Proper 29
Worship
Aids To The Psalms
O come, let us sing to the Lord,
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
when your ancestors tested me,
and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray,
and they do not regard my ways."
Therefore in my anger I swore,
"They shall not enter my rest."
Alternate Image
The Singer stands at the steps of the most beautiful church he has ever seen. The Singer spies another traveler who arrives wearing threadbare, but clean, clothes. He shuffles humbly up the steps and pauses. A young man comes to him and gently leads the man up the steps. As they near the entrance of the building the man stops, bows his head low and appears fearful to enter the building. His young escort tenderly encourages him to raise his head and enter the building. The Singer follows. The traveler again stops as if he fears his feel will desecrate this holy place. His guide gently but firmly leads him down the aisle between massive pews where people bow in silent meditation. They arrive at the chancel where the Lord's table resides. He mumbles to his host that he is not worthy to approach the table and prostrates himself on the floor. His host kindly lifts him to his feet and brings him to the table.
Later, outside again, the Singer spies a little girl running up the steps of the church. The same young man greets her at the top of the steps with a hug. Hand in hand they dash through the door of the sanctuary and skip down the aisle. Her friend lifts her up and sets her on the communion table.
Reflection
Who is worthy to enter the house of God? No one! As the years pass by many of us come to feel and understand that more and more. Who is invited into God's home? Everyone. The exuberant children seem to understand naturally. They scamper and play in a church until some adult tells them not to. Children know what we have to learn about Christ - that we are loved and it is perfectly okay to express our joy of being loved in many ways. Our liturgies speak about our thanks and call us to sing and make joyful noises. It is the buoyant ecstatic children who often show us how.
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
O that today you would listen to his voice!
Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
when your ancestors tested me,
and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray,
and they do not regard my ways."
Therefore in my anger I swore,
"They shall not enter my rest."
Alternate Image
The Singer stands at the steps of the most beautiful church he has ever seen. The Singer spies another traveler who arrives wearing threadbare, but clean, clothes. He shuffles humbly up the steps and pauses. A young man comes to him and gently leads the man up the steps. As they near the entrance of the building the man stops, bows his head low and appears fearful to enter the building. His young escort tenderly encourages him to raise his head and enter the building. The Singer follows. The traveler again stops as if he fears his feel will desecrate this holy place. His guide gently but firmly leads him down the aisle between massive pews where people bow in silent meditation. They arrive at the chancel where the Lord's table resides. He mumbles to his host that he is not worthy to approach the table and prostrates himself on the floor. His host kindly lifts him to his feet and brings him to the table.
Later, outside again, the Singer spies a little girl running up the steps of the church. The same young man greets her at the top of the steps with a hug. Hand in hand they dash through the door of the sanctuary and skip down the aisle. Her friend lifts her up and sets her on the communion table.
Reflection
Who is worthy to enter the house of God? No one! As the years pass by many of us come to feel and understand that more and more. Who is invited into God's home? Everyone. The exuberant children seem to understand naturally. They scamper and play in a church until some adult tells them not to. Children know what we have to learn about Christ - that we are loved and it is perfectly okay to express our joy of being loved in many ways. Our liturgies speak about our thanks and call us to sing and make joyful noises. It is the buoyant ecstatic children who often show us how.
