The opening reading this week is from Hosea, someone we
don’t hear from all that much yet this week his thoughts appear twice. Hosea is
one of the Twelve Minor Prophets whose writings are aggregated into one
book in the Jewish Bible. In the Christian version of the Hebrew [Old] Testament,
he has his own, if brief, book. The Talmud refers to him as the “greatest
prophet of his generation” and his writings take us from doom to restoration.
He is also quoted in the Qu’ran. As we all: Jews, Christians, and
Muslims are children of Abraham, this should not come as a surprise though, sadly, it
often does. We’ll see Jesus quote him in Mt 9:13, building on Hosea’s quote
about what God truly wants ~ not things we think we are to sacrifice to
God as God has/is everything. This piece from Hosea is worth reading in full, and beyond that he has an interesting personal history which includes his wife
Gomer, and is of restoring and forgiving.
The partial piece
of Psalm 50 appointed for today continues this theme that God isn’t interested
in the sacrifice of livestock but rather a sacrifice of thanksgiving and
honoring God by actions that pay our vows to God. Again, reading the full Psalm
from verse 1 to 23, gives us a greater understanding of what God is calling us
to be and to do.
After his
conversion, Paul understood that strict obedience to The Law as only a
system of rules was, in a sense, replacing personal goodness and obedience
to God; a message found often in the teachings of Jesus. Paul further realized
that for Gentiles to understand salvation, it needed to be expressed as God’s promise,
as it had first been given to Abraham and later to Moses. As one source says: Therefore,
Abraham could be the spiritual ancestor of everyone who shared his obedient
faith, quite independently of racial heritage [emphasis
added]. It is to fulfilling our faithful commitment and
thanksgiving to God rather than arbitrary sacrifice that God calls us.
This week’s Gospel
reading from Matthew begins with the Call of Matthew: As Jesus was walking
along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and
he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. After this
was a dinner to which many tax collectors and sinners came to sit with
Jesus and the disciples. The rigidly Law-abiding, righteous Pharisees asked the
disciples why Jesus would eat with such people. Jesus overheard and responded that well
people don’t need a doctor and, with the piece from Hosea but with his
own interpretation said: “Go and learn what this means. ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’
For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
So for this week,
the sum and substance of these readings for me are fairly clear. God doesn’t
want and certainly doesn’t need blood sacrifices, just simply our
following through with the faith commitments we’ve made. And, they/we who have begun
to feel sorry for what we have and haven’t done can and must learn to
accept the ceaseless outpouring of forgiveness that God is offering. Put
the angry God of vengeance behind you. Too much rule-based religion has been grounded in fear. Hear the words of Jesus: EVERYONE who yearns to, wants to, hopes
to, or is even afraid to receive the love of God, has it. Believe it, and know that God through Christ, with the Holy Spirit loves and forgives continuously, constantly, then,
now, and forever.
LET
US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ O God, our
God, You give eternal life to the dead and call into existence the things that
do and cannot exist without You. Remind our hearts and our souls, to return our
selves to You. In offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving and in paying our vows
to You by our ways in living, we have the gift of calling on You in our days of
trouble. Let us glorify our God!
Lord God of Promise
RESPONSE:
By
Faith we rest in Your Grace
~
O God, our God, guide us in the ways and strength of faith, that we may deliver
to the leaders of this Planet, this Country, and this Community, the message
that we require mercy from and by you, not a sacrifice of principle or loss of human
rights and basic needs. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Lord God of Promise
By
Faith we rest in Your Grace
~
O God, our God, still the fear and quiet the anxiety of all who are ill in
body, mind, or spirit, and give energy and strength of purpose to all who give
them care. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add your
own petitions
Lord God of Promise
By
Faith we rest in Your Grace
~
O God, our God, embrace the hearts of all who grieve and guide them to the comfort
of knowing, that all whom we have loved and lost, are risen in the joy of eternal
life with You. We pray especially for… add your own petitions
Lord God of Promise
By
Faith we rest in Your Grace
~ O
God, our God, we pause in this moment to offer You our
other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add
your own petitions
Lord God of Promise
By
Faith we rest in Your Grace
~
O God, our God, renew again and always, the souls, the hearts, and the minds of
all those anointed to serve Your Church, in guiding and teaching, listening and
caring. Give them the self-knowing and courage to care as much for their own
needs as for ours. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Lord God of Promise
By
Faith we rest in Your Grace
The
Celebrant adds:
Most High and Loving Creator, as Jesus called Matthew, so he calls us each to follow
Him. Open our eyes and hearts each day with our spirits renewed, to go forth as
Christ’s Body in all that we do in love and with mercy for all of Your people.
We ask through Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer; and the Holy Spirit, the Fire of
our Faith, who live and reign with You, One God, now and forever. Amen.
