The Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity

Collect

Almighty God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you: pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself, and so bring us at last to your heavenly city where we shall see you face to face; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Readings

2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c

The Healing of Naaman

¹Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favour with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. ² Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. ³ She said to her mistress, ‘If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’

⁷ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, ‘Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.’

⁸ But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, ‘Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.’ ⁹ So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.’ ¹¹ But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, ‘I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?’ He turned and went away in a rage. ¹³ But his servants approached and said to him, ‘Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, “Wash, and be clean”?’ ¹⁴ So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

¹⁵ Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.’

2 Timothy 2: 8-15

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, ⁹ for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. ¹¹ The saying is sure:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
¹² if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he will also deny us;
¹³ if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.

A Worker Approved by God

¹⁴ Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

Luke 17:11-19

Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers

¹¹ On the way to Jerusalem Jesus^[ was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he entered a village, ten lepers  approached him. Keeping their distance, ¹³ they called out, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ ¹⁴ When he saw them, he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were made clean. ¹⁵ Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. ¹⁶ He prostrated himself at Jesus’^[ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷ Then Jesus asked, ‘Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? ¹⁸ Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ ¹⁹ Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’

Prayers

• Almighty God, in the noise and confusion of life, we pray for peace in our hearts. In these few moments of stillness, we bring before you our prayers, asking for help and guidance as we journey through our earthly life and giving thanks and praise for our many blessings.

• Dear Lord, we rejoice in the news of the peace deal which has been brokered between Israel and Palestine. We pray that this settlement may last. May wisdom and compassion be given to all those involved in negotiating a long term just and fair solution to the reasons for conflict between the two nations, so that their peoples may be able to live side by side and flourish, without further conflict breaking out. We pray that all the hostages may be released within a few days as agreed, and that the Aid Agencies may now have freedom to bring in all the supplies that are necessary to relieve the suffering of the citizens of Gaza in the short time and to rebuild homes and facilities in the longer term.   Comfort all those who have lost so much during this war and give them hope and strength for the future.

• Father, we are ashamed of the polarisation of communities in our own country and of the evident hatred which simmers below the surface and erupts from time to time, between those of different faiths. We cry out to you in solidarity with our Jewish sisters and brothers following the abhorrent attack upon life and community in Greater Manchester. Please comfort those who mourn.

We pray for those in our communities who are afraid to walk the streets because of their faith and traditions.  Where there is enmity, we pray for peace; where there is division, healing; and where there is hatred, a mending of broken bonds.

Holy God, bring reconciliation to our nation that all might live justly and peacefully in the land.

• Father God, we pray for our own local community, confessing our own failings and lack of compassion and love. Help us see the good in each other, without bearing grudges and forgiving all grievances. help us not to define ourselves by what we do for you, but by what you have done for us. Show us how we can show your love to others.

• Heavenly Father, we thank you for all the gifts you have bestowed upon us and for the miracle of our ability to see, to hear, to touch, to smell, to taste. We pray for all those who senses are impaired and in particular this week, we lift up those who are blind, asking for Your healing touch to bring restoration to their sight.

Lord, You are the light of the world, and we trust that You can bring light to those who are in darkness. Please grant them strength, peace, and comfort as they navigate life without sight, and surround them with love and support.

Father, whether You choose to restore their physical sight or provide them with greater spiritual vision, we trust in Your perfect plan. May they feel Your presence and know that You are always with them. In Jesus’ name.

• We pray for the future of our own churches as we move towards the establishment of Minster Communities. We pray that you will bring clarity where there is confusion, understanding where there is ignorance and encouragement where there is despair. May the structure which is ultimately put in place, be one which provides support to all, which fosters the love of Christ between us and enables us to be more effective in sharing that love in our communities and with all with whom we come into contact.

• We pray for all those known to us who are sick, sad, lonely, struggling to make ends meet – all in particular need at this time – and we pray that you will comfort them with your presence and show us how best we can support and help them.

• You turn our darkness into light and in your light shall we see light. Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your son, our Saviour Jesus Christ
  Amen.