Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent (Hebrews 13:1-9)

13 Let brotherly love continue. ² Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it. ³ Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body. ⁴ Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled; but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. ⁵ Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.” ⁶ So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?”  ⁷ Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹ Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by food, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

Commentary

Musical Selection (Suzanne Toolan)

Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, yesterday, today and for ever.

Son of God; source of Light.

You are Alpha and Omega, you are savior and friend.

Collect

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen.

Sunday of the Passion (Palm) Sunday (Hebrews 13:10-25)

¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹ For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside of the camp. ¹² Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate. ¹³ Let’s therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach. ¹⁴ For we don’t have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come. ¹⁵ Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name. ¹⁶ But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. ¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you. ¹⁸ Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things. ¹⁹ I strongly urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you sooner. ²⁰ Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, ²¹ make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. ²² But I exhort you, brothers, endure the word of exhortation; for I have written to you in few words. ²³ Know that our brother Timothy has been freed, with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you. ²⁴ Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. The Italians greet you. ²⁵ Grace be with you all. Amen.

Commentary

Leaving types and figures behind, the Apostle directs his teaching on sacrifice toward what they foreshadowed, as follows: the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the High Priest as a sacrifice for sin are burnt outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate, in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. We learn, therefore, that the former rites were a prefiguring of events to come, and Christ fulfilled them all by suffering outside the city gates. The text also shows that he suffered of his own free will, by intimating that the rites of the old Law were not without meaning but were a prophetic sign. In their accomplishment Christ suffered outside the city boundaries, but his blood was taken up to heaven.  You see then that we have a share in the blood that was brought into the Holy Place – the true Holy Place – and in the sacrifice which the High Priest alone had the right to consume. We have a share, therefore, in the reality that was signified. Our fellowship is in sanctification rather than in shame, but shame was the cause of this sanctification. As Christ himself was scorned and reproached, so also must we be. If we go outside the camp, therefore, we shall have fellowship with him. Yet what does the text mean when it says Let us go forth to him? It means surely that we should take our share of his sufferings and accept our part in his shame, since it was no chance happening that he suffered outside the gate. We also must strive to carry his Cross and go out from the world, keeping ourselves free from worldly entanglements. Christ endured disgrace as a condemned man, and so must we.  (John Chrysostom)

Musical Selection