Proper 5B/Ordinary 10B/Pentecost 3

THE SECOND SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST ORDINARY TIME PROPER 5 June 6, 2021 A Liturgy For Worship FOR A BEAD AND A PRAYER CLICK HERE
		Words For Centering God is here. In us, God is here. Open our heart of hearts, O God. That we might know the majesty and wonder of your imminent love. —GLakeDylan Call To Worship There is a Sovereign and there are pretenders. Pretenders are a sham, void of creating, redeeming, and reconciling power. The Sovereign is God. In God is all we ever need. God’s power is at work here and now. Thanks be to God. Let us worship our Sovereign. The realm of God’s Kin-Dom is everlasting, —GLakeDylan The Trisagion Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One: have mercy on us and grant us your peace. —GLakeDylan The Collect For The Day We turn to you, O God, for we have learned the folly of putting our trust in earthly rulers. They promise peace with justice for our children, yet they take them from us and make them to learn warfare and the seek power and wealth. Now, O God, we put our trust in you, assured that, if we seek your justice, we will receive it; that, if we seek your peace, we shall find it—a peace other rulers can neither give nor take away. Blessed are You, O God, and blessed is your peaceable Kin-Dom, now and forevermore. The Gloria Glory be to God, the Holy Trinity. One God as three Persons. Three Persons as one God. World without end. Amen. —GLakeDylan Prayer For Illumination Spirit of the Living God, open our ears, our minds, and our hearts, that we may hear the word you speak this day. —GLakeDylan First Reading 1 Samuel 8: 4–11 (12–15) 16–20 (11: 14–15) The body of elders of Israel came to Samuel at Ramah, and said, “You are old, and your sons pervert your ways. Appoint a ruler to lead us as all the other nations do.” Samuel was not happy when they asked for a ruler to judge them. He prayed to God Most High, however, who responded, “Give to the people whatever they ask for. They are not rejecting you; they reject me as your ruler. As they did from the day I brought them up from Egypt to this day. They desert me and worship other gods, as they are doing to you. Listen to them carefully. But warn them solemnly and let them know the rights of the ruler who will rule them.” Samuel reported to those asking for a ruler all that God Most High said to him. “This is the type of ruler who will rule over you,” Samuel said. “Your ruler will take your youths and make them serve as charioteers or with the cavalry, while others will be made to run in front of the chariots. [Your ruler will appoint some of them as commanders of troops in the military. Others will be forced to plow and harvest the royal fields. Still others will work making weapons of war and equipment for chariots. Your daughters will be taken in slavery as cooks, bakers and makers of perfume. Your ruler will take the best of your fields, your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to various governing officials and attendants. “You will have to tithe your crops and your vineyards for the ruler to use these funds in support of the eunuchs and slaves.] The ruler will take the male and female workers, your best cattle and donkeys and take them for personal use. Your ruler will take a tenth of your flocks and you yourselves will become slaves. On that day you will cry out against the very ruler you chose. But God Most High will not answer your pleas on that day.” The people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning, and said, “No! We must have a ruler over us. Then we will be like other nations who have rulers to lead us and to lead us in warfare and fight our battles.” [Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, it is the time for us to go to Gilgal to establish our reign anew.” So, the people went to Gilgal and proclaimed Saul ruler before God Most High at Gilgal. They sacrificed a peace offering before God Most High. And Saul with all the Israelites celebrated the event with boundless joy.] Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. (altered) Psalmody—Psalm 138 I thank you with all my heart; I sing your praise before the gods. I bow down in front of your holy temple and praise your Name for you have put above everything else your Name and your word. When I called, you answered me—you made me bold and strong of heart. All the rulers of the earth will praise you, God Most High, when they hear the words of your mouth, they will sing about what you have done, O God Most High, and about your great glory. Even though you are so high above, you care for the lowly and see arrogant people from far away. Even when I’m surrounded by troubles, you keep me safe; you oppose the anger of my enemies and save me with your right hand. You will do everything you have promised me. O God, your love is eternal; do not abandon the work of your hands. Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. (altered) Second Reading 2 Corinthians 4: 13-5: 1 But as we have the same spirit of faith that is mentioned in scripture—”I believed and therefore I spoke”—we too believe and therefore speak, knowing that the One who raised the Beloved and Begotten One to life will in turn raise us with God’s Chosen, and place you with us in God’s presence. You see, all of this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow, to the glory of God. That is why we do not lose heart. And though this physical self of ours may be falling into decay, the inner self is renewed day by day. These light and momentary troubles train us to carry the weight of an eternal glory which will make these troubles insignificant by comparison. And we have no eyes for things that are visible, but only for things that are invisible; visible things last only for a time, but the invisible are eternal. For we know that when our earthly tent is folded up, there is waiting for us a house built by God, an everlasting home in the heavens, not made by human hands. Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. (altered) Gradual Alleluia! You alone, O God, have the words of life. Speak to us the good news of the Gospel. For we long for a word of promise and hope. Alleluia! —GLakeDylan Gospel Reading Mark 3: 20– 35 Then Jesus went home, and again such a crowd gathered that he and the disciples were unable even to eat a meal. When Jesus’ relatives heard of this, they went out to take charge of him, thinking that he had lost his mind. The religious scholars who had come down from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “He casts out demons through the ruler of demons.” Summoning them, Jesus spoke in parables: “How can the evil one cast out evil? If a realm is torn by civil strife, it cannot last. If a household is divided according to loyalties, it will not survive. Similarly, if Satan has suffered mutiny in the ranks and is torn by dissension, the evil one is finished and cannot endure. No attacker can enter a stronghold unless the defender is first put under restraint. Only then can the attacker plunder the stronghold. “The truth is, every sin and all the blasphemy the people utter will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness. They are guilty of an eternal sin.” Jesus spoke all this because they said, “He is possessed by an unclean spirit.” Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived and sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting around Jesus, and they said to him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who is my family?” And looking around at everyone there, Jesus said, “This is my family! Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my sister, my brother, my mother.” Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. (altered) Prayer O God, the strength of all those who put their trust in you, mercifully accept our prayers and, because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can-do no-good thing without you, grant us the help of your grace, that in the keeping of your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through your Beloved and Begotten One, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit one God, now and forever. Amen. Prayer of Confession Holy One, you have called us to be united in doing your will, and in this way to be your family. Yet we create dissension and suffer division, we conform to comfortable, empty traditions, and we remain under the influence of the same unclean spirits from which you would set us free. Cleanse us, free us, forgive us, O God. Fill us with your Holy Spirit of renewal. Increase our strength of soul. Regard your lowly servants and unite us in the sacred work of your eternal Kin-Dom. Amen. Words of Pardon And Assurance Let go of your fears and doubts. God pours God’s love on you, in you and through you to others. Be at peace. Amen. Prayer We look to the rulers of this earth for leadership, wisdom, and strength. We look to these bodies of ours for stability, fulfillment, and joy. We look to families and friends for love, compassion, and hope. When rulers betray, when bodies fail, and when families disappoint, God offers another look. God will guide us. God’s Spirit will sustain us. Christ will welcome us home. Come, my sisters and brothers, we are all God’s family now. Adapted from The Abingdon Worship Annual 2012 © 2011 Abingdon Press. (altered) Prayer Of Intercession O God, hear our prayer. We need to know that, beyond us, you are. For while we seek our own salvation, it cannot be had through striving. We think highly of ourselves, O God, but we are not great — only driven by dreams of greatness. And we have stumbled upon such dreams until finally we have fallen and plunged into the pit. We cannot see; the midnight-darkness steals our sight. We cannot breathe; the stale air smothers our breath. We cannot hear; our pounding heart deafens our ears. We cannot bear it. For here, in the pit, we meet our demons, our fiercest enemies, our terrible idols—things seen substituted for things unseen; things fleeting worshiped in place of things eternal. Here, in the pit, the fact of our baseness explodes the myth of our greatness. Here, in the pit, we stand alone. And yet, O God, we are not alone. For suddenly we perceive that we are cowering amid lions. These are the royal powers upon which we may call—powers you have set within us to prey upon the demons and consume the false gods. Give us courage in their presence; let us trust them. By devouring all within us that is not yours, they shall carry us up and out of the pit. Yes, O God, we shall be saved! Reveal to us our potential for evil and for good, that the pit might become the crest of your mountain, and our fall, a fall upward to you. Amen. The Prayer Of Jesus (adapted by author) Our God, like a Mother and a Father, in heaven is your dwelling. Most holy is your Name. Your Kin-Dom come that your will be done, here on earth as it is in heaven. Give each this day the portion they need and teach us to share with those who have less. For us our wrong doings and we forgive those who have wronged us. You do not put us to the test, but your deliver us from all evil. For yours is the realm, the power, and the glory. Amen. —GLakeDylan Sending Forth Prepare us, O God, to become ambassadors of peace and hope. Help us to place our trust in you, so that when we are serving others, they may come to know your abiding love and power. Give us courage and boundless joy as we serve you. A BEAD AND A PRAYER For the Second Sunday After Pentecost CROSS God of grace, you have given us minds knowing you, hearts to love you, and voices to sing your praise. Fill us with your spirit that we may celebrate your glory and truly worship you. INVITATORY God of grace, you have given us minds knowing you, hearts to love you, and voices to sing your praise. Fill us with your spirit that we may celebrate your glory and truly worship you. CRUCIFORM In the times of trouble, when all seemed hopeless, I cried out to God. And God Most High heard my pleas and answered me. When I felt lost and alone, I looked for God. And God found me and brought me home. When my life was filled with joy and blessing, I danced and praised God. And God danced and rejoiced with me. Thanks be to God. WEEK I 1 Samuel 8: 4–11 (12–15) 16–20 (11: 14–15) ╬ The body of elders of Israel came to Samuel and said, “You are old, and your sons pervert your ways. Appoint a ruler to lead us as all the other nations do.” ╬ Samuel was not happy when they asked for a ruler to judge them. He prayed to God Most High, however, who responded, “Give to the people whatever they ask for. They are not rejecting you; they reject me as your ruler. But warn them solemnly and let them know the rights of the ruler who will rule them.” ╬ “This is the type of ruler who will rule over you,” Samuel said. “Your ruler will take your youths and make them serve as pawns in warfare, some on the front lines of battle. Others will be forced to plow and harvest the royal fields. Still others will work making weapons of war and equipment for military use. Your daughters will be taken as cooks, bakers and makers of perfume. ╬ Your ruler will take the best of your fields, your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to various governing officials and attendants. “You will have to tithe your crops and your vineyards for the ruler to use these funds in support of the eunuchs and slaves. ╬ The ruler will take the male and female workers, your best cattle and donkeys and take them for personal use. Your ruler will take a tenth of your flocks and you yourselves will become slaves. On that day you will cry out against the very ruler you chose. But God Most High will not answer your pleas on that day.” ╬ The people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning, and said, “No! We must have a ruler over us. Then we will be like other nations who have rulers to lead us and to lead us in warfare and fight our battles.” ╬ Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, it is the time for us to go to Gilgal to establish our reign anew.” So the people went to Gilgal and proclaimed Saul ruler before God Most High at Gilgal. They sacrificed a peace offering before God Most High. And Saul with all the Israelites celebrated the event with great joy. Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. (altered) CRUCIFORM We choose not to give in to fear: Even when we are threatened by violence and abuse, we choose to believe in the power of love. We choose not to be led by despair: Even when dreams fail and the world seems to grow colder and more broken, we choose to believe in the power of hope. We choose not to be blinded by cynicism: Even when joy and celebration feel naïve and frivolous, we choose to believe in the power of faith. We choose not to be over-awed by death: Even when grief shuts out all other voices, we choose to believe in the power of life. In every time, in each place, with all people may your resurrection rise up within us, and lead us to new, creative, healing choices. Amen. —from: sacredise.com (altered) WEEK II Psalm 138 ╬ I thank you with all my heart; I sing your praise before the gods. ╬ I bow down in front of your holy temple and praise your Name for you have put above everything else your Name and your word. ╬ When I called, you answered me—you made me bold and strong of heart. ╬ All the rulers of the earth will praise you, God Most High, when they hear the words of your mouth, they will sing about what you have done, God Most High, and about your great glory. ╬ Even though you are so high above, you care for the lowly and see arrogant people from far away. ╬ Even when I’m surrounded by troubles, you keep me safe; you oppose the anger of my enemies and save me with your right hand. ╬ You will do everything you have promised me. God Most High, your love is eternal; don’t abandon the work of your hands. Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. (altered) CRUCIFORM It’s not that we don’t want to change, God, it’s just that change is really hard. the challenges of the world threaten to overwhelm us, the struggles of living each day come close to being too much, and so, we are tempted to grab the quick-fix, the easy solution, and inevitably, we are disappointed. So, we pray, reach into our hearts with courage and hope, to embrace the tough transformations, to make the real and lasting changes, to seek the truly good answers. for the sake of our families and communities, our countries and our continents, our people and our planet, for the sake of our very selves. May we find together and alone, the strength to climb the mountain and see your glory. and then to walk to the cross, through the pain, until we know the joy and glory of resurrection. Amen. —from: sacredise.com (altered) WEEK III 2 Corinthians 4: 13— 5: 1 ╬ But as we have the same spirit of faith that is mentioned in scripture—”I believed and therefore I spoke.” ╬ We too believe and therefore speak, knowing that the One who raised Jesus to life will in turn raise us with Jesus, and place you with us in God’s presence. ╬ You see, all of this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow, to the glory of God. ╬ That is why we don’t lose heart. And though this physical self of ours may be falling into decay, the inner self is renewed day by day. ╬ These light and momentary troubles train us to carry the weight of an eternal glory which will make these troubles insignificant by comparison. ╬ And we have no eyes for things that are visible, but only for things that are invisible; visible things last only for a time, but the invisible are eternal. ╬ For we know that when our earthly tent is folded up, there is waiting for us a house built by God, an everlasting home in the heavens, not made by human hands. Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. (altered) CRUCIFORM We like our agendas, O God, we like to set priorities and plan outcomes. and we want the world to follow. But too often our agendas are not your agenda, and that can’t be good for us or for our world. So, we pray, that your agenda would prevail in our hearts, in our words, in our priorities, in our relationships, in our actions. May our world be captured by the beauty and grace that flow from your Kin-Dom purposes. wherever there is violence, wherever there is division, wherever there is disease, wherever there is need, wherever there is grief, wherever there is despair, may human experience be shaped by your awesome, creative reign. Amen. —from: sacredise.com (altered) WEEK IV Mark 3: 20–35 ╬ Then Jesus went home, and again such a crowd gathered that he and the disciples were unable even to eat a meal. When Jesus’ relatives heard of this, they went out to take charge of him, thinking that he had lost his mind. ╬ The religious scholars who had come down from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by the Evil One,” and, “He casts out demons through the ruler of demons.” ╬ Summoning them, Jesus spoke in parables: “How can the evil one cast out evil? If a realm is torn by civil strife, it cannot last. If a household is divided according to loyalties, it will not survive. Similarly, if the evil one has suffered mutiny in the ranks and is torn by dissension, evil is finished and cannot endure. ╬ No attacker can enter a stronghold unless the defender is first put under restraint. Only then can the attacker plunder the stronghold. ╬ “The truth is, every sin and all the blasphemy the people utter will be forgiven, but those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness. They are guilty of an eternal sin.” Jesus spoke all this because they said, “He is possessed by an unclean spirit.” ╬ Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived and sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting around Jesus, and they said to him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” ╬ Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who is my family?” And looking around at everyone there, Jesus said, “This is my family! Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my sister, my brother, my mother.” Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible. Sheed & Ward. (altered) CRUCIFORM O Beloved and Begotten One of God, whose greatest moments of triumph happen backstage, in sublime and humble ways. We have worshipped you and heard once again your call to be followers of Jesus, in service to the world. There are so many people and things that call for our allegiance so many things seeking to rule over us, be they others, our own brokenness, and those times when wisdom and courage are absent. But you have entered this world as the true Sovereign, even in gentle kindness, love of peace, and desire of justice. There are so many things that seek our energy and resources for their own sakes so many demands seeking our souls for their own glory. But you come ushering in your Kin-Dom, a Kin-Dom where the least are the greatest, where the meek inherit the earth, and where children are the best example of citizenship. A Kin-Dom which seeks to bring life, not drain it. There are so many things that draw our attention. So many realities that seek our faith and assent. But you bring a new kind of reality, a reality where death does not have the last word. A reality where pride, selfishness and evil are defeated by love and self-giving. A reality which does not in arrogance parade itself for all to see, but fills every moment, every situation and everything with life, while waiting for us to discover it. And so, we cry, from our hearts, “Come to us as the Sovereign One who rules over all, and includes all. Blessed are you and blessed is your Kin-Dom, forevermore. —from: sacredise.com (altered) INVITATORY Sovereign God, we believe that you have a holy purpose for us, a redeeming work that we would ask you to fulfill through us, even as you bring us to maturity. Consecrate us with your Spirit that we may play our respective roles in your holy order and show forth the glory of your new creation. CROSS You are the children of the Most High God. You are the family of Christ, God’s Anointed, the Ruler of all creation. You are sacred vessels of the Holy Spirit. So, take up your noble calling: Be a blessing to God and to your neighbors; do God’s will in everything and be at peace.