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"The poor invited to the feast," 1973, JESUS MAFA, painting. Cameroon.

Theme of the Day

Invited and inviting—that is the nature of the church. By God’s grace in holy baptism we have a place at Christ’s banquet table. When, by the power of that same Spirit, humility and mutual love continue among us, the church can be more inviting still.

The Collect for Sunday

O God, you resist those who are proud and give grace to those who are humble. Give us the humility of your Son, that we may embody the generosity of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. 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 Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
  • In our diocese, we pray for St. John the Evangelist, Winona, the Reverend Antonio Illas, Rector; the Reverend Paul Whitehouse, Assistant Priest; and the people of that parish.
  • In our neighbourhood we pray for Beth Jacob Synagogue, Rabbi Hillel Israel and the people of that congregation.
  • In our parish cycle of prayer we pray for Emily, Gareth, Bev, James, Jean-Luc, Emily, Xavier, Pradeep, Ranmalee, and Sue.We pray also for our small group ministry, for all groups and their members.

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

The Readings for Sunday

First Reading: Proverbs 25:6-7

The book of Proverbs is part of a collection of writings known as wisdom literature. Wisdom literature gave directions to Israel’s leaders and people for the conduct of daily life. Today’s reading is about humility.

 6Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
  or stand in the place of the great;
 7for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
  than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

First Reading (alternate): Sirach 10:12-18

The book of Sirach, like the book of Proverbs, is part of a collection of writings known as wisdom literature. In today’s reading, the writer warns against the sin of pride, proclaiming that God will utterly overthrow the proud.

 12The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;
  the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.
 13For the beginning of pride is sin,
  and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.
 Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities,
  and destroys them completely.
 14The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers,
  and enthrones the lowly in their place.
 15The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations,
  and plants the humble in their place.
 16The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations,
  and destroys them to the foundations of the earth.
 17He removes some of them and destroys them,
  and erases the memory of them from the earth.
 18Pride was not created for human beings,
  or violent anger for those born of women.

Psalm: Psalm 112

The righteous are merciful and full of compassion. (Ps. 112:4)

 1Hallelujah! Happy are they who | fear the Lord
  and have great delight in | God’s commandments!
 2Their descendants will be mighty | in the land;
  the generation of the upright | will be blessed. R
 3Wealth and riches will be | in their house,
  and their righteousness will | last forever.
 4Light shines in the darkness | for the upright;
  the righteous are merciful and full | of compassion.
 5It is good for them to be gener- | ous in lending
  and to manage their af- | fairs with justice.
 6For they will nev- | er be shaken;
  the righteous will be kept in everlast- | ing remembrance. R
 7They will not be afraid of any | evil rumors;
  their heart is steadfast, trusting | in the Lord.
 8Their heart is established and | will not shrink,
  until they see their desire up- | on their enemies.
 9They have given freely to the poor, and their righteousness stands | fast forever;
   they will hold up their | head with honor.
 10The wicked will see it and be angry; they will gnash their teeth and | pine away;
  the desires of the wick- | ed will perish. R

Second Reading: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

The conclusion of the letter to the Hebrews contains suggestions for the conduct of a holy life, all of which are shaped by God’s love toward us in Jesus Christ.

1Let mutual love continue. 2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. 4Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. 5Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” 6So we can say with confidence,
 “The Lord is my helper;
  I will not be afraid.
 What can anyone do to me?”
 7Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 15Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Gospel: Luke 14:1, 7-14

Jesus observes guests jockeying for position at the table. He uses the opportunity to teach his hearers to choose humility rather than self-exaltation. Jesus also makes an appeal for hosts to imitate God’s gracious hospitality to those in need.

1On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.
 7When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
 12He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Semicontinuous First Reading: Jeremiah 2:4-13

God, who has been faithful in leading Israel through the wilderness into a good land, calls upon the heavens to witness the incredible foolishness of a people who, under the flawed leadership of priests, rulers, and prophets, willingly abandon God’s life-giving water for leaky cisterns.

4Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. 5Thus says the Lord:
 What wrong did your ancestors find in me
  that they went far from me,
 and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves?
 6They did not say, “Where is the Lord
  who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
 who led us in the wilderness,
  in a land of deserts and pits,
 in a land of drought and deep darkness,
  in a land that no one passes through,
  where no one lives?”
 7I brought you into a plentiful land
  to eat its fruits and its good things.
 But when you entered you defiled my land,
  and made my heritage an abomination.
 8The priests did not say, “Where is the Lord?”
  Those who handle the law did not know me;
 the rulers transgressed against me;
  the prophets prophesied by Baal,
  and went after things that do not profit.

 9Therefore once more I accuse you,
 says the Lord,
  and I accuse your children’s children.
 10Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
  send to Kedar and examine with care;
  see if there has ever been such a thing.
 11Has a nation changed its gods,
  even though they are no gods?
 But my people have changed their glory
  for something that does not profit.
 12Be appalled, O heavens, at this,
  be shocked, be utterly desolate,
 says the Lord,
 13for my people have committed two evils:
  they have forsaken me,
 the fountain of living water,
  and dug out cisterns for themselves,
 cracked cisterns
  that can hold no water.

Semicontinuous Psalm: Psalm 81:1, 10-16

I feed you with the finest wheat and satisfy you with honey from the rock. (Ps. 81:16)

 1Sing with joy to | God our strength
  and raise a loud shout to the | God of Jacob.
 10“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the | land of Egypt.
  Open your mouth wide, and | I will fill it.
 11Yet my people did not | hear my voice,
  and Israel would | not obey me.
 12So I gave them over to the stubbornness | of their hearts,
  to follow their | own devices. R
 13Oh, that my people would lis- | ten to me,
  that Israel would walk | in my ways!
 14I would quickly sub- | due their enemies
  and turn my hand a- | gainst their foes.
 15Those who hate the Lord would | cringe in fear,
  and their punishment would | last forever.
 16But I would feed you with the | finest wheat
  and satisfy you with honey | from the rock.” R

This Week in Holy Time

  • Sunday (28): Twelvth Sunday after Pentecost (The Lord's Day).
  • Monday (29): The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist (Holy Day).
  • Tuesday (31): Robert McDonald, Priest in the Western Arctic, 1913 (Commemoration).
  • Wednesday (31): Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne, Missionary, 651 (Commemoration).
  • Thursday (Sep 1): Feria. The Season of Creation Begins.
  • Friday (2): Martyrs of New Guinea, 1942 (Memorial). Day of self-discipline and self-denial. Season of Creation. 
  • Saturday (3): Monica, Mother of Augustine if Hippo, 387 (Commemoration). Eve of Sunday. Season of Creation. 
  • Sunday (4): Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (The Lord's Day). Season of Creation. 
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