For Sunday, November
6, 2016, 25th Sunday after
Pentecost, Year C, Readings: Job
19:23-27, Psalm 17:1-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, Luke 27-38
Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry;
give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit...
My steps have held fast to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God...
Guard me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings. [Psalm 17:1, 5-6a, 8]
...God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit...For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ...
[2 Thessalonians 2:13b-14]
...they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection...Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive. [Luke 20:36, 28]
Seven
Brothers for One Bride - not quite how the Broadway musical and movie title
went. [Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in case you're
not up on your 1950's musical theater/film history] The Sadducees, who didn't
believe in life after death [that's why
they were "sad u cee", I know it's terrible, but it's a mnemonic that
keeps me remembering one difference between the Sadducees and the Pharisees] always interested in baiting Jesus with a trick
question, asked about the practice of a woman/widow with no children marrying
the brother of her deceased spouse. In this case the woman was widowed and
childless seven times by seven brothers. They wanted to know - if there's this
resurrection thing - whose wife would she be in the after life? It is a
reasonable question when you think about it. Some jealousy may attach if the
more recent spouse is concerned that the widow/er thinks too much of the one
who has died, or, the family is upset that the widow/er thinks too much of the
new edition. Perhaps the spouses - whether fully churched or less so - wonder
themselves - what do Harry or Sally think and how will it be when....? But
Jesus answers - those who belong to this age marry...but...those...in
the resurrection of the dead do not marry. Indeed they cannot
die anymore...God is not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them
are alive... To put it simply, in our human existence we marry, some
more than once or twice. Now and after human death we are alive in God's eyes,
there is no death, merely a transition from the temporary state of humanness,
to the eternal life in the salvation of Christ. Can we fully understand - sort
of, maybe? But have no worries about it. LIVE this life, work for the next. All
those questions, and so many more, will be answered in the sweet by and by.
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader:
~ God of the
Living, in You death is a transition to Life Eternal for we who are children of
the resurrection. Keep us as the apple of Your eye and shelter us in Your wings
through our human moment on Earth.
O LORD of Grace
RESPONSE: Strengthen us in works and words
~ God of the
Living, may those who lead us on this Earth, in this
Nation, and in this Community, arise each day, with the heartfelt intent and purpose
to govern with justice, mercy and in peace, acting only in the best interests
of Your Planet and all her Inhabitants. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O
LORD of Grace
Strengthen us in works and words
~
God of the Living, attend to the cries and hear the prayers of all whose spirits are low
from chronic illness, deadly addiction, or emotional turmoil, and lift the
energy of those who give them care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions
O
LORD of Grace
Strengthen us in works and words
~ God of the
Living, dry and sanctify the tears of the mournful as those who
are now entering the gates of Your salvation, are embraced forever in the promised
Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray especially for:
O
LORD of Grace
Strengthen us in works and words
~ God of the
Living, we pause in this moment to
offer You our other heartfelt intentions and petitions, aloud or silently…
O
LORD of Grace
Strengthen us in works and words
~ God of the
Living, we give You great thanksgivings and ask Your
special blessings upon all who stand with Christ to guide our life’s journey to
You. We pray especially for:
O
LORD of Grace
Strengthen us in works and words
The Celebrant adds: Gracious, Compassionate God, hold us fast to the path you set before us and answer our call to You. Help us to arise
each day to seek the light and fullness of faith of all the Saints who surround
us from Heaven and on Earth. We ask through the salvation of Christ, and being sanctified by the Holy Spirit, who together with You, are One Holy and Loving God now and
forever. Amen.
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