Above: The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, by Caravaggio, 1608
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FIRST READING AND PSALM: OPTION #1
2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 (New Revised Standard Version):
David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. David and all the people with him set out and went from Baalejudah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who is enthroned on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart with the ark of God; and Ahio went in front of the ark. David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the LORD with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.
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So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom to the city of David with rejoicing; and when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. David danced before the LORD with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
They brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and offerings of well-being before the LORD. When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts, and distributed food among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people went back to their homes.
Psalm 24 (1979 Book of Common Prayer):
1 The earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it,
the world and all who dwell therein.
2 For it is who founded it upon the seas
and made it firm upon the rivers of the deep.
3 “Who can ascend the hill of the LORD?
and who can stand in his holy place?”
4 “Those who have clean hands and a pure heart,
who have not pledged themselves to falsehood,
nor sworn by what is a fraud.
5 They shall receive a blessing from the LORD
and a just reward from the God of their salvation.”
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
7 Lift up your heads, O gates;
lift them high, O everlasting doors;
and the King of glory shall come in.
8 ”Who is this King of glory?”
“The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.”
9 Lift up your heads, O gates;
lift them high, O everlasting doors;
and the King of glory shall come in.
10 ”Who is he, this King of glory?”
“The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of glory.”
FIRST READING AND PSALM: OPTION #2
Amos 7:7-15 (New Revised Standard Version):
This is what the Lord God showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD said to me,
Amos, what do you see?
And I said,
A plumb line.
Then the Lord said,
See, I am setting a plumb line
in the midst of my people Israel;
I will never again pass them by;
the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying,
Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said,
“Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel must go into exile
away from his land.”
And Amaziah said to Amos,
O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.
Then Amos answered Amaziah,
I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
Psalm 85:8-13 (1979 Book of Common Prayer):
8 I will listen to what the LORD God is saying,
for he is speaking peace to his faithful people
and to those who turn their hearts to him.
9 Truly, his salvation is very near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
11 Truth shall spring up from the earth,
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
12 The LORD will indeed grant prosperity,
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness shall go before him,
and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.
SECOND READING
Ephesians 1:3-14 (New Revised Standard Version):
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.
GOSPEL READING
Mark 6:14-29 (New Revised Standard Version):
King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said,
John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why these powers are at work in him.
But others said,
It is Elijah.
And others said,
It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.
But when Herod heard of it he said,
John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.
For Herod had sent and seized John, and bound him for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he was much perplexed; and yet he heard him gladly. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodias’ daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl,
Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it.
And he vowed to her,
Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom.
And she went out, and said to her mother,
What shall I ask?
And she said,
The head of John the Baptist.
And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying,
I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.
And the king was exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. And immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
The Collect:
O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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Some Related Posts:
The Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist, Martyr (August 29):
2 Samuel 6:
http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/week-of-3-epiphany-tuesday-year-2/
Amos 7:
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/week-of-proper-8-thursday-year-2/
Mark 6:
http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/10/08/week-of-4-epiphany-friday-year-1/
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The prophet Amos had been condemning the policies of King Jeroboam II of Israel, whose regime controlled certain religious sites. There being no separation of religion and state in this context, the prophet faced a royal order to go home to Judah. At least Jeroboam did not command the execution of Amos.
Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C.E. to 39 C.E., had entered into an incestuous marriage to Herodias. John the Baptist had condemned this, and thus found himself in prison. The combination of lust and pride led Herod Antipas to order John’s execution.
We read in Ephesians about redemption through the blood of Jesus. The Roman authorities had ordered his execution, of course.
The powerful seem to have won immediately. But look again; they lost in the long term. The last vestige of the Roman Empire ceased to exist in 1453 C.E. The Emperor Caligula exiled Herod Antipas to Gaul in 39 C.E. And Jeroboam II died more than 2,750 years ago. He failed to silence Amos, whose words are available in translation today.
Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul….–Matthew 10:28a, New Revised Standard Version
God will win. That is how the story will end. I know, for I have read the book. So I take courage and seek to play my part in the work of righteousness.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 7, 2011 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THE SAINTS AND MARTYRS OF THE PACIFIC
THE FEAST OF ELIE NAUD, HUGUENOT WITNESS TO THE FAITH
THE FEAST OF JANE LAURIE BORTHWICK, TRANSLATOR OF HYMNS
THE FEAST OF JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER, POET
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Published originally at ORDINARY TIME DEVOTIONS BY KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
Adapted from this post:
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/proper-10-year-b/
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