Monday, January 23, 2012

Readings for the Next Two Weeks


I’ll be away from Morning Reflections for a couple of weeks while visiting my new grandson.  Here are the upcoming readings for the Daily Office.
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012 -- Week of 3 Epiphany, Year Two
Ordination of Florence Li Tim-Oi, First Woman Priest in the Anglican Communion, 1944

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 945)
Psalms 45 (morning)        47, 48 (evening)
Genesis 15:1-11, 17-21
Hebrews 9:1-14
John 5:1-18
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012 -- Week of 3 Epiphany, Year Two
Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer)

EITHER the readings for Wednesday of 3 Epiphany, p. 945
Psalms 119:49-72 (morning)        49, [53] (evening)
Genesis 16:1-14
Hebrews 9:15-28
John 5:19-29

OR the readings for the Conversion of St. Paul, p. 996
Morning Prayer: Psalm 19, Isaiah 45:18-25, Philippians 3: 4b-11
Evening Prayer: Psalm 119:89-112, Ecclesiasticus 39:1-10, Acts 9:1-22
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Thursday, January 26, 2012 -- Week of 3 Epiphany, Year Two
Timothy, Titus, and Silas, Companions of Saint Paul

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 945)
Psalms 50 (morning)        [59, 60] or 118 (evening)
Genesis 16:15 – 17:14
Hebrews 10:1-10
John 5:30-47
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Friday, January 27, 2012 -- Week of 3 Epiphany, Year Two
Lydia, Dorcas, and Phoebe

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 945)
Psalms 40, 54 (morning)        51 (evening)
Genesis 17:15-27
Hebrews 10:11-25
John 6:1-15
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012 -- Week of 3 Epiphany, Year Two
Phillips Brooks, Bishop of Massachusetts, 1893

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 945)
Psalms 41, 52 (morning)        44 (evening)
Genesis 14:(1-7)8-24
Hebrews 8:1-13
John 4:43-54
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Monday, January 30, 2012 -- Week of 4 Epiphany, Year Two

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 947)
Psalms 56, 57, [58] (morning)        64, 65 (evening)
Genesis 19:1-17 (18-23) 24-29
Hebrews 11:1-12
John 6:27-40
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012 -- Week of 4 Epiphany, Year Two
Juan Bosco (John Bosco), Priest, 1888
Samuel Shoemaker, Priest and Evangelist, 1963

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 947)
Psalms 61, 62 (morning)        68:1-20 (21-23) 24-36 (evening)
Genesis 21:1-21
Hebrews 11:13-22
John 6:41-51
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Wednesday, February 1, 2012 -- Week of 4 Epiphany, Year Two
Brigid (Bride), 523

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 947)
Psalms 72 (morning)        119:73-96 (evening)
Genesis 22:1-18
Hebrews 11:23-31
John 6:52-59

For Evening Prayer:  Eve of the Presentation
Psalms 113, 122; 1 Samuel 1:20-28a; Romans 8:14-21
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Thursday, February 2, 2012 -- Week of 4 Epiphany, Year Two
The Presentation of Our Lord

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer)

EITHER the readings for Thursday of 4 Epiphany (p. 947)
Psalms [70], 71 (morning)        74 (evening)
Genesis 23:1-20
Hebrews 11:32 – 12:2
John 6:60-71

OR the readings for The Presentation (p. 997)
Morning Prayer:  Psalms 42, 43; 1 Samuel 2:1-10; John 8:31-36
Evening Prayer: Psalms 48, 87; Haggai 2:1-9; 1 John 3:1-8
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Friday, February 3, 2012 -- Week of 4 Epiphany, Year Two
The Dorchester Chaplains: Lieutenant George Fox, Lieutenant Alexander D. Goode, Lieutenant Clark V. Poling, Lieutenant John P. Washington, 1943

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 947)
Psalms 69:1-23 (24-30) 31-38 (morning)        73 (evening)
Genesis 24:1-27
Hebrews 12:3-11
John 7:1-13
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Monday, February 6, 2012 -- Week of 5 Epiphany, Year Two
The Martyrs of Japan, 1597

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 947)
Psalms 80 (morning)        77, [79] (evening)
Genesis 25:19-34
Hebrews 13:1-16
John 7:37-52
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Tuesday, February 7, 2012 -- Week of 5 Epiphany, Year Two
Cornelius him the Centurion

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 947)
Psalms 78:1-39 (morning)        78:40-72 (evening)
Genesis 26:1-612-3326:1-6
Hebrews 13:17-25
John 7:53 – 8:11

Helping Someone Suspicious

Monday, Janaury 23, 2012 -- Week of 3 Epiphany, Year Two
Phillips Brooks, Bishop of Massachusetts, 1893

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 945)
Psalms 41, 52 (morning)        44 (evening)
Genesis 14:(1-7)8-24
Hebrews 8:1-13
John 4:43-54

Word of Jesus' return to Cana in Galilee reached Capernaum, a town on the lake, about eighteen miles from Cana.  A royal official traveled from Capernaum to Cana to see Jesus.  This royal official would have had a position in the service of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee who ruled there for forty-two years, including throughout Jesus' ministry.  It was Herod Antipas who arrested and executed Jesus' cousin John the Baptist.  John had publicly condemned Antipas for his marriage to his half-brother's wife.  There is a place in Luke's gospel where a group of Pharisees warned Jesus that Herod Antipas was plotting to kill Jesus as well.

The encounter between the royal official and Jesus is interesting.  One wonders if the official might have taken some risks in approaching Jesus on behalf of his dying son.  Some among Jesus' group might have suspected some sort of trap.  Is this official up to something that would lead to Jesus' arrest?  Don't follow him back. 

It turns out to be a legitimate request.  The man's son is ill.  Jesus honors his request, telling to him, "Go; your son will live."  It is important to John to say that the man "believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way."  During the eighteen mile journey home, he was met by servants with the news that the child took a turn for the better at the hour of the conversation with Jesus.

Jesus does good without recourse to the relative merit, or lack of merit, of the royal official.  He did not reject the man because he was a servant of Herod Antipas, despite the cruel treatment to John.  Jesus did not lecture or correct the man, or demand that he cease his service to Antipas.  Jesus did not refuse the heal the child because of the questionable status of the father.  (That might be something to reflect on the next time a Christian legislator introduces a policy recommendation to restrict public medical or educational funds to children whose parents have immigrated here without having gone through the nearly impossible business of being legal about it.)

Amazing generosity.  Jesus offers compassion to the royal official of Herod Antipas.  He heals the man's child.  How might that instruct the way we relate to those who misuse their power and authority?  How might that inform us about our attitude toward our enemies?  

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 missionstclare.com -- Click for online Daily Office
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 --  Click for Divine Hours

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

See 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

Friday, January 20, 2012

Reconciliation through Faith, Blessing and Spirit

Friday, January 20, 2012 -- Week of 2 Epiphany, Year Two
Fabian, Bishop and Martyr of Rome, 250

Today's Readings for the Daily Office
(Book of Common Prayer, p. 945)
Psalms 31 (morning)        35 (evening)
Genesis 11:27 - 12:8
Hebrews 7:1-17
John 4:16-26

Today we begin the great saga of Abraham, the father of nations.  In an act of great trust, Abraham follows his sense of God's direction and leaves his family and ancestral lands without knowing his final destination.  Throughout Scripture, Abraham is a model of faith. 

Faith is active trust.  It is the willingness to take the next step in the direction of God, even when you don't know where you are going.  This is the dominant meaning of the word faith.  A lesser meaning -- "the faith" as in the content of belief or doctrine -- sometimes overwhelms this more relational and deeper sense of faith.

It is promised to the faithful one, Abraham, that God will make of him a great nation.  Note the contrast with the story of the builders of the tower of Babel, who sought to make a name for themselves by their own selfish efforts.  God says to Abraham, "in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed," a sentence that can as easily be translated "by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves."

Some in our time have looked to Abraham as a possible source of understanding and reconciliation among Jews, Christians and Moslems.  Each of these three great religions look to Abraham as their patriarch. 

In today's Gospel from John, we have a story of reconciliation between two people divided by religion.  Jesus is a Jew; he is speaking to a woman who is a Samaritan.  Their religions and nations are divided by hostile animosity, though they share a common source from Abraham.  The woman states one of the issues:  Which is the correct mountain for God's worship?  Mt. Zion or Mt. Gerizim?  Jerusalem or Samaria?  She raises a hot-topic question that has consumed political and religious debate for generations.  Jesus rejects the framing of the question.  The place is irrelevant, says Jesus, for God is Spirit.  Worship God in Spirit and truth.

In Hebrews the writer seeks to open up the concept of priesthood beyond the narrow inherited line from Aaron and Levi.  His metaphor is King Melchizedek, who in Genesis 14 befriended and blessed Abraham.  Melchizedek is of a superior order of priests than Levi because he is not bound by time or by family.  Hebrews sees Jesus' priesthood coming from this other ancient order.

All three of today's readings invite Christians and all other religious people to develop creative relationships toward one another in our different religious expressions.  Recently some have called on the children of Abraham to unite together in relationships of peace to solve the deadly conflicts between Jew, Christian and Moslem.  Those of us who come from the line of Abraham are given to be a blessing to the world, not conquerors and dominators.  Wherever we see people walking with trust in the eternal, we are seeing Abraham's brothers and sisters, whether from the blood line of Abraham or from the eternal priesthood of Melchizedek unbounded by family and time.  And whenever we see the expression of Spirit or truth from any mountain or from any tradition, we can acknowledge the living water of God that springs up from within all who drink from the water of the spirit.

Today walk in trusting faith like Abraham.  Claim your eternal priesthood after the order of Melchizedek.  Be open to God as Spirit, filling the whole world with living water, and drink from that Spirit that wells up from within you.

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 missionstclare.com -- Click for online Daily Office
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 --  Click for Divine Hours

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

See 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