Today’s Theme: In Isaiah we hear that God’s house shall be a house of prayer for all people and that God will gather the outcasts of Israel. The Canaanite woman in today’s gospel is a Gentile, an outsider, who is unflinching in her request that Jesus heal her daughter. As Jesus commends her bold faith, how might our church extend its mission to those on the margins of society? In our gathering around word and meal we receive strength to be signs of comfort, healing, and justice for those in need.

The Sundays after Pentecost, also called “common or ordinary time”, constitute a season of growth in Christian faith, life, and ministry. Nearly half of the Christian year is reserved for this season, which spans the Sundays between Pentecost – 50 days after Easter, and Advent – around Thanksgiving.

Traditionally, the liturgical color of ordinary time is green. Green is the color of nature and growth. It symbolizes the need of Christians to be disciples, persons who live out the values of the gospel and share them joyfully with others. During this time, the scriptural texts, sermons, and hymns are usually directed toward the task of helping us grow as faithful followers of Jesus Christ and bear good fruit in our witness.