The 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 13 Sep 2020

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening:

O God most high, you are slow to anger and rich in compassion. Keep alive in us the memory of your mercy, that our angers may be calmed and our resentments dispelled. May we discover the forgiveness promised to those who forgive and become a people rich in mercy. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

May I never forget the good things The Lord does for me.
He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
(Psalm 103: 2-4)

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“God of Grace and God of Glory” – First Plymouth Church, Lincoln Nebraska

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Collect for Purity

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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A Reading from the Apocrypha: Sirach 27:30- 28:7 (Anglicised (NRSVA)

Anger and Vengeance

27:30 Anger and wrath, these also are abominations,
yet a sinner holds on to them.

28:1 The vengeful will face the Lord’s vengeance,
for he keeps a strict account of their sins.

2 Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.

3 Does anyone harbor anger against another,
and expect healing from the Lord?

4 If someone has no mercy towards another like himself,
can he then seek pardon for his own sins?

5 If a mere mortal harbors wrath,
who will make an atoning sacrifice for his sins?

6 Remember the end of your life, and set enmity aside;
remember corruption and death, and be true to the commandments.

7 Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor;
remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults.

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“Psalm 103” (Bless The Lord) – Slavic Center Tacoma

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A Reading from the Gospels: Matthew 18:21-35 (NLT)

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!

“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt.

“But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt.

“But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment.

“His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.

“When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

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Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive –  Koine

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Prayer to Forgive Others – Kathryn Shirey

O Heavenly Father, as you have forgiven me, help me to forgive those who have sinned against me. For we are all sinners and we all fall short of your glory.

Help me to let go of the anger, resentment, bitterness, and hurt to forgive those who have hurt me. I need your help, O Lord, for the hurts are great and it’s hard to forgive.

Help me to fill my heart with love, because you first loved us. Lead me to live a life of love and forgiveness, learning to see others through your eyes, Lord. I leave my hurting heart at your feet, Lord, and ask for your help to heal my heart and lead me to forgiveness.

O Lord, help me to forgive those who have sinned against me, or against those I hold most dear; I ask through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

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His Mercy Is More – The Acappella Company

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Closing – Romans 14:7-8 (NLT)

We don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves.
If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord.
So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 

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+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen