Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Who gets the places of honor in God’s house, the pushy or the humble? The Word of God this Sunday teaches us that the humble are the ones who find favor with God.

Opening Prayer:

God and judge of all, you show us that the way to your kingdom is through humility and service. Keep us true to the path of justice and give us the reward promised to those who make a place for the rejected and the poor. 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.
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“Crown Him With Many Crowns” – by Marty Haugen

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A Reading from the Old Testament: Isaiah 2:10-12 (NLT)

Crawl into caves in the rocks. Hide in the dust from the terror of the Lord and the glory of his majesty. Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment.

For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has a day of reckoning. He will punish the proud and mighty and bring down everything that is exalted.
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A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 68:4-7, 10-11 (NLT)

Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord—rejoice in his presence!

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy.

God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

O God, when you led your people out from Egypt, when you marched through the dry wasteland…
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There your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people.

The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news.
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Sing Songs (Psalm 68) – The Psalm Project

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A Reading from the Letters: Heb 12:18-19, 22-24 (NLT)

You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.
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No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
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A Reading from the Gospels: Luke 14:1, 7-14 (NLT)

One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely.
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When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

“Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
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“Everlasting God” – Chris Tomlin

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Intercessory Prayer:

Gracious God: you defend the poor, the lowly and the humble; hear their cries in our prayer today –

+ That church leaders may lead with humility…. Lord, hear us.
+ That government leaders may be free of arrogance…. Lord, hear us.
+ That Christians may always treat others with gentleness…. Lord, hear us.
+ That the poor and sick may be treasured, on earth as in heaven…. Lord, hear us.
+ That the crippled, the blind and the lame may receive care and kindness…. Lord, hear us.
+ That those going back to school may learn wisdom and patience…. Lord, hear us.
+ That all the faithful departed may reach their heavenly home, in the city of the living God. Lord, hear us.

Father of the orphan, defender of the poor, you give new life to your people: hear our prayer and guide us along the path of life, through Christ our Lord. Amen
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“You Alone Can Rescue” – Matt Redman

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Benediction:

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
– Ephesians 3:20-21

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