Proper 22 Yr A
You shall . . .
Sorel Etrog, Moses sculpture, University of Lethbridge. Read about this work.
Chagall, Marc, "Exodus", Chagall's depiction of the escape via the Red Sea through Moses' receipt of the Ten Commandments. https://www.marcchagall.net/exodus.jsp.
Published date 10/4/2023
Editor's note: During the season of Pentecost, churches that use the Revised Common Lectionary have two options. One, often called "semicontinuous" or "Track 1", provides more detail about the Old Testament stories. The other, called "complementary" or "Track 2", more closely marries the Old Testament lesson to the gospel reading.
Introduction
How shall we behave? We have our "marching orders", if you will. Let's look at each scriptural reference. In Exodus, we have the directives for living a godly life (aka the commandments). Each of the directives reminds us how we "shall" (notice the verb tense) behave. Many of these are easy to accomplish. Or are they? In Isaiah, we hear how God worked hard for his people so they would become pleasant in God's sight. We also hear how God deals with those who do not respond to his hard work. Paul tells the Philippians that he was highly revered in his life before Christ—followed all directives and worked hard for his people. But Paul also says he lost everything to follow Jesus and that was the right thing to do: the prize was Jesus and all else was folly.
The final part of the lectionary is the "Parable of the Tenants," an awful parable. The tenants were badly behaved to begin but chose to kill the landowner's son because they thought there would be a greater reward for the tenants. How wrong-headed is that thinking? And Jesus reminds his disciples that God has created a cornerstone (Jesus) for those who listen to him and live a godly life.
For us, then, the cornerstone is Jesus, the injunctions, God’s love for us, our work toward the prize, and bearing fruit. What’s your foundation like? Comments welcome.
Matthew 21:33-46
. . . Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:
‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’? . . .
From sermon4kids.com: “The great news is we have a Savior in Jesus who loves us even when our lives are messy. When we trust Him as Savior, He is our help and gives us strength to obey His laws. Let’s ask God to help us obey Him.”
Scripture: October 8, 2023, Proper 22 (Pentecost 17) Year A—Track 1: Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20 (image); Psalm 19 (image); Track 2: Isaiah 5:1-7 (image); Psalm 80:7-14 (image); Philippians 3:4b-14 (image); and Matthew 21:33-46 (image). Illuminating the scripture, an image and audio journey.
Collect: Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Reflection:
Track 1: What has been holding you captive? What would you lose if you claimed Sabbath rest? What would you gain?
Track 2: Study the parable of the Landowner and the Vineyard. What are the “fruits of the kingdom” to which Jesus alludes in Matthew 21:43? How does your life bear fruit for God’s realm? What do you contribute to the harvest of God that Jesus describes?
Source: Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year A, Volume 2 © 2014 Westminster John Knox Press.
Eye Candy:
“Parable of the tenants of the vineyard” by Jan Luyken;
“The slaying of the Lord’s son” by Rosetti;
Jesus Christ is the cornerstone;
"Restore us" (contemporary), digital art by Lisle Gwynn Garrity;
"Vinyard Parable" (contemporary), digital art by Anna Strickland
Ear Worm:
“Christ is made the sure foundation“, papal music;
“O rex gentium“, plainsong;
“O sacred head now wounded” peaceful
Brain Food:
“Wild Grapes, Wicked Tenants,” and God the Constant Gardener by Rev. Todd Weir;
“What if earth were God’s vineyard” by Shannell Smith;
“Identified Sinners” from the Waking Dreamer weblog
Parables:
“Sophie Scholl: The Final Days” (2005, not rated), female freedom fighter in Nazi Germany, the story of “The White Rose”, Review;
“The Encounter” (2010, not rated, TV series in 2016), 5 people stranded together with salvation close at hand, Review;
“To save a life” (2009), young man must sacrifice dreams to save others, Review
Hymn Notes: Here's a teaser of information about plainsong. Go to the Wikipedia page to learn more.
"Plainsong developed during the earliest centuries of Christianity, influenced possibly by the music of the Jewish synagogue and certainly by the Greek modal system. It has its own system of notation.
As the number of chants in the church's repertoire increased, officials needed a better way to standardize the music. A unique form of musical notation was developed to help standardize the music and provide a reference for the performers and audience alike. The musical notations that were used were called neumes, and they are employed on a four-line staff, unlike the five-line staff we are accustomed to today."
For families: Study guide and activities, (former guide), group activity, snacks—Pop a bunch of popcorn & give a bag to each & eat one popped kernel at a time while repeating "God forgives over and over", kid video
For children: See family guide/activities (other activity); bulletin, craft—color "Parable" below
For middlers: See family guide/activities (other activity); bulletin, craft
For youth: Instead of looking at the parable, consider Paul’s words from Philippians 3:4b-14. Paul had all the right credentials, the cool connections, and the proper pedigree. Once Christ encountered him, however, he gave up everything that had held meaning for him and turned his eyes toward Jesus. Instead of Mr. Cool, Paul became a holy fool in the eyes of the world. He turned from striving for power and prestige to pressing on toward the prize of eternal life. What does “. . . press on toward the goal for the prize . . .” mean to you? What are the challenges? What are the rewards? How and where do you find strength to press on?
(excerpted from “Cultivate a harvest of grace and gratitude” from the Stewardship of Life website)Extra: Video for “Why does the Bible contradict itself?”
Comments welcome.
In today’s liturgy, we have a parable warning us as God’s people to be faithful to God, lest God turn away from us. This parable may have been a simple story about the need to seize the opportunity God holds out. Matthew has taken images, especially from today’s Old Testament reading, and allegorized the original story to make a point which the Church in his day needed to hear and which we need to hear today.
Track 1. For months, we have been reading the history of the establishment of God’s people, beginning with Abraham and Sarah. It has led us to the Exodus from Egypt. Today the journey through the wilderness has come to Mount Sinai. Here God establishes the law by which his people are to live in the giving of the Ten Commandments.
Track 2. The first reading is Isaiah’s “Song of the Vineyard.” Here the prophet starts with a simple song about agriculture but turns it around into a warning to the leaders and the people of Israel in his day.
Paul calls on the church in Philippi to hold fast to their faith and practice. We are not to be anxious about anything, rather we should expend our energy reaching out to be the kind of people God calls us to be. For we are citizens of heaven, Paul tells us, and we are destined for glory.
God’s people need the warnings of the prophets and of Jesus to balance our knowledge that we have been redeemed. While God’s action of redeeming us is set and established, we must nevertheless live the lives of redeemed people. Our weekly gatherings in Eucharist are not meant to lull us into complacency but to strengthen us and equip us to follow the Way of Christ.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2007 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.