Archive for the ‘Psalm 22’ Category

Above: A Vineyard
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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Acts 8:26-40
Psalm 22:24-30 (LBW) or Psalm 22:25-31 (LW)
1 John 3:18-24
John 15:1-8
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O God, form the minds of your faithful people into a single will.
Make us love what you command and desire what you promise,
that, amid, all the changes of this world,
our hearts may be fixed where true joy is found;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 22
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O God, you make the minds of your faithful to be of one will;
therefore grant to your people that they may love what you command
and desire what you promise,
that among the manifold changes of this age our hearts
may ever be fixed where true joys are to be found;
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), 53
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A common thread running through the readings for this Sunday is asking and receiving. For example:
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
–1 John 3:21-23, Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002)
In other words, if we want what God desires, and if we pray for that, we will receive it. That makes sense. This message contradicts Prosperity Theology, an old heresy popular in certain quarters these days. If I, for example, need reliable transportation, praying for that is morally and spiritually acceptable. And I may receive a Chevrolet, not a Cadillac. I will, however, get from Point A to Point B safely and reliably. On a related note, the good life, in terms of the Book of Psalms, includes having enough for each day, not necessarily being wealthy.
Elsewhere in the New Testament, one can read about having the mind of Christ. That concept applies to the material for today. We have Jesus as, among other things, our role model. We, as Christians, must follow his example. We must love as he loved. When we consider that Christ’s love led to his execution, we realize that this mandate is serious business, not a mere slogan. The Right Reverend Robert C. Wright, the Episcopal Bishop of Atlanta, says to
love like Jesus.
Bishop Wright understands that this is serious business, not a mere slogan.
Think, O reader, what may happen to you if you were to love like Jesus in your context and to pray for causes consistent with the will of God? How would that change you? How would it change your community, your nation-state, and the world? What repercussions might you face for loving like Jesus? How many professing Christians would oppose you?
During my research for my M.A. thesis, I found a case in point. J. Robert Harris was the pastor of the Fort Gaines Baptist Church, Fort Gaines, Georgia, in the early and middle 1950s. He left that position under a cloud between August and November 1955. The chatty local newspaper never mentioned his departure, which followed either his firing or his forced resignation. (I read two versions of the story.) Harris had publicly supported the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and involved an African-American youth in his church’s vacation Bible school. Harris became the pastor of the Plains Baptist Church, Plains, Georgia, which he served until his resignation in the late 1960s. Failing health was the official cause of the resignation. However, the pastor’s recent sermon in favor of civil rights had been unpopular with his congregation. Harris had once preached a sermon in which he had asked his flock, in so many words:
If being Christian were a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
In the case of J. Robert Harris, the answer was affirmative. He loved like Jesus and ran afoul of other professing Christians entrenched in racist social norms.
Loving like Jesus makes one a radical in a world with upside-down standards. Loving like Jesus entails living the Golden Rule. Loving like Jesus entails living both versions of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5 and Luke 6). Loving like Jesus entails bearing much fruit (John 15:8).
Psalm 22 speaks of God acting. In Hebrew thought, the actions of God reveal the divine character. Likewise, my actions reveal my character. And your actions, O reader, reveal your character. Is it a godly character?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 22, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF LENT
THE FEAST OF SAINT DEOGRATIAS, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF CARTHAGE
THE FEAST OF EMMANUEL MOURNIER, FRENCH PERSONALIST PHILOSOPHER
THE FEAST OF JAMES DE KOVEN, EPISCOPAL PRIEST
THE FEAST OF THOMAS HUGHES, BRITISH SOCIAL REFORMER AND MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM EDWARD HICKSON, ENGLISH MUSIC EDUCATOR AND SOCIAL REFORMER
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Adapted from this post
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I covered 150 psalms in 82 posts.
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Posted February 25, 2023 by neatnik2009 in Psalm 1, Psalm 10, Psalm 100, Psalm 101, Psalm 102, Psalm 103, Psalm 104, Psalm 105, Psalm 106, Psalm 107, Psalm 108, Psalm 109, Psalm 11, Psalm 110, Psalm 111, Psalm 112, Psalm 113, Psalm 114, Psalm 115, Psalm 116, Psalm 117, Psalm 118, Psalm 119, Psalm 12, Psalm 120, Psalm 121, Psalm 122, Psalm 123, Psalm 124, Psalm 125, Psalm 126, Psalm 127, Psalm 128, Psalm 129, Psalm 13, Psalm 130, Psalm 131, Psalm 132, Psalm 133, Psalm 134, Psalm 135, Psalm 136, Psalm 137, Psalm 138, Psalm 139, Psalm 14, Psalm 140, Psalm 141, Psalm 142, Psalm 143, Psalm 144, Psalm 145, Psalm 146, Psalm 147, Psalm 148, Psalm 149, Psalm 15, Psalm 150, Psalm 16, Psalm 17, Psalm 18, Psalm 19, Psalm 2, Psalm 20, Psalm 21, Psalm 22, Psalm 23, Psalm 24, Psalm 25, Psalm 26, Psalm 27, Psalm 28, Psalm 29, Psalm 3, Psalm 30, Psalm 31, Psalm 32, Psalm 33, Psalm 34, Psalm 35, Psalm 36, Psalm 37, Psalm 38, Psalm 39, Psalm 4, Psalm 40, Psalm 41, Psalm 42, Psalm 43, Psalm 44, Psalm 45, Psalm 46, Psalm 47, Psalm 48, Psalm 49, Psalm 5, Psalm 50, Psalm 51, Psalm 52, Psalm 53, Psalm 54, Psalm 55, Psalm 56, Psalm 57, Psalm 58, Psalm 59, Psalm 6, Psalm 60, Psalm 61, Psalm 62, Psalm 63, Psalm 64, Psalm 65, Psalm 66, Psalm 67, Psalm 68, Psalm 69, Psalm 7, Psalm 70, Psalm 71, Psalm 72, Psalm 73, Psalm 74, Psalm 75, Psalm 76, Psalm 77, Psalm 78, Psalm 79, Psalm 8, Psalm 80, Psalm 81, Psalm 82, Psalm 83, Psalm 84, Psalm 85, Psalm 86, Psalm 87, Psalm 88, Psalm 89, Psalm 9, Psalm 90, Psalm 91, Psalm 92, Psalm 93, Psalm 94, Psalm 95, Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Psalm 98, Psalm 99
READING THE BOOK OF PSALMS
PART LI
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Psalms 70 and 71
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Psalms 70 and 71 were originally one text.
The psalmist, advanced in years (by the standards of his time, at least), felt besieged by enemies. God seemed distant, and the attackers did not. The psalmist prayed for divine deliverance, for his own sake and that of the glory of God. He vowed to praise God in public after God rescued him, so that others would trust in God.
The Book of Psalms is repetitive both thematically and literally. Most of the themes in Psalm 70 and 71 have become repetitive already. Also, depending on the Biblical scholar one believes, Psalm 70 replicates Psalm 40:14-18 (Jewish versification) or Psalm 40:14-18 replicates Psalm 70, with minor variations. Furthermore, Psalm 71 resembles Psalms 22 and 31.
Rather than repeat what I wrote about Psalms 22, 31, and 40, I focus on another topic. An aging, mature faith can help one navigate the difficulties of life. I am old enough to have some grasp of this point. I expect that, if I live long enough, I will understand this point much better. Faith grows on a person and settles into one’s essence. Then a person can use the gift of hindsight to recognize that God did this, that, and the other thing. So, one can more easily trust God to act faithfully again. This human faith need not necessarily be extroverted; faithful introversion is acceptable. My faith is quiet and introverted; I like saints who were holy hermits.
When a relationship is what it should be, it improves with the passage of time. That relationship also changes those involved in it for the better. When a relationship is not what it should be, these statements do not apply.
As my spirituality ages and matures, it remains as intellectual and academic as ever. However, mysticism and asceticism are becoming more prominent. Life changes a person. And, as I reflect on my life having collapsed twice, I recognize that God has always been present.
I anticipate the rest of my walk with God.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 25, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE
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READING THE BOOK OF PSALMS
PART XII
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Psalms 13 and 22
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Psalms 13 and 22 share a theme, which becomes obvious as one reads them. Each text opens with a cry of desolation and a sense of abandonment by God. Each text also concludes with an affirmation of trust in God. Psalm 22, of course, carries an association with Good Friday for Christians. That makes sense, given the account of Jesus quoting the beginning of that text from his cross. Yet I read that, originally, Psalm 22 refers to the author’s serious illness and related problems. A psalm can carry more than one meaning, depending on the circumstances.
I am an Episcopalian. My adopted tradition affirms the validity of doubt in spiritual life. So does the Bible. Consider the Book of Job, O reader. Recall Psalm 13 and 22, O reader. And think about the doubts of the despairing St. John the Baptist, a political prisoner of Herod Antipas (Matthew 11:2-11). I do not understand how anyone who has read the Bible seriously and paid proper attention to details and patterns therein can denounce doubt as being antithetical to faith. Yet some denominations, congregations, and individuals take up that position.
Certainty has a firm grasp on many people. I do not oppose certainty in all cases. I, as one trained in historical methodology, seek certainty in objective matters: x happened at a given place and time, and z said such and such then and there. To quote Walter Cronkite,
And that’s the way it is.
Objective reality is not up for debate, despite the preference many people have for “alternative acts.” However, objective reality is up for interpretation, as it is in the historical profession. In fact, interpretation defines the historical profession.
Yet not all matters fall into the neat box labeled “objective reality,” complete with a clear perception thereof. So, doubts abound. In theological terms, the quest for misplaced certainty constitutes idolatry when God calls us to trust instead. Trusting God can be more difficult than seeking and finding certainty, though.
I affirm that God exists. Yet I reject any attempt to prove by the application of human reason the existence of God. Proposed proofs for the existence of God apply logic to an issue for which it is ill-suited. Besides, the quest to prove that God exists reminds me of the idolatrous quest for certainty.
Whenever people ask me if I believe in God, I ask,
What do you mean?
My question is sincere. Those who ask that question usually refer to affirming the existence of God. Yet, in the Biblical and the creedal sense, trust in God is belief in God. Therefore, in the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, belief in God is trust in God. I always affirm the existence of God. I trust in God most of the time. Doubt is part of my spiritual life.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 24, 2022 COMMON ERA
CHRISTMAS EVE: THE LAST DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR A
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Above: Icon of the Crucifixion
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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Isaiah 52:13-53:12 or Hosea 6:1-6
Psalm 22:1-23 (LBW) or Psalm 22:1-24 (LW)
Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
John 18:1-19:42 or John 19:17-30
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Almighty God, we ask you to look with mercy on your family;
for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed
and to be given over to the hands of sinners
and to suffer death on the cross;
who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.
OR
Lord Jesus, you carried our sins in your own body
on the tree so that we might have life.
May we and all who remember this day find new life
in you now and in the world to come,
where you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 20
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Almighty God, graciously behold this your family,
for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed,
to be given into the hands of sinners,
and to suffer death on the cross;
who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 45
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Words and rituals have power. (That is a quintessential Lutheran theological statement.) In my denomination, The Episcopal Church, the liturgy for Good Friday is powerful and solemn. It concludes with people leaving in silence.
Sometimes one should be silent. I invite you, O reader, to read the assigned portions of scripture aloud or to listen to them. Let them sink in. Let them exercise their power over you. And digest them in silence.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 15, 2022 COMMON ERA
GOOD FRIDAY
THE FEAST OF SAINT OLGA OF KIEV, REGENT OF KIEVAN RUSSIA; SAINT ADALBERT OF MAGDEBURG, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP; SAINT ADALBERT OF PRAGUE, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP AND MARTYR, 997; AND SAINTS BENEDICT AND GAUDENTIUS OF POMERANIA, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYRS, 997
THE FEAST OF SAINTS DAMIEN AND MARIANNE OF MOLOKAI, WORKERS AMONG LEPERS
THE FEAST OF SAINT FLAVIA DOMITILLA, ROMAN CHRISTIAN NOBLEWOMAN; AND SAINTS MARO, EUTYCHES, AND VICTORINUS OF ROME, PRIESTS AND MARTYRS, CIRCA 99
THE FEAST OF SAINT HUNNA OF ALSACE, THE “HOLY WASHERWOMAN”
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Icon of the Crucifixion, by Andrei Rublev
Image in the Public Domain
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For Good Friday, 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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Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family,
for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed,
and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the cross;
who now liveth and reigneth wtih thee and the Holy Spirit,
ever One God, world without end. Amen.
—The Book of Worship (1947), 161-162
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Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Psalm 22:1, 4-19
Hebrews 10:19-22 or Revelation 5:6-10
Luke 23:33-46
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I am capable of writing accurate, scholarly, and germane comments about all of the assigned readings. This time, O reader, I choose not to do so. No, I encourage you to read the lections aloud, the way most people who have encountered the Bible have done. I ask you to listen and to let the words sink into your being. After that, may you follow the leading of the Holy Spirit regarding what to do next.
Shalom.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 2, 2020 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF JAMES LLOYD BRECK, “THE APOSTLE OF THE WILDERNESS”
THE FEAST OF CARLO CARRETTO, SPIRITUAL WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINTS JOHN PAYNE AND CUTHBERT MAYNE, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND MARTYRS, 1582 AND 1577
THE FEAST OF JOSEPH BERNARDIN, CARDINAL ARCHBISHOP OF CHICAGO
THE FEAST OF SAINT SIDONIUS APOLLINARIS, SAINT EUSTACE OF LYON, AND HIS DESCENDANTS, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS
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Above: St. Philip the Deacon and the Ethiopian Eunuch
Image in the Public Domain
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The Collect:
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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The Assigned Readings:
Acts 8:26-40
Psalm 22:22-31
2 Peter 2:12-22
Mark 12:18-27
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Ignorance is a lack of knowledge. Ignorance of scripture is a matter in Acts 8:26-40, in which St. Philip the Deacon (not the Apostle) evangelized a man on the path to finding faith in Christ. That pericope fits well with the assigned portion of Psalm 22, with its global emphasis. Ignorance of scripture is also a matter in Mark 12:18-27, in which Jesus fielded another in a series of trick questions–this time, about the resurrection of the dead, of which the Sadducees rejected. Apostasy–rejection after acceptance–not ignorance–is a matter in 2 Peter 2:12-22.
The readings from 2 Peter and Mark point to deliberate obliviousness. We human beings are deliberately oblivious to much. This is not always negative, for we have finite time, and we need to choose where to focus. I am deliberately oblivious to almost all television, the majority of movies, and bad (that is to say, nearly all) music. I am also a Western classicist, and I enjoy many old movies. The three and a half hours required to watch Lawrence of Arabia (1962) are always time spent well.
When we are oblivious to God, however, we occupy the realm of the negative. When we seek a proper path, we need reliable guides. May we walk in faith and, when God calls upon as to do so, may we function as reliable guides, so that all the nations of the earth will serve God.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JUNE 27, 2019 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF CORNELIUS HILL, ONEIDA CHIEF AND EPISCOPAL PRIEST
THE FEAST OF HUGH THOMSON KERR, SR., U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND LITURGIST; AND HIS SON, HUGH THOMSON KERR, JR., U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER, SCHOLAR, AND THEOLOGIAN
THE FEAST OF JAMES MOFFATT, SCOTTISH PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER, SCHOLAR, AND BIBLE TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN THE GEORGIAN, ABBOT; AND SAINTS EUTHYMIUS OF ATHOS AND GEORGE OF THE BLACK MOUNTAIN, ABBOTS AND TRANSLATORS
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Adapted from this post:
https://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2019/06/27/devotion-for-the-fifth-sunday-of-easter-year-b-humes/
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Above: Belshazzar’s Feast, by Rembrandt van Rijn
Image in the Public Domain
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The Collect:
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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The Assigned Readings:
Daniel 5:1-7, 17-30
Psalm 22:23-31
2 Timothy 2:1-15
Mark 14:1-11
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Before I address my main point, I write about two historical problems with Daniel 5 and 6. Belshazzar was never a king, for example. His father was Nabonidus (reigned 556-539 B.C.E.), the last king of the Chaldean/Neo-Babylonian Empire. In 539 B.C.E. Cyrus II of the Persians and the Medes conquered the Chaldean/Neo-Babylonian Empire . Darius the Mede (6:1), a supposed predecessor of Cyrus II, was fictitious. At best Belshazzar was the regent or viceroy his father when his father was away. The chronology within the Book of Daniel makes no sense, regardless of whether one restricts oneself to the Hebrew version or the version with Greek additions. The Book of Daniel is not history; its chronology contradicts other portions of the Hebrew Bible. That fact does not mean, of course, that we cannot read it in a spiritually profitable manner.
Humility before God is a theme running through the assigned readings. Belshazzar was far from humble before God. The author of Psalm 22 preached the virtues of being in the awe of God, a term we usually read or hear translated as “fear of God.” St. Paul the Apostle, who knew much about ego, obeyed God and suffered for his obedience. The unnamed woman who anointed Jesus at the home of Simon the leper in Bethany demonstrated extravagant love and humility; she did not care about how she looked.
To be humble is to be down to earth, literally. In the context of God each of us should recognize his or her relative insignificance. Yet we bear the image of God, as Cyrus II was. Divine grace can flow through us to others. That should be sufficient status for us.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JUNE 21, 2019 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT ALOYSIUS GONZAGA, JESUIT
THE FEAST OF BERNARD ADAM GRUBE, GERMAN-AMERICAN MINISTER, MISSIONARY, COMPOSER, AND MUSICIAN
THE FEAST OF CARL BERNHARD GARVE, GERMAN MORAVIAN MINISTER, LITURGIST, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINTS JOHN JONES AND JOHN RIGBY, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYRS
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Adapted from this post:
https://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2019/06/21/devotion-for-the-second-sunday-in-lent-year-b-humes/
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Above: Icon of the Crucifixion, by Andrei Rublev
Image in the Public Domain
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The Collect:
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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The Assigned Readings:
Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Psalm 22
Hebrews 10:16-25
John 18:1-19:42
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Who is the servant in Isaiah 52:13-53:12? That has been a debated issue. If one assumes that, as in earlier Servant Songs, the servant is the personification of the exiled nation of Israel (broadly speaking), the former Kingdom of Judah or at least the faithful remnant thereof, one must accept that the redemptive suffering during the Babylonian Exile was supposed to benefit Gentiles also. The text certainly applies well to Jesus, who quoted the beginning of Psalm 22 from the cross. That text, the prayer of one afflicted with a mortal illness, ends on a note of trust in God–certainly on a happy note, unlike Good Friday and the events thereof.
Focusing on the crucifixion of Jesus is proper on Good Friday. As we do so may we ponder Hebrews 10:24, part of one of the pericopes:
We ought to see how each of us may arouse others to love and active goodness.
—The Revised English Bible (1989)
That is a Christlike ethic! “Love and active goodness” summarize Christ well. “Love and active goodness” describe his self-sacrifice succinctly. “Love and active goodness” summarize a faithful response to such selflessness and redemptive suffering.
Yet we frequently arouse each other to anger, usually for selfish purposes. Anger is not necessarily bad, for we should be angry sometimes, as evidence of well-developed consciences. Nevertheless, anger and expressions thereof are frequently destructive, not constructive. This is certainly evident in media, social media, politics, and the comments sections of many websites.
Jesus has shown us a better way. The long-dead author of the Letter to the Hebrews understood that better way well.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 29, 2018 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF PERCY DEARMER, ANGLICAN CANON AND TRANSLATOR AND AUTHOR OF HYMNS
THE FEAST OF SAINT BONA OF PISA, ROMAN CATHOLIC MYSTIC AND PILGRIM
THE FEAST OF JIRI TRANOVSKY, LUTHER OF THE SLAVS AND FOUNDER OF SLOVAK HYMNODY
THE FEAST OF JOACHIM NEANDER, GERMAN REFORMED MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER
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Adapted from this post:
https://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2018/05/29/devotion-for-good-friday-years-a-b-c-and-d-humes/
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Above: Home to Thanksgiving, Circa 1867
Image Creator = Currier & Ives
Image Source = Library of Congress
Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-pga-00780
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FOR THANKSGIVING DAY, ACCORDING TO A LECTIONARY FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP IN THE BOOK OF WORSHIP FOR CHURCH AND HOME (1965)
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O God, we praise you, we give you thanks for your bountiful providence,
for all the blessings and all the hopes of life.
Above all we praise and adore you for your unspeakable gift
in your only Son our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Let the memory of your goodness fill our hearts with joy and thankfulness to you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
–Modernized from The Book of Worship for Church and Home (1965), page 163
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Deuteronomy 8:7-18
Psalm 22
2 Corinthians 9:6-12
Luke 12:16-31
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The extravagant generosity of God, on whom we depend completely, is one theme in these assigned readings. Another is the reality that grace, although free, is not cheap; it imposes certain obligations on its recipients. Those who enter a land new to them must not imagine that they have succeeded by their own power when God has delivered them into that land. One must never think vainly that life consists of the abundance of possessions. One must trust in God in times of plenty as well as in times of scarcity. One must help others as one is able.
For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
–Luke 12:34, The New Revised Standard Version (1989)
Psalm 22 might seem like an odd pericope for Thanksgiving Day. The text, a prayer for deliverance from a mortal illness, might remind one immediately of the crucifixion of Jesus (Mark 15:34), for example. The psalm does take a turn toward gratitude early on, however. The text is of a mixed mood until the end, when gratitude takes over. The mixed mood of much of Psalm 22 is true to life. We might feel forsaken by God, but we are probably not. If we continue the spiritual struggle with despair long enough, we will understand that. As we suffer, God keeps us company. The light of God might seem brighter in the darkness, and we might find ourselves more grateful than we expected we would. This is my experience.
A helpful spiritual practice I have adopted is to thank God for blessings throughout the day. I do this quietly, in my non-demonstrative, introverted way. I thank God that my car is consistently reliable, but especially at a particular moment. I thank God that the sunlight shines beautifully on the Middle Oconee River. I thank God that I enjoy reading good books–one particular book at a given moment, specifically. I thank God that I have plenty of nutritious food readily available. I thank God for many blessings over time. Whatever is on my mind or in front of me dictates what I thank God for at any given moment. I admit freely that I do not thank God as often as I should, but I continue to endeavor to become more mindful. Anyhow, the goal is to cultivate an attitude of gratitude, not to compile a comprehensive list, which would be impossible anyway. I understand that I rely completely on God, who has provided abundantly. The least I can do is to be grateful and act accordingly.
Where are our treasures? May it be in God. May we be grateful daily.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 15, 2018 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER AND MARTYR
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