"Generations of Faith"
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
August 10, 2025 8:30 am
Prayer:
Almighty God, we thank you that through baptism you have called us to be your own children. We thank you for those who have gone before us, who have lived and shared the faith. We ask that as we live our lives today, we would run with the endurance that is only possible through you. Let us always be looking to Jesus along life’s way for hope, forgiveness, and the strength to carry on. May what we do today in faith, impact generations to come for you. Amen.
Meditation:
Hebrews 11:1-16
Many people over the years have taken an interest in genealogy whether through online sites that bring together millions of records in one place or even sought to discover more about their identity through taking at home DNA tests. Behind all these things is a desire to learn more about the people who came before us and who make up our family tree. Many have been able to piece together remarkable stories of courage, heartbreak, bold moves to new places or even countries. Many have looked at those people from their past and found inspiration in what they did long ago. Along with that, there is also an appreciation for what they did in the past, how these actions have in their own way brought us to where we are today.
In Sunday’s reading we look into our collective past at those we would call heroes of the faith. These people lived in different times and had very different lives. But what tied them together were a few important things. They were all chosen and called by God to serve Him in a special way, even though they were far from perfect people. What we also see in all of them is a hopefulness for things not yet seen. They did not see fully the things that were promised in their lifetime, but looked to them from afar with faith filled hope.
As we are surrounded by this great cloud of witnesses today, we look at our own journey of faith, our own calling through baptism, and the hopeful longing we have in our own callings and vocations. And as we do so, we see that the same God who was at work in the lives of these great heroes, is at work with us today.