Friday, May 29, 2009

A Morning's Agenda

Friday, May 29, 2009 -- Week of 7 Easter, Year One

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 964)
Psalms 102 (morning) 107:1-32 (evening)
Ezekiel 34:17-31
Hebrews 8:1-13
Luke 10:38-42

Today's readings offer visions that heal and restore us closer to God's desire for us.

Ezekiel imagines a day when the wealthy and powerful no longer over-consume, waste the environment, and live in manner that degrades the poor and weak. He echoes an earlier, ancient theme from scripture that there should be no great gulf between the rich and the poor, but that everyone should have plenty. Ezekiel imagines a day when the governmental authority will enforce a justice of equality, and a day when security will be a reality for all.

Hebrews imagines a day when religion is no longer about outward observance, but a deep, interior knowledge of God. A day when everyone knows God in their hearts and minds, and from their souls they will walk in the ways of justice and compassion. The writer sees the inauguration of that new day in Jesus.

And the little story in Luke imagines a day when women sit at the Teacher's feet with the same right of discipleship as men. When Mary will be welcomed as an equal among the disciples and not just relegated to the kitchen. Jesus offers this welcome without demeaning in any way the servant ministry of Martha.

A justice of equality, an intimate knowledge of God, and gender equality. Not a bad agenda for one day's scripture reading.

Lowell
_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
Morning Reflections is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.


Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life
We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home