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"Tree of Hope," (2013), Julie Leuthold, painting.

Theme of the Day

Remember the sabbath day. Call the sabbath a delight. This is the Lord’s day, and the Lord will do for us what the Lord does: feed us, forgive us, help and heal us. Rejoice at all the wonderful things God is doing.

The Collect for Sunday

O God, mighty and immortal, you know that as fragile creatures surrounded by great dangers, we cannot by ourselves stand upright. Give us strength of mind and body, so that even when we suffer because of human sin, we may rise victorious through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen.

Prayer Intentions

The prayers of the church are offered especially:

  • for the renewal of creation;
  • for peace in the world and especially for an end to the war in Ukraine;
  • for all refugees, especially those from Afghanistan seeking refuge in Canada;
  • for the needs of the world, especially at this time of continuing pandemic;
  • for those who are particularly vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus;
  • for those who are sick and those awaiting surgeries postponed;
  • for the healing of racial inequality, prejudice, bigotry, systemic racism, injustice, and hatred;
  • for all who grieve for lost children, for the survivors of Indian Residential Schools, and for generational healing;
  • for those who are homeless;
  • for all those who mourn, who are lonely, or suffer from depression;
  • for all those who work for reconciliation and the common good;
  • for Elizabeth our Queen and all those set in authority under her, for Justin, the Prime Minister of Canada and all members of parliament; Doug, the Premier of Ontario and all member of the legistlature; Fred, the mayor of Hamilton and those who serve on city council;
  • for the whole church: for Susan, our Diocesan Bishop; for David and Brian, our priests; for all bish­ops, priests and dea­cons; and for all the bap­tized: that God may accomplish God's work in and through us for the sake of the world;
  • for our parish in this time of transition;
  • for all for whom we have been asked to pray, especially Olga, Jane, and Barb;
  • for those who are dying and all those who have departed from this life and are at rest. 

In our cycles of prayer:

  • With the worldwide Anglican Communion, we pray for The Episcopal / Anglican Province of Alexandria. 
  • In our diocese, we pray for St. John the Evangelist, Thorold, the Reverend Canon Katherine Morgan, Rector and the people of that parish.. 
  • In our neighbourhood we pray for  St Joseph Roman Catholic Parish, Monsignor Murray Kroetsch, Pastor; and the people of that parish. 
  • In our parish cycle of prayer we pray for Adele, Josh, Alder, Edda, Bill, Thomas, Priscilla, Leandra, Ranen, Paul, Andy, Orla, Aedhan, and Fionn. We pray also for all who work behind the scenes to enhance our worship: for all members of the Sacristy Guild; for all Servers and other Eucharistic Ministers.  

Prayer requests to be included on the following Sunday can be submitted here by the Thursday morning before.

The Readings for Sunday

First Reading: Isaiah 58:9b-14

God promises those who have returned from exile that where justice and mercy prevail, the ruins will be rebuilt and light will rise in the darkness. It is a day for new beginnings.

 9bIf you remove the yoke from among you,
  the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
 10if you offer your food to the hungry
  and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,
 then your light shall rise in the darkness
  and your gloom be like the noonday.
 11The Lord will guide you continually,
  and satisfy your needs in parched places,
  and make your bones strong;
 and you shall be like a watered garden,
  like a spring of water,
  whose waters never fail.
 12Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
  you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
 you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
  the restorer of streets to live in.
 13If you refrain from trampling the sabbath,
  from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;
 if you call the sabbath a delight
  and the holy day of the Lord honorable;
 if you honor it, not going your own ways,
  serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs;
 14then you shall take delight in the Lord,
  and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth;
 I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob,
  for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Psalm: Psalm 103:1-8

The Lord crowns you with mercy and steadfast love. (Ps. 103:4)

 1Bless the Lord, | O my soul,
  and all that is within me, bless God’s | holy name.
 2Bless the Lord, | O my soul,
  and forget not | all God’s benefits—
 3who forgives | all your sins
  and heals all | your diseases;
 4who redeems your life | from the grave
  and crowns you with steadfast | love and mercy; R
 5who satisfies your desires | with good things
  so that your youth is renewed | like an eagle’s.
 6O Lord, you provide | vindication
  and justice for all who | are oppressed.
 7You made known your | ways to Moses
  and your works to the chil- | dren of Israel.
 8Lord, you are full of compas- | sion and mercy,
  slow to anger and abounding in | steadfast love. R

Second Reading: Hebrews 12:18-29

Using images of Moses, the writer presents a striking vision of the new covenant of God made possible in Christ. There is no longer fear; only awe in the new promise in Christ into which we are invited.

18You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, 19and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. 20(For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.” 21Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”) 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
 25See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! 26At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” 27This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what is shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29for indeed our God is a consuming fire.

Gospel: Luke 13:10-17

Jesus heals a woman on the sabbath, offering her a new beginning for her life. When challenged by a narrow reading of the sabbath command, Jesus responds by expanding “sabbath work” to include setting people free from bondage.

10Now [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. 12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” 13When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. 14But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” 15But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? 16And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?” 17When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.

Semicontinuous First Reading: Jeremiah 1:4-10

The call of the prophet Jeremiah does not depend on Jeremiah’s abilities or age. God will give him the words to speak. Even before Jeremiah was born, God appointed him a prophet to the nations, to minister in the difficult years before the Babylonian exile.

4Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
 5“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
 and before you were born I consecrated you;
 I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” 7But the Lord said to me,
 “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’;
 for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
 and you shall speak whatever I command you.
 8Do not be afraid of them,
 for I am with you to deliver you,
 says the Lord.”
9Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me,
 “Now I have put my words in your mouth.
 10See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
 to pluck up and to pull down,
 to destroy and to overthrow,
 to build and to plant.”

Semicontinuous Psalm: Psalm 71:1-6

From my mother’s womb you have been my strength. (Ps. 71:6)

 1In you, O Lord, have I | taken refuge;
  let me never be | put to shame.
 2In your righteousness, deliver me and | set me free;
  incline your ear to | me and save me.
 3Be my strong rock, a castle to | keep me safe;
  you are my crag | and my stronghold.
 4Deliver me, my God, from the hand | of the wicked,
  from the clutches of the evildoer and | the oppressor. R
 5For you are my hope, | O Lord God,
  my confidence since | I was young.
 6I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother’s womb you have | been my strength;
  my praise shall be al- | ways of you. R

This Week in Holy Time

  • Sunday (21): Eleventh.Sunday after Pentecost, The Lord's Day.
  • Monday (22): Feria.
  • Tuesday (23): Feria.
  • Wednesday (24): Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, (Holy Day).
  • Thursday (25): Feria.
  • Friday (26): Feria; Day of self-discipline and self-denial.
  • Saturday (27): Monica, Mother of Augustine if Hippo, 387 (Commemoration); Eve of Sunday.
  • Sunday (28): Twelvth Sunday after Pentecost, The Lord's Day.
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