Proper 17 (22)
Jeremiah 2:4-13 or Sirach
10:12-18
Psalm 81:1, 10-16 or Psalm 112
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
Luke
14:1, 7-14
Eternal God, we thank you for the opportunity of
quiet reflection upon our lives and the patterns which have gained
dominance in them. We thank you for the opportunity to reflect upon the
focus of our lives and to hear the corrective wisdom from our faith.
Give us courage to have ears to hear because our confessions are a
litany of the struggles we live with daily.
We are so much like the
people of long ago, wanting to have prestige and power.
We are so much
like the people of long ago, elbowing our way to the top and the highest
places of honour.
We are so much like the people of long ago, wanting
to be recognized as a cut above others.
We are so much like the people
of long ago, wanting to engage in the game of competition and beat out
others.
We are so much like the people of long ago, wanting to toot
our own horns and call attention to our importance.
FORGIVE US OUR
PRIDEFUL AND SINFUL WAYS. Give us a new perspective on what is
important in life. Help us to see our neighbours as people to be loved
and affirmed and not as people with whom we are in competition and who
must be beaten. Teach us ways of humility and give us
self-perspective. Help us to build self worth which is based on
positive achievements rather than on power. Help us not to divide up
people into those who are worthy to associate with and those who are
not. May we not discriminate against any of your children. Help us, O
God, to be among those who know how to humble themselves rather than to
be among those who constantly seek to call attention to themselves. Be
with us in this inner struggle and help us at least to take baby steps
toward humility. Amen
