Musings for Pentecost 9

Sunday, July 29, 2012
Lectionary 17
Proper 12
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Susan Touhsaent

INTRODUCTION
Today is the first of five Sundays with gospel readings from John 6, the first four of which focus on Jesus as bread of life. Today Jesus feeds thousands of people with five loaves and two fish. What we have, what we bring to Jesus' table seems like it is not nearly enough to meet all the needs we see around us. But it is not the adequacy of our supplies or our skills that finally makes the difference: it is the power of Jesus working in the littlest and least to transform this world into the world God desires, a world where all the hungry are satisfied.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus of Bethany
Friends of Jesus, Mary and Martha are remembered for the hospitality of their home that they offered him—Martha focused on serving their guest, and Mary on listening to him. Their brother Lazarus was raised from the dead as a sign of the greater resurrection to come.

Olaf, King of Norway, martyr, died 1030
Considered the patron saint of Norway, Olaf went from a life of piracy to becoming Christian and declaring himself king of Norway. He revised the laws and tried to administer them fairly. Driven from Norway in a rebellion, he was killed in battle trying to regain his kingdom.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

Gracious God,
you have placed within the hearts of all your children
a longing for your word and a hunger for your truth.
Grant that we may know your Son to be the true bread of heaven
and share this bread with all the world,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

First Reading

2 Kings 4:42–44

Today’s reading is part of a larger section of 2 Kings that describes the miracles of Elisha, the successor to Elijah. Here the prophet gives food to a hungry crowd. Though there is not enough food to go around, Elisha trusts God, who provides enough and even more to satisfy the need.

⁴²A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, "Give it to the people and let them eat." ⁴³But his servant said, "How can I set this before a hundred people?" So he repeated, "Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the LORD, 'They shall eat and have some left.'" ⁴⁴He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 145:10–18

You open wide your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. (Ps. 145:16)

¹⁰All your works shall praise ^| you, O LORD,

and your faithful ^| ones shall bless you.

¹¹They shall tell of the glory ^| of your kingdom

and speak ^| of your power,

¹²that all people may know ^| of your power

and the glorious splendor ^| of your kingdom.

¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;

your dominion endures through- ^| out all ages.

You, LORD, are faithful in all your words,

and loving in ^| all your works. R

¹⁴The Lord upholds all ^| those who fall

and lifts up those who ^| are bowed down.

¹⁵The eyes of all wait upon ^| you, O LORD,

and you give them their food ^| in due season.

¹⁶You open ^| wide your hand

and satisfy the desire of every ^| living thing.

¹⁷You are righteous in ^| all your ways

and loving in ^| all your works.

¹⁸You are near to all who ^| call upon you,

to all who call up- ^| on you faithfully. R

Second Reading

Ephesians 3:14–21

We have been rooted and grounded in the love of Christ, which surpasses all human knowledge. Because Christ dwells in our hearts, our lives are continuously strengthened and empowered by the ongoing presence of the Spirit.

¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. ¹⁶I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, ¹⁷and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. ¹⁸I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
²⁰Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Gospel

John 6:1–21

In John’s gospel, the miracles of Jesus are called “signs,” because they reveal the true character of God. As such, they remain within the mystery of God and cannot be brought under human control.

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. ²A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. ³Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. ⁴Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. ⁵When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" ⁶He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. ⁷Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." ⁸One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, ⁹There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people? ¹⁰Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. ¹¹Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. ¹²When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost." ¹³So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. ¹⁴When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world."
¹⁵When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
¹⁶When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, ¹⁷got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. ¹⁸The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. ¹⁹When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. ²⁰But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." ²¹Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.

Reflection

We have just returned from our annual vacation at the Lutheran Summer Conference at Silver Bay, our 28th year. We had two major storms while we were there, losing power both times. Being without any fans when the temperature was in the 90s and the rain was coming sideways (a little cooling, but definitely scary) made for some chaotic times -- physically chaotic, but also mentally and emotionally chaotic. How long would we be without power? How cranky was our 21-month-year-old grandson going to get? I'm sure the disciples felt mentally and emotionally at sea, too. But was their chaos related to the wind storm - or to the fact that they were without Jesus? After Jesus said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid," the boat immediately reached solid ground, the solid ground of Jesus.

Please pray for:

• People suffering from storms, externally and internally
• People who are hungry in body and soul
• People looking for solid ground -- financially, emotionally, spiritually
• Children, parents, and grandparents
• People who are enjoying time with family and friends
• People who are feeling lonely

Quotation - Anyone who doesn't believe in miracles is not a realist - David Ben-Gurion

Musings for Pentecost 7

Sunday, July 15, 2012
Lectionary 15
Proper 10
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Joshua Brown

INTRODUCTION
When Amos told what he saw when God held up the plumb line of justice next to Israel—that the poor were being trampled—he was a threat to the power of priests and king. John the Baptist also spoke truth to power, and Herod had him beheaded. In Herod's fear that Jesus is John returned from the dead, we may hear hope for the oppressed: that all the prophets killed through the ages are alive in Jesus. We are called to witness to justice in company with them.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

O God, from you come all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works. Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, that our hearts may be set to obey your commandments; and also that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies,
may live in peace and quietness, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

First Reading

Amos 7:7–15

Amos was not the kind of prophet attached to temples or royal courts. Rather, he was an ordinary farmer from Judah (the southern kingdom) called by God to speak to Israel (the northern kingdom). God’s word of judgment through Amos conflicted with the king’s court prophet Amaziah, whom Amos encountered at Bethel.

⁷This is what he showed me: the LORD was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. ⁸And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the LORD said,
"See, I am setting a plumb line
in the midst of my people Israel;
I will never again pass them by;
⁹the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."
¹⁰Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. ¹¹For thus Amos has said,
'Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel must go into exile
away from his land.'"
¹²And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; ¹³but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom."
¹⁴Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, ¹⁵and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 85:8–13

I will listen to what the LORD God is saying. (Ps. 85:8)

⁸I will listen to what the LORD ^| God is saying;

for you speak peace to your faithful people

and to those who turn their ^| hearts to you.

⁹Truly, your salvation is very near to ^| those who fear you,

that your glory may dwell ^| in our land. R

¹⁰Steadfast love and faithfulness have ^| met together;

righteousness and peace have ^| kissed each other.

¹¹Faithfulness shall spring up ^| from the earth,

and righteousness shall look ^| down from heaven.

¹²The LORD will indeed ^| grant prosperity,

and our land will ^| yield its increase.

¹³Righteousness shall go be- ^| fore the LORD

and shall prepare for ^| God a pathway. R

Second Reading

Ephesians 1:3–14

In Jesus, all of God’s plans and purposes have been made known as heaven and earth are united in Christ. Through Jesus, we have been chosen as God’s children and have been promised eternal salvation.

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, ⁴just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. ⁵He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ⁸that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight ⁹he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. ¹¹In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, ¹²so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. ¹³In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; ¹⁴this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.

Gospel

Mark 6:14–29

As Jesus and his disciples begin to attract attention, Mark recalls the story of John the Baptist’s martyrdom. Like John, Jesus and his disciples will also suffer at the hands of those opposed to the gospel of salvation.

¹⁴King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him." ¹⁵But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old." ¹⁶But when Herod heard of it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised."
¹⁷For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her. ¹⁸For John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." ¹⁹And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, ²⁰for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. ²¹But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. ²²When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it." ²³And he solemnly swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom." ²⁴She went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the baptizer." ²⁵Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." ²⁶The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

Reflection

For summer reading I’ve picked up George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, an epic fantasy series on which HBO has based the series Game of Thrones. The saga, set in a medieval land of kings, knights, queens and lords, unfolds like a tragic soap opera as brides are bought and sold to gain land or power, brother battles brother and infidelity abounds. Coincidently, as I read this week’s gospel, I experienced a parallel passage in Martin’s book. Like Mark’s accounting of the death of John the Baptist, a central character in Martin’s book suffers death by beheading because he chooses to speak the truth. He exposes the incestuous relationship between the powerful queen and her brother and the illegitimate claim their resulting offspring have on the throne. The concurrent reading of these passages caused me to reflect on the cost of speaking truth to power. Whether one seeks to maintain honor or demands repentance from immoral behavior, speaking the truth often extracts a very high price.

I empathized with the protagonist in Martin’s story because he sought to act honorably. I also desire to have the strength of John’s conviction to speak God’s truth regardless of the consequences. However, I know that I often choose the path taken by Herod or Martin’s evil queen. I hide God’s holy way in the corners of my life comforted by all I have made myself. I carry on perplexed and fearful of how taking God’s call seriously challenges me to change.

How many people really want to change? More often than not the easier path clings to status quo and ignores or perhaps beheads any challenge along the way. Yet even as people of God fight against God’s call and fear the price of speaking truth to power, God never gives up. Saint Paul reminds us that as God’s people we “were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.”

O God, open my mouth to speak your truth, open my ears to hear your call, open my mind to understand your way and open my heart to accept the love you have for all your people through your son Jesus Christ, Amen.

Quote:

“God loves you just the way you are. And God loves you too much to let you stay that way.” - Ellenita Zimmerman missionary, organist, choir director and church worker

If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair. – C.S. Lewis

Midweek Musings for the Pentecost 6

Sunday, July 8, 2012
Lectionary 14
Proper 9
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost

INTRODUCTION
Jesus does great deeds of power and gives his disciples authority over demons. Yet none of this power is unilateral; it all must be received by faith. Jesus asks his disciples to go out without money or supplies, so that they will be dependent on how others receive them. When we are sent from the assembly to witness and to heal, we are asked to be vulnerable, to be dependent on the reception of others. The Spirit always operates in the between: between Jesus and his Abba, between Jesus and us, between you and me, between us and those to whom we are sent.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

God of the covenant, in our baptism you call us to proclaim the coming of your kingdom.
Give us the courage you gave the apostles, that we may faithfully witness to your love and peace in every circumstance of life, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

First Reading

Ezekiel 2:1–5

In 597 B.C., the priest Ezekiel was removed into exile in Babylon. While there, he received a vision of God appearing majestically on a chariot throne. Today's reading recounts God's commissioning of Ezekiel during this vision. The prophet is to speak God's word to a people unwilling to hear.

He said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. ²And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. ³He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. ⁴The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD." ⁵Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 123

Our eyes look to you, O God, until you show us your mercy. (Ps. 123:2)

¹To you I lift ^| up my eyes,

to you enthroned ^| in the heavens.

²As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,

and the eyes of a maid to the hand ^| of her mistress,

so our eyes look to you, O LORD our God,

until you show ^| us your mercy. R

³Have mercy upon us, O ^| LORD, have mercy,

for we have had more than enough ^| of contempt,

⁴too much of the scorn of the in- ^| dolent rich,

and of the derision ^| of the proud. R

Second Reading

2 Corinthians 12:2–10

Christians do not boast of their own accomplishments. Rather, Christian boasting focuses attention on how the power of Christ is present in our lives, especially in times of weakness and vulnerability. No matter what our circumstances in life, Christ’s grace is sufficient for us.

²I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. ³And I know that such a person — whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows — ⁴was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. ⁵On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. ⁶But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, ⁷even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. ⁸Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, ⁹but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ¹⁰Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Gospel

Mark 6:1–13

At home and abroad, Jesus and his disciples encounter resistance as they seek to proclaim God's word and relieve affliction.

He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. ²On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! ³Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. ⁴Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." ⁵And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. ⁶And he was amazed at their unbelief.
Then he went about among the villages teaching. ⁷He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; ⁹but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. ¹⁰He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. ¹¹If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." ¹²So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. ¹³They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

REFLECTION

The Gospel finds Jesus returning to Nazareth. He is going home again. However, his return does not go the way one might expect. After all, Jesus is something of a celebrity by this time. He has been going around the countryside preaching, teaching, healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead and controlling the forces of nature. He has proven that there is something very special and different about him. Of course, the last time Jesus was in Nazareth things didn’t go too well for him. He went to the synagogue and preached. In that service, Jesus proclaimed himself to be the Jewish Messiah. The people of Nazareth rejected his message and tried to kill him by throwing him over a cliff. He left Nazareth and preached in other places in Galilee. Now, a year later, he returns to the very place he was so cruelly rejected. He wants to give his family, his friends and his neighbors another chance to receive him and his message. Even though Jesus is rejected, he perseveres trying to give them one more chance to hear his message.

I am always amazed that God would give us one more chance. But He does. He gives us opportunity after opportunity to believe in Him and His Gospel! Thank God for His good grace!

LET US PRAY FOR:

For the home-less

Those who are unwilling to “go home”

For those who have been given opportunity after opportunity and have not listened

For those who have been given opportunity after opportunity and have begun to listen

For those who are rejected

QUOTE

“Those who know you best tend to respect you the least.” George Webber, character in the novel, You Can’t Go Home Again, by Thomas Wolfe.