Pentecost 19B

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Robin Garr

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 (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.

Feast of St. Francis

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on the readings for the Feast of St. Francis (Oct. 4, 2021)

First Reading: Jeremiah 22:13-16

We hear two important pieces of advice in the readings for the Feast of Francis of Assisi:

The Peaceable Kingdom (c.1833), oil painting on canvas by Edward Hicks (1780-1849), Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, Mass. (Click image to enlarge.)

First, as this short Jeremiah passage tells us, we must not choose to live as the exiled kings of Israel did, wallowing in riches achieved by forcing their neighbors to work without wages; and second, we should try to live as we would later see Francis live: humbly doing justice and caring for the poor and needy.

Psalm: Psalm 148:7-14

In this portion of Psalm 148 we sing praise of God’s creation in words that likely inspired Daniel’s Song of the Three Young Men (Canticle 16): Fire and hail, snow and fog; all the domestic animals and wild animals that Francis loved – even sea monsters praise the Lord! All humanity praises the Lord too: old and young, kings and their subjects, men and women. God’s glory is universal, and God gives us all strength.

Second Reading: Galatians 6:14-18

Throughout his letter to the Galatians, Paul proclaims that the message of Christ is universal, addressing all humankind, thus standing against opponents who argued for a more limited way. In these verses that conclude the letter, Paul repeats this conclusion: Jew and Gentile, man and woman, slave and free, none of this matters in God’s new creation, which is everything. Those who follow this way will live in God’s peace and mercy.

Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30

In the verses just before this passage, Jesus spoke with seeming frustration and anger about people who didn’t understand what he was doing. Now in these verses Jesus takes a breath, pauses, and gives thanks. Suddenly his hope for the coming generation of children and infants turns gentle. Listen for am echo of the Beatitudes in this. Imagine, too, how this passage might have inspired Francis with their promise of God’s Kingdom coming to the poor, the meek, the hungry and thirsty, to all who bear burdens and who labor under a heavy yoke.

Pentecost 18B

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Sept. 26, 2021

First Reading (Track One): Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22

Take note of this reading, as this is the only time during the three year Lectionary period that we hear a reading from the book of Esther … and even this is only for those following Track One!

Sketch for Christ Rebuking His Disciples (c.1858), oil painting on canvas by Charles Robert Leslie (1794-1859). Tate Gallery, London. (Click image to enlarge.)

We come in just in time to hear the end of this story that, in Jewish tradition, is read in its entirety on the feast of Purim. Esther is the only book in the entire Bible that doesn’t mention God, but it tells a stirring legend of the Jewish people. In these verses Queen Esther of Persia reveals at a banquet feast that she is Jewish and would herself be killed with her people if the wicked Haman carried out his plan to kill or enslave all of Persia’s Jews. The angry king orders Haman hanged on a giant gallows, and justice is served. This event is remembered in Jewish tradition with feasting, joy, and gifts of food for each other and the poor.

First Reading (Track Two): Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29

Sometimes the story of the Israelites wandering with Moses in the desert seems like an ancient reality show. Freed from slavery in Egypt by God’s mighty hand, the people complain because they miss the good food that they used to enjoy. This gets an angry response from God that prompts Moses to bark back. Then, two men who had remained in the camp start prophesying without supervision! A young man runs to tell on them, and Moses’ assistant Joshua wants them punished. But Moses says no: He only wishes that all the people could prophesy and share God’s spirit! A few moments after this reading, we hear a similar story in the Gospel from Mark.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 124

Recalling a time when Israel feared death at the hands of enemies, Psalm 124 sings joyous thanksgiving for God’s protection in parting the waters of the Red Sea so the people could escape Pharaoh’s bondage in Egypt. If God had not been on their side when the enemies rose up against them, the Psalmist exults, the waters would have overwhelmed them! The torrent would have gone over them! But God did not give them up. They escaped, singing, “Our help is in the Name of the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth.”

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 19:7-14

These verses from Psalm 19 urge us to pray, and tells us why we should: God’s commandments are good, and it is good for us to follow them. The Psalm ends with a familiar exhortation that preachers often offer at the beginning of a sermon, and that we might all do well to ponder when we begin to pray: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

Second Reading: James 5:13-20

As we reach the end of our month-long visit with the letter of James, this powerful epistle has called on us to care for our neighbors, to protect the weak, and to do the work that God has given us to do. Now the letter ends with a call to prayer: Are we suffering? Pray! Are we happy? Sing hymns of praise! Are we sick? Ask our friends to pray for us! Prayer works. When we bring our brothers and sisters back to God’s way, we save them from death, the author of James says; for God works through us as God worked through the prophet Elijah when he prayed for an end to a killing drought and famine.

Gospel: Mark 9:38-50

The Apostle John seems angry and perhaps a little possessive. “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us,” he yells. We can imagine him running up to Jesus and demanding, “Make them stop! They’re not authorized!” But Jesus isn’t bothered. “Do not stop him,” he tells the apostles, adding, “Whoever is not against us is for us.” Jesus, perhaps using an old rabbinic tradition of contrasting an act with an extreme alternative, goes on with some pretty scary language about staying on the right path or else. But his point is clear: If people are with us, don’t throw them out.

Pentecost 17B

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Robin Garr

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

First Reading (Track One): Proverbs 31:10-31

This reading, our third and last in a brief series from the Book of Proverbs, seems to express an ancient, patriarchal view of woman’s subsidiary role in the household.

Christ Blessing the Little Children (1839), oil painting on canvas by Charles Lock Eastlake (1793-1865). Manchester Art Gallery, England. (Click image to enlarge.)

Needless to say, we should understand the patriarchal language in both testaments as a signal of ancient time and culture, not as guidance for the modern world. Pay attention to these verses, though, and you’ll discover that this capable wife is no shrinking, helpless figure. She has her husband’s trust; she supervises the household servants as she buys goods and food for the family and even purchases farm and vineyard fields. She is strong, brave, wise and kind. Her husband and her children praise her. “Let her works praise her in the city gates,” indeed!

First Reading (Track Two): Wisdom of Solomon 1:16-2:1, 12-22

Both good behavior and bad behavior have consequences. Righteousness is pleasing to God; evil deeds lead to death. We hear this theme in Sunday’s readings. First up is this passage from the book of Wisdom, which is traditionally attributed to King Solomon but was actually written in Greek in the last centuries before Christ. These verses present the ungodly, arguing why they choose to persecute the righteous people who look down on them. They are wrong, of course, as the verses at the beginning and end of the passage make clear: They don’t understand God’s purpose, nor do they recognize the rewards of a blameless life.

Alternate First Reading (Track Two): Jeremiah 11:18-20

Jeremiah is often called “the Weeping Prophet” for his loud lamentations. He shouts out to warn the leaders of Jerusalem and Judah that their failure of righteousness and justice is going to bring down God’s wrath in the form of defeat, destruction and exile. In this brief passage, though, his weeping becomes more personal: He has learned that those leaders, angered by his prophecies, are scheming to kill him. He feels like a gentle lamb led to slaughter, he laments; but even in the face of enemies he remains committed to God.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 1

We sang Psalm 1, the first of the 150 Psalms, not long after Easter. Now we return to it again as summer turns to autumn. In its verses we celebrate those who follow in the way of God, who delight in God’s teaching and meditate on it. These faithful souls will be happy, the Psalmist tells us. They will become as firmly rooted in faith as are trees deeply rooted by running water, gaining strength and bearing fruit. The wicked, in contrast, can count on no such happy end. Those who do not follow in God’s way will be blown away like chaff in the wind.

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 54

This Psalm, attributed by tradition to King David, recalls a time when the young David had to flee in terror from an angry Saul who sought to kill him. This narrative resonates with the reading from Wisdom: When insolent and ruthless enemies seek our lives, God’s laws will not hold them back. This is a time to pray, the Psalmist says. Now is the time to call on God, who delivers us from trouble and upholds our lives.

Second Reading: James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a

Picking up where last week’s reading from James left off, the author expands on the theme of using our tongues – tiny yet powerful instruments that they are – to praise and bless, not to poison. These verses contrast the wisdom that comes from above against the envy and ambition in our hearts. The writer calls us to show our gentle, wise works in the form of good lives, rather than engaging in earthly, unspiritual ambition and boasting. Resist evil, we are told. Draw near to God, and God will draw near to us.

Gospel: Mark 9:30-37

Sometimes the Apostles seem almost ridiculous in their cluelessness. Today Jesus tells them for a second time that he must suffer, be rejected, killed and then rise again. Not only do they still not get it, but they are afraid to ask. Did they think long and hard about this? Apparently not. Rather, they got off to themselves and argued about which of them was the greatest. Jesus, who must have been thoroughly exasperated, showed them a small child. Following Jesus is not about greatness and power, he said. It is about welcoming the smallest and weakest among us.

Feast of St. Matthew

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Robin Garr

Illuminations on the readings for the Feast of St. Matthew

First Reading: Proverbs 3:1-6

The feast of a church’s patron may be transferred from its usual date to the closest Sunday, so we celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew, which normally falls on September 21, this Sunday in place of the 17th Sunday of Pentecost.

St. Matthew and the Angel (1661), oil painting on canvas by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669). Louvre-Lens, Pas-de-Calais, France. (Click image to enlarge.)

The readings chosen for this day reflect the tradition of Matthew as a tax collector elevated to apostle and evangelist. In our first reading, the Book of Proverbs advises us to keep God’s commandments and use them to guide our lives, If we do so, Proverbs assures us, we will be amply rewarded with a good life and good reputation.

Psalm: Psalm 119:33-40

The Psalmist’s message, a brief snippet drawn from the longest of all the psalms, echoes the Proverbs reading: Learn God’s laws and commandments and follow them faithfully. God’s way turns us away from what is worthless, we sing: God’s way gives life.

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

The second letter of Timothy, one of several short pastoral epistles written by later followers in Paul’s name, offers guidance to a growing church. It mirrors the Psalmist’s call for unity in tradition, guided by Scripture. As you read or hear it, though, bear in mind that when it was written in the late first century or early second, the New Testament was not yet assembled into a book, and the Gospels had only recently been written down. “Scripture” meant the Old Testament, summarized in Torah’s command to love God, love our neighbor, and care for the poor and the alien.

Gospel: Matthew 9:9-19

Matthew’s Gospel portrays him as a tax collector, a position that would have made him roundly despised in ancient Israel. The tax collector preyed on his neighbors on behalf of the hated Roman empire. Nevertheless, when Jesus called him, Matthew followed … and then they sat down to dinner in Matthew’s house. Having mercy and calling sinners is Jesus’s way, not self-righteously looking down on those we consider beneath us.

Pentecost 16B

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Sept. 12, 2021

First Reading (Track One): Proverbs 1:20-33

We turn back to the first chapter of the book of Proverbs this week, where we meet Wisdom personified as a powerful woman. “Be wise! Embrace knowledge,” she shouts out to the city and all its inhabitants.

Peter the Apostle (1743), oil painting on canvas by Giuseppe Nogari (1699-1766). Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden, Germany. (Click image to enlarge.)

Wisdom roars in a prophetic voice; and like the prophets, she finds that many refuse to listen. When distress and anguish come to them, she warns, she will laugh and mock them. When they call on her in their panic, she will not answer. Echoing the covenantal warning that we hear often from the other prophets and in the Psalms, she warns, “the complacency of fools destroys them; but those who listen to me will be secure and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.”

First Reading (Track Two): Isaiah 50:4-9a

What is it like when great suffering stands between us and the goals we most desire? This challenging question recurs in Sunday’s readings. Isaiah raises this idea in the powerful metaphor of the Suffering Servant. What could be more important to a community than its teachers, whose words shape our growth and understanding? Isaiah portrays this teacher as a servant who suffers the humiliation of exile and turns away from those who strike him. To Israel he represented the nation awaiting vindication in its own exile. Christians would later interpret it as an image of Christ.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God! The beauty of creation rings out in this psalm of praise for God at work in the universe. Echoing the first reading’s exhortation to hear and attend to Wisdom’s word, the psalm’s verses urge us to rejoice in our hearts about God’s perfect law: Torah, the word that, in the original Hebrew, is synonymous with “teaching.” The psalm concludes with a familiar prayer that preachers often use to begin a sermon: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 116:1-8

Like Isaiah’s Suffering Servant, the Psalmist, too, speaks from a place of sorrow and grief, in a Psalm traditionally understood as a song of thanksgiving for recovery from illness. Filled with despair, entangled in the cords of death, the Psalmist called out, and God responded. Now, rescued from death’s grip, his tears are wiped dry and his feet no longer stumble. Walking again in the land of the living, his heart fills with love for God, who has heard his voice in supplication.

Second Reading: James 3:1-12 

A teacher’s tongue may reveal the way of God, but tongues can be tricky, this passage from the letter of James tells us in delightful wordplay. James likens this small but powerful organ to other small but powerful things that can control forces beyond their size: A horse’s bridle, a ship’s rudder, a spark that starts a forest fire. Our tongues can bless, but tongues may curse, as well. Watch our tongues, James warns. Use them wisely to praise and bless our brothers and sisters, not to express hurtful things.

Gospel: Mark 8:27-38 

We have reached the midpoint of Mark’s Gospel, and the narrative is taking a turn. Last week we saw Jesus for the first time extend his ministry to a Gentile, healing a woman’s child. Now, in a strange conversation with his disciples, much new is unveiled: First, Jesus confirms Peter’s bold announcement, the apostles’ first revelation that Jesus is the Messiah. Then, to Peter’s horror, Jesus tells them that he must endure great suffering, rejection and death. If they want to follow him, Jesus warns, they must deny themselves, take up the cross, and follow him. If you wish to save your life, he warns, you must lose it first.

Pentecost 15B

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Robin Garr

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 (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.

Pentecost 14B

Posted on August 23, 2021 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Aug. 29, 2021

First Reading (Track One): Song of Solomon 2:8-13

During the first half of the Pentecost season during this Lectionary year we have followed the stories of Israel’s Judges and Kings in our Track One first readings. Now, we’ll devote most of the rest of the season to the Hebrew Bible’s wisdom literature – books of thoughts and advice on wise and proper living.

James the Just, the Brother of Jesus. Ancient Orthodox icon. (Click image to enlarge.)

Our wisdom journey begins this Sunday with a love poem. What an unexpected thing to find in the Bible! The Song of Solomon is a collection of love poems that tradition attributes to King Solomon himself, although they were actually written centuries later. These verses sing of deep love between a woman and a man who has just returned to her after a cold winter. The subject invites us to look for all sorts of metaphor, but remember sometimes a love song is just a love song.

First Reading (Track Two): Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9

Don’t do as we say. Do as we do. This simple wisdom is unveiled for us throughout Sunday’s Track Two readings. In the first reading last week, we looked on as an aging Joshua, facing the end of his life, called on the people to recommit to God’s covenant now that they were established in the Promised Land. This week we back up in time to Deuteronomy, listening in as Moses emphasizes the importance of following God’s covenant. By carrying God’s teaching through the generations, he tells the people, the Israelites will earn the right to live in the promised land, gaining the world’s respect for wisdom and discernment.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 45:1-2, 7-10

In the context of the Song of Solomon, these snippets from Psalm 45 are framed as a love song, too. A noble song fashioned for a king on the occasion of his royal wedding, it praises the king himself as the fairest of men, from whose lips produce flowing grace. But the narrative quickly turns to praise God, above the king. God is the Holy One who has anointed and blessed the king with an enduring throne and a scepter of righteousness. God has anointed the king because God loves righteousness and hates iniquity, the psalm tells us. Thus the king carries out God’s will and earns God’s blessings on earth.

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 15

Echoing Moses’ wisdom in the first reading, the Psalmist – said by tradition to be King David himself – proclaims that those who live blamelessly and with righteousness and truth may earn God’s protection. Be honest, be trustworthy, be fair; protect the innocent. Follow these ways, the psalm advises us, and abide upon God’s holy hill. Honesty, kindness, and love of neighbor all make a difference: The way we live matters to God.

Second Reading: James 1:17-27

Following several weeks with second readings chosen from the letter to the Ephesians, we now turn to the letter of James for five weeks. Although this epistle is traditionally attributed to James, the brother of Jesus, it was more likely written in James’ name by a later Jewish Christian after the fall of the Temple, perhaps around the same time as Matthew’s Gospel.. This passage is akin to today’s other readings in its emphasis on God’s covenant: “Care for the widows and orphans in their distress.” Throughout the letter, the writer shows little doubt that we are called not merely to hear God’s teaching but to act on what we hear.

Gospel: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

After our summer digression into the bread narrative in John’s Gospel, we now return to Mark for the rest of this liturgical year, picking up where we left off in mid-July. If you don’t pay attention, though, you might think for a moment that nothing has changed, as we find Jesus arguing with a crowd of Scribes and Pharisees just as we left him doing in John’s account. The law-abiding religious leaders have challenged Jesus because they saw his disciples ignoring the strict ritual practice of washing before eating. In response, Jesus quotes the Prophet Isaiah in a passage that showers scorn on those who honor God with their lips while their hearts are far away. The message: Do not thoughtlessly follow ritual; rather live in the spirit of God’s laws. It is not eating that defiles us, Jesus proclaims, but the sins that come from our mouths and our hearts.

Pentecost 13B

Posted on August 16, 2021 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Aug. 22, 2021

First Reading (Track One): 1 Kings 8:22-23, 41-43

When major life changes confront us, how do we decide? How do we find God in the process? We’ll hear this theme recur in Sunday’s readings.

Eucharistic bread (3rd century), painting in the Early-Christian catacomb of San Callisto on the Roman Appian Way. (Click image to enlarge.)

The story of the first kings of Israel reaches its zenith as the wise and wealthy King Solomon – son of King David – dedicates the first Temple in Jerusalem. The Ark of the Covenant, God’s sanctuary on Earth, has a permanent home at last. Solomon addresses the assembled leaders of Israel and Judah and reminds them of God’s covenant with his father David: “There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.” Sadly, the people do fail in this vow to be just and righteous. The nation will decline and fall, the temple will be destroyed, and its leaders will be exiled as the prophets foretold.

First Reading (Track Two): Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18

Our Track Two first reading turns to the book of Joshua, who led the people after Moses died. They have finally arrived at the Promised Land after years of wandering in the desert. Now, Joshua confronts them with a decision that will shape their future in the land: Will they return to the old gods of their polytheistic ancestors of ancient times? Or will they renew the covenant that Abraham and Moses made with God, who has led them out of exile in Egypt and brought them safely through the desert? Their response is clear: “We … will serve the Holy One, for he is our God.” These are good intentions; but Joshua knows the people’s long history: The verses that come just before and after this reading, and the verses that today’s portion skips over, offer hard reminders that to break the covenant brings real consequences.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 84

This lyrical hymn of praise celebrates the joy of worshiping in the temple that Solomon built. Those who decide to put their trust in God – the Holy One of hosts – will receive God’s grace and glory, the Psalmist sings. The people in exile who prayed for God’s favor and accepted God’s covenant lived in trust that God would welcome them home. They waited in hope for the protection, favor and honor given to those who had trust. As God provides nests for the small birds, the psalm goes on, so will God provide for us: As God provides pools of water for thirsty travelers, so will God hear our prayers.

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 34:15-22

We have chanted Psalm 34 in sections over three successive Sundays. This is the final week,concluding its hymn of thanks and praise to our merciful, saving God. Like the Israelites entering Canaan, its verses tell us, those who make the decision to follow God’s commandments will earn God’s protection against fear, sorrow and danger. Those who choose otherwise – the wicked and the unrighteous – will eventually be punished, the Psalmist sings. But those who choose to serve God can trust in God.

Second Reading: Ephesians 6:10-20

As we reach the last of seven Sunday readings from the letter to the Ephesians, we hear another call to make a choice: As a persecuted church, a tiny minority in the Empire of Rome, the people clearly understood that their struggle was not against “blood and flesh” but against the forces of evil that powerful earthly rulers represent. Put on the whole armor of God, this reading commands us: Our armor, breastplate, helmet, sword, belt and sturdy shoes of faith in God will protect us when we choose to boldly declare our faith.

Gospel: John 6:56-69

Our five-week journey through Jesus’ difficult discourse about eating his body and drinking his blood comes to its end this Sunday. We have seen the enthusiastic crowds that surrounded him at the start gradually dwindle away as they hear each new and troubling call to eat Jesus’ body and drink his blood in order to gain eternal life. First the skeptics and faithless, then some of the temple authorities, had turned away in disgust. Now the division grows as many of his own disciples become uncomfortable and leave. Only those closest to Jesus decide to remain with him no matter what. Their faith wins out over doubt, even if they don’t understand it, because they know Jesus as the Holy One of God. Peter asks, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Pentecost 12B

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Robin Garr

Thoughts on Sunday’s Lessons for Aug. 15, 2021

First Reading (Track One): 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14

What is wisdom? What is foolishness? How do we gain the one and learn from the other? Sunday’s Lectionary readings offer insight to wisdom.

Christ Accused by the Pharisees (1308-1311), tempera painting on wood by Duccio di Buoninsegna (1255-1319). Museo dell’Opera Metropolitana del Duomo, Siena, Italy. (Click image to enlarge.)

In our Track One first reading, we hear that David has died after 40 years as king. His son Solomon, the second son of David and Bathsheba, ascends to the throne, and he will go on to a majestic reign. Here at the beginning of this reading, though, Solomon is well aware that he is young and inexperienced. When God comes to Solomon in a dream and invites him to ask for whatever he might wish, Solomon chooses wisely: He asks not for long life or riches but for the wisdom to govern well. God is pleased, and rewards Solomon with wisdom and honor, asking only that he walk in God’s way. All will go well for many years, but Solomon’s reign, sadly, will come to a bad end when the lure of great power corrupts him.

First Reading (Track Two): Proverbs 9:1-6

It may be a gift to be simple, as the Shakers sang, but the authors of Wisdom and the Psalms don’t treat simplicity so kindly. Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, the word “simple” depicts a naive person, one who lacks experience or, well, wisdom. In the Track Two first reading, Wisdom – personified in the Old Testament as a woman, present with God at the Creation – sets the table for a great feast, and invites the simple to come and be made wise. Through wisdom, we hear, we gain insight and become mature. We learn to walk in God’s way.

Psalm (Track One): Psalm 111

Once again we hear a Psalm that we read earlier in this Lectionary year (during the season after Epiphany), but when we have it in the context of different readings we hear it in new ways. One of the many Psalms that sing God’s praise with joy and exultation, Psalm 111 shouts out our thanksgiving for all of God’s work, for all God’s majesty and splendor, for all of God’s justice that lasts forever. God feeds us, the Psalmist sings. God’s covenant redeems us. The people shout “Hallelujah!” “Praise God!”

Psalm (Track Two): Psalm 34:9-14

The terminology of “fearing” God quickly leads to misunderstanding. I remember as a child being puzzled and more than a little disturbed the first time I encountered this. I hurried to ask Mom: “What does fearing the Lord mean? Are we supposed to be afraid of God?” Happily, she promptly reassured me: Think rather of being in awe – awestruck by God’s love and righteousness. If you love life, the Psalmist sings, be wise and follow God’s way. Speak kindly and with truth; avoid evil and do good; work for peace.

Second Reading: Ephesians 5:15-20

Sunday’s passage from the Letter to the Ephesians continues where last week’s reading left off. It fits neatly into the pattern of this week’s readings with its focus on pursuing wisdom, not foolishness, and fearing God not in fright and alarm but with awe that inspires love. Follow God’s way, filled with the Spirit, it urges us, giving thanks for all our blessings in prayer and song to God in Jesus’ name.

Gospel: John 6:51-58

Over the five weeks that we spend with Jesus’ long “bread narrative” in John’s Gospel this summer, its tone has taken a turn. Initially, crowds were awed by Jesus feeding the multitude and followed him hoping for more, only to become confused. Then last week the discussion turned adversarial, as a crowd of Jewish temple authorities began questioning him. That argument continues in this week’s Gospel, but Jesus is steadfast. His audience seems horrified when he starts using a different Greek word for “eat,” choosing an earthy verb meaning “gnaw, crunch, or chew” to declare that all must “eat his flesh and drink his blood” to earn salvation and eternal life.