21st Century Africana Liturgy Resources for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Pentecost, Year B

Reading: Naomi's People
(From the Book of Ruth, requires two readers.)
Reader One:
In the days when the Judges ruled, there was a famine in the land; and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons (Ruth 1:1-3).

Reader Two:
He was her man.
They hooked up early in life.
They moved to another land.
They made a home.
They raised the boys.
Then, he was gone.

Reader One:
Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah; and the name of the other, Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband (Ruth 1:3-5).

Reader Two:
They were her heart;
God's gift, her reward.
She bore them.
She raised them.
She taught them.
She loved them.
Then, she lost them.

Reader One:
But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go back, each of you ,to your mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me." But Ruth said, "Do not press me to leave you or to turn back from following you! Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die; there will I be buried (Ruth 1:8-9, 16-17).

Reader Two:
She became her Baby Girl.
Not born to her ??
But chosen.
Daughter-in-law, daughter-in-love
She claimed the girl.
The girl claimed her God,
Followed her and followed her God.

Reader One:
Boaz took Ruth, and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, "Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him." Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, "A son has been born to Naomi" (Ruth 4:13-17).

Reader Two:
He was her heart,
Born of the new daughter
But claimed as her own.
Loved, nursed and nurtured
And he became a joy, a hope
God's gift, her reward.

Prayer for Our Families
(Inspired by Psalm 127:3 and by the story of Naomi in the Book of Ruth)
Lord, we thank you for our mamas,
those who nurtured us,
laughed with us, and cried with us;
taught us and corrected.
They love us,
whether or not they birthed us.

Lord, we thank you for our fathers,
those who raised us up,
taught us, and corrected us;
laughed with us cried with us.
They love us,
whether or not they gave us blood.

Lord, we thank you for our children
who challenge and inspire us,
who obey and disobey;
who have brought us joy and heartache;
who teach us and raise us up;
who laugh with us and cry with us.
They love us,
whether or not we birthed them.

Lord, we thank you for our families
who have supported us,
walked with us,
sung for us,
listened to us,
eaten and drunk with us,
prayed for us,
prayed with us,
strengthen us.
They love us,
whether or not we share blood.

Thank you, Lord, for our fathers, our mamas, our children, our families.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
Amen.

Litany for our Children
(Psalm 127:3 CEV)
Reader:
Children are a blessing and a gift from the LORD.

Left Side:
But Lord, our children are dying.
Some are dying before they are born
Dying for lack of care
For lack of opportunity
We call it "failure to thrive."

Right Side:
Children are a blessing and a gift from the LORD.

Reader:
But too many babies are making babies.
Too many of those babies are growing up without men.

Left Side:
Children are a blessing and a gift from the LORD.

Right Side:
But too many of our children are followed, arrested, convicted, and imprisoned.
Our boys are more likely to be incarcerated in jails and prisons than to matriculate from colleges and universities.

Reader:
Children are a blessing and a gift from the LORD.

Left Side:
But too many of our children strive to be famous rather than faithful.
Too many will sell their minds, their bodies, their souls for a chance at that fame.

Right Side:
Children are a blessing and a gift from the LORD.

Reader:
But too many are dying too soon
In great numbers on the streets,
in their schools,
when sent off to war,
or by lethal injection.

Left Side:
Their aspirations are dying.
Their hope is dying.
Their faith is dying.

Right Side:
Children are a blessing and a gift from the LORD.

All: O Lord, we need the blessing and the gift. Bless your children with the gift of joy, of love, of hope, of faith. Give us the gift of knowing how to care for them. Amen.

Offertory Prayer
(Inspired by Mark 12:38) Lord,
Sometimes we feel like we have nothing to give. Sometimes we feel like this world just takes. It drains us dry, Lord. We sometimes feel like we just don't have enough to go on. Not enough money, not enough energy, not enough hope.

But we know better. We might not have cars and fame and bling; we might not have titles and positions; we might not have a home to call our own; we might not have a lot of free time. But we have you, and you give.

Lord you give us so much. You give us shelter and daily bread. You give us families and friends. You give us hope, love, and faith. You give us yourself. You meet us where we are. It might be in prison. It might be in the boardroom. It might be in the ditch. It might be in the courtroom. It might be in the judge's chamber. It might be on the streets. It might be in our homes. It might be in a homeless shelter. It might be in a cathedral. It might be a storefront. You meet us and you give.

So what we have, we give to you. Like the widow who gave all she had, we know we can't beat your giving. We have enough, and we give to you In Jesus' name. Amen.

A Benediction from Psalm 127:1
"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain." The Lord is building this house. The Lord is guarding this city. Go forth to your homes, to your schools, to your work, to the cities, to the world. Go in the presence and power of God. Amen.

About the Author: Tony Peterson is a former staff member of the Discipleship Ministries.