Look Up and Live

Holy Cross--Preparing for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Three Days before Sunday (Year A)

Scripture

Old Testament: Numbers 21:4b-9

Psalter: Psalm 98:1-5 or Psalm 78:1-2, 34-38

Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:18-24

Gospel: John 3:13-17

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Prayer

For the healing of the nations, O God, you raised up your Son on the wood of the cross and exalted him as the Lord of all creation. Grant that all who believe in him may have the gift of eternal life and share in the glory of your kingdom, where you live forever and ever. Amen. (Revised Common Lectionary)

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Reflection

From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom, but the people became discouraged on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze and put it upon a pole, and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live Numbers 21:4-9).

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No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:13-17)

PRAYER: In the cross our need meets God’s redemption In confidence and hope, we bring the prayers of our hearts for the transformation of the church and the world.

Accept our prayers, God of mercy, in union with Jesus the Christ, who offered his life for our salvation upon the wood of the cross and who now reigns with you in eternal glory forever and ever. Amen. (Revised Common Lectionary)

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Information about Holy Cross Day can be found here.