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Thirteenth Sunday - Pentecost • Year A
August 23, 2026 • Proper 16
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Historical Collect
Care for your Church, O Lord, with perpetual mercy. Since we totter and are sure to fall without your grace, remove what will harm us and arrange what will make us whole. Grant this, we pray, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Gelasian Sacramentary, 7th Century)
Thematic Collect
Almighty God, your mercy endures forever, revealed through your Son’s life, death, and resurrection. With faithful followers of all generations, make us boldly declare Jesus as Lord and proclaim his redeeming and reconciling work to all people; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
The Common Thread
Look to God; pay attention to him. Everything else in creation will disappear but he will remain. This eternal God has also looked toward us and has a purpose for us. He will see it through to completion. So we may commit ourselves to the Lord, trusting him to transform us according to the purposes of his will. This process begins with the good confession that Christ is the Son of the ever-living God.
First Reading • Isaiah 51:1-6
On what may one rely? If one depends on their own righteousness, discouragement or even downright dissatisfaction with religion will eventually result. If one seeks the Lord, the discovery is not far off that God sometimes seems to hide himself or even withdraw his favor. At such times, one needs to consult history. In the past, God has been faithful; his faithfulness will soon become apparent once again.
Psalm • Psalm 138:1-8
God’s name and word are above all things. Believing this and acting upon that belief requires “strength of soul” (v3), the God-given ability to call upon the Father in prayer. For example, praying, “Thy will be done,” then trusting God with the outcome requires “strength of soul.” Typically, people are far more interested in their own name, their own words, and their own wills; they want what they want. Of course, this is not in line with the will of God. When one’s will runs contrary to the word of God, it is time for an increase of soul strength. Believe in a greater will than your own, that the Lord will fulfill his purpose for you. This is accomplished by renewal of the mind—an inner transformation that begins at the moment one trusts in God through Jesus Christ for forgivness and salvation. The renewal continues throughout life by putting to death self will, praying instead that God’s will be done by you toward him and your neighbor.
Second Reading • Romans 11:33-12:8
The believer must yield all to the wisdom of God. Holding back will not do. The mind of the Lord, his wisdom and knowledge, cannot be plumbed. So, God must be trusted with life even when things look bleak. Those times are the best times to give way to the will of God. In such times, if the living sacrifice of self is made, transformation occurs and understanding of the will of God becomes clear. This is accomplished through humility, love, and using the gifts supplied by the Spirit of God, despite the times.
Gospel • Matthew 16:13-20
It is not enough that one confesses Jesus is the Christ. One must keep that confession. The Christian is one who holds on to the name in that good confession until the end. The Church is built upon the rock of that confession. The gates of hell will not triumph over the confession of faith in Christ, the Son of the living God.
Resources
Links to Worship Resources for this Service
