The 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time | Sunday 29 October 2023

Today is Sunday 29 October, beginning the 30th week of Ordinary time.

Zach Bolen with the Porter’s Gate sings, ‘He Is Among Us’.


You'll find Me with the broken and the weak
In the spaces in between
You'll hear My voice cry out with those who weep
Only if you're listening
Whatever you do for the least of these
You do it unto Me
You'll find Me with the ones without a voice
The forgotten and ignored
My blessing is on those who love the poor
'Til you open up the door
Whatever you do for the least of these
You do it unto Me
Whatever you do for the least of these
You do it unto Me
Hallelujah, hallelujah
He is among us, He is among us
Hallelujah, hallelujah
He is among us, He is among us
Hallelujah, hallelujah
He is among us, He is among us
Hallelujah, hallelujah
He is among us, He is among us
By this the world will know the Father's love
We will know the Father's love

Today’s reading is from the book of Exodus.

Exodus 22:20-26

Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction.

You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. You shall not abuse any widow or orphan. If you do abuse them, when they cry out to me, I will surely heed their cry; my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children orphans.

If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them. If you take your neighbour’s cloak in pawn, you shall restore it before the sun goes down.

In this part of the book of Exodus, the writer draws out some of the concrete implications of faith in God. This is the God who brought his people out of slavery in Egypt… Who promises to settle them in a land of their own. Can you see how the commandments here flow from those experiences?

God is shown to be passionately caring of the widow, the orphan, the stranger among the people. What might that suggest about how God sees our own society today?

If these are God’s concerns, what are the implications for those of us who claim to be followers of this God?

Notice your own reaction to God’s words here as you hear them read again.

Speak, finally, with God about your own concern for the poor, for those most in need, in the part of the world where you are. Ask God to show you what he might be asking of you in this regard.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.