Elements from this morning’s gathering

Opening Prayer

Almighty God our heavenly Father,
you declare your glory and show forth your handiwork
in the heavens and in the earth.

Deliver us in our vocations from the service of self alone,
that we may do the work you give us to do
in truth and beauty and for the common good;
for the sake of him who came among us as one who serves,
your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Scripture Reading

A Reading from Isaiah 58

They come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn all about me. They act like a righteous nation that would never abandon the laws of its God. They ask me to take action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near me.

‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why aren’t you impressed? 

“I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing your workers. What good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarreling?” This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me. 

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
  to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
  to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
  and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
  when you see the naked, to clothe them,
  and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear… Then when you call, the Lord will answer.  ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

If you remove the yoke from among you, the finger-pointing, the wicked speech; if you open your heart to the hungry, and provide abundantly for those who are afflicted, then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. Then you will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.

If you refrain from trampling the sabbath, from pursuing your own interests on my holy day… then you shall take delight in the Lord.

I, the Lord, have spoken.