Pentecost 2C

Illuminations on the Lectionary readings for June 19, 2022 (Pentecost 2C)

First Reading (Track One): 1 Kings 19:1-15

The long season after Pentecost with its green vestments and altar colors now begins. In the past six months we have marked the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Now we begin almost six months of following the life and works of Jesus as told by Luke.

Jesus, the Gerasene, and the Unclean Spirits

Jesus, the Gerasene, and the Unclean Spirits (1594), book plate by Luke the Cypriot (active 1583-1625). Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. (Click image to enlarge.)

Our Track One first readings during this season will draw from the prophets of the Hebrew bible. We begin with Elijah, a bold prophet who fought the priests of Baal and spoke truth to King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel. In this reading we find Elijah fleeing an angry Jezebel’s revenge, worn down and afraid. Fighting despair, he hides under a broom tree and begs God to take his life. But God has other plans, and sends winds, an earthquake and fire to get Elijah back to God’s work.

First Reading (Track One): Isaiah 65:1-9

We now return to the long season after Pentecost. Although this was once called “ordinary time,” we should not think of it as a less important liturgical season than the Incarnation at Christmas or the Resurrection at Easter: Now the life and works of Jesus come to the fore. In our Track Two first reading we are close to the end of Isaiah’s long book of prophecy. The prophet has called on God to withhold anger, even though the people have broken the covenant and behaved badly. God responds: Those who have been rebellious, who have provoked God’s anger, earned punishment. But that punishment will be just and righteous: “I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all.” A remnant will remain to inherit Zion, God’s holy hill.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 42 and 43

In two Psalms in sequence we hear poetic language, filled with lamentation but ending in hope and faith. The Psalmist’s soul longs for God as a deer longs for water. His soul thirsts for God. But when faith falters, the Psalmist asks over and over why God has forgotten him. Finally faith wins as he begs God to send out God’s light and truth, and lead him to God’s holy hill.

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 22:18-27

In praiseful phrases that sound a distant echo to God’s response to Isaiah’s plea, this passage from Psalm 22 calls on God to stay close to the people, to protect them from danger, from the sword and from wild animals. All the congregation, praise the Lord, the Psalmist prays: Let Israel stand in awe of God and know that God works justice and righteousness for all who seek and praise God, particularly the hungry poor who come seeking protection and food.

Second Reading: Galatians 3:23-29

In this beautifully worded letter to the predominantly Gentile Christian community of Galatia, near what is now Ankara, Turkey, Paul makes a strong plea: You Gentiles are welcome in this young but growing church. You need not strictly follow the laws of Judaism. You need not keep kosher nor be circumcised. Gentiles are in no way second-class Christians, Paul proclaims, in beautiful, inclusive language that echoes through the ages: There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of us are one in Jesus. All are heirs to God’s covenant with Abraham.

Gospel: Luke 8:26-39

This passage from Luke’s Gospel must have made its original audience laugh, with its allusions to the hated Roman army in the name of the demon, “Legion,” residing in a naked man living among tombs with swine, a litany of conditions that they would have considered unclean. When Jesus begins a conversation with the demons, they bargain with him, asking to be cast into the swine, which then charge into the sea and drown. This obviously does not sit well with the herd of swine’s owners, who ask Jesus to go away. And then the now-healed man wants to follow Jesus, but Jesus tells him to go back to his people instead and tell them what God has done. What’s going on in this strange story? Perhaps Luke wants us to see clearly, as Paul did in Galatians, that God’s love is unlimited and available to all.

Lent 3C

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for March 20, 2022 (Lent 3C)

First Reading: Exodus 3:1-15

Scripture offers us scores of images and metaphors to help us visualize a God who is beyond our imagining. It is no surprise that its efforts to portray some small sense of God’s power sometimes stretch our imagination.

The Gardener and the Fig Tree

The Gardener and the Fig Tree from Luke 13:1-9; stained-glass window in St. Mary’s Church of Ireland in Dungarvan, Waterford County, Ireland. (Click image to enlarge.)

One such image is fire. God led the Israelites in the wilderness as a pillar of fire and column of smoke, and, as we hear in Sunday’s first reading, God surprises Moses by speaking out of a bush that burns and burns but is not consumed. The people have suffered enough in slavery in Egypt, God says. Moses receives God’s call to lead the people out of slavery to a promised land that flows with milk and honey.

Psalm: Psalm 63:1-8

The Psalmist creates the striking metaphor of a voice crying out in the wilderness. The one who speaks – traditionally said to be David in the Wilderness of Judah – is alone and thirsty, yet nevertheless they trust in God. Even in a barren and dry and probably scary place where there is no water, their souls thirst not for mere liquid refreshment but for God: God’s loving-kindness is better than life itself. Even in hard times we trust in God, finding comfort under the shadow of God’s wings, held in God’s strong right hand.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

In verses that draw together the themes of Sunday’s First Reading, Psalm and Gospel, Paul reminds his audience that many of the Israelites died in the wilderness. He argues that these bad things happened because God was not pleased with them. Recalling lessons from Exodus, Paul urges the people of Corinth not to practice idolatry, an issue that frequently arose among this community’s formerly pagan Christians. Don’t put Christ to the test, Paul warns. Don’t complain. These things happened to our ancestors to serve as an example to us, Paul wrote, reminding the people to be faithful during hard times: God will provide strength.

Gospel: Luke 13:1-9

Pilate had murdered a group of Galileans in grisly fashion, and more people had died unexpectedly when a tower fell. A crowd clustered around Jesus, worried. Why did these bad things happen to good people, they asked. Were these people punished because they had sinned? God does not punish sin with suffering, Jesus told them. But repentance – turning away from bad behavior – brings forgiveness and eternal life. Then Jesus told them a parable about a gardener who allowed a barren fig tree one more year of nurturing in hope it would bear fruit. Like the fig tree in this story, Jesus tells the crowd, it’s best to repent and wait for God’s forgiveness and another chance.

Last Epiphany C/Transfiguration

First Reading: Exodus 34:29-35

Radiant light shines through Sunday’s readings for the Feast of the Transfiguration, and Moses appears in all four of them.

Transfiguration of Christ

Transfiguration of Christ (c.1487), oil painting on panel by Giovanni Bellini (c.1430-1516).
National Museum of Capodimonte, Naples, Italy. (Click image to enlarge.)

Take a closer look, and find a consistent emphasis on God’s covenant with the people to follow God’s commandments to love God and our neighbors. In the first reading, we see Moses bringing the commandments down the mountain, his face transfigured in light by his encounter with the Holy One.

Psalm: Psalm 99

This mighty ancient hymn envisions God as a powerful king receiving loud chants of praise. In the temple in Jerusalem, images of two cherubim – scary angels depicted as lions with wings and human faces – were placed atop the Ark of the Covenant to serve as God’s throne. The Psalmist understands God as no petty tyrant but a mighty ruler who demands justice, holding the people to their covenant call to love their neighbors and care for the widow, the orphan and the stranger in our midst.

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2

In his second known letter to his congregation at Corinth, Paul recalls the Exodus story about Moses coming down the mountain with his face shining. Invoking the the image of the veil that Moses used to conceal his transcendent glow, Paul turns it around to express the idea that Jesus “unveils” God’s covenant in all its shining glory. For those who believer in Christ, Paul says, the veil is removed and they can see the image of God as if reflected in a mirror by the Holy Spirit. Be truthful, Paul urges the believers in Corinth. Do not hide behind a veil, but be steadfast and bold.

Gospel: Luke 9:28-36, [37-43a]

Jesus and his apostles Peter, John and James go up on the mountain to pray. Suddenly Elijah and Moses join him, and Jesus’ face and clothing shine in dazzling light. The three, the Gospel says, were talking about Jesus’ departure (or exodus in the perhaps significant Greek original), which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Then a cloud forms around them and God’s voice is heard, repeating the words that God spoke from a cloud at Jesus’ baptism in the Gospel for the first Sunday of Epiphany: “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” Jesus and the terrified apostles come down from mountain, and life returns to what is normal for Jesus: He astounds the crowd by casting out a child’s angry demon.

Advent 4C

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Dec. 19, 2021

First Reading: Micah 5:2-5a

God’s liberating preference for the poor and the oppressed is made manifest in Sunday’s readings. This may seem to be an unusual theme for the last week in Advent, with Christmas drawing near.

The Annunciation

The Annunciation (c.1590-1603), oil painting on canvas by El Greco (1541-1614). Ohara Museum of Art, Kurashiki, Japan. (Click image to enlarge.)

In reality, though, it is a deeply significant message for the impending birth of Jesus: Jesus will go on to care for the poor, the hungry, the ill and imprisoned and oppressed as the central focus of his good news. Our readings begin with Micah, one of the earliest Old Testament prophets. In previous verses, Micah has warned the people of Jerusalem that their injustices against the weak and the poor will bring down God’s wrath. Now we hear the prophet foretell that a new ruler is to come from Bethlehem – the birthplace of King David – to reunite Israel’s remnant as a shepherd leads his flock, under God’s protection in peace.

Psalm: Canticle 15 (Luke 1:46b-55)

Mary’s song of praise, The Magnificat, may either be sung as a psalm this Sunday, or it may be read as the second portion of Sunday’s Gospel. In this beloved song as told by Luke, the pregnant Mary sings grateful praise for God. She rejoices in all that God has done for her. She celebrates the powerful yet merciful God who loves us and calls us to acts of mercy and justice. God has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly, she sings. God has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. God’s justice is restorative – God will take from those who have much and give to those who have none.

Alternate Psalm: Psalm 80:1-7

We sing the first seven of Psalm 80’s nineteen verses on Sunday. The Psalm was probably either written during a time of exile and destruction or recalls that time. The place names invoked in the second verse suggest that this hymn recalls the loss of the Northern Kingdom, Israel, to the Assyrians in 722 BCE. In tones of sorrow, the Psalmist calls on Israel’s God to come and help, to restore the people who, in a memorable metaphor, have been fed with the bread of tears and given tears to drink. Although the people have suffered derision, laughter and scorn from their enemies, including their own neighbors, the Psalm expresses confidence that the light of God’s own countenance can save them.

Second Reading: Hebrews 10:5-10

The Letter to the Hebrews, modern biblical scholars say, was probably written late in the first century, after the Temple was destroyed. At that time, early Christianity was separating from rabbinical Judaism amid anger and pain on both sides. Because Christianity was suffering persecution at the hands of Rome, many Jewish converts to Christianity were returning to the safer confines of Judaism. Much of Hebrews seems intended to reach backsliding Jewish Christians by comparing Judaism unfavorably to Christianity. Sunday’s reading declares that that God abolished the “empty” sacrifices of the Jewish Temple, replacing them and sanctifying us once and for all with Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. We would do well to discard this view of Judaism as “abolished,” hearing instead the hopeful message that God’s promise to Israel at Sinai continues for us too.

Gospel: Luke 1:39-45

This lovely short reading from Luke’s Gospel comes immediately before the Magnificat, the Song of Mary, which we heard earlier. Here we are told of Mary’s visit to her much older cousin Elizabeth. Both women are pregnant – Elizabeth with John, Mary with Jesus – and both conceived in miraculous ways, visited by angels with the news that they would give birth. When the women meet, Elizabeth feels her child leap in her womb with what she perceives as joy. Suddenly filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth declares Mary blessed among women. “Why has this happened to me,” Elizabeth wonders in amazement, “that the mother of my Lord comes to me?” Then, in the following verses, Mary responds with the Magnificat.

Christ the King B

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Nov. 21, 2021

First Reading (Track One): 2 Samuel 23:1-7

After six months, the long season of Sundays after Pentecost, with the focus of its Gospels on Jesus and his life and works, comes to its end with the feast of Christ the King, a feast also sometimes less patriarchally called “The Reign of Christ.”

Christ Before Pilate Again

Christ Before Pilate Again (1308-1311), detail of tempera painting on wood by Duccio di Buoninsegna (1255-1319). Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana del Duomo, Siena, Italy. (Click image to enlarge.)

Sunday’s readings appropriately focus on kings and kingdoms. Our Track One first reading, which may have been written in David’s memory long after his death, declares David God’s favorite: a just ruler through whom the God of Israel speaks. God has made an everlasting covenant with David, we hear, a covenant that will bring prosperity to his reign and success to all David’s descendants.

First Reading (Track Two): Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

Sunday’s readings all shine a light on ideas of God as King, from the mighty celestial ruler imagined in the Track Two first reading from Daniel to John’s Gospel vision of the Jesus on trial, king of a very different realm. Daniel portrays an Ancient One, hair and gown in snowy white, seated on a fiery throne and served by thousands, judging all humanity. This transcendent figure sends out a human messiah to rule as king over all the nations, holding everlasting dominion that shall never be destroyed.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 132:1-13 (14-19)

Sunday’s Track One Psalm echoes the spirit of the first reading about God’s covenant to bless King David and to bring prosperity to him and to his descendants. Remembering the hardships that David endured in keeping his oath to God, the Psalmist vows not to rest until Israel builds a temple on Mount Zion, a dwelling place on earth where God can rest. If Israel’s children keep the covenant that their kingly ancestor made with God, the psalm goes on, then Israel will sit on David’s throne forever.

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 93

Written in an age when earthly kings held real and ultimate power over their people, this mighty hymn of praise portrays God as a king among kings from time before time: God is king! God is majestic! God is powerful! Unlike earthly kings, the Psalmist sings, God’s world is certain, immovable and mighty. God’s kingdom will endure, sure and holy, forever and evermore.

Second Reading: Revelation 1:4b-8

This, the first page of Revelation, reveals the secret of this mysterious book: It is not a strange and frightening prediction of the End Times. It does not conceal coded information about our times, or any other time or place. Nope! It was a subversive sermon intended for persecuted Christians in the seven cities in Asia Minor (now Western Turkey). It carried this simple message: God our King, who was with us at the beginning and will be with us at the end, loves us and frees us from our sins through Jesus Christ. In words that echo the Daniel reading, we hear that Jesus our Savior, God, ruler of all the kings of the earth, will come back with the clouds to deliver justice.

Gospel: John 18:33-37

Jesus, facing the final hours before his death by crucifixion, has been handed over to Pilate, the Roman governor. Soon Jesus will wear a mocking, painful king’s crown made of thorns. But Pilate’s concern is political: Has this rabbi declared himself king? That would be an act of treason against Rome’s all-powerful emperor: a capital offense. When Jesus finally answers, clearly and firmly, “My kingdom is not of this world,” Pilate remains puzzled. Jesus stakes his claim to a kingdom and claims his kingship, but “not from here,” adding that he came into the world to testify to the truth. In following verses, Pilate will wash his hands of this troubling matter, but the crowds will have their way.

Pentecost 22B

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Oct. 24, 2021

First Reading (Track One): Job 42:1-6, 10-17

When God is with us, when God saves us and makes us well, we show our gratitude with shouts of joy and thanksgiving. Hold this theme of gratitude and grace in your thoughts as we reflect on Sunday’s readings.

Jesus healing blind Bartimaeus near Jericho

Jesus healing blind Bartimaeus near Jericho (c.1470-1479), oil painting on panel by the fifteenth century Flemish painter known as Meester van de Inzameling van het Manna. Museum Catharijneconvent, Utrecht, Netherlands. (Click image to enlarge.)

In the Track One first reading, we join Job after God finally responded to his demands for a hearing: In last week’s passage, God spoke from a whirlwind to remind Job of the magnificence of God’s creation, next to which Job is tiny and insignificant. Now we hear Job quietly, faithfully accepting this. And then comes good news: God restores Job’s fortunes, double what they had been before. Job lives out a long life with riches, a big family and the respect of his friends. Job’s story has a happy ending, but it’s good to remember that even when things don’t get better, God remains God and loves us still.

First Reading (Track Two): Jeremiah 31:7-9

in last week’s Track Two first reading, we heard the Prophet Isaiah’s meditation on Israel’s Suffering Servant, who carried the pain of exile. Now we turn to the Prophet Jeremiah. With loving words and with tears of comfort and joy, Jeremiah tells Israel that God will bring the people out of exile. The weak and the strong, mothers and children, those who can’t see and those who can’t walk, will all come back home together, praising God and giving thanks.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 34:1-8, (19-22)

Today’s psalm, described as “Praise for Deliverance from Trouble” in the New Revised Standard Version, resonates harmoniously with the story of Job that we heard in the first reading. Sunday’s selected verses begin with a song of praise that exalts God’s name. Then, in a sudden thematic turn, the psalmist remembers a time of terror, when they prayed to the Holy One for deliverance. God indeed saved them from all their troubles, and the psalmist responds with joy: “Taste and see that God is good is good; happy are they who trust in the Most High!”

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 126

The pain of exile and the joy of return form the base narrative for much of the Hebrew Bible’s psalms and the words of its prophets. We heard that joy in Jeremiah’s happy prophecy in the first reading, and we hear it again in this joyful psalm. It rings in celebration of Israel’s restoration on Mount Zion, Jerusalem, the home of the Temple. Turning to a deeply meaningful image of planting fields and reaping a harvest bounty, these verses ring out in memory of our ancestors sowing with tears, reaping with songs of joy. They went out weeping, carrying the seed; but they brought home ripe sheaves of grain, joyfully shouting out their thanksgiving.

Second Reading: Hebrews 7:23-28

Seeking to bring Jewish converts back to the infant church, the author of Hebrews compares Judaism unfavorably to Christianity in words that sound less than generous to modern ears. These verses, building on those that went before, declare that Jesus is a far greater high priest than the old high priests of the Temple. The Jewish high priests were mere mortal, sinful humans, who had to purify themselves repeatedly through constant sacrifices because they were weak. Perhaps it’s best simply to stand with this reading’s conclusion: Jesus, who has been made perfect forever by God, offers justice for all.

Gospel: Mark 10:46-52

Blind people in ancient times were desperate and ashamed. They had to beg for food, and their neighbors often assumed that their blindness was punishment for some grievous sin. Sadly, physical blindness has also been an enduring metaphor for willful refusal to “see” or believe. Mark’s Gospel uses this image often: He told of such a healing near the beginning of his Gospel, and now again toward the end, repeatedly standing for the apostles’ inability to comprehend Jesus’ message. But blindness is not really the central point of this Gospel. Rather, we see God most clearly in Bartimaeus’ gratitude … and in his decision not to go away but to stay and follow Jesus.

Pentecost 21B

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Oct. 17, 2021

First Reading (Track One): Job 38:1-7,34-41

If you want to be in charge of everything, be careful. This theme recurs in various forms in Sunday’s readings.

James and John stand on either side of Jesus

James and John stand on either side of Jesus in this Orthodox icon of Jesus and the apostles. (Click image to enlarge.)

In our Track One first reading, Job has been loudly lamenting his condition and looking everywhere for God, angrily demanding that God come out of hiding and hear him. Now Job gets his wish. God speaks to him out of a whirlwind in power and might, and quickly sets Job in his place. God hurls poetic words at Job like thunderbolts: “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding.” There is no promise that chaos and disaster will not occur in wind and flood and starvation; but nothing in creation is greater than its Creator.

First Reading (Track Two): Isaiah 53:4-12

Throughout Sunday’s readings we hear of servant leadership, sacrifice, and walking humbly with our God. Isaiah’s “Suffering Servant,” whom we meet often in our readings (most recently just one month ago), may make us think of Jesus in his willing sacrifice to bear the sins of many. In its original context, though, Isaiah writes of the servant’s suffering in the past tense, remembering Israel itself as the servant, the sacrificial pain of its sad exile now finally come to an end.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 104:1-9,35, 37c

Echoing God’s extended response to Job, this hymn of exaltation worships God as creator of the universe and as ruler of all creation, whose mighty works fill us with awe. The Psalmist portrays God clothed in majesty and splendor. God rides across the world on the wings of clouds, spreading out mountains and valleys, oceans and rivers; setting the earth immovably on its foundations and separating the land from the water.

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 91:9-16

We hear only the second half of Psalm 91 today. Take a moment, though, to look up the preceding verses in the Psalter (Pages 719-20, BCP). There we learn of another servant who suffered, yet who received God’s protection against illness and enemies. In the verses we read on Sunday, the Psalmist assures us that we gain protection by seeking refuge in God. Then, in a form quite unusual for the Psalms, God speaks directly in the first person, assuring the servant of God’s protection, honor and salvation.

Second Reading: Hebrews 5:1-10

Hebrews, more akin to a published sermon than a traditional letter, is historically understood as an effort to persuade first century Jewish Christians who had returned to Judaism under persecution to come back to the way of Christ. To that end, it presents Jesus as the new high priest, one who brings a new covenant and new sacrifice in the aftermath of the destruction of the Temple. Jesus, fully human, suffered “with loud cries and tears,” it tells us. Learning obedience through suffering, Jesus became the greatest of the line of priests that began with King Melchizedek, the first high priest named in Genesis. As the perfect image of God, Christ earned salvation for us all.

Gospel: Mark 10:35-45

In the verses just before these, Jesus told the apostles for the third time, in more detail than ever, that when they reach Jerusalem he will be arrested, flogged, killed, and will rise again. And now, also for the third time, some of them respond with remarkable cluelessness. Showing how little they have learned, James and John (“the Sons of Thunder”) don’t ask but tell Jesus that they want to sit at his side in God’s kingdom. Jesus has news for them: To follow Jesus we must be servants, not those served; if we wish to be first, we must be the slave of all.

Pentecost 19B

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Oct. 3, 2021

First Reading (Track One): Job 1:1; 2:1-10

“Oh, no, a month of Job!” A lot of people find the story of Job and his troubles disheartening. A careless reading might leave the impression that God sent terrible suffering on Job because, well, Satan talked him into it.

Job on the Ash Heap

Job on the Ash Heap (c.1630), oil painting on canvas by Jusepe de Ribera (1591-1652).. Sotheby’s, New York. (Click image to enlarge.)

But let’s be positive: The Book of Job is a fascinating short story and an important part of the Bible’s “wisdom literature,” the books that teach us about life and God. Why do bad things happen to good people? Known as theodicy, this is one of theology’s most difficult question. Listen and ponder as we go through Job in our Track One first readings during the next four weeks. We hear the beginning of Job today, and it starts like an ancient folk tale. Bear in mind, though, that Satan here was not a red devil with horns, but a sort of prosecutor, an advisor to God within the heavenly order.

First Reading (Track Two): Genesis 2:18-24

Sunday’s Track Two readings aren’t easy. We begin in the first reading with a portion of the creation narrative that some have interpreted to diminish the status of women. Mark’s Gospel reflects those words in a rejection of divorce so strict that it has been invoked to hold people in abusive relationships. How can we hear these reading faithfully yet generously? Perhaps they speak more broadly of creation and the universal call to men and women to take responsibility for our relationships with plants, animals and each other. This is a good thought to hold as many congregations celebrate St. Francis’ feast day this week with a blessing of companion animals.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 26

Just as Job, we are told, was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil,” Psalm 26 declares before God that the Psalmist has lived with integrity and trusted in God without faltering. Considering the trials of Job, we might wonder if the author of this psalm is tempting fate when he invites God to “test me … and try me.” We may also hear a hint of Pharisaical self-satisfaction in the writer’s desire not to be counted among the evildoers or to suffer their punishment. But in the end this plea is humble. It promises integrity and asks only for God’s pity and redemption.

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 8

This beautiful psalm begins as a hymn of praise, then becomes a praiseful catalog of the glories of God’s creation. In lyrical poetry it celebrates the beauty of the universe and all that populates it as testimony to God’s majesty: The heavens, the moon, the stars, all the work of God’s hands, are so great that mere humanity seems small in comparison. Yet we are given charge of all the wild and domestic animals and creatures of the sea. Surely we are called to exercise the same careful and loving stewardship over creation as we count on God to provide for us.

Second Reading: Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12

Why does God care for mere mortals so much that he sent a son and savior, the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s being, to become “lower than the angels” to live and die among us? This letter is thought to have been written to coax back Jewish Christians who had returned to Judaism in the face of persecution late in the first century. While it is fervently pro-Christian, we should take care not to see it through modern eyes as anti-Jewish. In this passage we hear that Jesus tasted death for all humankind, raising us all up through his suffering as his brothers and sisters.

Gospel: Mark 10:2-16

This is one of those difficult gospels that makes it hard to find the love. In our modern society divorce has become acceptable, if unhappy; a difficult end to a relationship. In the patriarchal culture of Jesus’ time, though, it was even worse: A man could set aside his marriage for any reason, in a world where a woman alone had no option but to beg, risking homelessness and starvation. Of course Jesus came down hard on that. We find him arguing with the Pharisees again, outwitting their plan to trap him! He turns the argument back on them by pointing out that their “hardness of heart” should earn them a stricter rule. It’s no coincidence, then, that Jesus smiles and turns to the innocent children.

Pentecost 15B

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Sept. 5, 2021

First Reading (Track One): Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23

God feeds the hungry, gives drink to the thirsty, heals those who are ailing, stands with those who are oppressed, and calls on us to do the same. This call for distributive justice resonates through both lectionary tracks in Sunday’s readings.

Christ and the Canaanite Woman

Christ and the Canaanite Woman (c.1500), oil painting on panel by Juan de Flandes (1450-1519). Royal Palace of Madrid. (Click image to enlarge.)

Our Track One first reading turns to the book of Proverbs, another work of wisdom literature that once was thought to have been the work of King Solomon himself. Much of its wisdom seems as applicable now as it did 2,500 years ago. Phrased in memorable poetic rhythms, it reminds us that God’s covenant with the people demands solidarity with the poor: “Do not rob the poor because they are poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate; for the Lord pleads their cause and despoils of life those who despoil them.”

First Reading (Track Two): Isaiah 35:4-7a

In Lectionary Track Two, also, the call for righteousness and justice resonates through this week’s readings. Indeed, distributive justice is a consistent theme throughout the prophets. The Prophet Isaiah robustly sounds the call in this first reading. Speaking from exile in Babylon, Isaiah urges the people to remain strong and fearless as God comes to save them and their land. Even though the fortunes of war have sent you into exile and separated you from home and Temple, Isaiah assures the people, God is coming with healing and comfort and will lead you back. God will open your eyes and ears as Earth and waters and all creation are restored in speech and sing their joy.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 125

Psalm 125 is one of the shortest of the psalms, with just five verses, but it concisely celebrates the justice of God’s covenant with the people. Those who trust in God, the Psalmist sings, can no more be moved than Zion, the mountain on which the Temple stands. God surrounds the people just as the hills rise around Jerusalem: fixed and strong forever. God rewards those who are good and pure in heart, the brief psalm concludes; but those who turn to evil ways will be sent away with all the evildoers.

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 146

Echoing Isaiah’s celebration of God’s justice, Psalm 146 sings the praise of God who cares for God’s people and loves us deeply. Look beyond earthly rulers, the Psalmist calls us; they cannot help us in the long run. Rather, place our hope in God, creator of the earth and all that is in it, who reigns forever. God’s caring justice favors the poor and the oppressed, those most in need: Hungry people, prisoners. those who are blind; the stranger, the widow, the orphan; those weighed down by life’s load. In caring for the least among us – as Jesus, too, calls on us to do – God cares for us all.

Second Reading: James 2:1-17

James’ rich advice this week should speak as clearly to us today as it did to its first-century audience. What if a homeless person showed up at church on a Sunday morning, obviously in need of a haircut and a bath? Would we greet that person warmly? Would we greet them at the Peace with a friendly smile? Would we invite them to join us for brunch afterward? God calls us to love all our neighbors – both rich and poor – James gently reminds us. Speaking kindly to our poor and hungry neighbors is not enough; we must feed and clothe them too. Faith without such works, says James, is dead.

Gospel: Mark 7:24-37

This may be one of the most troubling of all the Gospel stories. Jesus has gone off by himself, traveling alone in Tyre, a coastal region populated by Israel’s enemies. It is surprising that Jesus is there. It is surprising that a woman of the region, who somehow knows of his healing powers, asks for help. And it is frankly shocking that Jesus dismisses her with a startling slur, likening the woman and her daughter to little dogs. Is this a rare glimpse into Jesus’ fully human side? Or can we explain it away as a later addition to the Gospel, intended to show that Jesus came to see his mission as wider than Israel alone? In any case, we see how the woman’s faith empowered her to challenge Jesus, and we see Jesus listening, learning, and then heals her child. And then he goes on down the road to restore hearing and speech to a deaf Gentile man.