June 4, 2008

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Religion comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. This Sunday's Gospel shows the compassion of Jesus in calling Matthew the tax collector and in healing the woman who suffered from a hemorrhage. These actions of Jesus comfort Matthew and the afflicted woman, but they deeply disturb the religious establishment. By associating with sinners and outsiders, Jesus arouses the ire of the authorities.

THEME FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

The readings for this Sunday show God's penchant for disturbing the status quo. In the first reading, God calls Abram and Sarah to leave the comfort of their familiar surroundings. In the Gospel Jesus invites the taxcollector Matthew, a collaborator with the hated Roman occupiers, to enter his inner circle and Jesus heals the woman with the hemorrhage who is considered unclean. In befriending those who were considered sinners and unclean, Jesus demonstrates that God's healing mercy extends to all. In the Collect, we pray: "O God, from whom all good proceeds: Grant that by your inspiration we may think those things that are right, and by your merciful guiding may do them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

The reading from Genesis presents Abram, revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims as the faithful person who follows God's call: "The Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.'" (Genesis 12:1-9)

Psalm 33 praises the majesty and goodness of God, who "loves righteousness and justice; the loving-kindness of the LORD fills the whole earth. By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, by the breath of his mouth all the heavenly hosts ... But the LORD'S will stands fast for ever, and the designs of his heart from age to age."

In his epistle to the Romans, Paul recalls that "The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they would inherit the world, did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith ... For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations." (Romans 4:13-25)

In the Gospel reading, Jesus angers the religious authoriites by calling Matthew, a tax collector, to be his disciple and by dining with Matthew and other outsiders: "As Jesus 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." (Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26)

At All Saints Parish, we strive to be an inclusive community. Our policy is to welcome all people who seek the love of God, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic background, socioeconomic status, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, or age. We welcome all people on the basis of our Baptismal Covenant in which we promise to "seek and serve Christ in all persons" and "respect the dignity of every human being."

I invite you to join us for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist Saturday at 5 pm, Sunday at 10:30 am, and Sunday at 6 pm.

Sincerely,

David A. Killian
Rector

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Worship for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, June 7-8, 2008
Saturday, June 7, at 5:00 pm - Preacher: The Rev. Leslie K. Sterling
Sunday, June 8, at 10:30 am - Preacher: The Rev. Leslie K. Sterling
Sunday, June 8, at 6:00 pm - Preacher: The Rev. Leslie K. Sterling

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EVENTS at All Saints Parish

• For a schedule of worship services, please click here.
• For information about the Faith Formation Discussion Group that will meet on May 28, please click here.
• For information about the "I believe" course on the Apostles' Creed and Baptism taught by the Rev. Christine Visminas on Sundays beginning June 15, please click here.
• To see the current issue of Saints Alive, our newsletter, please click here.

For the Collect of the Day, Scripture Readings, and Psalm, click here. Please note that the we are now using the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) readings.

For a Story from this Sunday's Gospel by Becky Taylor, Director of Children's Youth, and Family Ministry, click here.

For a note on the Sunday 6:00 pm 'Sunday Evening Contemplative Eucharist' from Assistant Rector, the Rev. Leslie K. Sterling, click here.

To browse past issues of the All Saints Weekly, click here.

For "All Saints Smiles" and news about events, activities, programs, ministries and the staff of our parish, please click on the All Saints web site: www.allsaintsbrookline.org.

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