tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88191440240251304992024-03-05T20:08:56.236-06:00Sunday's ChildDaily Lectionary with Prayers
and Reflections on Scripture and WorldSunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.comBlogger4545125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-12686896370527068482019-06-15T13:05:00.001-05:002019-06-15T13:05:10.618-05:00Daily Office of St. Clarehttps://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.htmlSunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-20674451019138735412019-03-30T09:28:00.001-05:002019-03-30T18:10:37.396-05:00<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Narrative Lectionary 6/16-7/7</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><br />
<h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Psalms </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">(4 weeks): </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">see R. Jacobson’s 6-week series (2015) </span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">6/16</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Psalm 113 (Luke 15:8-10)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">6/23</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Psalm 69:1-16 (Matthew 7:7-11)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">6/30</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"> Psalm 27:1-6 (Matthew 6:25-34)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-624dd4b2-7fff-bfbf-3bea-cada4f8dfc2a"><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 7/7</span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Psalm 40:1-10 (Luke 17:11-19)</span></span><br />
<br />Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-40818805591189879172018-12-31T09:26:00.000-06:002018-12-31T09:27:20.368-06:00Narrative Lectionary January-June 2019<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">January 20 Tempted in the Wilderness</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Matthew 4:1-17 Psalm 91:9-12</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-a7241dda-7fff-b0a6-d248-63310dcf462a" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">January 27 Beatitudes</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Matthew 5:1-20 Beatitudes, salt of the earth, let your light shine (Psalm 1:1-3)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">February 3 Matthew 6:7-21 [25-34]</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Lord’s prayer, treasure in heaven</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">and/or Matt 6:25-34, Lilies of the field (Psalm 20:7)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">February 10 The Golden Rule Matthew 7:1-14, 24-29 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Speck in the eye, narrow gate, wise man builds house on rock (Psalm 37:16-18)</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">February 17 Parables of the Kingdom</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Matt 13:24-43 Parable of wheat and weeds (Psalm 84:1-7)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">February 24 Feeding 5,000 Matthew 14:13-33 Feeding the 5,000, walking on the sea</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">(Psalm 95:1-5)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">March 3 Transfiguration Matthew 16:24--17:8</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Passion prediction, bearing the cross, Transfiguration (Psalm 41:7-10)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">March 6</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Who Is the Greatest? Ash Wednesday</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Matthew 18:1-9 Debate about who is the greatest, become like a child; if your right hand causes sin cut it off (Psalm 146:7c-10 or 51:1-3)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">March 10 Forgiveness First Sunday in Lent Matthew 18:15-35</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Church discipline, forgiving 70 times 7, parable of unforgiving servant (Psalm 32:1-2)</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">March 17 Laborers in the Vineyard Second Sunday in Lent Matthew 20:1-16 (Psalm 16:5-8)</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">March 24 Wedding Banquet Third Sunday in Lent Matthew 22:1-14 (Psalm 45:6-7)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">March 31 Bridesmaids (or Talents) Fourth Sunday in Lent Matthew 25:1-13 </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">and/or Matt 25:14-30, (Psalm 43:3-4)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">April 7 Last Judgment Fifth Sunday in Lent Matthew 25:31-46 (Psalm 98:7-9)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">April 14 Triumphal Entry, cleansing the temple Palm Sunday</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">April 18 Preparing for the Last Supper, mention of betrayal Words of Institution </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">April 19 Good Friday</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">April 21 Easter Matthew 28:1-10 Resurrection, empty tomb, women encounter the risen Jesus</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">April 28 Second Sunday of Easter Matthew 28:16-20</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Great commission, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (Psalm 40:9-10)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">Peter’s vision show how God cleanses people of every nation (Matt 9:36-37)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">May 12 Fourth Sunday of Easter Acts 13:1-3; 14:8-18 Beginning of Paul’s mission. Healing at Lystra, gospel to the Gentile world (Matt 10:40-42)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;">May 26 Sixth Sunday of Easter Romans [3:28-30] 5:1-11 God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Spirit; Christ died for the ungodly (Matt 11:28-30)</span></div>
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Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-84993966314726946602018-09-10T07:00:00.000-05:002018-09-10T07:00:02.092-05:00Blessed to be a Blessing, a Reflection on Genesis 12:1-5The first eleven chapters of Genesis tell of God's gifts to us humans and what we do with them and how God responds.<br />
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In the beginning, God gave us a garden, companionship, and food. God said not to do this one thing, but that's what we did. God sent them out of the garden but out there they were going to be able to obtain food and to have families. Moreover, God replaced their fig leaf loincloths with fur coats.<br />
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Next, as we learned to grow crops and tend sheep, jealousy and violence erupted. God responded by protecting the malefactor from the retribution that we might assert that he had deserved.<br />
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Families grew and spread out, but so did the wickedness--to the extent that the Lord regretted even having populated the earth anyway.<br />
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But, instead of wiping out the human race entirely, God chose the moral man to begin the project anew. This worked for a while. Noah's son's families expanded and spread out into many lands. They began to be prideful of their accomplishments. They erected a tower with its top in the sky to make a name for themselves. God scattered them over the earth.<br />
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Then, in Chapter 12, God once again reached out, choosing Abraham to start things over, once more, "I will bless you, and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed." Abraham's predecessors had done it wrong, but he was to do it right.<br />
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Abraham had some work to do, "Go to the place that I will show you."<br />
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We can remember and celebrate Abraham's call and his response. And we can metaphorize it: What changes in our lives need our response? Where is the Lord showing us to go? What is the Lord commanding us to do?Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-627764281852950032018-08-06T13:13:00.002-05:002018-08-06T13:18:02.091-05:00Narrative Lectionary Overview<a href="https://spiritandtruthpublishing.com/blog/nl-year-1-overview/">Narrative Lectionary Year One</a> from Spirit & Truth PublishingSunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-1871118539607314232018-07-30T07:00:00.000-05:002018-07-30T07:00:08.520-05:00Reversal of Fortune, a Reflection on Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17Ruth is a foreigner, a widow with no money who is living with her mother-in-law, Naomi, who is also a widow without financial resources.<br />
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A kinsman, Boaz, marries Ruth. They have a child, Obed. Ruth who had refused to stay behind when Naomi had returned home now has a new home, a new husband, and a child. Naomi who had lost a husband and two sons now because of the loyalty of her daughter-in-law now is a grandmother.<br />
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Obed is the grandfather of King David. And David is the ancestor of Jesus.Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-77745042813086417812018-07-10T19:37:00.003-05:002018-07-10T19:37:59.432-05:00How we know that we abide in God, Reflection on 1 John 4:7-21If the author of this epistle were writing to your congregation today, would he need to include this section? Does your congregation need to be reminded to love? to love each other? to love our brothers and sisters? to love people we don't even know? And which is harder for us, anyway, to love people we have to be around all the time or people that we don't?<br />
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Consider for a while today what verse 7 means to you. How does loving someone help you to know God? Or, how does knowing God help you to love someone?<br />
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The Father has sent his Son to save the world, verse 14. The world. God hasn't sent the Son to take us away from the world, to live separately from it, but to save it.Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-28349920959669901902018-06-26T06:17:00.000-05:002018-06-26T06:17:16.832-05:00Sin, not sins, a Reflection on John 1:29-34Religious authorities, aware of the impact that John had been making, traveled to the wilderness to question him. "Who are you?" they wanted to know. He denied being the Messiah or Elijah or the prophet, but put them on alert (19-33).<br />
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The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"<br />
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In their commentary on John, Gail R. O'Day and Susan E. Hylen point out what I should have been able to notice on my own but didn't, that John says "sin" not "sins" of the world. They say:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
As a singular noun, "sin" points to the world's collective alienation from God. "Sins" in the plural evokes a catalog of individual misdeeds and "sinful" behaviors, which is not what John is saying here. "Sin" in the singular refers to a broken relationship with God in which we all share equally, whereas "sins" in the plural can be used to point to some relationships and behaviors as more broken than others. As the Passover Lamb, Jesus liberates the world from slavery to "sin" by bringing the world into new and fresh contact with the presence of God, so that human alienation from God can end.</blockquote>
Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-21001975393274257132018-06-25T07:37:00.000-05:002018-06-25T07:37:00.965-05:00The Light is Still Turned On, a reflection on John 1:1-14I am pondering on verse 10, "He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him." Why did the world not know him? Has the world caught on yet?<br />
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I keep reading. Verse 11 says "He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him." Okay, many of the Jews of his day did not convert to Christianity. But, how many Christians of my own day really accept Christ? Do we show evidence of this acceptance by the way we live our lives?<br />
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"And the Word became flesh and lived among us," (v14). In their commentary, John, Gail R. O'Day and Susan E. Hylen point out something that I had totally missed--The use of first person pronouns--John intended for his readers--intends for his readers--to understand and accept that the Word is here--As O'Day and Hylen put it, "The eternal Word of verses 1-2 now completely enters the human and time-bound sphere by becoming flesh...The story of God and the Word is no longer a cosmic story, but is an intimately human story.Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-70732796251744816072018-06-11T15:42:00.000-05:002018-06-11T15:42:17.960-05:00The Great Commandment, Reflection on Matthew 22:34-40The Pharisees and Herodians disagreed on a lot of things, but they did agree with one thing--they both saw Jesus as a disruption. They tried to trap him by asking the question about paying taxes, but he didn't fall into the trap.<br />
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The Saducees, another group opposing Jesus, also failed in their tactic of asking a trick question.<br />
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When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Saducees, they decided to make yet another attempt. They addressed him as "Teacher," (were they being sarcastic? surely, they didn't think Jesus could teach them anything?) They asked him "Which commandment of the law is most important?"<br />
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Were they trying to get him to say that some of the law was less important than the others? Do we believe that? What distinctions do we make? What the difference between naming what's most important and summarizing the law? When prophets summarized the law (see Micah 6:8; Isaiah 33:15-16; 56:1; Amos 5:14-15), were they saying that the rest of the instruction is unimportant?<br />
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Jesus responds to them by quoting scripture (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18). Is he saying the rest of the instruction is unimportant? Or, is he saying all the instructions that the Scripture gives us is intended to help us do these things: Love God and love neighbor?<br />
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Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-30896905551510052832018-06-04T08:49:00.000-05:002018-06-04T08:49:03.971-05:00Reflection on Exodus 20:17-20Quote from Allen & Williamson's <i>Preaching from the Old Testament</i>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Eight of the ten words begin: "you shall not." People often speak of negative commandments as off-putting "do nots" that constrict life....But that misconstrues the negative instructions in the Torah. First, we can keep all of them while taking a nap. ...Second, negative mitzvoth deal with the parameters of behavior. They do not specify what we should do, simply what we should not do. They name the actions that cancel all possibility of living with others a life of well-being (which can only be lived with others.)</blockquote>
Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-1059486827866925862018-05-30T15:37:00.002-05:002018-05-30T15:37:31.560-05:00Toward Freedom, a Reflection on Exodus 20:1-6God had said to those people released from slavery but still living in the wilderness, "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol."<br />
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Was is easier for them to focus than it is for any of us? How free are we? Do we consider our surroundings more like a promised land or more like the wilderness?<br />
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"No other gods. Don't make an idol." That's the first commandment, the starting place, the first step in preparing to live the new life--or to live life in the new way.<br />
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What a god is--the most important factor that we base a decision on. Our god can be our physical safety (or merely comfort), or our financial security, or our need to feel superior, or so on. What influences what we do every day? What is important to us? Whatever that is, that is the idol we have made for ourselves.Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-54069800077852153002018-05-30T15:32:00.002-05:002018-05-30T15:32:17.732-05:00More than Piety is Required, a Reflection on Exodus 20:7-11You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God. It seems to me that I was taught not to use certain curse words because they would have been a violation of this command. Later, I was taught that this command deals with more than cussing. We are making a wrongful use of the name of the Lord our God whenever we invoke that name to get our own way. Allen & Williamson, in <i>Preaching the Old Testamen</i>t, interpret this commandment, "Empty talk, cheap grace, easy religion, self-interest parading as piety: the church should speak against all wrongful use of the name of God."<br />
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Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy. I remember the blue laws, the prohibitions against stores being open on Sunday or, in Mississippi at least, not being able to buy beer or liquor, even in a restaurant. Walter Brueggemann, in <i>Texts for Preaching B</i>, takes a wider view of this command. He reminds us that the original audience for these commands was a group of escaped slaves who had been made quite familiar with forced work. What the emperor wanted was what was important to their overseers. We may not be in slave gangs with an emperor's employee telling us what to do and to keep doing it. But, we still need to consider whose will is directing our actions. As Brueggemann puts it:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In a consumer economy with the vicious cycles of consumption as well as of production. In this "rest," which is ordained into the very fabric of creation, we recover our sense of creatureliness and resist the pressure to be frantic consumers who find our joy and destiny in commodities.</blockquote>
Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-2942428145920856762018-05-22T06:37:00.000-05:002018-05-22T06:37:03.324-05:00An unclean prophet, a Reflection on Isaiah 6:1-8Verses 1-4 describe an overwhelming sense of God's glory and the appropriate response to it. On a throne. A high and lofty throne. So large that just the hem of his robe fills the temple. Heavenly beings attend him. They sing, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts."<br />
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Verses 5, in contrast, describes the great contrast with this glory with the human condition. Isaiah realizes that he is unworthy.<br />
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Verses 6-7 give us reassurance. Since we are not worthy, God has a way of redeeming us, of overcoming our sin. Isaiah's guilt was removed.<br />
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Verse 8 reminds us why we need this redemption. We have a task. Isaiah accepted his call.<br />
(much of this from or inspired by Isaiah 1-39, by Walter Brueggeman)<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
How much of this is repeated in a typical church service?<br />
Do we recognize an overwhelming divine presence?<br />
Do we recognize our own sinfulness?<br />
Can we receive redemption? If so, what are we prepared to do with it?</blockquote>
Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-83231704107029061172018-05-21T08:33:00.002-05:002018-05-23T06:45:38.769-05:00Looking toward Trinity Sunday, Reflection on John 3:1-17Jesus has been talking to Nicodemus, but now is speaking to a plural you when he says "Very truly I tell you.... The Son of Man must be lifted up so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."<br />
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We take "lifted up" to mean the crucifixion or the resurrection or the ascension, or all of these. He is in Jerusalem at the beginning of his ministry yet his words will be understandable after his death, resurrection, and ascension.<br />
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Or, will they be? Nicodemus had seen signs as had the other Pharisees but he was unwilling to come publicly to Jesus. The audience for John's Gospel had seen even more signs; were they able to believe?<br />
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Jesus said that those who believe in him may have eternal life; also see, John 3:36; 4:14; 5:24; 6:27: and 17:14 (with thanks to The New Interpreter's Study Bible).<br />
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What is being promised? Not just heaven later after we're dead. The word we translate as eternal carries the meaning of a different quality of life, a new life free of the worldly, temporal concerns of the old life.<br />
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Surely, all football fans have seen that sign in the stands saying John 3:16. Please don't stop with that verse. God's intention is that this eternal life is for us all.<br />
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As we are now approaching Trinity Sunday, Fred Craddock (in his contribution to Preaching Through the Christian Year B) helps us as he explains that Jesus Christ reveals the truth about God and that the Holy Spirit is the active presence of God. Then, he stresses:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
But the overall affirmation of the text is that God is a life-giving God. This is no new word, as though God had ceased to be a wrathful judge and had now mellowed into forgiving love. The Hebrew Scriptures had declared God's grace in the story of the brazen serpent in Numbers 21:4-9 (vv.14-15). Our text proclaims, then, what has always been true of God, and what is comforting to hear again: God loves the wold; God desires that none perish; God gives the Son that all may live; God has acted in Christ not to condemn but to save. To trust in this is to have life anew, life eternal.</blockquote>
</blockquote>
Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-26284221655851880202018-05-14T07:52:00.000-05:002018-05-14T07:52:01.329-05:00Reactions to the Pentecost Surprise, a Reflection on Acts 2:1-11The Holy Spirit appeared suddenly, loudly, and effectively. The reaction was mixed. Some were bewildered, amazed, astonished.<br />
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Even when they found themselves able to understand in their own languages what the recipients were saying, the first witnesses either didn't know what was happening or made up a reason that seemed reasonable--they must be drunk.<br />
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Miracles or any exciting phenomena do not necessarily generate faith.<br />
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Peter responded to the lack of understanding and the rude remark by preaching a sermon.<br />
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Nonbelievers will not agree with our explanations. At least right away. After all, why should they? Allowing experience to explain phenomena is not unexpected.<br />
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Be careful with those sermons. They don't always help the unbeliever. At least right away.<br />
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I'm wondering what fraction of the people listening to a sermon on any Sunday are unbelievers. I'm wondering what they think about what they see happening that we explain has come through the Lord.Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-7034731025499619912018-05-08T07:34:00.000-05:002018-05-08T07:34:08.419-05:00Jesus Christ is Lord, a Reflection on Philippians 2:5-13In their The First Paul (http://www.cokesbury.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=815773), Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan offer us three understandings of this passage by contemporary scholars:<br />
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1) Christ is being contrasted with Adam, who with Eve wanted to be like God. Rather, he emptied himself.<br />
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2) The text is referring to the preexistent Christ, the prebirth Jesus, who emptied himself to become human; that is, vulnerable, even to the point of being executed.<br />
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3) Paul's first hearers would have been aware that the Roman emperor claimed to be "in the form of God" and regarded "equality with God as something to be exploited." They would have heard the claims that the emperor was divine, Lord, Son of God, Savior of the World, bringer of peace on earth. Paul is making the radical claim that Jesus Christ is the one who deserves the titles instead of Caesar.<br />
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Borg and Crossan say we don't have to choose between these three interpretations:<br />
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All make the same claim. What we see in Jesus--Christ crucified and raised as "Jesus Christ the Lord"--is the way, the path. This, Paul says in this text, is the mind that the followers of Jesus are to have. What we see in Jesus is the way, the path, of personal transformation. And it is the way, the path, of advocacy of a way of life very different from and in opposition to the normalcy of "this world." And it would cost Paul his life.</blockquote>
Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-55568021437140948312018-05-07T07:37:00.000-05:002018-05-07T07:37:14.118-05:00Consolation from love, Reflection on Philippians 2:1-4Paul encouraged Christians to live in community and to care for one another. How might such a community look now?<br />
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Generations of Hope is a nonprofit adoption agency that has designed a community to resemble a nurturing small town, complete with surrogate grandparents. Created out of a shuttered Air Force base, Generations of Hope seeks to rescue children from foster care and place them with adoptive parents who have moved here. About 30 children currently live with parents in 10 homes. The community is also home to 42 older people who have subsidized rent.<br />
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Read more about this amazing experiment http://www.generationsofhope.org/Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-58185906431857983892018-05-01T07:00:00.000-05:002018-05-01T07:00:09.751-05:00John's advice--Share, a Reflection on Luke 3:7-11John's target in this passage is the pious. He warns them that just showing up for the worship service does not substitute for doing what God wants them to do.<br />
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John is warning them of imminent destruction--The ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree that doesn't bear good fruit is going to be cut down.<br />
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The crowd asks him how they can avoid being destroyed.<br />
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He tells them "Share what you have with who needs it."<br />
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Christians today seem to be upset about behavior of others, but I don't hear much criticism of people neglecting to share. Are we raising a different crop of fruit than what John was talking about?<br />
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Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-67434355424206970642018-04-30T07:00:00.000-05:002018-04-30T07:00:24.756-05:00Y'all, a Reflection on Philippians 1:3-8<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">For whatever reason, English speakers dropped the singular second-person pronoun. So, we can't tell when "you" means "thee"; i.e., singular, and when it means "you"; i.,e., plural.</span></h3>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">So, I looked up this passage in my Greek New Testament to make sure which you that Paul was writing to. And, of course, the you is plural. In the American South, we would say y'all but probably wouldn't write it.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">In any case, read this passage as if it is written to your congregation, not just to you personally. Paul is concerned about how all of you are, and how all of you are treating each other, and how all of you are working to do the work that Jesus Christ intended for all of you to do.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">We need to keep in mind that salvation is not merely a personal matter, a case of my being plucked out of a bad situation, but rather a much bigger matter, a case of the world in which I live being transformed.</span></span></h3>
Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-20448099436284787042018-04-17T07:00:00.000-05:002018-04-17T07:00:12.244-05:00Time to Repent, a Reflection on Acts 17:29-31Paul had been raised as a Jew and had lived among Jews. So, a god not made by human hands would have been a basic, long-accepted truth for him--but not so for the Athenians. As would the existence of God not lots of gods.<br />
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Paul is talking to people who would not have been brought up on the Scriptures that had formed and nurtured his understanding.<br />
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They may not have known about God, but God knows about them. "We are God's offspring," he tells them. It's hard for some of us to go this far. Although like Paul, we may believe that God created them since God created everything, we still aren't quite ready to accept that non-Christians are also God's children.<br />
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Paul then talks about the future, what is necessary for them and for all of us to do--Repent. We might be able to plead ignorance if we really had not been told something, but once we have been told, ignorance is no longer a valid excuse or even explanation. Paul tells them, "The day is coming when God will appoint a man to judge the world in righteousness."<br />
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What we do does matter. We will be judged. And since we will be judged righteously, that's the way we should be behaving.<br />
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"You can be assured of this," Paul tells them, "because he has raised this judge from the dead."Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-11118753929599968012018-04-16T07:00:00.000-05:002018-04-16T07:01:04.157-05:00Sermon to Seekers, a Reflection on Acts 17:22-28Paul stood in front of the Areopagus in Athens. I looked it up. The word means "Temple of Ares (god of war)" or "Mars' (another name for Ares) Hill." This building in Paul's time was the meeting place for the highest judicial and legislative council.<br />
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He begins by complimenting the Athenians on how religious they are. Or is he being a little snarky when he says that they worship even an unknown god?<br />
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He continues "Although you may not know the god you worship, I can tell you about the God who made the world, everything in it, a God not confined to any building, a God who does not need anything but instead provides everything."<br />
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Paul then tells them that God is the source and director of all people, and that while we may be looking for God, God is not far from us.<br />
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The one-God part may have been difficult for the Athenians to grasp. We moderns on the other hand may not be able to admit how many temples of unknown gods we spend time in and money on. We think our jobs are important, as are our leisure activities. Like the ancients, we also search for meaning or affirmation or security, physical or psychological, and, of course, amusement.<br />
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And like them, God is not far from us--even when we are looking in the wrong direction. God has created us--all of us--and continues to provide us life.Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-1274367100481659832018-04-10T17:02:00.000-05:002018-04-10T17:02:00.452-05:00Ananias goes to Saul who listens, a Reflection on Acts 9:7-20Jesus spoke to Ananias in a vision: Go tell Saul to tell about me to both Gentiles and Jews.<br />
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Ananias was surprised at the choice of Saul because of his efforts at ridding Judaism of Christ followers. But, he expressed no surprise at the message only the messenger. After all, Jesus himself had reached out to many persons who were not faithful Jews--or any kind of Jew--for example, sinners, collaborators, and foreigners.<br />
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Jesus is still reaching out. It is ironic that he would choose Saul for the mission. Saul, who had been trying to rid the Jews of those who were adherents to Christ, is now going to be asked to go to people who aren't even Jews.<br />
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Ananias was afraid and had reason to be; yet, he does what the Lord tells him to do--approach this man who has been persecuting people like him.<br />
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He did what Jesus had told him to do. Immediately Saul's sight was restored. He got up, was baptized, ate some food, got stronger, and begin to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying "He is the Son of God."Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-84073228022573744412018-04-09T07:00:00.000-05:002018-04-09T07:00:12.707-05:00On the Way, a Reflection on Acts 9:1-6"Meanwhile," the passage begins; so, I looked back to see what has been happening. Saul had witnessed the execution of Stephen in Jerusalem. Persecution of Christians in Jerusalem became so fearsome that many fled the city. Saul was part of the effort to remove what they considered to be a dangerous threat to their religion. Scaring the Christians out of Jerusalem did not silence them. They preached wherever they were. Evangelism in Samaria was so successful that Peter and John made a trip there then returned to Jerusalem. Philip obeyed a call from the Lord to go south. There he baptized and preached.<br />
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Saul, aware of the increase in adherents to Christ, set out to find them and bring them back to Jerusalem.<br />
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His journey was interrupted. He saw a light and heard a voice, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"<br />
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He asked "Who are you, Lord?" and was answered, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what to do."<br />
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Saul had thought he was persecuting heretics; now, he is struck with the realization that the Jesus that they were claiming had been resurrected was now speaking even to him. And engaging him.<br />
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Although we are accustomed to thinking of this event as the conversion of Paul, many commentators prefer to term it as the call. After all, Saul/Paul does not quit being a faithful Jew. The split between Jews who are Christians and who are not will come later.Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8819144024025130499.post-257925415248207182018-03-30T10:20:00.000-05:002018-03-30T10:20:04.466-05:00Easter, a reflection on John 20:1-18She has a short conversation with him but is able to recognize him only when he speaks her name.<br />
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Jesus tells her to go tell. She obeys. She is the first witness to the resurrection.<br />
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Yet, as we read in the next verse, the disciples are so afraid that they lock themselves in. What do we believe? What does belief do for us?<br />
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Mary finally did recognize Jesus and did do what he told her. Yet, she was not immediately able to convince the disciples.<br />
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I remember a story that someone told me years ago. Although I can't remember the source, I want to repeat it anyway:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When the National Zoo in Washington D.C. moved to a spacious new area, the rhinoceros was confused. It now had a wide-open living space, but it had lived in a cage too long. Even though it now had more room, it quickly made a boundary the exact dimensions of its old cage. it wore an oval path in the grass that corresponded to the old iron bars.</blockquote>
The resurrected Christ can appear in our ordinary lives. We may be able to recognize his presence. Or, like the rhinoceros, we may restrict ourselves to our old path. I ask again, what does belief do for us?Sunday's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13689349584445358316noreply@blogger.com0