Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
- Jul 18, 2021
- 21 min read

Sunday Worship for July 18, 2021

The Holy Eucharist

8th Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 11B, Track 2)

July 18, 2021

Watch the Livestream at www.Facebook.com/StMattSav/Live/

Sunday, July 18, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)

The Holy Eucharist: Rite II

The Word of God

Hymn #518: Christ is Made the Sure Foundation

[Verses 1-4]

1 Christ is made the sure foundation,

Christ the head and cornerstone,

chosen of the Lord, and precious,

binding all the Church in one;

holy Zion's help for ever,

and her confidence alone.

2 All that dedicated city,

dearly loved of God on high,

in exultant jubilation

pours perpetual melody;

God the One in Three adoring

in glad hymns eternally.

3 To this temple, where we call thee,

come, O Lord of Hosts, today;

with thy wonted loving-kindness

hear thy servants as they pray,

and thy fullest benediction

shed within its walls alway.

4 Here vouchsafe to all thy servants

what they ask of thee to gain;

what they gain from thee, for ever

with the blessèd to retain,

and hereafter in thy glory

evermore with thee to reign.

Words: Latin, ca. 7th cent.; tr. John Mason Neale, alt., Public Domain.

Music: Westminster Abbey, Henry Purcell, adapt.; desc. James Gillespie, Public Domain.

Opening Sentences

[BCP, p. 355]

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

And blessed be God's kingdom, now and forever. Amen.

The Collect for Purity

[BCP, p. 355]

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hymn S-280: Glory to God (Gloria in Excelsis)

[BCP, p. 356]

Glory to God in the highest,

and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King,

almighty God and Father,

we worship you, we give you thanks,

we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father,

Lord God, Lamb of God,

you take away the sin of the world:

have mercy on us;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father:

receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One,

you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High,

Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Words: Public Domain.

The Collect of the Day

[BCP, p. 357, 231]

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Prophet Jeremiah (23:1-6)

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 23

[BCP, p. 612]

Read responsively by half-verse (at the asterisk).

1 The Lord is my shepherd; * I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures * and leads me beside still waters.

3 He revives my soul * and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.

4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; * for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; * you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over.

6 Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, * and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

A Reading from the Letter to the Ephesians (2:11-22)

Remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision” —a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Mark (6:30-34, 53-56)

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon

"It's Time To Catch Up” by Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda

I’m sometimes a little too quick to criticize, to talk about what’s going wrong in the world from the pulpit. I’d argue that the world has a lot going wrong in it and it’s our job as Christians to speak the truth about God’s love and justice. But, it’s important to take time to encourage one another with some of the good things that are out there. We need positive examples of God’s life, love, and liberation shining through the mess humanity has made. And today, I have a story that I hope is at least a little encouraging.

You may have heard Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, VA, making news in the last couple of weeks. VTS is the second oldest Episcopal seminary, founded in 1823 (behind General Seminary in New York City). Fr. DeWayne Cope studied there as he prepared for ordination to the priesthood a few years ago. The school has been in the news because they have taken a major step toward racial justice and equity.

This year, VTS launched its reparations program. They created a reparations fund in 2019 and have spent the last two years researching the names and genealogies of Black workers and enslaved peoples who were unpaid or underpaid for their work at VTS throughout the school’s history. In February, they made the first cash payments to 32 descendants of these laborers from the Jim Crow era (Paulsen).

Truth-telling is at the heart of this initiative and why I believe it is a good first step. The Seminary has acknowledged that some of its buildings were constructed by enslaved people, that students and faculty enslaved people, that Black people were barred from the dining hall, library, and elsewhere on campus, that Black people could not enroll as students until the 1950s. Now the descendants of these forced laborers have been offered access to all the facilities, free meals, free tuition if they wish to enroll in a degree program, and modest cash payments.

The cash payments are relatively small for now ($2100.00 per year in perpetuity), but the gesture and the truth telling has been significant to many of these descendants. One of these descendants, Judy Belk, wrote in the LA Times, “It’s a measly amount for the injustices our elders suffered, but for many families it’s a significant payout as they continue to cope with a legacy of huge racial wealth inequities.” There are still descendants to find through genealogical research, and we can only hope that these payments will increase with time. But at least VTS is doing something. They are taking a baby step.

VTS’ actions today don’t heal the damage done in the past, but they do point to real justice and healing. They are a first step toward racial healing and wholeness, truth and reconciliation. And for once, the Church -- specifically, The Episcopal Church -- is leading the way in American society on this issue.

As I reflect today on something good happening in our church and in our world, I am drawn to the words of the Letter to the Ephesians: “For [Christ Jesus] is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. … So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:14-16, 19).

Jesus wants to reconcile all people to himself and wants us to be reconciled to each other. Jesus wants the world to be at peace. But we cannot be at peace when we hurt, exploit, and kill one another. We cannot be at peace without acknowledging the grave sins of the past. We cannot be at peace without trying to do right by each other. God has made all of us one in Christ. God has made us citizens of the Heavenly Kingdom, saints and members of God’s household, whether we’re Black, Latinx, Asian, Native American, white, or anything else under the sun. God has united us already. Now it’s our turn to catch up.

VTS is not perfect. The payments today don’t nearly match the gravity of the abuse that was done. But our Christian and Episcopalian siblings in Virginia are trying to take the first baby step toward wholeness. They are acknowledging their own history of wrongdoing and trying to repent. And for that, we should rejoice. The Gospel is real and it’s working. People who were once cast out are being welcomed in. Those called unworthy are now honored as more than worthy.

The reconciliation process is beginning. How will it continue in our own lives? The work of the Gospel is always double-sided: out there in society, but also right here, in our hearts. How can we advocate for reconciliation, reparation and justice in our own community? Where do we need to tear down dividing walls in our personal lives? In our families? In our church? Jesus has already made us one. It’s our turn to catch up. Amen.

Bibliography

Karimi, Faith. “Their ancestors were enslaved workers. Now they're getting $2,100 a year in reparations.” CNN.com. Published 27 June 2021. Accessed 14 July 2021. https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/27/us/virginia-seminary-reparations-trnd/index.html
Paulsen, David. “VTS reparations fund makes first cash payments to descendants of seminary’s Black slaves, laborers.” Episcopal News Service. Published 8 July 2021. Accessed 9 July 2021. https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2021/07/08/vts-reparations-fund-makes-first-cash-payments-to-descendants-of-seminarys-black-slaves-laborers/
Belk, Judy. “Op-Ed: Reparations: Yes or no? My family’s dilemma.” Los Angeles Times. Published 3 July 2021. Accessed 15 July 2021. https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-07-03/reparations-slavery-alexandria-episcopal-church
Spears-Newsome, Wesley. “#AbolitionLectionary: Proper 11.” Chrsitians for Abolition. Blog. Published 13 July 2021. Accessed 14 July 2021. https://christiansforabolition.org/2021/07/13/abolitionlectionary-proper-11/.

Hymn #343: Shepherd of Souls, Refresh and Bless

[Verses 1-4]

1 Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless

thy chosen pilgrim flock

with manna in the wilderness,

with water from the rock.

2 We would not live by bread alone,

but by thy word of grace,

in strength of which we travel on

to our abiding place.

3 Be known to us in breaking bread,

and do not then depart;

Saviour, abide with us, and spread

thy table in our heart.

4 Lord, sup with us in love divine,

thy Body and thy Blood,

that living bread, that heavenly wine,

be our immortal food.

Words: James Montgomery, alt., Public Domain.

The Nicene Creed

[BCP, p. 358]

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven:

by the power of the Holy Spirit

he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,

and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. Amen.

The Prayers of the People

[BCP, p. 392, Form VI]

In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.

Silence.

For all people in their daily life and work;

For our families, friends, and neighbors, and for those who are alone.

For Joseph, our president; Brian, our governor; Van, our mayor; Chester, the chair of our County Commission; Ann, the Superintendent of our Public Schools, and all other civic officials; For this community, the nation, and the world;

For all who work for justice, freedom, and peace.

For the just and proper use of your creation;

For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression.

For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;

For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy.

For all the churches in Savannah, that we may be one as you are one with the Son, and the Holy Spirit; For the peace and unity of the Church of God;

For all who proclaim the Gospel, and all who seek the Truth.

For Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury; Michael, our Presiding Bishop; Frank, our Bishop; Guillermo our Priest; and for all bishops and other ministers;

For all who serve God in his Church.

For the special needs and concerns of this congregation, especially for our Day Care’s staff, students, and families, and for those on our Parish Prayer List: Martha Avery, Donald Baynes, Ronald Baynes, Shirley Clinton Bonaparte, Zavier Bradley, Myrtle Brow-Hollis, Christine Brown, Quinton Bruce, Jacquelyn Bryant, Genella Chamberlain, Taylor Blue, Annie Colbert, Lazola Cope, Alice Dailey, Beryl Dandy, Mark Dashiell, Brittany Dawson, Roland Dixon, Imani Ferguson, Ruby Fernandez, Harry Frazier, Karin Garcia, Colin Gentle, Angie Glover, Charles Gordon, Amanda Green, Jocelyn Bryant Harden, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Enoch Henderson, Charles E. Hines, Kenneth Howard, Terri Howard, Anne Hudson, Lucy Hugging, Dale Hundley, Jared Hundley, Tracy Hundley, Janice C. Jackson, Milinda James, Alvin Jenkins, Dana Jenkins, David Jones, Frances T. Jones, Lori Jones, Robert L. Jones, Sr., Whitney Kennedy, Leonard Law, Jr., Ralph Lovett, Ryan Lovett, Tammie Lovett, Marcus Marzen, Joan Maty, Craig Maxwell, Sada Maxwell, Altheria Maynard, Carmelita Maynard, Barbara McCary, Bette Milledge, John "Butch" Mitchell, Hollie Moultrie, Patricia Murry, Russell Nails, Dorothy Neal, Jabbaar Newton, Jameel Newton, Glenzy Payne, Robert Payne, Willie Mae Robinson, Paul Rockwell, Helen Scroggins, Dison Washington Slaughter, James Small, Gwendolyn Smith, Willie Stephens, Gon Trimble, Ed Vista, Lori Ward, Gertrude Washington, and Noel Wheeler; and those we remember now…

Silence. The People may add their own petitions.

Hear us, Lord;

For your mercy is great.

We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of this life; for all visitors to this parish; for Fr. DeWayne Cope (7/18), Jewel Wheeler (7/18), Marva Johnson (7/19), Evalena Hoskins (7/20), and Ahsareia Moon (7/23) on their birthdays; and those people and things we remember now.

Silence. The People may add their own thanksgivings.

We will exalt you, O God our King;

And praise your Name for ever and ever.

We pray for all who have died, that they may have a place in your eternal kingdom, especially those we remember now...

Silence. The People may add their own petitions.

Lord, let your loving-kindness be upon them;

Who put their trust in you.

We pray to you also for the forgiveness of our sins.

Silence may be kept.

Leader and People:

Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; in your compassion forgive us our sins, known and unknown, things done and left undone; and so uphold us by your Spirit that we may live and serve you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Celebrant concludes with an absolution:

Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through the grace of Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life. Amen.

The Peace

[BCP, p. 360]

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

The Offertory

[BCP, p. 377]

Giving to St. Matthew's: We know that many people are feeling the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis. The church is feeling it too. We still need your support to pay our staff, pay our bills, and provide for these online live streams. There are several ways to give, but the simplest are these:

Mail us a check or money order at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, 1401 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd, Savannah, GA 31415; OR
Make a secure online gift to St. Matthew’s and/or automate future gifts at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now; OR
Text “stmattsav” to 73256 to make a secure online donation through your phone.

NOTE: Donations made online (#2 or #3) through Realm incur a processing fee of about 2.5%. Please consider adding an additional 2.5% to your online gift to cover these costs.

“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and make good your vows to the Most High.”

[Psalm 50:14; see BCP, p. 376]

Give online at: https://onrealm.org/StMattSav/-/give/now

AAHH #671: You Can't Beat God Giving

[Repeat as needed]

You can't beat God giving,

No matter how you try.

And just as sure as you are living

And the Lord is in heaven on high,

The more you give, the more He gives to you.

Just keep on giving because it's really true.

That you can't beat God giving

No matter how you try.

Eucharistic Prayer A

[BCP, p. 361]

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give him thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth. ...

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who forever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

LEV #255:

Holy, holy, holy, holy, holy Lord God of hosts

Heaven and earth are filled with your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, of the Lord

Hosanna in the highest, hosanna in the highest!

The people stand or kneel.

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself, and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.

He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me." Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts. Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him. Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom. All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ: By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

The Lord’s Prayer

[BCP, p. 364]

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Fraction Anthem

[BCP, p. 364]

Alleluia! Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia!

The Gifts of God for the people of God.

LEV #137: Just As I Am

[Verses 1-6]

1 Just as I am, without one plea,

But that thy blood was shed for me,

And that thou bidd’st me to thee,