When the Crowd Presses In--March 5, 2018

[Adapted from March 20, 2006 archive]

O God, you are good to all,

and your compassion is over all that you have made.

We see the present form of our world passing away,

and we despair.

Remind us of Judah, who for the sake of his father

was willing to become surety for Benjamin;

and remind us of Jesus, who became surety for us.

Even with a crowd pressing in on him,

Jesus remained sensitive to individual persons;

he had compassion for the woman.

When the crowd presses in on us,

fill us with your compassion,

that we may be more like Jesus.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 119:73-80; 145; 121; 6

Gen. 44:18-34

1 Cor. 7:25-31

Mark 5:21-43

Selected Verses

Ps.145:9

The LORD is good to all,

            and his compassion is over all that he has made.

Gen. 44:32

"…For your servant became surety for the boy to my father, saying, 'If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame in the sight of my father all my life.' …"  [Judah to Joseph]

1 Cor. 7:31b

For the present form of this world is passing away.

Mark 5:33-34

But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before [Jesus], and told him the whole truth.  He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."