered as a second Moses.
Joshua’s speech entreating the Israelites not to become absorbed within the cultures of the surrounding people may reflect the urgent concerns of the compilers of these stories who lived a thousand years later during the Babylonian exile and were concerned about the Jews being integrated into Babylonian life. The exile itself was seen at the time as punishment for the people, and especially the kings, for having abandoned the justice and inclusion of everyone as required by God.
Remaining faithful to justice which gives a place and dignity to all—both to people and to the rest of life and to the planet—will be the only way humanity can continue to live on this land which God gave us. If we don’t, as Joshua and Moses warned, the consequences may be dreadful.
Matthew 27.11-23 What’s Matthew about?
As Jesus’ death approaches, Matthew recounts a series of events revealing the truth about Jesus.
Matthew is assuring us that Jesus’ execution is not just history gone wrong. Matthew is saying that God’s power remains present and can work victory despite this horrific betrayal, injustice and execution.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
your Son has opened for us
a new and living way into your presence.
Give us pure hearts and constant wills
to worship you in spirit and in truth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.