The Collect

O God, you declare your almighty power most chiefly in showing mercy and pity: mercifully grant to us such a measure of your grace, that we, running the way of your commandments, may receive your gracious promises, and be made partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

¶ The Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: Isaiah 1.1,10-20

The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt-offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand?  Trample my courts no more; bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation – I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity. Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them. When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good;  seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Psalm 50.1-8,23,24

The Lord, the most mighty God, has spoken * and called the world from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth; * our God comes and will not keep silence.
Consuming fire goes out before him * and a mighty tempest stirs about him.
He calls the heaven above, * and the earth, that he may judge his people:
‘Gather to me my faithful, * who have sealed my covenant with sacrifice.’
Let the heavens declare his righteousness, * for God himself is judge.
Hear, O my people, and I will speak: * ‘I will testify against you, O Israel; for I am God, your God.
‘I will not reprove you for your sacrifices, * for your burnt offerings are always before me.
‘You that forget God, consider this well, * lest I tear you apart and there is none to deliver you.
‘Whoever offers me the sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me * and to those who keep my way will I show the salvation of God.’

Second Reading: Hebrews 11.1-3,8-16

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old – and Sarah herself was barren – because he considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, ‘as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.’ All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

Gospel Reading: Luke 12.32-40

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves. But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.’

Prayers of Intercession

I think the Liturgical Commission is teasing us by continuing the paper trail established on the last few Sundays, where each week reflects and adds to the one before. Earlier in Luke Ch 12, last week, we had: I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.‘” But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And this is elaborated in today’s passage. Jane Williams writes illuminatingly in her book on the Lectionary:

¶The Church of Christ

Lord, we pray for your Church. As we move together into what may seem to be uncharted waters, help us to sense the reality of your presence in the boat with your people. Help us to reach out to others who do not yet know you, and to those who may have had faith in the past but now have difficulty in finding you. Help us to come further up and further in, ever deeper into our relationship with you. And, armed with that renewed faith, grant us the confidence to look forward with hope.

Lord, believing in you, we pray for help with our unbelief: in your mercy, hear our prayer.

¶Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

Lord, we thank you for the universe, our great home; for its vastness and riches beyond our knowledge, and which we can only imagine. Your glory touches us in the light that we see, the fruitfulness of the earth and the joy of its creatures. We thank you for the glory of thunder, the mystery of music, the singing of birds, and the laughter of children. We thank you for the delights of colour, the awe of the sunset, the sweetness of flowers and the scent of hay. Truly the earth is full of your riches!

Lord, believing in you, we pray for help with our unbelief: in your mercy, hear our prayer.

¶The local community

Lord, your son taught us to look out beyond ourselves, and our own needs and worries, to those that we live amongst. We expect to pass through this world but once. Knowing that it is more blessed to give than to receive, any good therefore that we can do, or any kindness or abilities that we can show to any fellow creatures, help us to do it now and not defer or neglect it, for we know not at what hour the Son of Man may come.

Lord, believing in you, we pray for help with our unbelief: in your mercy, hear our prayer.

¶Those who suffer

Lord, when we suffer, or when we watch those whom we love suffering, we want to ask that this cup pass from us. In your loving tenderness, teach us instead to drink deep from the bitter water of this well of experience. And then, knowing that underneath are your everlasting arms, may we find the mysterious refreshment and renewed strength to go on that you alone can give.

Lord, believing in you, we pray for help with our unbelief: in your mercy, hear our prayer.

¶The communion of saints

Lord, your son, by dying, has destroyed our death, and by rising has restored our life. Enable us therefore to press on towards him so that, after our earthly course is run, we may be reunited with those whom we love, when every tear shall be wiped away in that bright dawn of your kingdom.

Lord, believing in you, we pray for help with our unbelief: in your mercy, hear our prayer.