Today Is: Proper 15

Collect for: Proper 15
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Old Testament
Isaiah 56:1-7

1 Thus says the LORD: 'Keep justice, and do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed. 2 Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.' 3 Do not let the son of the foreigner Who has joined himself to the LORD Speak, saying, 'The LORD has utterly separated me from His people'; Nor let the eunuch say, 'Here I am, a dry tree.' 4 For thus says the LORD: 'To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant, 5 Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off. 6 Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him, And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants -- Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant -- 7 Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.'

Officiant: The Word of the Lord.
The People: Thanks be to God.

Psalm
Psalm 67

1 God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us. Selah 2 That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. 3 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. 4 Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, And govern the nations on earth. Selah 5 Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. 6 Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us. 7 God shall bless us, And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.

*At the end of the Psalms this is sung or said
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

New Testament
Romans 11:25-32

25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.' 28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

Officiant: The Word of the Lord.
The People: Thanks be to God.

Gospel
Matthew 15:21-28

Introduction to the Gospel:
Deacon:The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you. Or And with your spirit
Deacon: May the Lord be on our minds, on our lips, and on our hearts as we hear His Holy Gospel. The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
People: Glory to You, Lord Christ.
Deacon: We are reading from Matthew's Gospel chapter 15, beginning at verse 21.

21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, 'Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.' 23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, 'Send her away, for she cries out after us.' 24 But He answered and said, 'I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, 'Lord, help me!' 26 But He answered and said, 'It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs.' 27 And she said, 'Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.' 28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, 'O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.' And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

After the Gospel reading, the deacon elevates the book and says:
Deacon: The Gospel of the Lord.
People: Praise to You, Lord Christ.

Prayers of the People

Prayers of the People for: Proper 15

Brothers and sisters, with the same attitude as the Canaanite woman, let us approach the Lord with persistent faith and ask Him to grant us our needs.

That God's people will love one another and so prove to be disciples of Christ.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That the Church everywhere will be a household of prayer for all people.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That future generations will hear and answer the call of God to the Priesthood, the Deaconate, and other Christian ministries.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That the nations will rule their people with righteousness, especially the poor and the powerless.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That those who defend us at home and abroad will experience the grace and protection of God.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That every life will be seen as a gift from God and protected from conception to natural death.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That the Jewish nation will recognize Jesus as their promised Messiah.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

That the sick, the poor, and the lonely will experience the presence of God through His people.
Lord in Your mercy,            Hear our prayer.

Father of Mercy, it is Your good pleasure to bless us with every good gift.
Hear and answer our prayer and increase our faith, we ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN