21st Century Resources for the Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

Leader: Once
People: There was a lowly widow

Leader: Once
People: There was an indifferent judge

Leader: She – sometimes captive to people's thoughts about her
People: Where she belonged … what she was like … what she could or should do.

Leader: He – beholding to no one
All: Not even to God.

Leader: Once there was a poor woman on the edge of being homeless.
Once there was an honest man, on the verge of losing his job.

People: Among us are lowly widows, poor senior citizens, honest men and women,
unemployed single parents, sick children, frightened teenagers, timid strangers,
and people living in tents or under bridges
(add others to this list that reflect your community)

Leader: Pleading for mercy
People: From a God who is always ready to hear our prayers.

All: Lord, have mercy upon us all!

For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4, NRSV)

Teach us to love Truth,
God,
The unfolding Truth that makes us know
Who you are
What kind of people
You want us to be,
And
Our purpose on this earth.

Tether us to Truth, God
And hold us
When the winds of doubt and confusion
Blow again….