Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity 29th August 2010
Today is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, body and soul into Heaven to reign as Queen of Heaven. Hail Mary, full of grace!
Collect
Almighty God, who called your Church to bear witness that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself: help us to proclaim the good news of your love, that all who hear it may be drawn to you; through him who was lifted up on the cross, and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
First Reading - Ecclesiasticus 10.12-18
12The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord; the heart has withdrawn from its Maker. 13For the beginning of pride is sin, and the one who clings to it pours out abominations. Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities, and destroys them completely. 14The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers, and enthrones the lowly in their place. 15The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations, and plants the humble in their place. 16The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations, and destroys them to the foundations of the earth. 17He removes some of them and destroys them, and erases the memory of them from the earth. 18Pride was not created for human beings, or violent anger for those born of women.
Gospel - Luke 14.1,7-14
1On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. 7When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. 8‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place,” and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’ 12He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’
Post-Communion
God our creator, you feed your children with the true manna, the living bread from heaven: let this holy food sustain us through our earthly pilgrimage until we come to that place where hunger and thirst are no more; through Jesus Christ our Lord.