Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025: Sept 21, 2025

Join us on September 21, 2025, for Morning Prayer at 9:00 AM as we celebrate Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025 at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church (216 E Chandler Blvd, Burlington, WI). Rev. Mary is home, sick.

If you want a reminder about this and every Sunday, join our newsletter and get the service links and more.

Whether you’re with us in person or online via Live Stream, Video Replay, or Podcast, you’re warmly invited to join for worship.

Theme: “The Scales Fall from Our Eyes”

Join Us Electronically for the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025

Live Stream / Replay

• Tune in live at 9:00 AM Central Time on September 21, 2025.
• Replay available immediately through the same link.

Podcast

The podcast featured the sermon and liturgy this week; however, there was no music, as the organist was off.

The podcast is ready! Listen to it here or on your favorite podcast player. Don’t forget to download and subscribe so you can be informed when new episodes are released.

Collect of Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025

Grant us, O Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we live among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that will endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Readings for Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025 (Track 2)

Amos 8:4–7

Hear this, you that trample the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land,
saying, “When will the new moon be over, so that we may sell grain;
and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale?
We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances;
buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals;
selling the sweepings of the wheat.”
The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: “Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.”

Psalm 113

1 Praise the LORD!
Praise, O servants of the LORD;
praise the name of the LORD.
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time on and forevermore.
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised.
4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the LORD!

1 Timothy 2:1–7

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.

Luke 16:1–13

Jesus said, “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

“The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg. I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

“Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ ‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’
“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.

“I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
“So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?

“And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Reflection for the Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost 2025

These readings encourage us to seek spiritual clarity and practice faithful stewardship.

• Amos condemns exploitation and reminds us that God clearly sees injustice.
• Psalm 113 celebrates God’s elevation of the lowly and His honor for the oppressed.
• 1 Timothy encourages us to pray for everyone, including leaders, and points to Jesus as our sole mediator.
• Luke 16 presents a challenging parable: true wisdom involves the faithful use of what we’ve been given, especially in caring for others. for others.

Let us choose to serve God rather than wealth, with integrity, mercy, and a clear vision.

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In Person: 216 E Chandler Blvd, Burlington, WI | 9:00 AM
Online: Live Stream • Video Replay • Podcast

All are welcome. Come as you are, beloved of God.