What is This? - 9.20.20 The Rev. Vincent Pizzuto, Ph.D.

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost   The Collect: Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Old Testament:  Exodus 16:2-15 [Alternate: Jonah 3:10-4:11] 2The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3The Israelites said to them, 'If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.' 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, 'I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.' 6So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, 'In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?' 8And Moses said, 'When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.' 9 Then Moses said to Aaron, 'Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, "Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining." ' 10And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12'I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, "At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God." ' 13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, 'What is it?' For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, 'It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. Alternate: 10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it. 1But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. 2He prayed to the Lord and said, 'O Lord! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. 3And now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.' 4And the Lord said, 'Is it right for you to be angry?' 5Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city. 6 The Lord God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. 7But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. 8When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, 'It is better for me to die than to live.' 9 But God said to Jonah, 'Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?' And he said, 'Yes, angry enough to die.' 10Then the Lord said, 'You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labour and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?' Psalm:  Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 [Alternate: Psalm 145:1-8] 1 Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; *        make known his deeds among the peoples. 2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, *        and speak of all his marvelous works. 3 Glory in his holy Name; *        let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. 4 Search for the Lord and his strength; *        continually seek his face. 5 Remember the marvels he has done, *        his wonders and the judgments of his mouth, 6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, *        O children of Jacob his chosen. 37 He led out his people with silver and gold; *        in all their tribes there was not one that stumbled. 38 Egypt was glad of their going, *        because they were afraid of them. 39 He spread out a cloud for a covering *        and a fire to give light in the night season. 40 They asked, and quails appeared, *         and he satisfied them with bread from heaven. 41 He opened the rock, and water flowed, *        so the river ran in the dry places. 42 For God remembered his holy word *        and Abraham his servant. 43 So he led forth his people with gladness, *        his chosen with shouts of joy. 44 He gave his people the lands of the nations, *        and they took the fruit of others' toil, 45 That they might keep his statutes *        and observe his laws.        Hallelujah! Alternate: 1 I will exalt you, O God my King, *        and bless your Name for ever and ever. 2 Every day will I bless you *        and praise your Name for ever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; *        there is no end to his greatness. 4 One generation shall praise your works to another *        and shall declare your power. 5 I will ponder the glorious splendor of your majesty *        and all your marvelous works. 6 They shall speak of the might of your wondrous acts, *        and I will tell of your greatness. 7 They shall publish the remembrance of your great goodness; *        they shall sing of your righteous deeds. 8 The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, *        slow to anger and of great kindness. Epistle:  Philippians 1:21-30 21For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again. 27 Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God's doing. 29For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— 30since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. Gospel:  Matthew 20:1-16 1 'For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. 2After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; 4and he said to them, "You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right." So they went. 5When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. 6And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, "Why are you standing here idle all day?" 7They said to him, "Because no one has hired us." He said to them, "You also go into the vineyard." 8When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, "Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first." 9When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12saying, "These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat." 13But he replied to one of them, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?" 16So the last will be first, and the first will be last.'