Fr. Guillermo A. Arboleda
- Mar 20, 2022
- 24 min read

Sunday Worship for March 20, 2022

The Holy Eucharist

The Third Sunday in Lent (Year C)

March 20, 2022

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

Sunday, March 20, at 9:30 a.m. (or anytime afterward)

The Holy Eucharist: Rite II

The Word of God

Hymn #150: Forty Days and Forty Nights

[Verses 1-5]

1. Forty days and forty nights

thou wast fasting in the wild;

forty days and forty nights

tempted, and yet undefiled.

2. Should not we thy sorrow share

and from worldly joys abstain,

fasting with unceasing prayer,

strong with thee to suffer pain?

3. Then if Satan on us press,

Jesus, Savior, hear our call!

Victor in the wilderness,

grant we may not faint or fall!

4. So shall we have peace divine:

holier gladness ours shall be;

round us, too, shall angels shine,

such as ministered to thee.

5. Keep, O keep us, Savior dear,

ever constant by thy side;

that with thee we may appear

at the eternal Eastertide.

Words: George Hunt Smyttan, alt., Public Domain. Music: Aus der Tiefe rufe ich, melody att. Martin Herbst, alt.; harm. William Henry Monk, alt. Public Domain. Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE #84245. All rights reserved.

The Penitential Order

[BCP, p. 351]

Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.

God's mercy endures forever.

The Decalogue

[BCP, p. 350]

Hear the commandments of God to his people:

I am the Lord your God who brought you out of bondage. You shall have no other gods but me. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not make for yourself any idol. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not invoke with malice the Name of the Lord your God. Amen. Lord have mercy.

Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Amen. Lord have mercy.

Honor your father and your mother. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not commit murder. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not commit adultery. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not steal. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not be a false witness. Amen. Lord have mercy.

You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor. Amen. Lord have mercy.

The Confession of Sin

[BCP, p. 352]

Jesus said, "The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31)

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14,16)

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.

The Bishop, when present, or the Priest, stands and says

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

LEV #237: Lord, Have Mercy

[BCP, p. 356]

Lord, have mercy

Christ, have mercy

Lord, have mercy

Have mercy, O Lord

The Collect of the Day

[BCP, p. 357, 218]

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Reading from the Book of Exodus (3:1-15)

Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”

But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I am has sent me to you.'” God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you':

This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Psalm 63:1-8

[BCP, p. 670]

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

1 O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you; * my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for you, as in a barren and dry land where there is no water.

2 Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, * that I might behold your power and your glory.

3 For your loving-kindness is better than life itself; * my lips shall give you praise.

4 So will I bless you as long as I live * and lift up my hands in your Name.

5 My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness, * and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,

6 When I remember you upon my bed, * and meditate on you in the night watches.

7 For you have been my helper, * and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.

8 My soul clings to you; * your right hand holds me fast.

A Reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (10:1-13)

I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.

Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play." We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

The People stand for the reading of the Gospel.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to St. Luke (13:1-9)

Glory to you, Lord Christ.

At that very time there were some present who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them--do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did."

Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon

"Messengers from God" by Mrs. M. Idella Jones, Licensed Lay Preacher

This morning I want to invite you to take a brief walk down memory lane. Let’s go on a virtual walk back to the days when Sunday School was held in Caution Hall. Today, Caution Hall is the main room of St. Matthew’s Day Care Center. Caution Hall was a part of the original building erected in 1949. Toomer Walker Hall was not built until 1993, over 40 years after the original structure. After our parents and grandparents, it was the Sunday School teachers, Leonard Law, Sr., Helen Fletcher, and Frances Sharpe who told us that God loves us and that He cares for us.

We learned how God intervened in the lives of David, how he watched over and cared for Joseph in Egypt. We learned about Noah and the Ark, Joseph’s coat of many colors, and of course Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Many years later, Janice Canada drew pictures to illustrate these taught lessons. Throughout our life as part of the St. Matthew’s family we have been privileged to have caring leaders to remind us of God’s love and care for us. They also taught us how to respond to the love and care that God gives us. The love that we receive is not one sided. We were taught that to share God’s love.

Before we get too far into our past and start singing “The Way We Were,” I want to talk about our Christian responsibility and the way we could be. So, we can remember what we were taught in Sunday School, add it to what we hear in the readings at each Eucharist, listen to and study the explanations so we get a complete understanding. We want to hear the lessons with adult, knowledgeable Christians ears and be able to apply them to our lives today.

God calls messengers to speak to us from the Old Testament time until today. This morning we will look at two messengers from the Bible, Moses sent to the Israelites and Paul writing to the Corinthians.

In the reading from Exodus, we hear God commissioning Moses to go back to Egypt, the same Egypt he barely escaped from after he killed an Egyptian. God saw the misery and oppression of the Israelites and worked through Moses to free them. Moses was told to go to Pharoah, the supreme ruler who held the power of life and death over all Egypt and demand the freedom of the Israelite slaves. Moses was remembering his narrow escape from Egypt when he replied, “Who am I that I should go to Pharoah and bring the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:11). God promises to be with Moses in Egypt but, Moses is not sold on the idea of going back. He remembers that he was not too popular with the Israelites. He will have to convince the slave master, Pharoah, to free the Israelites but first he has to convince the Israelites to follow him. What is Moses to say when asked who sent him. He is told to answer, “I AM WHO I AM.” Moses tells the Israelites that he has been sent by their God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob who will give them a land filled with good things and most importantly they will be free to worship the true God.

Freedom was not given at once, Pharoah did not want to lose his free labor force, nor did he believe in this invisible God. Pharoah freed the slaves only when the cost of keeping them proved too high. After they were freed and had walked through the sea on dry land the Israelites became a stubborn, grumbling, complaining people. They complained about Moses and the food that God provided. And when left unattended they began to make their own gods, returning to the worship of idols as they had done in Egypt. They wandered around for 40 years before they gained the good land that God promised.

The God who worked through Moses to deliver the Israelites from Pharoah is the same God who worked through Jesus to deliver us from sin. It was God, working through Jesus, who met Paul on the road to Damascus. It’s like the spiritual “What He’s Done for Me” says, Jesus picked Paul up and turned him around from persecuting Christians to become Christ’s Apostle to the Gentiles.

Today we see Paul writing to the young church at Corinth cautioning them that they should learn from the Exodus story. He compares the Corinthians to the Israelites who wandered in the desert for forty years. The Corinthians were in a dangerous place. They had this new and different freedom given through their acceptance of Jesus Christ’s teachings and were waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled. The older Corinthian Christians were doing a pretty good job converting others to believing in Jesus Christ. Then the newer converts saw the more seasoned, more experienced and knowledgeable Corinthian Christians committing acts they were taught were forbidden. Paul advises the older seasoned ones against doing anything that was unfaithful to God and might make the newer Christians revert to idolatry. It was as if the messengers forgot the message. Clara Works, Professor of the New Testament at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. writes, “the actions of the ones who knew better could cause their brothers and sisters, who are less certain that there is only one God, to resort to their former religious commitments and abandon their life in Christ”.

There were complaints centered around eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Other complaints were that they were struggling with sexual immorality (verse 8) and grumbling (verse 10). Some supposedly knowledgeable Christians were eating meat sacrificed to idols, a practice that could prove dangerous to themselves and the new converts. Those who knew better, the “knowledgeable ones” did not always do better. Paul realizes that the temptation to eat idol food was more than a food matter. Rather than knowledgeable folks did not want to risk their social standing every time they refuse an invitation to dine with their social peers or superiors. It seems easier to sacrifice the souls of newer converts than to offend their upscale friends.

Paul advises that their action is not only tempting others to backslide, but they themselves are flirting with idolatry. They are tempted to ignore salvation of the weaker less prominent members of the community to maintain their lofty status. They are equating their social standing with their obedience and closeness to God. Paul tells them “So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall”.

We must take care not to be tempted or make it easy for others to be temped. God does not grant special privileges based on how long we have been baptized, or a member of a church or claim to be Christians. We are all equal in His sight. The number of years we claim to be Christians does not make us any better than the newly confirmed. In fact, we have a duty to live in such a way that that it will be a good example to younger, newer Christians. Having all the “right answers” and all the “right theology” does not give us any privilege over another believer.

The Israelites in Exodus and the Christians in Corinthians were bound by the same commandments. The Ten Commandments is the link that unites these two peoples and unites us to them. We learned the Ten Commandments in Sunday School and know: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment.” And the second is like it: You shall love your neighborhood as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39). Corinthians tried to make the newer converts, less than they were, and were neither loving God nor their neighbor.

How can we know we are obedient to the commandments? I propose testing an action against Micah 6:8, which reads “He has told you, O mortal what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” This is the litmus test against which we can analyze any action. We are all equal in the sight of God whether we are Christian since birth or newly converted. When our actions pass the test of being good and just, and if we are humble, we can be sure that we are doing what is right in the sight of God.

Throughout our lives we have had God’s messengers teach, encourage, and correct us when needed. They were our Sunday School teachers whether in Caution Hall (for me, Charles McMillan, and the rest of us old folk) or elsewhere. We have learned from our Rectors, Bishops, and other leaders. We get messages from the lessons we read each Sunday, from Morning and Evening Prayer. But there is one other lesson we must learn and use. Now it’s our turn to become messengers. Our lives and actions are the message that we give to the younger generation. This is our time to lead and guide the next generation, to pass on the rich legacy we have been given. Amen.

Hymn #393: Praise Our Great and Gracious Lord

[Verses 1-2]

1 Praise our great and gracious Lord,

call upon his holy Name;

raising hymns in glad accord,

all his mighty acts proclaim:

how he leads his chosen

unto Canaan's promised land,

how the word we have heard

firm and changeless still shall stand.

2 God has given the cloud by day,

given the moving fire by night;

guides his Israel on their way

from the darkness into light.

God it is who grants us

sure retreat and refuge nigh;

light of dawn leads us on:

'tis the Dayspring from on high.

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

[Adapted from http://www.rickmorley.com/archives/1431]

Leader: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your loving kindness; in your great compassion, hear our prayers.

We pray for the whole church, all leaders and ministers, and all the holy people of God. Wash us through and through, and cleanse us from our sin.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for our nation, for all the nations of the earth, and for all who govern and judge, especially for Joseph our President, Brian our governor, Van our mayor, Chester the chair of our County Commission, and Ann the Superintendent of our Public Schools. Purge us from our sin, and we shall be pure.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for those who hunger, those who thirst, those who cry out for justice, those who live under the threat of terror and war, and those without a place to lay their head. Make them hear of joy and gladness, that those who are broken may rejoice.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for those who are ill, those in pain, those under stress, and those who are lonely. Give them the joy of your saving help, and sustain them with your bountiful Spirit.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

In this season of Lent, we pray for those who prepare for baptism, and we pray that we all might be given the grace and strength to repent and grow closer to you, O God. Create in us clean hearts, O God, and renew a right spirit within us.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for those who have died and who have entered into the land of eternal Light and your abiding peace, especially (_____, and) those whom we remember now... Cast them not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from them.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

We pray for our Day Care staff, students, and their families, and for the people of our Parish Prayer List: Martha Avery, Mary Bonaparte, Christine Brown, Jacqueline Bryant, Tiffany Bryant, Lazola Cope, Aaron Duplechien Jr., Angie Glover, Annie Bell Greer, Loretta Harmond, Marva Harris, Whitney Kennedy, Sada Maxwell, Craig Maxwell, Bette Milledge, and Helen Scroggins.

We give thanks for Sandra Mitchell (3/17), Frank Brown (3/22), Edwin Nails (3/22), Esther McAlpine (3/23), Nathaniel Nails (3/23), Whitney Robinson (3/24), and Michael Canada (3/25) on their birthdays and those celebrating wedding anniversaries.

Lord, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer.

The Celebrant adds a concluding Collect.

Third Sunday in Lent: Lord Jesus, it is your will that we bear the fruit of your Holy Spirit, which is love; be gracious to us and help us to repent when we fail to love, in the power of the same Spirit. Amen.

The Peace

[EOW1, p. 56]

The peace of Christ be always with you.

And also with you.

Parish Announcements

A. Lenten Book Study: This Band of Sisterhood (TIME CHANGE): This Lent, we will gather together to read and discuss a new book called This Band of Sisterhood: Black Women Bishops on Race, Faith, and the Church, edited by Dr. Westina Matthews. These meetings will take place at 5:30 PM over Zoom using the following schedule:

Wednesday, March 9: Introduction and Chapter 1
Wednesday, March 16: Chapter 2
Tuesday, March 22: Chapters 3 & 4
Wednesday, March 30: Chapter 5
Wednesday, April 6: Chapter 6
Wednesday, April 13: Q&A with the author, Dr. Westina Matthews

You can order this book for $14.95 via Church Publishing or Amazon. The Zoom link is available in the e-Newsletter. Sign up for the e-Newsletter at the bottom of our homepage, or reach out to the Office to get the info. If you're interested in learning more about the book, watch this webinar with the author/editor and the five bishops: https://youtu.be/BBJMAxTXp6k.

B. Youth to Sponsor Ronald McDonald House Donation Drive in Lent: Become involved in supporting the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which provides housing and support for children and their families as they receive medical treatment at nearby hospitals. Our youth will be collecting donations to help cover these costs. Donations will be collected during Lent. They can be dropped off at the church on Wednesday between 10:00 am – 5:00 pm or Sunday before or after service. The RMHC of the Coastal Empire, based in Savannah, requests the following items for donation this spring:

Bleach
Disinfectant Wipes
Trash Bags (4, 13, and 33+ gallons)

C. CORR on 4/3 at St. Matthew's: Conversations on Relationships and Race (CORR) is a joint Christian Education course with St. Matthew’s, St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Isle of Hope United Methodist Church, and Asbury United Methodist Church. This spring, we will continue to read How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. You may purchase it from any major bookstore (such as Amazon).

Our next CORR meeting is scheduled to be in person on Sunday, April 3, 2022, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. at St. Matthew's. Please read Chapters 6-11 of Kendi’s book before the meeting.

D. T/W/Th Evening Prayer: On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, St. Matthew's invites you to pray Evening Prayer over Zoom. The video will continue to stream to Facebook Live at 5:00 PM. Please join the Zoom call by 4:55 PM. Otherwise, watch the prayer service as you have been on Facebook Live.

For security purposes, below is the Meeting ID only; please check your St. Matthew's e-Newsletter for the password (or email FrGAA@StMattSav.org to request it).

Topic: Zoom Evening Prayer

Time: 05:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday

Join Zoom Meeting: See e-Newsletter

Meeting ID: 991 8577 8541

Passcode: See e-Newsletter

Dial by your location: +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)

Meeting ID: 991 8577 8541

Passcode: See e-Newsletter

E. Revised COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for In-Person Worship: On June 21, the Vestry authorized revised COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for in-person worship at St. Matthew's. At the October Vestry meeting, they reaffirmed the use of these guidelines and the maintenance of this temporary Sunday worship schedule.

All people in attendance are still required to wear masks that cover the nose and mouth at all times and maintain social distancing in their assigned seating areas. Click here to read the Vestry's June 2021 COVID-19 Safety Guidelines in their entirety.

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.

“I appeal to you, sisters and brothers, by the mercies of God, to present yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” [Romans 12:1]

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

AAHH #560: I'll Be Somewhere Listening For My Name

[Verses 1-3]

1 When He call me I will answer,

When He calls me I will answer,

When He calls me I will answer;