Proper 19/Pentecost 17/Ordinary Time 24
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series III, Cycle A
Object:
Prayer Of The Day
P: Heavenly Father, to live out our faith in this world is no easy task, yet again and again you show us the way. We give you thanks that the depth of your forgiveness is beyond measure and we pray that by the power of your Spirit we might be made anew in your image, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C: Amen.
Gospel Drama/Readers' Theater
This may be used immediately preceding the sermon as an extended introduction. Two readers are needed, one man and one woman.
Jack: Honey, I'm home.
Linda: Honey, I'm home, too.
Jack: How was your day?
Linda: Fine, and yours?
Jack: Difficult.
Linda: Would you like to tell me about it while I make supper?
Jack: Well, it happened in the office next to mine at the bank. A man from across town who owns a whole street of apartment buildings was called in for a conversation with Bob, my boss, because he had a business loan he couldn't pay. It was way overdue. When he came in, I knew it would be awful, but I didn't know how awful. Somehow Bob had left the door open just a little, and we could all hear. He was groveling, practically on his knees, whining about the interest rates and the NASDAQ. Bob's a good businessman, and much to my surprise he said he'd see if he could re-calculate the interest and the payments. No way to run a bank -- but he did it. He saved the man tens of thousands of dollars. If he doesn't make too many more mistakes, the next twenty years will be far easier for his family.
Linda: So what's so difficult about that?
Jack: It's what happened next.
Linda: So -- what happened next?
Jack: Bob walked the man past my desk into the lobby, and after he said good-bye and sent the man on his way, there was a terrible commotion in the lobby.
Linda: Was the man involved?
Jack: You bet he was! It seems that he had run into someone who owed him last month's rent and there was 180-degree turnaround in his attitude from when he was with Bob. No more Mr. Nice Guy here. He took the man by the throat and slammed him hard into one of the pillars. He was slapping him around and screaming at him that if he didn't pay today, there were some men who were going to make sure that his life was a living hell. He would send some friends over to "take care" of him -- you know, rough him up even more.
Linda: Did you do anything to stop him?
Jack: No, I didn't have to, Bob did. He's a big man and he went running out there and took hold of this jerk, put one hand on his collar and one on the seat of his pants, and ushered him out the door and said, "I'm canceling the loan. I'm pulling it before it's processed. You make your payments. That's it. I don't ever want to see your ugly face here again. Now get out, and stay out!" We were all in shock. Bob's a fair man. I knew he could be tough if he had to be, but I've never seen anything like this. And it wasn't like he was being mean to the guy. It was like he was a parent teaching an ornery kid an important lesson.
Linda: For his own good?
Jack: Yeah, but not in a punishing kind of way. It was more like he was trying to save this guy from himself. Maybe paying off the debt for the next twenty years is what it will take for him to show simple human kindness to someone who really needs help.
Linda: Makes me think about the Lord's Prayer ... you know, the old translation, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."
Jack: Or the new one, "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."
Linda: Maybe it's in how we treat our neighbor that we receive the forgiveness that God intends for us.
Jack: Maybe it is. Tell me some more....
Intercessory Prayer
After each petition:
L: God of forgiveness,
C: hear our prayer.
Offertory Prayer
A: Blessed are you, O Lord, our God, maker of all things.
Blessed are you and blessed are your gifts.
C: We give you thanks that through this holy meal we experience forgiveness and new life.
With these gifts we offer our lives in service and in praise of the one who rules the world in love, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Benediction
Sing together Bwana Awabariki as a way to emphasize our common life in the household of faith.
Hymns And Songs
At The Name Of Jesus -- LBW 179; UMH 168; PH 148; MBW 480; G&P 424
Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive -- LBW 307; UMH 390; PH 347; MBW 377
To You, Omniscient Lord Of All -- LBW 310 (alt. tune: RYBURN)
O Sun Of Justice -- WOV 659 (alt. tune: ANGELUS)
Great God, Your Love Has Called Us Here -- WOV 666; PH 353; MBW 579
God! When Human Bonds Are Broken -- WOV 735
Bwana Awabariki -- TFF 162; GATHER 411
When I Think Of The Goodness Of Jesus -- TFF 269
When We Eat This Bread -- G&P 510
Psalm Settings
Bless The Lord, O My Soul -- WOV 790
Each Morning Brings Us -- WOV 800
O My Soul, Bless Your Redeemer -- PH 223
O My Soul, Bless God, The Father -- MBW 458
Psalm 103: The Lord Is Kind And Merciful -- GATHER 89
Choral Music
"The Enfolding" -- David Cherwien (Neil A. Kjos Music)
"Break The Bread" -- Natalie Sleeth (Hinshaw Music)
"New Beginnings" -- Carlton R. Young (Hope Publishing)
"Ubi Caritas" -- Laurence Rosania (Oregon Catholic Press)
P: Heavenly Father, to live out our faith in this world is no easy task, yet again and again you show us the way. We give you thanks that the depth of your forgiveness is beyond measure and we pray that by the power of your Spirit we might be made anew in your image, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C: Amen.
Gospel Drama/Readers' Theater
This may be used immediately preceding the sermon as an extended introduction. Two readers are needed, one man and one woman.
Jack: Honey, I'm home.
Linda: Honey, I'm home, too.
Jack: How was your day?
Linda: Fine, and yours?
Jack: Difficult.
Linda: Would you like to tell me about it while I make supper?
Jack: Well, it happened in the office next to mine at the bank. A man from across town who owns a whole street of apartment buildings was called in for a conversation with Bob, my boss, because he had a business loan he couldn't pay. It was way overdue. When he came in, I knew it would be awful, but I didn't know how awful. Somehow Bob had left the door open just a little, and we could all hear. He was groveling, practically on his knees, whining about the interest rates and the NASDAQ. Bob's a good businessman, and much to my surprise he said he'd see if he could re-calculate the interest and the payments. No way to run a bank -- but he did it. He saved the man tens of thousands of dollars. If he doesn't make too many more mistakes, the next twenty years will be far easier for his family.
Linda: So what's so difficult about that?
Jack: It's what happened next.
Linda: So -- what happened next?
Jack: Bob walked the man past my desk into the lobby, and after he said good-bye and sent the man on his way, there was a terrible commotion in the lobby.
Linda: Was the man involved?
Jack: You bet he was! It seems that he had run into someone who owed him last month's rent and there was 180-degree turnaround in his attitude from when he was with Bob. No more Mr. Nice Guy here. He took the man by the throat and slammed him hard into one of the pillars. He was slapping him around and screaming at him that if he didn't pay today, there were some men who were going to make sure that his life was a living hell. He would send some friends over to "take care" of him -- you know, rough him up even more.
Linda: Did you do anything to stop him?
Jack: No, I didn't have to, Bob did. He's a big man and he went running out there and took hold of this jerk, put one hand on his collar and one on the seat of his pants, and ushered him out the door and said, "I'm canceling the loan. I'm pulling it before it's processed. You make your payments. That's it. I don't ever want to see your ugly face here again. Now get out, and stay out!" We were all in shock. Bob's a fair man. I knew he could be tough if he had to be, but I've never seen anything like this. And it wasn't like he was being mean to the guy. It was like he was a parent teaching an ornery kid an important lesson.
Linda: For his own good?
Jack: Yeah, but not in a punishing kind of way. It was more like he was trying to save this guy from himself. Maybe paying off the debt for the next twenty years is what it will take for him to show simple human kindness to someone who really needs help.
Linda: Makes me think about the Lord's Prayer ... you know, the old translation, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors."
Jack: Or the new one, "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us."
Linda: Maybe it's in how we treat our neighbor that we receive the forgiveness that God intends for us.
Jack: Maybe it is. Tell me some more....
Intercessory Prayer
After each petition:
L: God of forgiveness,
C: hear our prayer.
Offertory Prayer
A: Blessed are you, O Lord, our God, maker of all things.
Blessed are you and blessed are your gifts.
C: We give you thanks that through this holy meal we experience forgiveness and new life.
With these gifts we offer our lives in service and in praise of the one who rules the world in love, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Benediction
Sing together Bwana Awabariki as a way to emphasize our common life in the household of faith.
Hymns And Songs
At The Name Of Jesus -- LBW 179; UMH 168; PH 148; MBW 480; G&P 424
Forgive Our Sins As We Forgive -- LBW 307; UMH 390; PH 347; MBW 377
To You, Omniscient Lord Of All -- LBW 310 (alt. tune: RYBURN)
O Sun Of Justice -- WOV 659 (alt. tune: ANGELUS)
Great God, Your Love Has Called Us Here -- WOV 666; PH 353; MBW 579
God! When Human Bonds Are Broken -- WOV 735
Bwana Awabariki -- TFF 162; GATHER 411
When I Think Of The Goodness Of Jesus -- TFF 269
When We Eat This Bread -- G&P 510
Psalm Settings
Bless The Lord, O My Soul -- WOV 790
Each Morning Brings Us -- WOV 800
O My Soul, Bless Your Redeemer -- PH 223
O My Soul, Bless God, The Father -- MBW 458
Psalm 103: The Lord Is Kind And Merciful -- GATHER 89
Choral Music
"The Enfolding" -- David Cherwien (Neil A. Kjos Music)
"Break The Bread" -- Natalie Sleeth (Hinshaw Music)
"New Beginnings" -- Carlton R. Young (Hope Publishing)
"Ubi Caritas" -- Laurence Rosania (Oregon Catholic Press)
