Approaching the 13th sunday in ordinary time (parts and 3)

Where we are heading (readings for Sunday  30th June)

1 Kings 19.15-16, 19-21

Psalm 16

Galatians 5.1, 13-25

Luke 9.51-62

Readings for yesterday !Psalm 16

2 Kings 1.1-16

Galatians 4.8-20

Readings for today

Psalm 16

Deuteronomy 32.15-27, 39-43

Luke 9.21-27

thought for today

More stories of God and fire, yesterday and today. God says 'I put to death and I bring to life.' We find this hard to deal with because it seems to edge towards arbitrary retribution. But perhaps that is because we are not able to see things from God's angle. Because we do not know all of God's purposes then following God in Jesus Christ may take us to surprising places, even through fire.

If you are following the letter to Galatians you might like to read all of chapter 4 today in ready to hear chapter 5 tomorrow. This contains Paul's breathtaking analagy that Mount Sinai, or even the earthly Jerusalem are in slavery, like a child of Hagar, and those who are free (in Christ), are children of Sarah, are children of the Jerusalem that is above.

Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission

Approaching the 13th sunday in ordinary time (part 1)

Where we are heading (readings for Sunday 30th June)

1 Kings 19.15-16, 19-21
Psalm 16
Galatians 5.1, 13-25
Luke 9.51-62

Readings for today

Psalm 16
Leviticus 9.22 - 10.11
2 Corinthians 13.5-10

thought for today

Aaron remained silent. You bet he did! what could be said, after witnessing the holy fire coming and burning up the sacrifice they thought they would grab a bit of the glory and ended up getting burned too. What on earth was he supposed to say - they may well have overstepped the line, but the result was drastic indeed. Even Paul's 'authority' did not extend to this. And then he was prevented from mourning by Moses, because he and two of his other sons had the anointing oil on them and had to stay near the tent of meeting. We may struggle to make sense of the careful distinctions Israel made between Holy and profane (common) and the further division of the profane into clean and unclean, and also the drastic response of God for those who unwittingly brought the profane into the presence of the holy, but we can perhaps learn something of the total otherness of God. And yet, and yet, this God who is so other than the wrong sort of fire should not be brought into his presence comes among us in Christ and offers us the invitation to follow.


Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission

Reflecting on the the twelfth Sunday in ordinary time (part 3).

Where we have come from  (readings for Sunday Jun 23):

Isaiah 65.1-9

Psalm 22.19-28

Galatians 3.23-29

Luke 8.26-39

Readings for today, Wednesday Jun 26

Psalm 64

Ezekiel 32.1-10

Luke 9.37-43a

Brief thoughts for today

The words against Pharoah are the culmination of a long series of oracles against Egypt lasting four chapters. I think at the hear t of the problem is Israel's tendency over the years to trust in the support of Egypt against powers coming from the North. God was angry with Israel for trusting in Egypt above God himself, and he seem to be angry with Egypt for enticing Israel and Judah into such an alliance, and for then being a poor ally when the crunch came. I suppose Egypt, like Judah, can be seen as not trusting in God's purposes. Are we so different? Jesus too berates the disciples, and the whole of Judea for being 'unbelieving' for not having enough faith: we could well be in that category too. O Lord I believe, help my unbelief.

Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission

Reflecting on the the twelfth Sunday in ordinary time (part 2).

Where we have come from  (readings for Sunday Jun 23):

Isaiah 65.1-9

Psalm 22.19-28

Galatians 3.23-29

Luke 8.26-39

Readings for today, Tuesday Jun 25

Psalm 64

Job 19.1-22

Ephesians 2.11-22

Brief thoughts for today

Job replies to Bildad's platitudes (see yesterday's post) by beginning with a searching critique of the motives of his 'comforter,' and then proceeding with his description of his lot and his current view of God and his circumstances. The reading for today does not included the whole speech - perhaps so that we do not immediately focus on verse 25 - but I suspect that it is a good thing to read to the end of the chapter to take in Job's anger at his friends, his perception that God is unjust and 

his desire to encounter God face to face. It would seem to me that Job's central accusation at his former friend is that they presume to think that they are self evidently better people than Job because of his suffering. I am left unsure as to whether Job thinks that he has no sin and therefore God is being altogether unfair in making his life at all rocky, or whether he has not done anything to deserve such an onslaught as he experiences.

We can certainly say that Job has faith, faith enough to rail against God, and faith enough to hope that in the end all will be clear. As the book unfolds he in fact receives a different kind of clarity. The drama of Job is set before the coming of Christ, but I think it is reasonable to say that in his intimacy with God he anticipates the relationship with God that we have in Christ Jesus. 

Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission

Reflecting on the the twelfth Sunday in ordinary time (part 1).

Where we have come from  (readings for Sunday Jun 23):

Isaiah 65.1-9

Psalm 22.19-28

Galatians 3.23-29

Luke 8.26-39

Readings for today, Monday Jun 24

Psalm 64

Job 18.1-21

1 Corinthians 1.18-31

Brief thoughts for today

Taking a text out of its context is always risky, in all forms of writing. This is also true of the Bible, and perhaps 

especially so in the case of the book of Job. Our text for today is one of the speeches of Bildad, one of Job's

'comforters.' These three men offer variations on a theme of the standard outlook of the day (and sometimes of

today) that those who are good will prosper and those who are evil will flounder; the implication being that

because Job is having a rough time then he cannot be good. The book as a whole questions this 'wise' world

view. Paul proclaims to the churches in Corinth that though the 'greeks,' ie those who are not Jewish, demand

wisdom, this is not on offer. Or at least wisdom that would be recognised as such is not. For the only true wisdom, the wisdom of God, appears as foolishness to the world. That's why the Corinthians continued to struggle to

grasp it, and perhaps we do too.

Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission

Reflecting on the the eleventh Sunday in ordinary time (parts 1-3).

Slightly different format today - as I am not sure if I will have internet access tomorrow and wednesday - so three days in one.

Where we come from  (readings for Sunday Jun 16):

2 Samuel 11.26 - 12.10, 13-5

Psalm 32

Galatians 2:15-21

Luke 7:36 - 8.3

Readings for Monday Jun 17

Psalm 130

2 Chronicles 29.1-19

Galatians 3.1-9

Readings for Monday Jun 17

Psalm 130

2 Chronicles 30.1-12

Galatians 3.10-14

Readings for Monday Jun 17

Psalm 130

2 Chronicles 30.13-27

Mark 2.1-12

Brief reflections on these readings.

Centuries after David came a King at last who 'did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his ancestor David had done.' 'As his ancestor David ' referring not to the sorry story of Bathsheba and Uriah - but to David's actions after being chastened by God through Nathan. Hezekiah remembers David's relationship with God and seeks to bring about reform. It is intriguing that in the Chronicles account David's envoys do far beyond the boundaries of Judah into the lands once owned by the northern tribes with their summons to attend passover. Those who come to Jerusalem experience healing and hope. Important as the renewal of the temple liturgy is to Hezekiah and ancient Israel, Paul insists that Abraham's absolute faith is a more important model for us, and a surer guide to a relationship with God, as we trust in God's promises to Abraham that are fulfilled in Jesus - the one who has the authority to forgive sin.

Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission

Approaching the eleventh Sunday in ordinary time (part 3).

Where we are heading to (readings for Sunday Jun 16):

2 Samuel 11.26 - 12.10, 13-5

Psalm 32

Galatians 2:15-21

Luke 7:36 - 8.3

Readings for today:

Psalm 32

2 Samuel 18.28-19.8

Luke 5.17-26

Brief thoughts for today:

Despite all the heartache Absalom has caused, David, to the annoyance of some, mourns the death of his son. Not quite  'all is forgiven,' but certainly the capacity to be moved by earthly situations and the presence of God. Jesus comes among as the one who claims to be able to forgive sin and restore relationship with God and therefore with one another. Anyone who speaks the word of the psalm with find their most complete peace in Jesus.

Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission

Approaching the eleventh Sunday in ordinary time (part 2).

Where we are heading to (readings for Sunday Jun 16):

2 Samuel 11.26 - 12.10, 13-5

Psalm 32

Galatians 2:15-21

Luke 7:36 - 8.3

Readings for today:

Psalm 32

2 Samuel 15.1-12

Romans 11.1-10

Brief thoughts for today:

Short of time today. To be honest I am not sure how to thread together Absalom's rebellion, and Paul's description of the election of a faithful remnant as we look forward to Sunday's readings. So I offer you the readings themselves, and if any one can see something more then feel free to post it as a comment. Hope to post something more constructive tomorrow. 

Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission.

Approaching the eleventh Sunday in ordinary time (part 1).

Where we are heading to (readings for Sunday Jun 16):

2 Samuel 11.26 - 12.10, 13-5

Psalm 32

Galatians 2:15-21

Luke 7:36 - 8.3

Readings for today:

Psalm 32

2 Samuel 13.23-39

James 4.1-7

Brief thoughts for today:

Our reading from samuel takes us back, back to the saga at the beginning of last week where we learned about Absolom's return from exile. Today we hear him cause Amnon's death as revenge for the rape of Tamar. This is an all too human story - there does not appear to much of God in it. Sometimes the rivalry between David's sons ( and their mothers- david's wives) to be David's heir on the throne of Israel is called the succession narrative. Here Amnon is obviously taken out of the running, but maybe Absolom, by his actions, is too. Odd though it might seem, since Solomon is God's choice for the throne, perhaps his hand is in these gory events somehow.
James encourages an altogether different standard of living, asking us to put aside behaviour that covets or grasps what we can't have. Instead we should trust in God to give us more grace.

Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission.