Musings for Pentecost 17

Sunday, September 27, 2009
Lectionary 26
Proper 21
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
Midweek Musings
Reflections by Judy Lazenby

INTRODUCTION
Someone is casting out demons in Jesus' name who isn't part of Jesus' own circle, and the disciples want him stopped. They appeal to Jesus, as Joshua did to Moses about the elders who prophesied without official authorization. Like Moses, Jesus refuses to see this as a threat. Jesus welcomes good being done in his name, even when it is not under his control. The circle we form around Jesus' word must be able to value good being done in ways we wouldn't do it, by people we can't keep tabs on.


Prayer of the Day (ELW)
Generous God, your Son gave his life that we might come to peace with you. Give us a share of your Spirit, and in all we do empower us to bear the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.


First Reading Numbers 11:4–6, 10–16, 24–29
What constitutes legitimate need and legitimate leadership is the focus of this reading. God provides manna in the wilderness, yet the people crave meat. What is truly needful? God bestows the spirit on seventy elders, yet two men not designated as leaders prophesy in the power of God’s spirit. What constitutes real leadership?

4The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, "If only we had meat to eat! 5We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at."
10Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then the LORD became very angry, and Moses was displeased. 11So Moses said to the LORD, "Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child,' to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, 'Give us meat to eat!' 14I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. 15If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once — if I have found favor in your sight — and do not let me see my misery."
16So the LORD said to Moses, "Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you. 24So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. 25Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.
26Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27And a young man ran and told Moses, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." 28And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, "My lord Moses, stop them!" 29But Moses said to him, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit on them!"

Psalm 19:7–14

The commandment of the LORD gives light to the eyes. (Ps. 19:8)

7The teaching of the LORD is perfect and re- vives the soul;

the testimony of the LORD is sure and gives wisdom to the simple.

8The statutes of the LORD are just and re- joice the heart;

the commandment of the LORD is clear

and gives light to the eyes.

9The fear of the LORD is clean and en- dures forever;

the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

10More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold,

sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.

11By them also is your ser- vant enlightened,

and in keeping them there is great reward.

12Who can detect one's own offenses?

Cleanse me from my secret faults.

13Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;

let them not get dominion over me;

then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.

14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.

Second Reading James 5:13–20
Marks of the Christian community include praying for those who are sick and in need, celebrating with those in good health, restoring those who have strayed, confessing sins to one another, and offering forgiveness to each other.

13Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. 17Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.
19My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, 20you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Gospel Mark 9:38–50
On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus teaches his disciples about ministry that involves service and sacrifice. His disciples are slow to realize that these words apply to them as well as to others.

38John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us." 39But Jesus said, "Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40Whoever is not against us is for us. 41For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.
42If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. 43If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. 47And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, 48where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.
49For everyone will be salted with fire.
50Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

Reflections

Salt is such a marvelous thing. It preserves pork and makes a great ham or bacon, makes sweet things sweeter when used in appropriate amounts, helps us sweat when we need to, raises our blood pressure when we don’t want it to, can be addictive as in potato chips or nuts, melts ice on slippery roads and walks, and helps make great homemade ice cream. One web site claims there are some 14,000 uses for salt.

Jesus is using a salt analogy here in a conversation with his disciples to teach them about discipleship. If dedication and commitment are essential to being a true disciple, what happens when the salt, or discipleship, loses its saltiness, dedication and commitment? What good can come of it? We all know people who call themselves Christian, but have no dedication and commitment; no saltiness. There is a problem with their discipleship.

So Jesus says have salt within you and if you do, you will live in peace. His grace is a wonderful gift.


Quote
“The relationship between commitment and doubt is by no means an antagonistic one. Commitment is healthiest when it's not without doubt but in spite of doubt.”

Dr. Rollo May

Prayers

Let us pray for

those families dealing with the hardship of long illnesses

those five year olds just beginning their educational journey

those mourning loss of loved ones

those struggling to reform the health care of Americans

those working to divert an H1N1 pandemic

Musings for Pentecost 16

Sunday, September 20, 2009
Lectionary 25
Proper 20
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Pastor Macholz

INTRODUCTION
Today we hear James warn against selfish ambition, while the disciples quarrel over which one of them is the greatest. Jesus tells them the way to be great is to serve. Then, to make it concrete, he puts in front of them an actual flesh-and-blood child. We are called to welcome the particular children God puts in front of us, to make room for them in daily interaction, and to give them a place of honor in the assembly.

Nelson Wesley Trout, bishop, died 1996 (TFF)
A native of Ohio, Trout served parishes in several parts of the United States before being elected bishop of the South Pacific District of the American Lutheran Church, the first African American Lutheran to serve in such a capacity.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

O God, our teacher and guide, you draw us to yourself and welcome us as beloved children. Help us to lay aside all envy and selfish ambition, that we may walk in your ways of wisdom and understanding as servants of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

First Reading

Jeremiah 11:18–20

Today’s reading tells of the suffering of the prophet Jeremiah, who announced God’s word to Judah but was met with intense opposition and persecution. Jeremiah continues to trust in God in the midst of his suffering.

¹⁸It was the LORD who made it known to me, and I knew;
then you showed me their evil deeds.
¹⁹But I was like a gentle lamb
led to the slaughter.
And I did not know it was against me
that they devised schemes, saying,
"Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,
let us cut him off from the land of the living,
so that his name will no longer be remembered!"
²⁰But you, O LORD of hosts, who judge righteously,
who try the heart and the mind,
let me see your retribution upon them,
for to you I have committed my cause.

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 54

God is my helper; it is the LORD who sustains my life. (Ps. 54:4)

¹Save me, O God, ^| by your name;

in your might, de- ^| fend my cause.

²Hear my ^| prayer, O God;

give ear to the words ^| of my mouth.

³For strangers have risen up against me,

and the ruthless have ^| sought my life,

those who have no re- ^| gard for God.

⁴Behold, God ^| is my helper;

it is the Lord who sus- ^| tains my life.

⁵Render evil to those who ^| spy on me;

in your faithful- ^| ness, destroy them.

⁶I will offer you a ^| freewill sacrifice

and praise your name, O LORD, for ^| it is good.

⁷For you have rescued me from ^| every trouble,

and my eye looks down ^| on my enemies.

Second Reading

James 3:13—4:3; 4:7–8a

The wisdom God gives unites our hearts and minds. Instead of living to satisfy our own wants and desires, we manifest this wisdom in peace, gentleness, mercy, and impartiality toward others.

Chapter 3

¹³Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. ¹⁴But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. ¹⁵Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. ¹⁶For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. ¹⁷But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. ¹⁸And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Chapter 4

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? ²You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. ³You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. ⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Gospel

Mark 9:30–37

Jesus’ teaching and action in this text are directed to the church whenever it is seduced by the world’s definition of greatness: prestige, power, influence, and money. The antidote to such a concern for greatness is servanthood.

³⁰They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; ³¹for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." ³²But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
³³Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?" ³⁴But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. ³⁵He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." ³⁶Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.

Reflection

“I call the front seat by the window! That was a phrase that I heard yelled out countless times as a child as we headed to the car. Once in a while I hear children in other families yell it out as well.

It is a call to get the best seat in the car, up in front by mom or dad, depending on who was driving. It gave one the best view of the road, got one near the radio (as if that gave you any control over what was playing on the old push button AM radio!) and guaranteed a window. Plus, it made you a bit better, if only for a moment, than those who literally took a back seat to you. In my case that would have been one sister and two brothers.

We still look for the front seat by the window, trying to get the best seats in the house, that place of honor we long for and hope for. The disciples are looking for the same yet they are caught up short when Jesus knows what they’ve been talking about and shares language about first being last and receiving a child, such as the one he wraps his arms around, as a way to be the greatest.

Receive this child in humility and honor and you will be receiving not me but the One who sent me. It is a call to take the back seat, to move toward the lowly, to spend time with those considered the least. Then you will be the greatest in the kingdom! Care to join me at the sandbox?

Let Us Pray

For humility and a willingness to welcome all, even the least

For families who mourn the loss of loved ones

To be open to the Spirit’s movement in our lives

That we might be champions of the last, the least and the lost

For healing for this broken world.

Quote

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. Helen Keller

Musings for Pentecost 15

Sunday, September 13, 2009
Lectionary 24
Proper 19
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

INTRODUCTION
Three weeks ago we heard John's gospel's version of Peter's confession of faith. This week we hear Mark's version, when Peter says, "You are the Messiah." In John, the stumbling block is Jesus' invitation to eat his flesh, given for the life of the world. In Mark too the scandal has to do with Jesus' words about his own coming death, and here Peter himself stumbles over Jesus' words. But Jesus is anointed (the meaning of "messiah") in Mark only on the way to the cross (14:3); so we are anointed in baptism with the sign of the cross.

John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople, died 407
John was a priest in Antioch and an outstanding preacher. His eloquence earned him the nickname "Chrysostom" ("golden mouth"). Appointed bishop of Constantinople, seat of the empire, he criticized corruption in the court. As a result, he was exiled by the empress.


Prayer of the Day (ELW)
O God, through suffering and rejection you bring forth our salvation, and by the glory of the cross you transform our lives. Grant that for the sake of the gospel we may turn from the lure of evil, take up our cross, and follow your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

First Reading Isaiah 50:4–9a
The image of the servant of the Lord is one of the notable motifs in the book of Isaiah. Today’s reading describes the mission of the servant, whom early Christians associated with Jesus. Like Jesus, the servant does not strike back at his detractors but trusts in God’s steadfast love.

4The Lord GOD has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens —
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.
5The Lord GOD has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backward.
6I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.
7The Lord GOD helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
9It is the Lord GOD who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?

Psalm 116:1–9
I will walk in the presence of the LORD. (Ps. 116:9)
1I love the LORD, who has heard my voice,
and listened to my supplication,
2for the LORD has given ear to me
whenev- er I called.
3The cords of death entangled me;
the anguish of the grave came upon me;
I came to grief and sorrow.
4Then I called upon the name of the LORD:
"O LORD, I pray you, save my life."
5Gracious is the LORD and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
6The LORD watches o- ver the innocent;
I was brought low, and God saved me.
7Turn again to your rest, O my soul.
for the LORD has dealt well with you.
8For you have rescued my life from death,
my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling;
9I will walk in the presence of the LORD
in the land of the living.

Second Reading James 3:1–12
This text uses various images to illustrate how damaging and hurtful the way we speak to and about others can be. Not only are we to control our speech, but what we say and how we say it is to reflect our faith.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. 3If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 6And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8but no one can tame the tongue — a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Gospel Mark 8:27–38
This story provides the turning point in Mark’s gospel. Peter is the first human being in the narrative to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, but he cannot accept that as the Messiah Jesus will have to suffer. Moreover, Jesus issues a strong challenge to all by connecting discipleship and the cross.

27Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" 28And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." 30And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
31Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."
34He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

Reflection
So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.
Oh that we all had the “golden mouth” of St. John Chrysostom, a priest and bishop of the church in the 4th century A.D. He had such gifts for preaching that 300 of his sermons survived the centuries and continue to speak to 21st century Christians. Unfortunately, the same golden mouthed oration that proclaimed the word and inspired the faithful also caused St. John Chrysostom’s repeated banishment from his position as Archbishop of Constantinople. Whether fearless or tactless, his preaching against the excesses of those in power motivated Christians to destroy pagan temples and idols. The enemies he made in the process eventually joined together and forced his banishment.
St. John Chrysostom’s life demonstrated the power of language in our lives. Failure to recognize that power can lead to horrible consequences. S. I. Hayakawa, in the introduction to his book Language in Thought and Action cautioned:
The original version of this book, Language in Action, published in 1941, was in many respects a response to the dangers of propaganda, especially as exemplified in Adolf Hitler's success in persuading millions to share his maniacal and destructive views. It was the writer's conviction then, as it remains now, that everyone needs to have a habitually critical attitude towards language — his own as well as that of others — both for the sake of his personal well-being and for his adequate functioning as a citizen. Hitler is gone, but if the majority of our fellow-citizens are more susceptible to the slogans of fear and race hatred than to those of peaceful accommodation and mutual respect among human beings, our political liberties remain at the mercy of any eloquent and unscrupulous demagogue.
The power of language grows stronger with each passing day as the pace of information dissemination accelerated. Unscrupulous manipulation of words has become the norm rather than the exception in political discourse stifling thoughtful debate and discernment with the fear caused by rumors, half-truths and lies. As we drink from the fire hose of information bombarding us how can we filter out deadly and poisonous language?
Jesus’ has a simple answer. As Peter unleashes his tongue to convince Jesus, and perhaps the other disciples, that the path to victory does not go through suffering and death, Jesus, in front of all the disciples rebukes Peter saying “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Jesus understands the power of language and insists on having his words heard as they he has spoken them and not reinterpreted or twisted to meet the needs and desires of humans.
We must listen to Christ’s words with fully open ears and without conforming them to our own values or desires. We must attempt to bridle our wild tongues and use Christ’s words filter the human from the divine as we speak and listen. We must reign in our cursing of those made in the image of God and bless the Lord our God filling our own mouths with golden praise.

Prayer Concerns

• For all those who hold public office; That they may speak and hear with truth and integrity.
• For all those serving our country in foreign lands; That God may keep them safe until they return home.
• For all those who are ill; Particularly for organist and composer Paul Manz as he faces colon cancer.
• For bountiful harvests; That the fruits of God’s creation and the labor of farmers and gardeners continues to feed and nourish God’s people.

Quote:
Thanks to words, we have been able to rise above the brutes; and thanks to words, we have often sunk to the level of the demons. - Aldous Huxley

We are to fear and love God so that we do not tell lies about our neighbors, betray or slander them, or destroy their reputations. Instead we are to come to their defense, speak well of them, and interpret everything they do in the best possible light. – Martin Luther, The Small Catechism

Musings for Pentecost 14

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Deb Johnson

INTRODUCTION

James tells us to stop showing favoritism in the assembly, treating the rich visitor with more honor than the poor one. Jesus himself seems to show partiality in his first response to the Syrophoenician woman in today's gospel. Was he testing her faith in saying Gentiles don't deserve the goods meant for God's children? Or was he speaking out of his human worldview, but transcended those limits when she took him by surprise with her reply? Either way, the story tells us that God shows no partiality. Everyone who brings her or his need to Jesus is received with equal honor as a child and heir.

Prayer of the Day Gracious God, throughout the ages you transform sickness into health and death into life. Open us to the power of your presence, and make us a people ready to proclaim your promises to the whole world, through Jesus Christ, our healer and Lord.

Isaiah 35:4–7a

These verses are a word of hope to the exiles in Babylon. Chapter 34 portrays God’s vengeance on Edom, Israel’s age-old enemy, which makes the path from Babylon to Zion safe for the exiles’ return. The desert itself will flow with water to give drink to the returning exiles.

⁴Say to those who are of a fearful heart,

"Be strong, do not fear!

Here is your God.

He will come with vengeance,

with terrible recompense.

He will come and save you."

⁵Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

⁶then the lame shall leap like a deer,

and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.

For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,

and streams in the desert;

⁷the burning sand shall become a pool,

and the thirsty ground springs of water.

Psalm 146

¹Hal- lelujah!

Praise the LORD, O my soul!

²I will praise the LORD as long as I live;

I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

³Put not your trust in rulers,

in mortals in whom there is no help.

⁴When they breathe their last, they return to earth,

and in that day their thoughts perish.

⁵Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help,

whose hope is in the LORD their God;

⁶who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them;

who keeps promises forever;

⁷who gives justice to those who are oppressed,

and food to those who hunger.

The LORD sets the captive free.

⁸The LORD opens the eyes of the blind;

the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;

the LORD loves the righteous.

⁹The LORD cares for the stranger;

the LORD sustains the orphan and widow,

but frustrates the way of the wicked.

¹⁰The LORD shall reign forever,

your God, O Zion, throughout all generations. Hallelujah!

James 2:1–10[11–13] 14–17

Faithful Christians do not show partiality to the rich and powerful of the world, especially at the expense of the poor and weak. Likewise, faith does not pay mere lip-service to God’s will. Instead, a living Christian faith expresses itself in acts of compassion and mercy for those in need.

My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? ²For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, ³and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please," while to the one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," ⁴have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? ⁶But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? ⁷Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

⁸You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." ⁹But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. 11For the one who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. ¹²So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.

¹⁴What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? ¹⁵If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 1⁶and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? ¹⁷So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

Mark 7:24–37

In Mark’s gospel, encounters with women usually signify turning points in Jesus’ ministry. Here, a conversation with a Syrophoenician woman marks the beginning of his mission to the Gentiles.

²⁴From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, ²⁵but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. ²⁶Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." ²⁸But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." ²⁹Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go — the demon has left your daughter." ³⁰So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

³¹Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. ³²They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. ³³He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. ³⁴Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." ³⁵And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. ³⁶Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. ³⁷They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

Reflection

After having read this several times I am struck by the phrase “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God.” Then suddenly James talks about how we differentiate the rich from the poor and I wonder why we gravitate to the comfortable (are we afraid?). Finally Jesus is met by folks who come to him looking for healing. Surely these people had no fear of this man whom they had heard about. What are we afraid of? I think each of us can list the easy fears, fear of snakes, of heights, of bridges. I know a woman who drove and extra two hours once to not have to go over a bridge. I have seen people cross the street to avoid someone. But it is the fears that we hold hidden in our hearts that serve as a barrier to livingly and loving fully.

The psalmist says “Be strong, do not fear!” James reminds us that in our faith we are called to love and serve one another. It is the woman who lives her faith and has no fear (or perhaps walks through her fear) by approaching Jesus seeking health for her daughter.

What are your fears? Afraid of spiders? Losing your job? Being poor? Are you afraid of being alone? Afraid of failing? BE STRONG, DO NOT FEAR! HERE IS YOUR GOD.

Let Us Pray

For those who live in fear

For strength to face and walk through our fears

For those who put their lives on the line everyday when they go to work, our firefighters, police, soldiers and EMTs

For our children and educators as they begin a new school year

For those without water to replenish their bodies

From the thoughts of others:

When you walk through a storm

Keep your chin up high

And don't be afraid of the dark.

When you walk through a storm

Keep your chin up high

And don't be afraid of the dark.

At the end of the storm

Is a golden sky

And the sweet, silver song of a lark.

Walk on through the wind,

Walk on through the rain,

Though your dreams be tossed and blown.

Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,

And you'll never walk alone,

You'll never walk alone.

Oscar Hammerstein