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19th Sunday after Pentecost • Year B
September 29, 2024 • Proper 21
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Historical Collect
O Almighty and most Merciful God, through your bountiful goodness, keep us from all things that may hurt us, that we, being ready both in body and soul, may cheerfully accomplish those things that you would have us do. Grant this, we pray, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Gelasian Sacramentary, 7th Century)
Thematic Collect
Good and steadfast God, in your Son we have been given the gift of eternal life and righteousness before you. Empower us to bring the knowledge of your Son to a world hungering and thirsting for mercy and righteousness; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen.
The Common Thread
Our limits vary but we all tend to reach them sooner or later. God is near. Look to the Lord; cry out to him; he is listening. As the Spirit of the Lord came down in the cloud for Moses and the people, God has sent his Spirit to help you. He opens his hand to give you good things. Rejoice! Even in sickness, God wants you to call on him in prayer, having others pray for you as well. This is powerful medicine. Even so, these trials are often used by God to purify and preserve us in faith. Do not lose hope; trust in the Lord.
First Reading • Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
It is not hard to imagine that once the Hebrews had gotten into the promised land and the hard work of settling the land had begun, that many of them started to grumble. “Remember the good old days in the wilderness? Did we ever have it good when we had all of that delicious manna.” That kind of constant complaint can even cause God's ministers to begin complaining. “Why did you send me to this church? It isn't any better than the last one.” This is when God's Spirit must be relied upon. We cannot do this work—either those in the pulpit or in the pews—without the Lord's Spirit.
Psalm • Psalm 104:27-35
The implication here is that all creatures depend upon God for their food. However, as he provides, they gather up the food but do not give thanks. Then, when life gets tough, they are perplexed about God's seeming disappearance. But the psalmist insists that he will rejoice and sing to the Lord as long as he lives—through the good and the bad alike.
Second Reading • James 5:1-12, 13-20
James provides a practical strategy for the Christian life no matter the situation. When life is tough, pray. When you are sick, let the church office know. If you sin, seek absolution. If someone has wandered from the truth, bring him back. God is with us, no matter the need. So pray for each other. The prayers of righteous people accomplish far more than we imagine—but only if they pray.
Gospel • Mark 9:38-50
Grumbling and complaining not only causes us to lose focus, it is often meant to distract others from our own failings. Instead of casting out demons, the disciples complained about others who were exorcising evil spirits. In the church, we cast aspersions on those who do not minister the way we think they should. This is generally done to deflect attention from the fact we are not busy with kingdom work at all. How many people have we chased away from Christ's Church by such behavior? It would be better if a millstone were tied around our necks. Instead of grumbling, we should be salt in each others lives: purifying, healing, preserving, and bringing out the best flavor in each other.
Small Insert with Full Psalm Text: This insert includes the psalm text that is omitted due to length in the small insert found to the right of the screen.
Resources
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