Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time/Epiphany 7 - A

Texts:  Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18; Psalm 119:33-40; 1st Corinthians
3:10-11, 16-23; Matthew 5:38-48

Call to Worship
L:  God would teach us to love, even the imperfect people,
P:  so we can love others as we love ourselves.
L:  God would teach us to deny ourselves,
    even walking the extra mile with us,
P:  so we can give ourselves to others
    as generously as Christ has been given to us.
L:  God would teach us new ways to journey through life,
P:  so we can follow the footprints of the Word
    all the way to the kingdom.

Prayer of the Day
When we see you sharing your hope
with the poor, the immigrant, the stranger;
when we watch you build a ramp
for those in wheelchairs;
when we experience your willingness
to help us in spite of our stubbornness;
when we hear your call to love
over our yearnings to hate:
we know what holiness looks like,
God of Creation.

When you refuse to speak harshly
to those who judge you;
when you wipe away the tears
of those who would hurt you;
when you choose to respond nonviolently
to those who would crucify you:
we know what peace looks like,
Light of the World.

When we hear you whisper
of fair play and justice;
when you fill our hands with grace
to be shared with others;
when you build our lives
on the foundation of Christ's peace and love:
we know what power looks like,
Spirit alive in us.

We know what you look like,
God in Community, Holy in One,
and so we pray as Jesus has taught us,
even as we yearn to be your image here on earth,
Our Father . . .

Call to Reconciliation
God would teach us all we need to live in peace, to
love others, to walk the right paths.  Let us confess
how foolish we are not to listen to such wisdom, as
we pray together, saying,

Unison Prayer of Confession
A friend hurts us,
  we hurt back;
someone hits us,
  we strike back;
a family member ridicules us,
  we gossip about him or her.
That's how we have been taught to deal with those around us.

But now, God of mercy,
you call us to a different life:
  the life of forgiving, not revenge;
  the life of peace, not anger;
  the life of love, not hate.
As you forgive us of all we have done,
may we walk in your new ways of living,
as we follow Jesus, our Savior, our Teacher.

Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon
L:  It begins with God and ends with God  -  that love
which can create, renew, restore.  God loves you
and forgives you  -  now and forever.
P:  As we listen to God's songs of mercy, we are
cradled in grace  -  now and forever.  Amen.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L:  May the God of grace be with you!
P:  And also with you!
L:  You are God's holy people.
P:  We lift our hearts, for the Lord our God is holy.
L:  Children of God, dance for joy!
P:  For God takes us by the hand to lead us into the kingdom.

Master Builder,
you mixed together your Word and Spirit,
pouring the foundation of creation,
driving the supports of grace and hope
deep into the rich soil of wonder,
clapping in delight as peace carpeted
the empty spaces, as the trees were framed
together for the walls, letting the sunlight
stream through your heart's windows.
Thse gifts of grace were for us,
but we turned our heads away,
so we could stare at sin and death.
Prophets came to remind us that we were yours,
but we mocked them crying, 'we can't hear you!'
we stuck out our fears, tripping them.
But rather than demanding
an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,
you sent the delight of your heart, your Child,
to speak to all your people.

So with those who find it easy to love neighbors,
and with those who struggle to love enemies,
we lift our praises to you:

P:  Holy, holy, holy are you, Crafter of the stars.
All creation longs for your grace and peace.
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is the One who comes to judge us with justice.
Hosanna in the highest!

You alone are holy, Artisan of goodness and truth,
and blessed is your Word, Jesus Christ,
who calls us to new life.
When he could have clutched
the jacket of grace tight to himself,
he took it off, giving it to us,
handing us the mittens of mercy as well,
along with hope's overcoat and salvation's scarf.
When he could have wreaked vengeance
on all who rebelled against you, he set it aside,
taking up the cross, following death
into its cold emptiness, being laid on
the barren floor of the tomb,
loving us as if we were best friends,
and not enemies of the kingdom.

As we prepare for the feast of wonder,
as we remember all the Christ offers to us,
we speak of that mystery we call faith:

P:  Refusing to disobey you, Christ died;
Laying the foundation of resurrection, Christ arose;
Teaching us we belong to you, Christ will come again.

Here, in this place we call holy,
in those moments we call sacred,
pour out your Spirit upon your Table
and your people gathered in this place.
You could have given us the scraps of your heart,
but you provide the finest bread which,
in its brokenness, restores us to life.
Having eaten of its fill,
we can go forth to serve the poor,
to welcome them as neighbor and friend.
The love which mixed the foundation of the world
overflows the cup which we are given to drink
washing away our pride, our stubbornness,
so we may remove the impediments
we have put in the path of those who seek you,
so we may whisper hope into the ears
of all deafened by the taunts of the world.

And when the foundations of the world crumble,
when time has faded into a distant memory,
you will gather us as your holy people,
sitting neighbor next to friend, old enemies
passing the bread and the cup next to one another,
all voices joining to sing your glory forever and ever,
God in Community, Holy in One.  Amen.

(c) 2011  Thom M. Shuman