Archive for the ‘Robert C. Wright’ Tag
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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Above: Figs
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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Deuteronomy 11:18-21, 26-28
Psalm 31:1-5 (6-18), 19-24 (LBW) or Psalm 4 (LW)
Romans 3:21-25a, 27-28
Matthew 7:(15-20) 21-29
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Lord God of all nations,
you have revealed your will to your people
and promised your help to us all.
Help us to hear and to do what you command,
that the darkness may be overcome by the power of your light;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 24
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O God,
whose never-failing providence sets in order all things
both in heaven and on earth,
put away from us, we entreat you, all hurtful things;
and give us those things that are profitable for us;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 62
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Jewish Covenantal Nomism, present in Deuteronomy 11 and in the background of Romans 3, establishes the tone for this post. Salvation for Jews comes by grace; they are the Chosen People. Keeping the moral mandates of the Law of Moses habitually is essential to retaining that salvation.
Love, therefore, the LORD your God, and always keep His charge. His laws, His rules, and His commandments.
–Deuteronomy 11:1, TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (1985,1999)
Perfection in these matters is impossible, of course. Therefore, repentance is crucial daily. In broader Biblical context, God knows that we mere mortals are “but dust.” Do we?
Grace is free, not cheap. Nobody can earn or purchase it, but grace does require much of its recipients. Thin, too, O reader, how much it cost Jesus.
Both options for the Psalm this Sunday contain the combination of trust in God and pleading with God. I know this feeling. Maybe you do, too, O reader.
St. Paul the Apostle’s critique of Judaism was simply that it was not Christianity. As E. P. Sanders wrote:
In short, this is what Paul finds wrong in Judaism: it is not Christianity.
—Paul and Palestinian Judaism: A Comparison of Patterns of Religion (1977), 552
For St. Paul, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus changed everything.
I, as a Christian, agree. However, I also affirm the continuation of the Jewish covenant. I trust that God is faithful to all Jews and Gentiles who fulfill their ends of the covenant and mourns those who drop out. Many of those who have dropped out may not know that they have done so.
The good fruit of God, boiled down to its essence and one word, is love. Recall the First Letter of John, O reader: Be in Christ. Walk in the way Jesus walked.
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.
–1 John 5:2-3a, Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002), 203
And how could we forget 1 John 4:7-8?
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; God is love.
—Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002)
This point brings me back to Psalm 31. In verse 6 or 7 (depending on versification), either God or the Psalmist hates or detests idolators. Translations disagree on who hates or detests the idolators. In context, the voice of Psalm 31 is that of a devout Jews falsely accused of idolatry; he protests against this charge and defends his piety and innocence. Human beings are capable of hating and detesting, of course. I reject the argument that God hates or detests anyone, though.
Salvation comes via grace. Damnation comes via works, however. God sends nobody to Hell. As C. S. Lewis wrote, the doors to Hell are locked from the inside.
The Right Reverend Robert C. Wright, the Episcopal Bishop of Atlanta, says to love like Jesus. Consider, O reader, that Christ’s love is self-sacrificial and unconditional. It beckons people to love in the same way. This divine love, flowing through mere mortals, can turn upside-down societies, systems, and institutions right side up.
However, anger, grudges, and hatred are alluring idols. Much of social media feeds off a steady diet of outrage. To be fair, some outrage is morally justifiable. If, for example, human trafficking does not outrage you, O reader, I do not want to know you. But too much outrage is spiritually and socially toxic. To borrow a line from Network (1976):
I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!
That kind of rage is a key ingredient in a recipe for a dysfunctional society.
We human beings all belong to God and each other. We are responsible to and for each other. May we think and act accordingly, by grace and for the common good. God commands it.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 1, 2022 COMMON ERA
THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR C
THE FEAST OF SAINTS PHILIP AND JAMES, APOSTLES AND MARTYRS
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Adapted from this post
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Above: The Last Supper, by Leonardo da Vinci
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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Exodus 12:1-14 (Year A)
Exodus 24:3-11 (Year B)
Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Year C)
Psalm 116:10-17 (Years A. B, and C)
1 Corinthians 11:17-32 or 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (Year A)
1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (18-21) (Year B)
John 13:1-17, 34 (Year A)
Mark 14:12-26 (Year B)
Luke 22:12-26 (Year C)
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Holy God, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal,
Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment:
To love one another as he had loved them.
By your Holy Spirit write this commandment in our hearts;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
OR
Lord God, in a wonderful Sacrament
you have left us a memorial of your suffering and death.
May this Sacrament of your body and blood so work in us
that the way we live will proclaim the redemption you have brought;
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 20
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O Lord Jesus, since you have left us
a memorial of your Passion in a wonderful sacrament,
grant, we pray,
that we may so use this sacrament of your body and blood
that the fruits of your redeeming work
may continually be manifest in us;
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 44
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In Exodus, the blood of the Passover lambs protected the Hebrew slaves from the sins of Egyptians. The Gospel of John, mentioning three Passovers during the ministry of Jesus, placed the crucifixion of Jesus on Thursday, not Friday, as in the Synoptic Gospels. The Fourth Gospel made clear that Christ was the Passover lamb that third Passover of his ministry. In the Johannine Gospel, Jesus died while sacrificial lambs were dying at the Temple.
We read of the Last Supper in 1 Corinthians 11. That is good, for John refers to it only in passing.
Jesus modeled humility and self-sacrificial love.
These are timeless principles. The nature of timeless principles is that how one lives them depends upon circumstances–who, when, and where one is. Certain commandments in the Bible are culturally-specific examples of keeping timeless principles. Legalism results from mistaking culturally-specific examples for timeless principles. Bishop Robert C. Wright, of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, says:
Love like Jesus.
To that I add:
Be humble like Jesus.
Circumstances dictate how living according to these maxims looks where and when you are, O reader. By grace, may you succeed more often than you fail, for the glory of God and the benefit of your neighbors in God.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 14, 2022 COMMON ERA
HOLY/MAUNDY THURSDAY
THE FEAST OF EDWARD THOMAS DEMBY AND HENRY BEARD DELANY, EPISCOPAL SUFFRAGAN BISHOPS FOR COLORED WORK
THE FEAST OF SAINTS ANTHONY, JOHN, AND EUSTATHIUS OF VILNIUS, MARTYRS IN LITHUANIA, 1347
THE FEAST OF SAINT WANDREGISILUS OF NORMANDY, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND SAINT LAMBERT OF LYONS, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT ZENAIDA OF TARSUS AND HER SISTER, SAINT PHILONELLA OF TARSUS; AND SAINT HERMIONE OF EPHESUS; UNMERCENARY PHYSICIANS
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Adapted from this post
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Above: The Sanhedrin
Image in the Public Domain
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READING LUKE-ACTS, PART LVIII
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Acts 5:12-42
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Acts 5:12-42 picks up from 3:1-4:31. Many of the comments in the post for 3:1-4:31 are germane to 5:12-42.
So [the apostles] left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes, they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Messiah, Jesus.
–Acts 5:41-42, The New American Bible–Revised Edition (2011)
I write and speak only for myself, for I am qualified to do that much. In the same position as these apostles, I, hypothetically, would have been cursing (in both meanings of that word), not rejoicing. You, O reader, may write and speak for yourself.
We read of the nascent Church growing in Jerusalem and already scaring religious authorities there. I wonder: How scared of the Church are the authorities where you, O reader, dwell? I do not refer to congregations and Christians getting into trouble for blatantly un-Christlike activities, such as needlessly endangering others and spewing hatred. I recall, for example, news stories of abusive congregations that have practiced child abuse under the cover of the Bible and the freedom of religion. Such criminals deserve legal penalties, and their victims deserve help and wholeness.
No, I refer to Christians and congregations who are behaving in Christlike ways–loving like Jesus, to borrow the advice of Bishop Robert C. Wright, of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. I refer, for example, to congregations who shelter immigrants and minister to homeless people–illegal activities, sometimes and in some places. If Christians and congregations do not get into legal trouble for loving like Jesus, that is wonderful. If, however, loving like Jesus causes them legal troubles, may they be like the apostles in Acts 5:41-42.
Another matter comes to my mind. Many people of varying religious identities mistake obnoxiousness for piety. Having studied all 73 books of the Bible closely, I cannot locate scriptural justification for obnoxiousness in the name of God. Recent converts frequently cross the line and cross over into obnoxiousness in the zeal. This pattern informs the cliché that recent converts often embarrass longtime adherents.
May we–individually and collectively–bring honor to God and Christ, regardless of our circumstances. May we–individually and collectively–behave ourselves properly.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 12, 2022 COMMON ERA
HOLY TUESDAY
THE FEAST OF HENRY SLOANE COFFIN, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER, THEOLOGIAN, AND HYMN TRANSLATOR; AND HIS NEPHEW, WILLIAM SLOANE COFFIN, JR., U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST
THE FEAST OF SAINT DAVID URIBE-VELASCO, MEXICAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1927
THE FEAST OF SAINT JULIUS I, BISHOP OF ROME
THE FEAST OF SAINT ZENO OF VERONA, BISHOP
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READING THE GENERAL EPISTLES, PART XIII
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2 Peter 3:1-18
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The stunning prose of 2 Peter 3 dates to the first half of the second century C.E. That prose poetry indicates an eschatological expectation that the passage of time belies.
Nevertheless, the practical advice in verses 11-18 is timeless. What we do in this life matters. “The world” is not some place for which we have no responsibility. No, “the world” is our neighborhood. We have a divine mandate to function as salt and light, both individually and collectively.
My bishop, Robert C. Wright, of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, says:
Love like Jesus.
One can read of Christ’s active love. One can also read of how much that love cost him. One can read, too, of the lives of martyrs and other saints who loved like Jesus. Loving like Jesus can be a risky proposition. The servant is not greater than the master.
My general prayer for all people daily is that God’s best for them will be their reality. I do not know what God’s best for me is, so I do not know what God’s best is for you, O reader. God knows; that suffices. May God’s best for you be your reality.
If the parousia occurs while you, O reader, have a pulse, may God’s best for you be your reality at that time. We Christians have work to do. We have light to shine and salt to shake, all for the glory of God and the benefit of our fellow human beings. May we–individually and collectively–be about our Father’s business daily.
Thank you, O reader, for joining me on this journey through Jude and Second Peter. I invite you to remain by my side, so to speak, as I move along to the First Epistle of John next.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
OCTOBER 1, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF ANTHONY ASHLEY COOPER, LORD SHAFTESBURY, BRITISH HUMANITARIAN AND SOCIAL REFORMER
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARIE-JOSEPH AUBERT, FOUNDER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF OUR LADY OF COMPASSION
THE FEAST OF RALPH W. SOCKMAN, UNITED METHODIST MINISTER
THE FEAST OF SAINT ROMANUS THE MELODIST, DEACON AND HYMNODIST
THE FEAST OF SAINT THERESE OF LISIEUX, ROMAN CATHOLIC NUN AND MYSTIC
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Above: Wheat Harvest
Image in the Public Domain
Photographer = Scott Bauer, United States Fish and Wildlife Service
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For the Fifth Sunday in Lent, Year 2
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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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We beseech thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon thy people,
that by thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved ever more,
both in body and soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—The Book of Worship (1947), 154
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Hosea 6:1-6
Psalm 2
Hebrews 9:11-28
John 12:23-33
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Rituals have legitimate places in religion. They are essential to civilization. Rituals are not properly talismans, though. They cannot protect people from the consequences of persistent disobedience to God, individually and collectively.
We are counting down to Holy Week, hence the reading from Hebrews 9 and the lesson from John 12. Jesus is the greatest role model in how we love people–selflessly, and at the cost of one’s life, if necessary. Robert C. Wright, the Episcopal Bishop of Atlanta (and my bishop), exhorts people to “love like Jesus.” Bishop Wright understands what that means.
Loving like Jesus is the mandate of every Christian person, congregation, diocese, denomination, et cetera. It is the definition of being Christian. When we love like Jesus, we may worthily perform sacred rituals.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 8, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT THORFINN OF HAMAR, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
THE FEAST OF A. J. MUSTE, DUTCH-AMERICAN MINISTER, LABOR ACTIVIST, AND PACIFIST
THE FEAST OF ARCHANGELO CORELLI, ROMAN CATHOLIC MUSICIAN AND COMPOSER
THE FEAST OF NICOLAUS COPERNICUS AND GALILEO GALILEI, SCIENTISTS
THE FEAST OF HARRIET BEDELL, EPISCOPAL DEACONESS AND MISSIONARY
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Above: Icon of the Crucifixion
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:
Hosea 2:2-23 (Protestant and Anglican)/Hosea 2:4-25 (Jewish, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox)
Psalm 33
Colossians 1:15-29
John 13:18-38
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The commandment of Jesus in the Gospel reading is that we love one another as he has loved us. Keep in mind, O reader, that the love of Jesus took him to the cross. I consider that every time I hear my bishop, Robert C. Wright, of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, tell people to “love like Jesus.” Bishop Wright is well-acquainted with the Passion Narratives in the Gospels.
God is the only, universal deity. The message of salvation is for all human beings with a pulse. Divine judgment and mercy, ever in balance, are also on the menu. Love has to be voluntary. “Yes” can mean anything only if “no” is a feasible option.
The love of Christ impels us.
That is the slogan of the Claretians, a Roman Catholic order whose members perform many good works in the name of Jesus. The love of Christ impelled St. Paul the Apostle and the original surviving disciples of Jesus. It continues to impel people, faith communities, and religious orders. May it compel more individuals, communities, and religious orders as time rolls on. After all, we never see Jesus face to face in this life except in the faces of other human beings.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 6, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
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Adapted from this post:
https://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2021/01/06/devotion-for-the-second-sunday-in-lent-year-d-humes/
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Above: The Denial of Saint Peter, by Caravaggio
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:
Micah 4:1-7
Psalm 137
Jude
Luke 22:54-65
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I detect two different moods in the set of readings for this Sunday. On one hand, we have judgments, as in Psalm 137 and Jude. On the other hand, we have Jesus almost certainly looking compassionately at St. Simon Peter, who had just denied knowing him. We also read of an ideal future in Micah 4:1-7, in which the nations will seek religious instruction in Jerusalem. That prophecy contradicts Micah 5:14, in which some nations will remain disobedient and suffer the consequences, however.
With which side of that divide do we identify? Do we really want to bash our enemies’ babies’ heads against rocks? Or do we really seek to be like Jesus? My bishop, Robert C. Wright, says to “love like Jesus.” I affirm that standard. I also know how Jesus loved–so much that he died. Loving like Jesus is a difficult challenge.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 26, 2020 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARGARET CLITHEROW, ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR, 1586
THE FEAST OF FLANNERY O’CONNOR, U.S. ROMAN CATHOLIC WRITER
THE FEAST OF GEORGE RUNDLE PRYNNE, ANGLICAN PRIEST, POET, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF JAMES RENDEL HARRIS, ANGLO-AMERICAN CONGREGATIONALIST THEN QUAKER BIBLICAL SCHOLAR AND ORIENTALIST; ROBERT LUCCOCK BENSLY, ENGLISH BIBLICAL TRANSLATOR AND ORIENTALIST; AGNES SMITH LEWIS AND MARGARET DUNLOP SMITH GIBSON, ENGLISH BIBLICAL SCHOLARS AND LINGUISTS; SAMUEL SAVAGE LEWIS, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND LIBRARIAN OF CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE; AND JAMES YOUNG, SCOTTISH UNITED PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND LITERARY TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF SAINT LUDGER, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF MUNSTER
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Adapted from this post:
https://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2020/03/26/devotion-for-the-fourth-sunday-in-lent-year-c-humes/
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Above: A Crucifix
Photographer = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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For Holy Wednesday, Year 1, according to the U.S. Presbyterian lectionary of 1966-1970
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Everlasting God, who delivered the Children of Israel from cruel captivity:
may we be delivered from sin and death by your mighty power,
and celebrate the hope of life eternal within your promised kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
—The Worshipbook–Services and Hymns (1972), 145
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Hebrews 5:5-10
Luke 22:24-34
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The author of the misnamed Epistle to the Hebrews (neither an epistle nor to Hebrews), whoever he was (Origen said that only God knew who wrote it) did not read the Gospel of John. The most probable reason for this was that the “Epistle to the Hebrews” predated the Fourth Gospel.
The reading from Hebrews 5 may mystify a Christian shaped by the Johannine Gospel. What does it mean that Christ learned obedience via his sufferings? And what about Christ being perfected? The divine passive in the latter case indicates that God was the actor, the one who perfected Christ. But was not Jesus already perfect–always perfect? The confusion does not cease even when one realizes the particular meaning of perfection in this case–suitability to be the ultimate sacrifice.
None of this inconsistency constitutes a difficulty for me, for I am not a fundamentalist. I acknowledge the obvious fact–that the New Testament contains mutually exclusive points of view presented and authoritatively. I prefer the Johannine perspective to that of the author of the “Epistle to the Hebrews” when the two contradict each other.
Both readings (Luke 22 and Hebrews 5) agree on the priority of obeying God. The ethic of service (from Luke 22) fits hand-in-glove with the obedience of Jesus (Hebrews 5). One may also ponder John 12:26 (from the previous post‘s readings), about following Jesus, who loved us all the way to an ignominious execution–his execution, in the Gospel of John.
Robert C. Wright, the Episcopal Bishop of Atlanta, likes to say,
Love like Jesus.
When one considers that statement in the full context of Christ’s life, one realizes that this is no feel-good slogan, but a challenge to discipleship, to cross-bearing.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 13, 2018 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF HENRY MARTYN DEXTER, U.S. CONGREGATIONALIST MINISTER AND HISTORIAN
THE FEAST OF SAINT ABBO OF FLEURY, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT
THE FEAST OF SAINT BRICE OF TOURS, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT NICHOLAS TAVELIC AND HIS COMPANIONS, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYRS
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Above: Pentecost Dove
Scanned from a Church Bulletin by Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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FOR PENTECOST SUNDAY, ACCORDING TO A LECTIONARY FOR PUBLIC WORSHIP IN THE BOOK OF WORSHIP FOR CHURCH AND HOME (1965)
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O God, who at this time teaches the heart of your faithful people,
by sending them the light of your Holy Spirit:
Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things
and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort;
through the merits of Christ Jesus our Savior, who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
–Modernized from The Book of Worship for Church and Home (1965), pages 127-128
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Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 30
Acts 2:1-8, 12-21
John 14:15-17, 25-27
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Robert C. Wright, the Episcopal Bishop of Atlanta, and my bishop, likes to repeat the slogan,
Love like Jesus.
That teaching is consistent with the reading from John 14, in which the test of loving Jesus is obeying his commandments. May we recall how Jesus loved and lived–sacrificially and unconditionally. The ethics of Jesus, as we read them in the Gospels, are those of Judaism–love the LORD with all one’s heart, soul, and mind, and one’s neighbor as oneself. That is certainly the summary of the Torah, according to Rabbi Hillel, who died when Jesus was a boy.
The Holy Spirit is a great leveler. A recurring theme in varieties of Christianity, from the Quakers to the Arminians, is equality via the Holy Spirit. This teaching is, according to those who favor spiritual hierarchy, heretical. Equality via the Holy Spirit cuts through social–gender, economic, racial, ethnic, et cetera–distinctions, much to the discomfort of those invested in those categories as indications of inequality. God writes the new covenant on hearts metaphorically without regard to social status. God, who turns mourning into dancing, is no respecter of persons. God is, according to human standards, subversive.
This is wonderful news to ponder on any day, but especially on Pentecost, the last day of the Easter season and the birthday of the Church.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 19, 2017 COMMON ERA
THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF ADVENT
THE FEAST OF RAOUL WALLENBERG, RIGHTEOUS GENTILE
THE FEAST OF CHICO MENDES, “GANDHI OF THE AMAZON”
THE FEAST OF ROBERT CAMPBELL, SCOTTISH EPISCOPALIAN THEN ROMAN CATHOLIC SOCIAL ADVOCATE AND HYMN WRITER
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This is post #1800 of BLOGA THEOLOGICA.
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BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
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