It took a year to read the Bible, then almost 9 months to read the Apocrypha. Now, I'm going to try to offer reflections on the Narrative Lectionary. But, I won't be posting daily--at least, for a while.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Grandparents' Day

I'm reposting the GBOD suggestions for Grandparents' Day" to be celebrated this Sunday--in the US--I don't know about the rest of you.

Included on this site are worship resources including these prayers:
Prayer of Thanksgiving for Grandparents/Elders

God of Abraham and Sarah,
grandfather and grandmother in the faith
God of all generations:
We thank you today for those who are grandparents/elders.
We especially thank you for those who are grandparents to us —
those who are grandparents by blood relationships, and
those unrelated but older than we
who generously share
their love and wisdom,
their time and traditions
so that we have roots, stories, and hope.
We bless you for the gift of grandparents,
and we ask your blessing on them,
that their days may be filled
with delight in their grandchildren.
May their giving and grace toward younger generations
bring fulfillment to them
and may they be a blessing
to all they love and call grandchildren,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

A Congregational Act of Blessing
The pastor or lay leader may ask grandparents to stand and ask their grandchildren, if present, to hold their hands. The leader may pray the prayer with all saying "Amen," or it may be printed so all pray it aloud.

Eternal God,
faithful, merciful, tender, and stern,
you are the God of all generations:
Bless our grandparents/elders [if appropriate, list each by first name].
May they know your call to share their wisdom
and faith with us.
May they have courage and confidence
to hand on your gifts
of experience and knowledge
of stories, songs, and memories.
May they continue to learn and grow with us as good stewards of your world.
May they delight in the wonder of each day.
Bless them with length of days and joy at the last,
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

A Prayer of Grandparents

This prayer might be prayed by grandparents/elders in public worship or in family settings.

God of wonder and life,
we bless you that from one generation to another
you hold us in a web of relationships.
We rejoice in our children's children.
We rejoice in all children you prompt us to call "grand."
We thank you for the delight of touch and love expressed.
We thank you for the uniqueness of all the fun and little of the responsibility.*
We thank you
for songs to sing and Play Dough to shape,
for laughter at silly stories,
for moments of recognition,
for hugs to give,
for wisdom to share,
and for knowing when we must simply pray silently.
Lead us in forming faith with our grandchildren
so that with them and all your people
we may be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. Amen.

God's Servant, a Reflection on Isaiah 50:4-9a

Jesus explained to Peter--who really would have rather heard something else--that being a messiah included rejection and suffering.

Long before their conversation, the prophet Isaiah told what it is like to be God's servant and what God's servant is to be like.

"Every day I listen to God. I pay attention to God not to those who oppose me. My call is to help the weary and to ignore those who oppose me."

Isaiah reminds us that when we accept God's help and prompting, we can together overcome our adversaries.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Meaning of Messiahship, a Reflection on Mark 8:27-38

Mark has reported a series of miracles--walking on the water, several healings, two feedings of large crowds.

Who can do these things?

Jesus asks his followers, "Who do people think I am?" The disciples give a list of forerunners to the Messiah. Then Jesus asks "Who do you think I am?"

Peter answers for them, "You are the Messiah." Jesus instructs them not to tell anyone.

The crowds are ready to know that the Messiah is coming, but not ready to realize that he is here, among them.

They are not aware of what being the Messiah means. Not just victory. Not just winning over oppressors. And it's time for those closest to Jesus to begin to learn this.

Jesus begins to teach them what is going to happen--not just the healings and feedings and water-walking, but also suffering, rejection, and even death.

Peter doesn't like this kind of talk and tries to persuade Jesus to back off some. Jesus is adamant.

Jesus speaks not only to the disciples but to the crowds, "If you want to follow with me, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me."

He's talking to us.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Reflection on James 2:1-10, 11-13

James wrote to the Christians of his day "What good is it to say you have faith if your neighbors need food or clothes?"

If Christians of today were asked the same question, how would we answer?

Causes of Poverty

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Preparing for Labor Day

The United States celebrates Labor Day the first Monday in September to honor workers.

To help prepare for Labor Day, read Amos 5:12-15 (Seek good and hate evil; work for justice); Psalm 2 (Serve the Lord); 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 (Don't be idle); and John 6:5-14, 26-27 (Know the difference between bread that perishes and bread that sustains forever).

Prayer:
O God, you have bound us together in this life.
Give us grace to understand how our lives depend on the courage, the industry, the honesty, and the integrity of all who labor. May we be mindful of their needs, grateful for their faithfulness, and faithful in our responsibilities to them; through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen. [UMBOW 443]

Security, a Reflection on Psalm 125

Psalm 125 begins with a statement of confidence: Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people from this time on and forevermore.

As I thought about these verses, I was struck first by the psalmist's use of place. That is, he looked around him where he was and saw God right there right them, and further knew that God had always been there and always would be. We are like that big mountain over there. We cannot no more be moved than it can. God is like the mountains that surround this city. I can step out into the street and see them all around us. God is like that, all around us.

Perhaps I will remember to look around today and to let familiar objects remind me of God and God's qualities and the qualities of people who recognize God's presence.

This psalm continues with a prayer to the Lord to do good to those who are good. We need to remember to be good if we are sincere in this prayer.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Reflection on Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of lessons, instruction to the young (as well as to the rest of us). It is both practical and inspirational.

This week's passage focuses on the need to help the poor--a common admonition in the Old Testament. Note: the gate is the place where disputes between litigants were decided.
Do not rob the poor because they are poor,
or crush the afflicted at the gate;
for the Lord pleads their cause
and despoils of life those who despoil them(22-23)
.

This is pretty threatening.

As we arrange our lives, do we consider the statements presented as facts in verses 8-9?
Whoever serves injustice will reap calamity,
and the rod of anger will fail.
Those who are generous are blessed,
for they share their bread with the poor
.

An example of how we might respond to this lesson is demonstrated in a letter that UM clergy received this week:

INFORMATION FROM SOCIETY OF ST. ANDREW

The Society of St. Andrew still needs help picking watermelons in Port Gibson, MS. There are thousands of pounds of melons available, that left unpicked will just be tilled back into the ground. I am planning a watermelon gleaning on Saturday, September 12th and could use as many volunteers as possible. We normally start gleaning at 8:00 and pick until around 11:00.

Our growing season will be ending soon, so please take this opportunity to pitch in and help feed the hungry in Mississippi. I hope with this advance notice we will have lots of pickers and will be able to fill a truck from the Mississippi Food Network.

Anyone interested should contact me by phone or email and I will give you the details.

Thanks,

Jackie Usey
Society of St. Andrew
Program Coordinator
gleanms@endhunger.org
769-233-0887

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Who do you trust? a Reflection on Psalm 146

Every once in a while I hear someone say to somebody who has just gotten something great, "That shows that God really loves you." And, sometimes, I read Psalm 146 and wonder.

This psalm begins by acclaiming praise for God and disdaining trust in powerful men. They won't last. God will.

According to this psalm, God cares about the oppressed, the hungry, prisoners, the blind, immigrants, orphans, and widows.

Jesus lived out this psalm. How is the church doing?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Sing for Joy, a Reflection on Isaiah 35:4-7a

Isaiah was speaking to a people that had known great destruction and dislocation. He tells them that their lives are going to change. Look back at verses 1-3 in this chapter. The world is changing--deserts will bloom. Into this changed world will come the glory of the Lord. And as the deserts bloom, so do the people.

Isaiah is prophesying healing and transformation, and calling for us to be part of proclaiming that message.

The lectionary has made an interesting choice in pairing this passage with the gospel lesson. In Mark, Jesus ordered everyone not to tell about the healing, but they told it anyway. Isaiah says to tell it.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Hearing and Telling about It, a Reflection on Mark 7:31-37

Today, I am reading this passage metaphorically.

He couldn't hear a word that they said. How can a person like that be converted? How could he respond to the center of Israel's life, the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:1-9) that begins "Hear, O Israel"?

He couldn't speak well. How could he keep the instruction to "Keep these words...Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away..."?

This gentile living in a gentile world, not asking for help himself, not professing any faith in the ability of Jesus to help is suddenly able to hear--and to respond.

Mark is telling this story to people who would have known Isaiah's prophecy for the exiles of his time, "The ears of the deaf shall be unstopped....and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy." (excerpted from Isaiah 35:5-6).

We can read Mark's gospel as affirming that the exile is over, that Jews can return to a place that has been promised, and that Gentiles can join them.

(I was helped in this by reading Allen & Williamson's commentary on this passage in their Preaching the Gospels.)