Archive for the ‘Mark 6’ Category
Above: Mosaic from the Church of the Multiplication, Tabgha, Israel
Image in the Public Domain
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 23
Ephesians 2:13-22
Mark 6:30-34
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Pour out upon us, O Lord,
the spirit to think and to do what is right,
that we, who cannot even exist without you,
may have the strength to live according to your will;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
OR
O God, you see how busy we are with many things.
Turn us to listen to your teachings
and lead us to choose the one thing which will not be taken from us,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 26
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Grant us, Lord, the Spirit to think
and to do always such things as are pleasing in your sight,
that we, who without you cannot do anything that is good,
may by you be enabled to live according to your will;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 70
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God is the Good Shepherd in Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Psalm 23. The other shepherds–the kings–have led the flock astray, and scattered it, so God will find proper shepherds, we read. And, in Psalm 23, God either pursues or accompanies the psalmist, depending on the translation one reads. Either way, the enemies cannot keep up. Neither may they attend the divine banquet.
In Mark 6:24 we read:
…and [Jesus] took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd….
—The Revised New Jerusalem Bible
So, we read, Jesus fed more than five thousand people. So, we read, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, fed many “sheep.” Divine pity contributes to mercy. We should all thank God for divine pity.
The language of shepherding does not occur in Ephesians 2:13-22, but the lection fits well with the theme of shepherding. Jesus breaks down the walls of hostility separating peoples. Thereby, Jesus forms one, larger flock, so to speak. This flock is a holy Temple in God. That sounds wonderful! Who could oppose that?
The answer to that question is many people. One of my favorite single-frame cartoons depicts Jesus and people holding large pencils standing on a surface. The people are drawing lines on that surface. Yet Jesus is using the eraser on his pencil. My study of schisms and mergers in Christianity confirms that most schisms occur to the right and most mergers occur to the left. Some schisms precede mergers by a few years, as in Group B leaving Group A to merge into the new Group C. My analysis of ecclesiastical mergers also reveals that most mergers result in the formation of at least two denominations–the merged one and at least one schismatic group. Erasing lines makes some people nervous. And what if we consider some of the other “sheep” allegedly unworthy of ecclesiastical fellowship with the self-proclaimed theologically pure and/or orthodox? Donatism thrives.
Has Christ been split up?
–1 Corinthians 1:13a, The Revised New Jerusalem Bible
No, but we cannot honestly say the same of the flock, which consists of birds of a feather flocking together. The big tent is a noble concept, but many people have no intention of living under it.
Jesus defines the church, as my priest, channeling the Pauline tradition, says correctly. My congregation divided traumatically in 2012, when I was an active member of a parish in opposite corner of the state. The parish schism of 2012 occurred to the right. As I prepare to publish this post, a nearby congregation of another denomination has split because most members rejected affiliation with a big tent. Jesus defines the church and erases lines of division. But some people are hell-bent on drawing new lines.
May God take pity on us all.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 9, 2023 COMMON ERA
EASTER DAY
THE FEAST OF DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, GERMAN LUTHERAN MARTYR, 1945
THE FEAST OF JOHANN CRUGER, GERMAN LUTHERAN ORGANIST, COMPOSER, AND HYMNAL EDITOR
THE FEAST OF JOHN SAMUEL BEWLEY MONSELL, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND POET; AND RICHARD MANT, ANGLICAN BISHOP OF DOWN, CONNOR, AND DROMORE
THE FEAST OF LYDIA EMILIE GRUCHY, FIRST FEMALE MINISTER IN THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
THE FEAST OF MIKAEL AGRICOLA, FINNISH LUTHERAN LITURGIST, BISHOP OF TURKU, AND “FATHER OF FINNISH LITERARY LANGUAGE”
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM LAW, ANGLICAN PRIEST, MYSTIC, AND SPIRITUAL WRITER
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Adapted from this post
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Above: King Jeroboam II of Israel
Image in the Public Domain
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Amos 7:1-15
Psalm 85:8-13 (LBW) or Psalm 126 (LW)
Ephesians 1:3-14
Mark 6:7-14
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Almighty God, we thank you for planting in us the seed of your word.
By your Holy Spirit help us to receive it with joy,
live according to it,
and grow in faith and hope and love;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
or
Lord God, use our lives to touch the world with your love.
Stir us, by your Spirit, to be neighbors to those in need,
serving them with willing hearts;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 25
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O almighty and most merciful God,
of your bountiful goodness keep us, we pray,
from all things that may hurt us that we,
being ready in both body and soul,
may cheerfully accomplish whatever things you want done;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 69
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The (northern) Kingdom of Israel was doing relatively well. King Jeroboam II (reigned 788-747 B.C.E.) sat on the throne in Samaria. The borders were secure and the army was strong. The economy was thriving. The economy, in the aggregate, was thriving. Yet the Neo-Assyrian Empire was a developing foreign threat. Also, corruption, artificial scarcity, and rampant poverty constituted domestic threats.
Briefly, into this context stepped Amos of Tekoa, a sheep herder and a tender of sycamore trees from the (southern) Kingdom of Judah. He preached a message of doom and gloom. The message of the fall of the dynasty then the kingdom constituted treason in Jeroboam II’s Israel. Yet Amos was correct. King Jeroboam II died in 747 B.C.E. His dynasty fell later that year. And the (norhtern) Kingdom of Israel, reduced to vassalage in the ensuing years, fell to the Neo-Assyrian Empire in 722 B.C.E.
The rejection of God’s message does not nullify it.
The assigned psalms exist in temporal and spiritual tension. God has delivered the people. God, please deliver them again. Lord, please save us from our oppressors.
Not yet.
Given the history of oppressions of the Jewish people, these psalms have a sad, timeless quality. Yes, they stem from a historical situation, but one could have prayed Psalms 85 and 1 26 just as plaintively after the Fall of Samaria as after the Fall of Jerusalem as during the difficult early decades following the end of the Babylonian Exile, during the Seleucid persecution, and during many periods since then. Collective arrogance and the disregard of moral obligations of the Law of Moses were as much perils as hostile foreign governments.
We ought to read Mark 6:7-13 in the context of 6:1-6. As I read them together on the page, the contrast between verses 5-6 and 13 is obvious. One motif in the Gospels is that rejection of the message of God/Jesus stymied the performance of works of power, and that acceptance of the message facilitated the performance of such works of power.
Just as Jesus was the source of his disciples’ authority and power, he is the source of Christians’ “filial adoption” (verse 5) and his blood is the source of our “fee for liberation, the forgiveness of trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (verse 7), to quote David Bentley Hart’s translation of the New Testament. That is especially impressive for one whom many in religious authority had rejected and whom Pontius Pilate had ordered crucified. May we also recall that most of the Twelve died as martyrs and that the Gospels teach that each Christian should take up a cross and follow Jesus.
The rejection of God’s message does not nullify it.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 9, 2023 COMMON ERA
EASTER DAY
THE FEAST OF DIETRICH BONHOEFFER, GERMAN LUTHERAN MARTYR, 1945
THE FEAST OF JOHANN CRUGER, GERMAN LUTHERAN ORGANIST, COMPOSER, AND HYMNAL EDITOR
THE FEAST OF JOHN SAMUEL BEWLEY MONSELL, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND POET; AND RICHARD MANT, ANGLICAN BISHOP OF DOWN, CONNOR, AND DROMORE
THE FEAST OF LYDIA EMILIE GRUCHY, FIRST FEMALE MINISTER IN THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
THE FEAST OF MIKAEL AGRICOLA, FINNISH LUTHERAN LITURGIST, BISHOP OF TURKU, AND “FATHER OF FINNISH LITERARY LANGUAGE”
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM LAW, ANGLICAN PRIEST, MYSTIC, AND SPIRITUAL WRITER
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Nazareth (A Byzantine Mosaic)
Image in the Public Domain
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Ezekiel 2:1-5
Psalm 143:1-2, 5-8
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Mark 6:1-6
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God of glory, Father of love, peace comes from you alone.
Send us as peacemakers and witnesses to your kingdom,
and fill our hearts with joy in your promises of salvation;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 25
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Grant, Lord, that the course of this world
may be so governed by your direction
that your Church may rejoice
in serving you in godly peace and quietness;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 68
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The strength and the power belong to God; that is the unifying theme in these four readings.
- The prophet Ezekiel, newly commissioned, had the duty to speak unpleasant truths to the rebellious people, regardless of whether anyone listened to him. The message came from God.
- The author of Psalm 43, beset by foes, begged for divine deliverance. The psalmist also prayed that God would devastate and destroy those enemies (verse 12).
- St. Paul the Apostle (“a man I know”) understood that divine grace sufficed, that the was weak, and that God was strong.
- Jesus, God incarnate, worked wondrous deeds and preached wisdom. In the Markan account of his rejection at Nazareth, the rejection was immediate.
My culture values strength, rugged individualism, and hubris. My culture denigrates “losers” and distinguishes between the “deserving poor” and the “undeserving poor.” My culture’s values contradict the unifying thread in this Sunday’s four readings. We are all weak and broken; some of us understand this truth about ourselves acutely. And we all depend upon each other. We are responsible to and for each other. Together, we depend entirely upon God. This is the essence of mutuality.
The power and strength come from God, but we mere mortals can still frustrate God’s work.
…and [Jesus] could do no work of power [in Nazareth], except that he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.”
–Mark 6:5-6, The Revised New Jerusalem Bible
Jesse Ventura, while serving as the Governor of Minnesota, claimed that Christianity is a religion for weaklings. He meant that as a negative statement. Yet Ventura was correct; St. Paul knew that he was a weakling. Nevertheless, St. Paul turned that status into a spiritual positive.
We are spiritual weaklings, but we still possess the power to harm each other and to ruin God’s plans. Nevertheless, as Leslie D. Weatherhead wrote in The Will of God, we cannot thwart the ultimate will of God. God is sovereign, after all.
May we–both collectively and individually–serve as agents of grace and the divine will, not roadblocks to them.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 7, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE THIRTY-NINTH DAY OF LENT
GOOD FRIDAY
THE FEAST OF SAINT TIKHON OF MOSCOW, RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PATRIARCH
THE FEAST OF ANDRÉ TROCMÉ, MAGDA TROCMÉ, AND DANIEL TROCMÉ, RIGHTEOUS GENTILES
THE FEAST OF SAINT GEORGE THE YOUNGER, GREEK ORTHODOX BISHOP OF MITYLENE
THE FEAST OF JAY THOMAS STOCKING, U.S. CONGREGATIONALIST MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINTS MONTFORD SCOTT, EDMUND GENNINGS, HENRY WALPOLE, AND THEIR FELLOW MARTYRS, 1591 AND 1595
THE FEAST OF RANDALL DAVIDSON, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Christ Exorcising Demons
Image in the Public Domain
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The Roman Catholic Church has the proper attitude toward demonic possession. That attitude is that demonic possession is real, but that not everything that looks like demonic possession is that. This is why mental and psychological examinations precede exorcisms, and not every request for an exorcism results in one. Sometimes, the problem is a matter for doctors and/or therapists, not exorcists and their assistants. Someone may actually have a mental illness, for example.
I have heard hints and stories of possessions. I have heard them from people I know to be credible, lucid, grounded in reality, and not given to flights of fantastical thinking. I am content to take their word for it when they have described what they witnessed.
I used to be in a relationship with a woman who suffered from mental illness. I knew from my culture and education that her problems were treatable via medications. Unfortunately, she did not always take her pills. At the end, her figurative demons overpowered her, and she died violently. Having been so close for a about decade to one afflicted with mental illness, I understand how someone whose education and culture do not contain the category of mental illness may misidentify it as demonic possession.
Other conditions, such as epilepsy, have allegedly been symptoms of demonic possession, in the Bible, folk belief, and historical documents.
A partial list of Biblical citations that include references to exorcism or possession follows:
- 1 Samuel 16:14-16; 18:10; 19:9;
- Tobit 6:7, 16-17; 8:3;
- Matthew 8:16; 10:1; 12:28
- Mark 1:25; 5:8; 6:7; 9:25, 38; 16:17;
- Acts 16:18; 19:13-14.
Sometimes I read one of these passages or another one that belongs on this list and quickly arrive at a non-demonic or non-ghostly explanation for the problem. Someone may have been under too much stress, for example. (In some cultures, ghostly possession is the understanding of what my culture calls too much stress.) Or perhaps I just read a description of an epileptic seizure. Maybe I read a description of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or multiple personalities disorder. In Biblical times, of course, people ascribed these afflictions to possession, so the texts they wrote did, too.
When I read such a text, I seek to understand what was really going on in that text. I apply the cultural, medical, and psychiatric categories I have learned. Doing so does not always yield a clear answer to my question, though. I affirm that that the demonic exists. I reject the label “supernatural” for it, for I reject that label, period. That which we humans usually call “supernatural” is merely natural, but not in the same way as ponds, rocks, and kittens. That which we mere mortals often label supernatural is part of God’s created order. It is, therefore, natural. That which is angelic or demonic is natural. And I do not always know, when reading certain Biblical texts, what kind of natural phenomenon of which I read. My categories are not those of the ancient authors of canonical books.
However, sorting out what caused the predicament in a given Biblical story may not necessarily be the main point anyway. If I read a story of Jesus exorcising/healing (whatever) someone, the main point may be that Christ restored him or her to health, wholeness, and his or her family and community. Or the main point may be that the Kingdom of God was present in the activities of Jesus.
So be it.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 31, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF CHARLES FREDERICK MACKENZIE, ANGLICAN BISHOP OF NYASALAND, AND MARTYR, 1862
THE FEAST OF ANTHONY BÉNÉZET, FRENCH-AMERICAN QUAKER ABOLITIONIST
THE FEAST OF LANZA DEL VASTO, FOUNDER OF THE COMMUNITY OF THE ARK
THE FEAST OF MENNO SIMONS, MENNONITE LEADER
THE FEAST OF MARY EVELYN “MEV” PULEO, U.S. ROMAN CATHOLIC PHOTOJOURNALIST AND ADVOCATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
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Above: Naaman
Image in the Public Domain
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READING 1-2 SAMUEL, 1 KINGS, 2 KINGS 1-21, 1 CHRONICLES, AND 2 CHRONICLES 1-33
PART LXXXIV
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2 Kings 5:1-27
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Pride was not created for men,
nor fierce anger for those born of women.
–Ecclesiasticus/Sirach 10:18, Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002)
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King Jehoram/Joram of Israel (Reigned 851-842 B.C.E.)
King Ben-Hadad I of Aram (Reigned 880-842 B.C.E.)
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Given that I have already covered various elements of this story in previous posts, I choose to:
- narrow the focus on this post, and
- refer you, O reader, to follow the tag “Naaman” and the category “2 Kings 5” for other comments on this story.
The Gospel of Luke, with its pro-Gentile theme, is unique among the canonical Gospels in having Jesus cite the healing of Naaman in the Rejection of Nazareth story (Luke 4:27). In that version of a story also present in Matthew and Mark, the hometown crowd turned on Jesus after he made comments indicating divine openness to Gentiles. (For the other canonical versions of the Rejection at Nazareth, read Mark 6:1-6 and Matthew 13:54-58.)
Perhaps the most overlooked theme in 2 Kings 5 is the sanctity of the land of Israel. This sanctity explains the sufficiency of the River Jordan and the insufficiency of the rivers in Aram. The sanctity of the land also explains why Naaman concluded that he could worship the sole deity only on the sacred land, and never in Aram. The sanctity of the land also explains why Elisha had no objection to Naaman worshiping in pagan temples in Aram after having professed faith in the one God, YHWH.
I am a monotheist–a Christian, to be precise. I worship God, my understanding of whom depends heavily on Judaism. I worship God in the State of Georgia, U.S.A., far from Israel. I also live within walking distance of the local synagogue. I feel confident in saying that the members of Congregation Children of Israel worship God in Athens, Georgia. I detect a change in theology between the time of the original telling of 2 Kings 5 and much of the rest of the Bible, as well as between the time of the original telling of the story of the healing of Naaman and today, October 29, 2020. If one accepts that God–YHWH, Adonai, El Shaddai, et cetera–regardless of the name one prefers to use–is the sole, universal deity, one may also accept that one can worship God from any geographical location. God is not a tribal or national deity, after all.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
OCTOBER 29, 2020 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF JAMES HANNINGTON, ANGLICAN BISHOP OF EASTERN EQUATORIAL AFRICA; AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS, 1885
THE FEAST OF BARTHOLOMAUS HELDER, GERMAN LUTHERAN MINISTER, COMPOSER, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF JOSEPH GRIGG, ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF PAUL MANZ, DEAN OF LUTHERAN CHURCH MUSIC
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Above: Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath, by Bartholomeus Breenbergh
Image in the Public Domain
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READING 1-2 SAMUEL, 1 KINGS, 2 KINGS 1-21, 1 CHRONICLES, AND 2 CHRONICLES 1-33
PART LXXI
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1 Kings 17:1-24
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And now, you kings, be wise;
be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Submit to the LORD with fear,
and with trembling bow before him;
Lest he be angry and you perish;
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Happy are they all
who take refuge in him!
–Psalm 2:10-13, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
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King Ahab of Israel (Reigned 873-852 B.C.E.)
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For a while, kings have occupied the forefront in the narrative. From this point to 2 Kings 13, they will continue to do so much of the time. However, monarchs will occupy the background instead from this point to 2 Kings 13. Stories of Elijah start in 1 Kings 17 and terminate in 2 Kings 2. Stories of Elisha begin in 1 Kings 19 and end in 2 Kings 13. Some of the most famous Biblical stories come from 1 Kings 17-2 Kings 13. Some of them are also repetitive, given the overlapping traditions regarding Elijah and Elisha. 1 Kings 17, for example, bears a striking resemblance to 2 Kings 4, the story of Elisha, the Shunammite woman, and her son.
The sneak preview is over. Now I focus on 1 Kings 17:1-24.
The deification of nature is one of the oldest patterns in religion. The multiplicity of gods and goddesses with specific portfolios (rain, the Moon, the Sun, et cetera) for thousands of years and in a plethora of cultures proves this assertion. Old habits can be difficult to break, and monotheism is a relative latecomer to the party. Also, attempting to appease the gods and goddesses or some of them, at least, without the strictures is relatively easy. Lest we monotheists rest on our laurels, Psalm 14, Psalm 53, the Law of Moses, the testimony of Hebrew prophets, and the New Testament warn us not to mistake God for an absentee landlord. The Gospels, for example, contain many cautions to the self-identified insiders that they may actually be outsiders.
Baal Peor, a storm god, was powerless against a severe, multi-year drought. Of course he was; Baal Peor was a figment of many imaginations.
The drought of 1 Kings 17:1-18:46 contains a call back to Deuteronomy 11:13-17. (I like connecting the dots, so to speak, in the Bible.) Speaking of connecting the dots, Jesus referred to God sending Elijah to the widow of Zarephath in the synagogue in Nazareth, to the great displeasure of his audience, in Luke 4:26. The Gospel of Luke, addressed to Gentiles, included that reference, absent from parallel accounts of the rejection at Nazareth in Mark 6:1-6a and Matthew 13:54-58.
Zarephath was in Phoenician–Gentile–territory. King Ahab of Israel had no jurisdiction there, but Queen Jezebel may have been familiar with the territory, given her origin. The widow was especially vulnerable, given her precarious economic status. Her faith contrasted with the evil Queen Jezebel and with the faithlessness of many Hebrews.
Whenever I read a text, I seek first to understand objectively what it says. Then I interpret it. The text describes Elijah as a wonder-worker. The refilling jar of flour and jug of oil may stretch credulity, from a post-Enlightenment perspective. The resurrection of the widow’s son does, certainly. Yet, in the cultural context of 1 Kings 17, those elements fit in and give Elijah his bona fides. If we understand that much, we grasp objectively what the text says.
Happy are all they who take refuge in God. They may even include Gentiles and other alleged outsiders. And many alleged insiders may really be outsiders. The grace of God is for all people, although not everyone accepts it. These are also themes prominent in both the Old and New Testaments.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
OCTOBER 26, 2020 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF ALFRED THE GREAT, KING OF THE WEST SAXONS
THE FEAST OF ARTHUR CAMPBELL AINGER, ENGLISH EDUCATOR, SCHOLAR, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF FRANCIS POTT, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER AND TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF HENRY STANLEY OAKELEY, COMPOSER
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Above: Christ Walking on the Waters, by Julius Sergius von Klever
Image in the Public Domain
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For the Seventh Sunday after Trinity, Year 1
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Lectionary from A Book of Worship for Free Churches (The General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches in the United States, 1948)
Collect from The Book of Worship (Evangelical and Reformed Church, 1947)
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O God, whose never-failing Providence ordereth all things in heaven and earth;
we humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things,
and to give us those things which may be profitable for us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—The Book of Worship (1947), 196
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Jeremiah 31:23-25
Psalm 31:15-24
Romans 6:19-23
Mark 6:45-56
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Deliverance–both individual and collective–is a theme in the readings. Deliverance may be from sins and their consequences. It may be from illness or another form of distress. Deliverance is of God in all cases.
The reading from Mark 6 contains echoes of the Hebrew Bible. Jesus, walking on water, seems like YHWH, appearing on the waters (Job 9:8 and 38:16). Jesus, meaning to pass by the boat, seems like YHWH in Exodus 33:19, 22. Our Lord and Savior’s self-identification echoes “I AM” (Exodus 3:13f).
Translations vary, of course, but the critique of the Apostles in the boat (6:52) in that they were hard-hearted or had closed minds. This is the same critique Jesus had of the people who condemned him for healing on the Sabbath in Mark 6:3:5.
Mark 6:52
- “…but their hearts were hardened.” (New Revised Standard Version, 1989)
- “…their minds were still in the dark.” (J. B. Phillips, The New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edition, 1972)
- “…their minds were closed.” (The New Jerusalem Bible, 1985; The Revised English Bible, 1989)
- …they were being obstinate.” (Annotated Scholars Version, 1992)
Mark 3:5
- “…he was grieved at their hardness of heart…” (New Revised Standard Version, 1989)
- “…looking at them with anger and sorrow at their obstinate stupidity…” (The Revised English Bible, 1989)
- “Then he looked angrily around at them, grieved to find them so obstinate….” (The New Jerusalem Bible, 1985)
- “Then Jesus, deeply hurt as he sensed their inhumanity, looked around in anger…” (J. B. Phillips, The New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edition, 1972)
- “…And looking right at them with anger, exasperated at their obstinacy…” (Annotated Scholars Version, 1992)
Simply, hard-heartedness = dark-mindedness = closed-mindedness = obstinacy = obstinate stupidity = inhumanity, in the original Greek texts.
The Apostles receive much negative press in the Gospel of Mark. The application of that pattern for we readers is a caution: we, who think we are insiders, may be outsiders, actually. We may be terribly oblivious. We, who should know better, do not, while alleged outsiders are more perceptive than we are. We need for God to deliver us from our hardness of heart, one of our sins, and itself a gateway to other sins, from which we also need deliverance.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 18, 2020 COMMON ERA
SATURDAY IN EASTER WEEK
THE FEAST OF ROGER WILLIAMS, FOUNDER OF RHODE ISLAND; AND ANNE HUTCHINSON, REBELLIOUS PURITAN
THE FEAST OF SAINT CORNELIA CONNELLY, FOUNDRESS OF THE SOCIETY OF THE HOLY CHILD JESUS
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARIA ANNA BLONDIN, FOUNDRESS OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE SISTERS OF SAINT ANNE
THE FEAST OF SAINTS MURIN OF FAHAN, LASERIAN OF LEIGHLIN, GOBAN OF PICARDIE, FOILLAN OF FOSSES, AND ULTAN OF PERONNE, ABBOTS; AND SAINTS FURSEY OF PERONNE AND BLITHARIUS OF SEGANNE, MONKS
THE FEAST OF SAINT ROMAN ARCHUTOWSKI, POLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1943
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Above: Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes, by Giovanni Antonio Sogliani
Image in the Public Domain
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For the Sixth Sunday after Trinity, Year 1
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Lectionary from A Book of Worship for Free Churches (The General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches in the United States, 1948)
Collect from The Book of Worship (Evangelical and Reformed Church, 1947)
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Lord of all power and might, who art the author and giver of all good things:
graft in our hearts the love of thy Name,
increase in us true religion;
nourish us with all goodness,
and of thy great mercy keep us in the same;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—The Book of Worship (1947), 194
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Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 28
Romans 6:3-11
Mark 6:31-44
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I detect a contrast between the scene in Exodus 20 and the scene in Mark 6:31-44. The scene in Exodus 20, the giving of the Ten Commandments, was one in which the people at the base of the mountain had orders to keep their distance (19:21f). The scene in Mark 6:31-44 (one of the four accounts of the Feeding of the 5000) is one in which Jesus was close to the people. May we remember, O reader, that the same Jesus was the instrument of the Atonement, which St. Paul the Apostle mentioned in Romans 6:3-11.
God is our strong shield, Psalm 28 tells us. We read in Mark 6:31-44, among other segments of the Gospels, that Jesus cared about both spiritual and physical needs. Indeed, people must eat.
Physical and spiritual needs are related to each other. We are physical beings, for we have bodies. We are mainly spiritual, though. We are spiritual beings having spiritual experiences, not physical beings having spiritual experiences. The image of God in me recognizes the image of God in you, O reader. And physical experiences often have spiritual components.
I have heard of Christian missionaries who have found that meeting physical needs has been necessary before they could preach effectively. Medical supplies and equipment for drilling wells have paved the ways for the proclamation of the Gospel many times. Why not? Tending to physical needs, as able, is living according to the Golden Rule.
On other occasions, however, physical needs may seem to work against spiritual needs. I write these words during the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. My bishop has acted responsibly; he has forbidden in-person services for a while. I am one of the churchiest people around, so I miss attending services. Furthermore, the Holy Eucharist is one of the pillars of my spiritual being. My week does not go as well when I do not take communion. Maintaining faith community can be difficult during a time of isolation. My faith does not falter, for I do not imagine that a pandemic negates the existence and mercy of God. I do become lonely and pine for the Holy Eucharist, though.
The physical and the spiritual overlap considerably.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 17, 2020 COMMON ERA
FRIDAY IN EASTER WEEK
THE FEAST OF DANIEL SYLVESTER TUTTLE, PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
THE FEAST OF EMILY COOPER, EPISCOPAL DEACONESS
THE FEAST OF LUCY LARCOM, U.S. ACADEMIC, JOURNALIST, POET, EDITOR, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT MAX JOSEF METZGER, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1944
THE FEAST OF WILBUR KENNETH HOWARD, MODERATOR OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
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Above: Christ Walking on the Sea, by Amédée Varint
Image in the Public Domain
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Exodus 17:1-7 or 1 Kings 2:13, 10-12; 3:3-14
Psalm 54
2 Corinthians 11:18-33
Mark 6:45-56
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Those compulsively protected from risk do not grow strong in faith.
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The way of proper faith is not Easy Street. No, the path leads through peaks and valleys on its way to union with God. The way of proper faith includes storms, too, but one need not endure them alone. The presence of God may seem more obvious during times of difficulty, actually.
I attest, O reader, that times spiritual darkness and turbulence, regardless of what triggered them, are opportunities for spiritual growth. Perhaps you, O reader, know this from experience, too.
One detail from the Gospel reading caught my attention this time, the umpteenth time I have read the story. I focused on Jesus, walking on the water of the stormy Sea of Galilee, intending to pass by the boat carrying the Apostles. This was no casual detail. No, it was an allusion to the presence of YHWH passing before Moses in Exodus 33:19-22. Furthermore, in Mark 6:50, the words of Jesus,
It is I,
echo the great
I AM,
from Exodus 3:13f.
When we encounter the presence of God in a way out of the ordinary for us, how do we respond? Do we fall into sin? Do we remain somewhat oblivious, as the Apostles did for a while? Do we laugh (Genesis 17:17 and 18:12) because divine promises seem absurd? Or do we respond faithfully?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JULY 24, 2019 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THOMAS À KEMPIS, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK, PRIEST, AND SPIRITUAL WRITER
THE FEAST OF JOHN NEWTON, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF WALTER RAUSCHENBUSCH, U.S. BAPTIST MINISTER AND THEOLOGIAN OF THE SOCIAL GOSPEL
THE FEAST OF SAINTS VINCENTIA GEROSA AND BARTHOLOMEA CAPITANIO, COFOUNDERS OF THE SISTERS OF CHARITY OF LOVERE
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Adapted from this post:
https://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2019/07/24/devotion-for-proper-15-year-b-humes/
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Above: Traditional Site of the Feeding of the Five Thousand
Image Source = Library of Congress
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Exodus 16:2-15 or 2 Samuel 23:1-7
Psalm 53
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Mark 6:30-44
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Some say they have nothing or too little to give. Perhaps one cannot spare money, but one has something to give, thanks to the generosity of God. With God extravagance is the rule. Compared to God’s resources, of course, ours are meager. They are still important, though.
I dislike the category “supernatural.” The prefix “super” means “more than,” To call something supernatural is, therefore, to claim it is more than natural. But what if everything in the created order is natural? Some of them simply exceed our knowledge and understanding. Quail and manna are easily identifiable as natural; they are birds and crystalized insect excrement, respectively. The feeding of the Five Thousand+, found in four versions, one in each of the canonical Gospels, seems to be supernatural. According to my hypothesis, however, it is also natural.
The immoral, benighted fool of Psalms 14 and 53, the benighted fool of Psalms 14 and 53 thinks that God either does not care (in TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures, 1985) or is not present (Father Mitchell J. Dahood, 1968). Yet God is present and does care. God cares, for example, that people are hungry. God cares enough to multiply our puny gifts, regardless of the forms in which we offer them, and to leave leftovers.
That sounds like grace to me. Such divine extravagance demands human gratitude, evident in faithfulness.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JULY 23, 2019 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN, FOUNDRESS OF THE ORDER OF THE MOST HIGH SAVIOR; AND HER DAUGHTER, SAINT CATHERINE OF SWEDEN, SUPERIOR OF THE ORDER OF THE MOST HIGH SAVIOR
THE FEAST OF ADELAIDE TEAGUE CASE, PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
THE FEAST OF SAINTS PHILIP EVANS AND JOHN LLOYD, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND MARTYRS
THE FEAST OF THEODOR LILEY CLEMENS, ENGLISH MORAVIAN MINISTER, MISSIONARY, AND COMPOSER
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Adapted from this post:
https://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2019/07/23/devotion-for-proper-14-year-b-humes/
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BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
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