Ray Ellis’s Reviews > Feasting on the Word— Year A, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season after Pentecost 1 > Status Update

Proper 15 - Psalm 67 celebrates God’s blessing as something intended not merely for his people but for all nations, so that they may know and praise him. It implies that God’s people are blessed for the sake of others, becoming a means through which his justice, guidance and salvation are made known throughout the world.

Proper 15 - Isaiah 56:1, 6–8 presents God’s salvation as open to all who faithfully follow him, including foreigners who worship and serve him. It implies that God’s people are defined not by ethnicity or status but by faithfulness to God, and that his house is intended to be a place of welcome and prayer for all nations.

Proper 14 - Matthew 14:22–33 shows Jesus revealing his divine authority and calling his disciples to trust him amid fear and uncertainty. It links with themes of God’s presence, salvation, peace and faithful response, implying that faith means recognising and trusting Christ even when circumstances are threatening, confident that God remains sovereign and brings deliverance.

Proper 14 - Romans 10:5–15 teaches that salvation through Christ is accessible to all who believe and call on him, rather than being achieved through human effort. It implies that God's gracious offer of salvation requires a response of faith and proclamation, so believers are called to share the good news with others.

Proper 14 - Psalm 85:8–13 portrays God’s salvation as bringing together righteousness, peace, faithfulness and love, leading to renewal and flourishing. It implies that trusting God’s saving work should produce a transformed community in which justice, peace and faithfulness become visible in human life.

Proper 14 - 1 Kings 19:9–18 shows that God’s presence and power are not always revealed through dramatic events but may be encountered in quietness and stillness. It implies that God remains at work even when his purposes are not immediately obvious, calling his servants to listen, trust and continue their mission.

Proper 13 - Matthew 14:13–21 presents Jesus as compassionate and generous, responding to human need with abundant provision. It links with themes of God’s gracious invitation, faithful care, and the fulfilment of his purposes, implying that God’s generosity is sufficient for all who turn to him and that his people are called to participate in extending that provision to others.

Proper 13 - Romans 9:1–5 expresses Paul’s deep grief over Israel’s rejection of Christ while affirming Israel’s unique place in God’s purposes and the blessings entrusted to them. It implies that God’s faithfulness to his promises must be understood alongside the mystery of Israel’s present unbelief, without diminishing the significance of their covenant relationship with God.

Proper 13 - Isaiah 55:1–5 presents God’s salvation as a generous, freely offered invitation to those who recognise their need. It implies that true fulfilment comes not from material wealth but from responding to God’s covenant and receiving the abundant life he offers.

Proper 12 - Matthew 13:31–33, 44–52 presents God’s kingdom as something of immense value that begins quietly but ultimately transforms (corrupts?) everything. It links with themes of wisdom, faithful response to God, and confidence in his purposes, implying that recognising the kingdom’s true worth should lead to wholehearted commitment, while trusting that God will ultimately bring his purposes to fulfilment.