Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Jan. 28, 2018

First Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-20

Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit (Mark 1:21-28), from the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (c. 1412-1416), a French Gothic illumination for the Book of Hours by the Limbourg Brothers, Herman, Paul and Johan, now in the Musée Condé, Chantilly, France. (Click image to enlarge.)

The ongoing theme of listening for God’s voice and trying to discern what God is calling us to do continues in our readings during the season of Epiphany. Sunday’s first reading turns to Deuteronomy, the fifth and final book of the Torah. The story of God’s covenant with Israel is drawing to its close as Moses, who will not live to enter the Promised Land, is in his last days. How will the people know God’s wishes once their longtime prophet is gone? Moses reassures them that God will raise up another prophet like him from among the people: a prophet who will speak God’s words and whom God will hold accountable.

Psalm: Psalm 111

Psalms, as you’ve surely noticed, take many forms. These hymns and worship poetry of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem serve as a variety of kinds of prayer. Some ask God’s favor. Some cry out in lament. Others sing thanks for blessings. Yet many of the most joyous Psalms – today’s familiar verses as one splendid example – exultantly sing God’s praise. God’s work, God’s majesty, God’s splendor, God’s justice, it all lasts forever. God feeds us. The fear (or awe) of God is the beginning of wisdom.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

At first glance this question – whether Christians may eat meat that had been sacrificed in pagan temples – might seem meaningless to us in 2018. Listen closely, though, and recognize that its broader significance reaches across the ages. First, Paul points out that pagan gods aren’t God at all, so pagan sacrifices are irrelevant to Christians. In principle, then, sharing this food – which the pagan temples sold to the public after sacrifice – would be morally neutral to believers who are strong in their faith. But, Paul adds, even if we do nothing wrong, our actions may be a stumbling block to others in the community who don’t understand. We must not cause them to fall into idolatry.

Gospel: Mark 1:21-28

We continue following Mark’s account of Jesus’ early ministry in Galilee. Baptized, returned from his time in the wilderness, and having chosen his disciples, Jesus now steps up and speaks for the first time during Sabbath services in Capernaum, the small Galilean town where he was active. Two remarkable things happen: First, this stranger amazes the community with bold teaching that revealed him as one “having authority.” Then Jesus further astounds the people by commanding a noisy unclean spirit to come out of a troubled man. Unclean though the spirit may be, though, note that it shouts wisdom, declaring Jesus “the Holy One of God.”