Archive for the ‘Season after Pentecost’ Tag
Above: Christ Before Pilate, by Mihály Munkácsy
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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Daniel 7:13-14 (LBW, LW) or Isaiah 51:4-6 (LW)
Psalm 93 (LBW) or Psalm 130 (LW)
Revelation 1:4b-8 (LBW, LW) or Jude 20-25 (LW)
John 18:33-37 (LBW, LW) or Mark 13:32-37 (LW)
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Almighty and everlasting God,
whose will it is to restore all things to your beloved Son,
whom you anointed priest forever and king of all creation;
Grant that all the people of the earth,
now divided by the power of sin,
may be united under the glorious and gentle rule
of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 30
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Lord God, heavenly Father, send forth your Son, we pray,
that he may lead home his bride, the Church,
that we with all the redeemed may enter into your eternal kingdom;
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), 94
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The Last Sunday After Pentecost culminates some apocalyptic themes that have been building for a few weeks. This Sunday also stands at the crossroads of ecclesiastical time as those themes continue into Advent. God is the king, we read. And Jesus is a sort of king, although not the type of king people expected, we read.
This time, I prefer to focus not on the “usual suspects,” but on Isaiah 51:4-6 and Psalm 130.
- Isaiah 51:4-6 comes from Second Isaiah, preparing exiles for freedom. The text dates to about one year prior to the termination of the Babylonian Exile. From this pivot point we read of the impending victory and of a directive to learn from God, never defeated.
- Divine mercy permeates Psalm 130. We read that God forgives, and that nobody could stand if God were to mark iniquities. Consistent with Psalm 130 is Psalm 103, which tells us that God, who knows that we are dust, does not repay us according to our iniquities, and that divine anger does not persist forever.
Divine judgment and mercy remain in balance in the Old and New Testaments. God knows that balance; we mere mortals cannot grasp it. As Karl Barth‘s theology insists, the divine “no” works for God’s “yes.” God is neither a warm fuzzy nor the deity of hellfire-and-damnation preachers. God, who balances judgment and mercy, is a monarch worthy of respect, awe, and cherishing.
So, O reader, as we stand near the cusp of the transition from one church year to the next one, I encourage you to take that thought into Advent.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 12, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE THIRTY-FOURTH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF SAINT GERMANUS I OF CONSTANTINOPLE, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE, AND DEFENDER OF ICONS
THE FEAST OF SAINT GREGORY OF OSTIA, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT, CARDINAL, AND LEGATE; AND SAINT DOMINIC OF THE CAUSEWAY, ROMAN CATHOLIC HERMIT
THE FEAST OF PAUL MAZAKUTE, FIRST SIOUX EPISCOPAL PRIEST
THE FEAST OF ROGER SCHÜTZ, FOUNDER OF THE TAIZÉ COMMUNITY
THE FEAST OF SYLVESTER II, BISHOP OF ROME
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Mina of Antiochus IV Epiphanes
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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Daniel 7:9-10
Psalm 111
Hebrews 13:20-21
Mark 13:24-31
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Almighty and ever-living God,
before the earth was formed and even after it ceases to be,
you are God.
Break into our short span of life
and let us see the signs of your final will and purpose;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 30
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Almighty and ever-living God,
since you have given exceedingly great and precious promises
to those who believe,
grant us so perfectly and without all doubt
to believe in your Son Jesus Christ
that our faith in your sight may never be reproved;
through our Savior, Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
–Lutheran Worship (1982), 92
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The apocalyptic theme of the victory of suffering love (from last Sunday) continues this week. God will win in the end, the apocalyptic genre teaches. Hence, the genre is inherently optimistic.
The reading from Daniel 7 makes more sense if we add verses 8 and 11 for textual context. YHWH (the Ancient of Days) sits enthroned in glory amid arrogant kings. The “little horn” in Daniel 7:9 and 11 is Antiochus IV Epiphanes (reigned 175-164 B.C.E.), the bête noire of the First, Second, and Fourth Books of the Maccabees. The text of Daniel 7 slightly postdates the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, hence the interpretation of him in the chapter. Notice, O reader, that the “little horn” does not endure long in the presence of God (Daniel 7:11).
Pairing Mark 13:24-31 with Daniel 7:13-14 (from next week) would have made sense, but the ILCW Lectionary committee did not make that decision.
The handiwork of God is truth and justice, we read in Psalm 111. There we also read that divine precepts are trustworthy, staunch for all time, and fashioned in truth and right. The Epistle to the Hebrews adds:
…may [the God of peace] prepare you to do his will in every kind of good action; effecting in us all whatever is acceptable to himself through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.
–Verse 21, The New Jerusalem Bible
May we be on Team God. May we be agents of divine truth and justice. May we do the will of God in every kind of good action. May others recognize God working through us. May we be humble, not arrogant, before God.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 12, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE THIRTY-FOURTH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF SAINT GERMANUS I OF CONSTANTINOPLE, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE, AND DEFENDER OF ICONS
THE FEAST OF SAINT GREGORY OF OSTIA, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT, CARDINAL, AND LEGATE; AND SAINT DOMINIC OF THE CAUSEWAY, ROMAN CATHOLIC HERMIT
THE FEAST OF PAUL MAZAKUTE, FIRST SIOUX EPISCOPAL PRIEST
THE FEAST OF ROGER SCHÜTZ, FOUNDER OF THE TAIZÉ COMMUNITY
THE FEAST OF SYLVESTER II, BISHOP OF ROME
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Adapted from this post
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Above: The Siege and Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D., by David Roberts
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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Daniel 12:1-3
Psalm 16
Hebrews 10:11-18
Mark 13:1-3
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Lord God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds
by your Holy Spirit that,
always keeping in mind the end of all things and the day of judgment,
we may be stirred up to holiness here
and may live with you forever in the world to come,
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 29
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O Lord, absolve your people from their offenses
that from the bonds of sins,
which by reason of our weakness we have brought upon us,
we may be delivered by your bountiful goodness;
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), 91
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The tone in the Season After Pentecost turns apocalyptic in the final weeks preceding Advent. That tone continues for the first half of Advent. This tone manifests this week, for we read part of the Markan Apocalypse and the debut of the doctrine of reward and punishment in the afterlife in the Hebrew Bible. (Sheol, as in Psalm 16, was the underworld.) Daniel 12 is relatively late–from the Hasmonean period.
The apocalyptic genre is optimistic. It proclaims a high moral standard, by which it calls to account those who defend and/or maintain systemic injustice. The apocalyptic genre tells them, in the words of Daniel 6:27:
…you have been weighed in the balance and found wanting….
—TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures
The apocalyptic genre proclaims that God will destroy the exploitative, corrupt, and unjust order then replace it with the fully-realized Kingdom of God. The apocalyptic genre teaches that divine love, justice, and righteousness will triumph in the end. In the meantime, the apocalyptic genre urges the faithful to remain so.
Ernest Lee Stoffel, writing in The Dragon Bound: The Revelation Speaks to Our Time (1981), frequently repeats one term:
the victory of suffering love.
That term applies to Hebrews 10:11-18, too. Christ’s sealing of the new covenant with blood (Hebrews 9:24-28) is the ultimate sacrifice for the benefit of
all who are sanctified.
–10:14, The New Jerusalem Bible
This sacrifice, completed literally
at the end of the last age,
or
the completion of the aeons
(depending upon the translation), wipes out sin unconditionally. Thus, the need for sacrifices ends, and the reading from Hebrews is also apocalyptic.
The apocalyptic genre is optimistic. Whether it is good news depends upon circumstances, though. The divine destruction of the corrupt, exploitative, and unjust order will be good news for the victims of that order yet bad news for those who maintain it. One may recall Revelation 18, in which those who benefitted with the Roman Empire mourned her fall.
The apocalyptic genre is optimistic. May it, with its theme of the victory of suffering love, be good news for you, O reader.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 12, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE THIRTY-FOURTH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF SAINT GERMANUS I OF CONSTANTINOPLE, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE, AND DEFENDER OF ICONS
THE FEAST OF SAINT GREGORY OF OSTIA, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT, CARDINAL, AND LEGATE; AND SAINT DOMINIC OF THE CAUSEWAY, ROMAN CATHOLIC HERMIT
THE FEAST OF PAUL MAZAKUTE, FIRST SIOUX EPISCOPAL PRIEST
THE FEAST OF ROGER SCHÜTZ, FOUNDER OF THE TAIZÉ COMMUNITY
THE FEAST OF SYLVESTER II, BISHOP OF ROME
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Adapted from this post
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Above: The Widow’s Mite, by James Tissot
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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1 Kings 17:8-16
Psalm 107:1-3, 33-43
Hebrews 9:24-28
Mark 12:41-44
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Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people
to seek more eagerly the help you offer,
that, at the last, they may enjoy the fruit of salvation;
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 29
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O God, so rule and govern our hearts and minds
by your Holy Spirit that, being ever mindful
of the end of all things and your just judgment,
we may be stirred up to holiness of living here
and dwell with you forever hereafter;
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), 90
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Widows were especially vulnerable in Biblical times. In that patriarchal society lacking a social safety net, widows, along with orphans, represented the most vulnerable members of the community.
The two assigned readings involving widows this week require greater context than the lection provide. So, O reader, I advise reading 1 Kings 17:7-24 (not just 17:8-16) and Mark 12:38-13:2 (not just 12:41-44). This way you will read about God (via Elijah) helping the widow of Zarephath in two ways, not just one. You may also find that Jesus may have lamented the widow’s offering at the Temple.
The poor are always with us. Alas, the rate of poverty could be much lower than it is. At the risk of seeming to engage in class warfare, I state a simple fact: rigged economic systems exist. Some of the hardest-working people are poor. And placing females at economic disadvantage hurts not only women but the rest of society, also. Acts of charity can help people, so such deeds mater. But, in conjunction with them, institutional, systemic reform is crucial. It is a moral mandate consistent with the Golden Rule.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 11, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE THIRTY-THIRD DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF HENRY KNOX SHERRILL, PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
THE FEAST OF BARBARA ANDREWS, FIRST FEMALE MINISTER IN THE AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1970
THE FEAST OF SAINT GJON KODA, ALBANIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1947
THE FEAST OF JOHN JAMES MOMENT, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT MATTEO RICCI, ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARY
THE FEAST OF SAINT MATTHÊÔ LÊ VAN GAM, VIETNAMESE ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR, 1847
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Adapted from this post
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Above: The First Paragraph of the Shema
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 6:1-9
Psalm 119:1-16 (LBW) or Psalm 119:121-128 (LW)
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 12:28-34 (35-37)
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Lord, when the day of wrath comes
we have no hope except in your grace.
Make us so to watch for the last days
that the consumation of our hope may be
the joy of the marriage feast of your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 29
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O Lord, we pray that the visitation of your grace
may so cleanse our thoughts and minds
that your Son Jesus, when he shall come,
may find us a fit dwelling place;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 89
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Jesus knew the tradition of Rabbi Hillel, as he proved in Mark 12:29-31. Christ stood within his Jewish tradition and within the school of Hillel, in particular. So, the Christian tradition of pitting Jesus against Judaism has always been erroneous.
After Rabbi Hillel quoted the same verses Jesus eventually quoted also, Hillel said:
The rest is commentary. God and learn it.
That ethos permeates Psalm 119, in which the Torah refers to divine instruction, with the Law incorporated into it. Traditional Christian disregard for the Law of Moses–a subsequent theological development–contradicts Psalm 119 and Deuteronomy 6:1-9.
Deuteronomy 6:1-9 drips with hindsight, irony, and melancholy. The author, reflecting centuries after the time in the wilderness, understood what had transpired in time and in Jewish folk religion, as opposed to Jewish priestly religion. This author, consistent with Deuteronomistic theology, affirmed that collective and national disaster was the inevitable result of this pattern.
As Christianity emerged from its Jewish roots, Christian theology developed along divergent paths. Part of the church, consistent with Judaism, never developed the theology of Original Sin and the Fall of Man, with the ensuing corruption of human nature. Augustinian theology, which postdates the Epistle to the Hebrews by centuries, could not have informed that document. The author of Hebrews–perhaps St. Apollos, although Origen wrote that only God knew the author’s identity–affirmed that Christ is the timeless, sinless high priest who covers sins and intercedes for sinners.
So, regardless of one’s opinion of Augustinian theology and the role of the Law of Moses, one can frolic in the good news that God is not chomping on the bit to throw lightning bolts at anyone. Christ intercedes for us. Do we even notice, though?
I, without minimizing or denying the importance of works in moral terms, choose not to walk the Pelagian path. Salvation is a process of grace, and God is in charge of the process. I also affirm Single Predestination, so some people sit on the chosen list. How one responds to grace remains an individual decision, with individual responsibility. Yet grace surrounds even this situation. The longer I live, the less inclined I am to think of any people as belonging in Hell. Matters of salvation and damnation are in the purview of God. I am not God. Neither are you, O reader.
We–like the author of Deuteronomy 6:1-9, possess hindsight. We–like the author of Deuteronomy 6:1-9–also live in something called the present. Therefore, we can have only so much hindsight. And even the most perceptive human hindsight is…human. God knows far more than we do.
Yet we can live according to love and mere decency. This is a certain way to embody divine love, honor God and human dignity, and get into trouble with some conventionally pious people and sometimes with legal authorities.
Nevertheless, this is one standard Jesus upheld in Mark 12:28-34. The Golden Rule should never be controversial, but it frequently is.
Our works matter morally. May we, by grace, make them count for as much good as possible.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 11, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE THIRTY-THIRD DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF HENRY KNOX SHERRILL, PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
THE FEAST OF BARBARA ANDREWS, FIRST FEMALE MINISTER IN THE AMERICAN LUTHERAN CHURCH, 1970
THE FEAST OF SAINT GJON KODA, ALBANIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1947
THE FEAST OF JOHN JAMES MOMENT, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT MATTEO RICCI, ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARY
THE FEAST OF SAINT MATTHÊÔ LÊ VAN GAM, VIETNAMESE ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR, 1847
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Adapted from this post
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Above: The Healing of the Blind Man of Jericho
A Mosaic in Ravenna, Italy
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 31:7-9
Psalm 126
Hebrews 5:1-10
Mark 10:46-52
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Almighty and everlasting God,
increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity;
and, that we may obtain what your promise,
make us love what you command;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 29
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Almighty God, we pray,
show your humble servants your mercy,
that we, who put no trust in our own merits,
may be dealt with not according to the severity of your judgment
but according to your mercy;
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), 87
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…he learnt obedience, Son though he was, through his sufferings; when he had been perfected, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation and was acclaimed by God with the title of high priest of the order of Melchizedek.
–Hebrews 5:8-10, The Revised New Jerusalem Bible
Perfection, in this case, indicates suitability for one’s task(s). This is the same definition of perfection according to which sacrificial animals who fulfill the standards are perfect and the Bible says we should be perfect.
We have, then, questions to consider. What are our tasks, properly? What does God expect us and equip us (both collectively and individually) to do? And how can we discern these vocations?
The formerly blind man of Jericho understood his new vocation; he followed Jesus into Jerusalem for that fateful Passover Week. The narrative drops the man after Mark 10:52, but we can imagine how the erstwhile blind man felt about what he saw and how these experiences altered his life.
The readings from the Hebrew Bible speak of God restoring ancient Israel. Jeremiah 31:7-9 envisions the restoration of the remnant of the northern Kingdom of Israel into the Judean community. This matter raises the question of human willingness to welcome those brothers and sisters back into the fold.
May we refrain from overdoing individualism. The dominant ethos in the Bible is communitarian. So, may the individualistic focus subordinate to the communal focus as we ponder what God calls and equips us to do. Besides, we can accomplish more together than alone. The question is not, “What does God call and equip me to do?” as often as it is, “What does God call and equip us to do?”
People live in situations, not abstractions. Therefore, faithful response to this divine call will look different from place and time to place and time. The challenges and circumstances of one community may differ from those of another. So be it. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, not the cooking. Results matter.
One application of this principle of collectively responding faithfully to God is to the church as membership declines and budgets reduce. As I write this post, inflation is another challenge to already-tight congregational budgets. How can we best be the church when and where we are? How must we change? What must never change? The Episcopal catechism lists lay members as ministers before it lists ordained people as ministers. Yet, in a sacramental tradition, sacramentalists are crucial. So, a congregation lacking a priest has an additional challenge. Yes, such a congregation can rent a prieset for any given Sunday, but that is not the same as having a regular priestly presence.
Often we need something intangible more than we require something tangible. We need the imagination to think anew and to recognize what we have that is tangible and how to use it most effectively. We require the imagination to perceive God calling us and God’s call to us. We need the imagination to believe that we can fulfill the vocation(s) for which God equips us.
Then we will be perfect–suitable for our tasks.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 3, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF CAROLINE CHISHOLM, ENGLISH HUMANITARIAN AND SOCIAL REFORMER
THE FEAST OF ANTONIN DVORÁK, CZECH ROMAN CATHOLIC COMPOSER
THE FEAST OF JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH HODGES, EPISCOPAL PRIEST, LITURGIST, ORGANIST, AND COMPOSER
THE FEAST OF MARIE-LÉONIE PARADIS, FOUNDER OF THE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE HOLY FAMILY
THE FEAST OF SAINTS MAURA AND TIMOTHY OF ANTINOE, MARTYRS, 286
THE FEAST OF SAINT TOMASSO ACERBIS, CAPUCHIN FRIAR
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Icon of Amos
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 5:6-7, 10-15
Psalm 90:12-17 (LBW) or Psalm 119:73-80 (LW)
Hebrews 3:1-6
Mark 10:17-27 (28-30)
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Almighty God, source of every blessing,
your generous goodness comes to us anew every day.
By the work of your Spirit,
lead us to acknowledge your goodness,
give thanks for your benefits,
and serve you in willing obedience;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 28
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Enlighten our minds, we pray, O God,
by the Spirit who proceeds from you,
that, as your Son has promised,
we may be led into all truth;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 85
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The prophet Amos channeled the Law of Moses when he condemned economic injustice. The cheating of people and the exploitation of the poor and vulnerable stirred up the prophet’s righteous anger. The original context was the northern Kingdom of Israel about half a century prior to its demise in 722 B.C.E. Sadly, Amos 5:6-15 has never ceased to apply somewhere, at least in spirit.
If Amos were alive today, many people–including many conventionally pious folk–would dismiss him as a “Social Justice Warrior” and as “woke.” So be it. Cynics and defenders of social injustice are always present, as is the divine judgment upon them.
The selections from the Book of Psalms attest to dedication to living so as to obey and honor God. This attitude is a good start–a better start than disregard for those purposes. Yet a good start does not always result in a good conclusion. As the lection from Mark 10 indicates, wealth can stand in the way by blinding one to total dependence on God. Wealth is, by itself, morally and spiritually neutral. And a review of Christ’s spiritual counsel in the reveals that he tailored advice to fit its recipients, in their circumstances. Regarding wealth, as we read elsewhere in the New Testament, the love of money is the root of all evil–the delusion that we can and must rely on ourselves, not God.
The most succinct summary of the Epistle to the Hebrews I have heard is:
There is x, then there is Jesus.
In Hebrews 3:1-6, for example, we read that Jesus is greater than Moses. God is the builder of the household of God, Moses was a faithful member of that household, Christ is faithful as a son over his household, and the people of God are the household of God. There is a caveat, though:
…And we are his household, as long as we maintain his boldness and the boast of hope.
–Hebrews 3:6, The Revised New Jerusalem Bible
In other words, we are the household of God as long as we do not drop out of it. Apostasy is a theme in the Epistle to the Hebrews, set against the backdrop of persecution.
What distracts us from God? What are our idols? For some, wealth is an idol. Yet money and property are not idols for all wealthy people. Fear of persecution is another popular idol. Insensitivity to human suffering is yet another frequent idol. The list is long.
May God reveal our idols to us. Then may we repent and follow God, to the benefit of others and ourselves, as well as to the glory of God, regardless of the cost to us.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 28, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE TWENTIETH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF JAROSLAV VAJDA, U.S. LUTHERAN MINISTER, HYMN TRANSLATOR, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOZEF CEBULA, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1941
THE FEAST OF SAINT LOUIS DE MONTFORT, FOUNDER OF THE COMPANY OF MARY (THE MONTFORT MISSIONARIES) AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF WISDOM; AND SAINT MARIE-LOUISE TRICHET, CO-FOUNDER OF THE DAUGHTERS OF WISDOM
THE FEAST OF SAINT PAMPHILIUS OF SULMONA, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP AND ALMSGIVER
THE FEAST OF SAINT PETER CHANEL, PROTOMARTYR OF OCEANIA, 1841
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Female Symbol
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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Genesis 2:18-24
Psalm 128 (LBW) or Psalm 119:49-56 (LW)
Hebrews 2:9-11 (12-18)
Mark 10:2-16
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Our Lord Jesus, you have endured
the doubts and foolish questions of every generation.
Forgive us for trying to be judge over you,
and grant us the confident faith to acknowledge you as Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 28
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O God, whose almighty power is made known chiefly
in showing mercy and pity,
grant us the fullness of your grace
that we may be partakers of your heavenly treasures;
through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 84
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For me to write about wives may seem or be ironic, for I have never married. I have, however, had a girlfriend, whom I loved dearly and struggled to keep alive for a decade, until her suicide. So, some of the material for this Sunday rings true for me in tangible ways.
Richard Elliott Friedman, in his Commentary on the Torah (2001), refers to Eve not as a helper for Adam but as
a strength corresponding to him.
Friedman notes that the Hebrew root ezer can mean both “helper” and “strength.” Then he continues to justify his translation choice by citing Genesis 1 (both males and females bear the image of God) and Genesis 2 (males and females are corresponding strengths).
Psalm 128 is not palatable to modern, egalitarian sensibilities, such as mine:
Your wife is like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your house,
your children like young olive trees
around your table.
Look, it is thus
that the man is blessed who fears the LORD.
–Verses 3-4, Robert Alter
In Psalm 128, a pious wife stays home and bears and raises children.
The teachings of Jesus about marriage, divorce, remarriage, and children came in a cultural context. Some wealthy people used divorce and remarriage to increase their wealth and land holdings at the expense of others. And women and children were vulnerable members of their patriarchal society. Jesus affirmed the value and dignity of women, children, and the home.
Jesus also affirmed human dignity via the Incarnation:
It was essential that he should in this way be made completely like his brothers so that he could become a compassionate and trustworthy high priest for their relationship to God, able to expiate the sins of the people.
–Hebrews 2:16, The New Jerusalem Bible
“Expiate” is not a household word. It means:
An atoning sacrifice which obliterates sin from God’s sight and so restores to holiness and the divine favor.
–Raymond Abba, in The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, E-J (1962), 200
Such love requires of us who benefit from us who benefit from it that we love God. This faithful response manifests in how we treat each other.
So, how do we treat each other? Do we habitually affirm the dignity of people, especially those who differ from us? How do we think about matters of the equality of races, genders, et cetera? Do we recognize the image of God in all people? If so, how does that affect our attitudes and actions toward them? Or do we persist in harboring hateful prejudices, acting on them, and perhaps citing religion as a justification?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 27, 2024 COMMON ERA
THE NINETEENTH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF GEORGE WASHINGTON DOANE, EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF NEW JERSEY; AND HIS SON, WILLIAM CROSWELL DOANE, EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF ALBANY; HYMN WRITERS
THE FEAST OF SAINTS ANTONY AND THEODOSIUS OF KIEV, FOUNDERS OF RUSSIAN ORTHODOX MONASTICISM; AND SAINT STEPHEN OF KIEV, RUSSIAN ORTHODOX ABBOT AND BISHOP
THE FEAST OF CHRISTINA ROSSETTI, POET AND RELIGIOUS WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINTS REMACLUS OF MAASTRICHT, THEODORE OF MAASTRICHT, LAMBERT OF MAASTRICHT, HUBERT OF MAASTRICHT AND LIEGE, AND FLORIBERT OF MAASTRICT, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS; SAINT LANDRADA OF MUNSTERBILSEN, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBESS; AND SAINTS OTGER OF UTRECHT, PLECHELM OF GUELDERLAND, AND WIRO, ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES
THE FEAST OF SAINT ZITA OF TUSCANY, WORKER OF CHARITY
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Adapted from this post
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Above: A Container of Salt, April 21, 2023
Photographer = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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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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Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29
Psalm 135:1-7, 13-14
James 4:7-12 (13-5:6)
Mark 9:38-50
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God of love, you know our frailties and failings.
Give us your grace to overcome them;
keep us from those things that harm us;
and guide us in the way of salvation;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 28
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O God, the Strength of all who put their trust in you;
mercifully accept our prayer,
and because through the weakness of our mortal nature
we can do no good thing without your aid,
grant us the help of your grace that,
keeping your commandments,
we may please you in both will and deed;
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), 83
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The Epistle of James properly condemns the idol of self-reliance. This is one of the more popular idols in my culture, committed to the lie of rugged individualism and suspicious of many collectivist tendencies. Yet the Bible repeatedly teaches mutuality, in which we depend entirely on God, and, in that that context, upon each other. We also have responsibilities to each other in community. Interdependency within mutuality is the human, tangible side of total dependence on God. We read in Numbers 11 that Moses, who understood that he relied upon God, learned that he needed to share his responsibilities with seventy elders.
Recognizing complete dependence upon God and affirming mutuality can liberate one. Assuming more responsibility than one–or a group–can shoulder and perform well is unnecessary and unrealistic. Doing so constitutes choosing an unduly heavy burden–one which God does not impose. The opposite error is rejecting one’s proper role within mutuality–being a slacker. Also, understanding one’s role within community in mutuality may prove difficult, of course. Yet sometimes members of the community reveal that role as it changes over time.
In my experience, the following statements have been true:
- I have perceived that I should assume a responsibility in my parish, sought that responsibility, received it, and performed it ably.
- I have received other responsibilities within my parish via conscription. Then I have performed them well.
- Admitting that I have moral responsibilities to others has not necessarily entailed understanding what those responsibilities are, in concrete terms, and how to fulfill them.
May we, with the help of God, perceive the divine call on our collective and individual lives, and faithfully play our parts and fulfill our responsibilities.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 26, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM COWPER, ANGLICAN HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT ABELARD OF CORBIE, FRANKISH ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK AND ABBOT; AND HIS PROTÉGÉ, SAINT PASCHASIUS RADBERTUS, FRANKISH ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK, ABBOT, AND THEOLOGIAN
THE FEAST OF ROBERT HUNT, FIRST ANGLICAN CHAPLAIN AT JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA
THE FEAST OF RUTH BYLLESBY, EPISCOPAL DEACONESS IN GEORGIA
THE FEAST OF SAINT STANISLAW KUBISTA, POLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1940; AND SAINT WLADISLAW GORAL, POLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP AND MARTYR, 1945
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM STRINGFELLOW, EPISCOPAL ATTORNEY, THEOLOGIAN, AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Christ with the Children, by Carl Heinrich Bloch
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 11:18-20
Psalm 54:1-4, 6-7a (LBW) or Psalm 119:25-32 (LW)
James 3:16-4:6
Mark 9:30-37
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Lord God, you call us to work in your vineyard
and leave no one standing idle.
Set us to our tasks in the work of your kingdom,
and help us to order our lives by your wisdom;
through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 28
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Keep, we pray you, O Lord, your Church with your perpetual mercy;
and because without you we cannot but fall,
keep us ever by your help from all things hurtful
and lead us to all things profitable for our salvation;
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 81-82
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Jealousy, disharmony, and resentment come to us in this week’s readings.
- The lessons from the Hebrew Bible flow from the context of persecution for faithfulness. In Jeremiah 11:18-20 and Psalm 54, the context is mortal threat.
- James 3:16-4:6 tells us that peace is a fruit of righteousness–right relationship with God, self, others, and all of creation. As my father taught me, troubled people cause trouble. So, peace is not more commonplace than it is, unfortunately.
- Oblivious disciples, jockeying for position relative to Jesus, received a profoundly counter-cultural lesson in a society that did not value children as people: Those who welcome a child in the name of Jesus welcome Jesus and God.
- Those same disciples also learned that they lacked a monopoly on exorcisms, whatever the causation of “possession,” in Hellenistic terms, may be in modern medical and psychiatric diagnoses. (I, having been in a long-term relationship with a woman who had schizophrenia and manic depression, understand, that in antiquity, she would have been “possessed.” I also accept that possession is real in many cases. The Roman Catholic Church, before authorizing an exorcism, wisely checks medical and psychiatric diagnoses first.) Anyone not opposed to Jesus was on his side.
“Righteousness” is a common word. But how do we use it? Given that I have already defined it in this post, I choose not to define it again in this paragraph. And, to repeat myself for the zillionth time, righteousness and justice are interchangeable in the Bible. Why not? That makes sense. As the Epistle of James–especially–keeps reminding us, how we treat others is a matter of great concern to God. Therefore, we need to shape up morally, in community. We–both collectively and individually–ought never to trample the rights of people, especially in the name of God and morality. Yes, morally gray areas exist in real life. Life becomes complicated much of the time. But we can do our best, with the help of God, in these circumstances. If making the least bad decision is the best possible outcome, so be it. If an unambiguously good result is possible, wonderful.
The actions to which the ethos of shaping up morally in community lead us will vary according to circumstances. We mere mortals live in circumstances, not abstractions. Yet, to focus on one timeless principle, I ask you, O reader: In whom do you struggle to recognize the image of God? In which type of person do you not see the image of God, at least not easily? And how is God calling you to think of such people and to behave toward them differently?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 21, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF EASTER
THE FEAST OF SAINT ROMAN ADAME ROSALES, MEXICAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1927
THE FEAST OF SAINT CONRAD OF PARZHAM, CAPUCHIN FRIAR
THE FEAST OF DAVID BRAINERD, AMERICAN CONGREGATIONALIST THEN PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONARY AND MINISTER
THE FEAST OF GEORGE B. CAIRD, ENGLISH CONGREGATIONALIST THEN UNITED REFORMED MINISTER, BIBLICAL SCHOLAR, AND HYMN WRITER AND TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF GEORGIA HARKNESS, U.S. METHODIST MINISTER, THEOLOGIAN, ETHICIST, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT SIMEON BARSABAE, BISHOP; AND HIS COMPANIONS, MARTYRS, 341
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Adapted from this post
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BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
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