Proper 15

Summary of the day in light of the season: Jesus is the Word and Wisdom of God, Who Gives You Life and Light in His Flesh

notes: Jesus is the divine Word by whom all things were made, who has become flesh and dwells among us. He gives His flesh “for the life of the world,” not only as a sacrifice for sin but as “the living bread” from heaven (John 6:51). Eat His flesh and drink His blood (John 6:54–57), and no longer walk in the darkness of sin, but walk in His light. “Arise from the dead” and live in Him, because you are “light in the Lord” (Eph. 5:8, 14). Being filled with His Spirit, confess Him to “one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart” (Eph. 5:18–19). Fear, love and trust in Him, “and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness” (Josh. 24:14). For He has brought you “out of the house of slavery” by His cross and resurrection, and now He does “great signs” in your sight (Josh. 24:17). Indeed, He is the divine wisdom, who has built His house, prepared His feast and set His table; He bids you to recline and eat of His bread and drink of the wine He has mixed (Prov. 9:1–5).

Nocent Summary Title: Eat the Bread, Drink the Wine, and Live Forever

Collect: Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know Your Son, Jesus, to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow His steps in the way that leads to life eternal; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Hymn of the Day: 696 O God, my Faithful God

Lyrics: 1 O God, my faithful God, True fountain ever flowing, Without whom nothing is, All perfect gifts bestowing: Give me a healthy frame, And may I have within A conscience free from blame, A soul unstained by sin.

2 Grant me the strength to do With ready heart and willing Whatever You command, My calling here fulfilling; That I do what I should While trusting You to bless The outcome for my good, For You must give success.

3 Keep me from saying words That later need recalling; Guard me lest idle speech May from my lips be falling; But when within my place I must and ought to speak, Then to my words give grace Lest I offend the weak.

4 Lord, let me win my foes With kindly words and actions, And let me find good friends For counsel and correction. Help me, as You have taught, To love both great and small And by Your Spirit's might To live in peace with all.

5 Let me depart this life Confiding in my Savior; By grace receive my soul That it may live forever; And let my body have A quiet resting place Within a Christian grave; And let it sleep in peace.

6 And on that final day When all the dead are waking, Stretch out Your mighty hand, My deathly slumber breaking. Then let me hear Your voice, Redeem this earthly frame, And bid me to rejoice With those who love Your name.

Pro 9.1-6

Proverbs 9:1–6 RSVCE

Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table. She has sent out her maids to call from the highest places in the town, “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who is without sense she says, “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave simpleness, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

Summary: the key connecting thought is “Wisdom has prepared a banquet”

Psa 34.9-14

Psalm 34:9–14 RSVCE

O fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no want! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Come, O sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is there who desires life, and covets many days, that he may enjoy good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

Summary - the connecting thoughts associated with wisdom: The middle section from a psalm read on three successive Sundays - it must be important. In this third, "taste and see" is not in there, which is ok, the theme today is wisdom, and this section (11-22) reads like Proverbs, and connects to all the other readings. I think the greater question is "what is the connection between wisdom and the eucharist?" I guess today's section from Proverbs shows us. That partaking means committing oneself to and binding oneself to, so we ought to choose life, choose the bread and blood of our Lord, over the Folly that spreads its meal.

Eph 5.15-20

Ephesians 5:15–20 RSVCE

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.

Summary - the connecting thought: "Be careful how you live, don't live like fools, but like those that are wise."

Joh 6.51-58

John 6:51–58 RSVCE

I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever.”

Summary - the connecting thought: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven." After this first sentence, the rest is about eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus. We need to do this, and we will not die (58).