The Scripture Lessons for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost are:
 
Exodus 32:1-14 and Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 or
Isaiah 25:1-9 and Psalm 23
Philippians 4:1-9
Matthew 22:1-14
 
As much as we might like to focus on the easy parts of ancient stories, the golden calf and the parable of the wedding guests this week are particularly difficult, full of betrayal, retribution, and violence. Avoiding those parts can cause us to lose sight of the wisdom at the core. The psalm positions the story of the golden calf alongside God’s everlasting love, but still acknowledges the people’s failure and God’s wrath that is tempered only through Moses’ intervention. This complicated collection of stories is punctuated by Paul’s letter to the Philippians, naming the need for a mindset of love and gratitude no matter the situation. As a result, we are invited to hold the uncomfortable alongside the beautiful in these stories and in our lives.
 
This is the season of Ordinary Time. “Ordinary” doesn’t mean typical or humdrum. Rather, it comes from the word “ordinal,” meaning “related to a series.” Think of Ordinary Time as an ordered, deliberate, six-month step-by-step pilgrimage through the story of Jesus’ life. This year, Matthew is our guide. The liturgical color for the pastor's stole and paraments (cloth hanging from the pulpit and lectern) is green. This symbolizes growth in the church.

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Rev. Amie