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Hymns NEH
64 Be thou my guardian ARBRIDGE
486 We have a gospel to proclaim FULDA
381 Jerusalem the golden tune EWING
294 Just as I am SAFFRON WALDEN
235 Forth in thy name O Lord I go SONG34
Duties
Sacristan Lizz M; Reader C James; Intercession C James; Sidespeople J & R Mitchinson; Offertory C James; Chalice Rosie Rowe; Coffee Brigid Fraser
Collect
O Almighty God,
whose blessèd Son called Matthew the tax-collector
to be an apostle and evangelist:
give us grace to forsake the selfish pursuit of gain
and the possessive love of riches
that we may follow in the way of your Son Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit one God, now and for ever.
Post Communion
Lord God, the source of truth and love,
keep us faithful to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,
united in prayer and the breaking of bread,
and one in joy and simplicity of heart, in Jesus Christ our Lord
Epistle
2 Corinthians 4. 1-6
Throughout this letter the reader is conscious that St. Paul has had to battle against much criticism and here he re-states that he has neither deceived by adulterating the message nor distorted the word by twisting the words out of their true meaning in his work of proclaiming the gospel of ‘Jesus Christ as Lord’. But he is only too aware of the power of evil which closes hearts and minds to the truth.
A reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
Since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry of the Spirit, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
.Alleluia, Alleluia.
Jesus said; take up your cross and follow me.
Alleluia
Gospel
Matthew 9: 9-13
Jesus calls Matthew to be His disciple – a seemingly very odd choice – for Matthew was employed either by Herod Antipas or directly by Rome, both of whom were so universally hated by the Jewish community that Matthew, as a tax collector, was disbarred from the synagogue. Matthew’s response to Jesus undoubtedly meant giving up a wealthy lifestyle. The immediacy of his response tells us how great was his need to be with this Galilean who brought a new message and spoke with such authority
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. As he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
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