• 27 Bertha and Ethelbert, Queen and King of Kent, 616 the third king to hold imperium over other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. In the late ninth century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Æthelberht is referred to as a bretwalda, or "Britain-ruler". He was the first English king to convert to Christianity. • 28 John Calvin, Theologian, 1564 was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism • 29 • 30 Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc), Mystic and Soldier, 1431 A peasant girl born in what is now eastern France, who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the coronation of Charles VII. She was captured by the Burgundians, transferred to the English in exchange for money, put on trial by the pro-English Bishop of Beauvais for charges of "insubordination and heterodoxy,"[3] and burned at the stake as a heretic when she was only 19 years old • 31 The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the visit of Mary with Elizabeth as recorded in the Gospel of Luke, 1:39–56. It is also the name of a Christian feast day commemorating this visit, celebrated on 31 May in the West (2 July in calendars of the 1263–1969 period and in the modern regional calendar of Germany) and 30 March in the East. June • 1 Justin, Martyr at Rome, c. 167 also known as just Saint Justin (AD 100–165), was an early Christian apologist, and is regarded as the foremost interpreter of the theory of the Logos in the 2nd century • 2 The Martyrs of Lyons, 177 was a Christian martyr during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius…..While the imperial legate was away, the chiliarch, a military commander, and the duumvir, a civil magistrate, threw a number of Christians, who confessed their faith, into prison. She was bound to a stake and wild beasts were set on her. According to legend, they did not, however, touch her. After enduring this for a number of days she was led into the arena to see the sufferings of her companions. Finally, as the last of the martyrs, she was scourged, placed on a red-hot grate, enclosed in a net and thrown before a wild steer who tossed her into the air with his horns, and at last killed with a dagger. h/t Wikipedia FIRST READING: Acts 2: 1 - 21 (RCL) Acts 2: 1 - 11 (Roman Catholic) Acts 2:1 (NRSV) When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Par'thians, Medes, E'lamites, and residents of Mesopota'mia, Judea and Cappado'cia, Pon'tus and Asia, 10 Phryg'ia and Pamphyl'ia, Egypt and the parts of Lib'ya belonging to Cyre'ne, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cre'tans and A'rabs--in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine." 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Jo'el: 17 "In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20 The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' For other languages, just go to http://www.biblegateway.com/, enter the appropriate scripture verses, and choose your translation. Ezekiel 37: 1 - 14 (alt. for RCL) Ezek 37:1 (NRSV) The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. 3 He said to me, "Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord GOD, you know." 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD." 7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 11 Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. 14 I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act," says the LORD. PSALM 104: 24 - 34, 35b (RCL) Psalm 104: 1, 24, 29 - 31, 34 (Roman Catholic) Psal 104:1 (NRSV) Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty, 24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. 25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping things innumerable are there, living things both small and great. 26 There go the ships, and Levi'athan that you formed to sport in it. 27 These all look to you to give them their food in due season; 28 when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. 29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. 30 When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground. 31 May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works-- 32 who looks on the earth and it trembles, who touches the mountains and they smoke. 33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being. 34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the LORD. 35 Bless the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD! Note: The verse numbering in your Psalter may differ from the above. 104 Benedic, anima mea (ECUSA BCP) 25 O Lord, how manifold are your works! * in wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. 26 Yonder is the great and wide sea with its living things too many to number, * creatures both small and great. 27 There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, * which you have made for the sport of it. 28 All of them look to you * to give them their food in due season. 29 You give it to them; they gather it; * you open your hand, and they are filled with good things. 30 You hide your face, and they are terrified; * you take away their breath, and they die and return to their dust. 31 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; * and so you renew the face of the earth. 32 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; * may the Lord rejoice in all his works. 33 He looks at the earth and it trembles; * he touches the mountains and they smoke. 34 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; * I will praise my God while I have my being. 35 May these words of mine please him; * I will rejoice in the Lord. 37 Bless the Lord, O my soul. * Hallelujah! SECOND READING: Romans 8: 22 - 27 (RCL) Roma 8:22 (NRSV) We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. h/t Montreal Anglican Paul has written that living the Christian life involves suffering, but that this is minuscule compared to the certain hope of future glory. In his view, all people and all of nature (“creation”, v. 19) await the resolution of the present “bondage to decay” (v. 21), to continual sinful acts; we await the “revealing of the children of God” (v. 19). All of nature awaits rebirth, like a mother-to-be, sharing in stress, anxiety and pain. We Christians also experience this, as we await full union with God (“adoption”, v. 23), although we already have the first benefits of the Holy Spirit. (The “first fruits” of the harvest, offered to God, portended the full harvest; “our bodies” are our selves.) For, he says, Christ, in freeing us from sin, in saving us, gave us this hope (v. 24). We do not know (see) the full extent of what God will give us – and we must wait patiently (v. 25). In vv. 26-27, Paul gives an example of how the Spirit helps us: we are limited in our knowledge of how to pray, but the Spirit ensures the efficacy of our prayers. The Spirit, in helping us, does so in accord with God’s plan, so God knows both our very beings and the Spirit. Verse 14: The Spirit not only enables us to cast aside materialism and immorality, but also animates us and activates us in the carrying out of the mission Christ gave us. [NJBC] Verse 15: “adoption”: The Greek word used here is also found in 8:23; 9:4; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5. In 9:4, Paul uses it to describe Israel as chosen by God. This Greek word is not found in the Septuagint, probably because adoption was not common until more recent times among Jews. It was known in Hellenistic society, and was quite common among the Roman aristocracy, as a means of acquiring a worthy heir. When a man had no heir, or only a dissolute one, he would choose someone to adopt – sometimes even a freed slave – who would become the heir both to the man's property and also to his reputation and station in the community. Paul’s use of the term shows that Christians have status with God. [NJBC] Verse 15: “Abba”: Jesus used this word: see Mark 14:36; also, in Luke 11:2, the Lord’s Prayer begins “Abba”. The familiar form was also used in the early Church. [NOAB] Verse 15: “slavery”: Paul speaks of the Christian as a slave in Romans 6:16, 1 Corinthians 7:22 and Ephesians 6:6, but only to make a specific point. Actually the Christian is a son or daughter (Galatians 4:7), empowered by the Spirit to call upon God himself as a Father. It seems to be the Holy Spirit that constitutes Christian adoptive sonship – because it is the Spirit that unites people to Christ and puts them in a special relationship to the Father. [JBC] Verse 16: In proclaiming that God is our Father, we are stating that we recognize ourselves to be adopted by God. The Spirit shares with us in this recognition, and is the mechanism by which we are active as sons. Verse 17: “children”: In Roman law, both a slave and a son belonged to the household, but a son (unlike a slave) had status. Our status puts us in a special relationship with the Father and the Son. Of course, a son is free, but a slave is not. Verse 18: The Christian life involves “sufferings” (especially for Paul) but he rejoices in the sure hope of “glory”. See also 5:2. [NOAB] Verse 20: “the one who subjected it”: i.e. God, who subjected creation. See Genesis 3:17, where God says: “‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life’”. [NOAB] Verse 21: When human beings (in Christ) are finally restored to their true destiny, nature will also share in this release from “bondage to decay” and in the “freedom of glory”. [NOAB] Verse 22: Non-human createdness also shares in the stress and pain humans now endure. See also Galatians 4:19. Verse 22: “groaning in labour pains”: An idea common in Greek philosophy. [NJBC] Verse 23: “first fruits”: The offering of the first yield of the harvest to God symbolized the sanctification of the whole harvest: see Leviticus 23:15-21 (the Festival of Weeks), but “first fruits” is often used in connection with a pledge or guarantee of future benefits. Verse 24: “we were saved”: It may be that the tense in the Greek is one which expresses a general truth rather than something that occurred in the past. This fits better with the mention of “hope” here and in v. 25. [NJBC] Verse 24: “what is seen”: One scholar offers what he [or she] sees. [NJBC] Verse 26: “that very Spirit intercedes”: It is not clear from the text as to whether the Spirit intercedes with or without our participation. Some manuscripts add for us, thus clarifying the issue. In 8:15-16, it is clearly with our participation. Verse 27: This verse is difficult to understand because it was written before the Trinitarian notion was clearly defined. Paul does not yet have the language to express this notion. See also 1 Corinthians 2:16 and Romans 8:16. Verse 27: “searches the heart”: An expression of an activity of God rooted in the Old Testament: see 1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Kings 8:39; Psalms 17:3; 139:1. GOSPEL: John 15: 26 - 27, 16: 4b - 15 (RCL) John 15: 26 - 27, 16: 12 - 15 (alt. for Roman Catholic) John 15:26 (NRSV) "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. 27 You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning. 16:4 "I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, "Where are you going?' 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11 about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. 12 "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. After the Last Supper, Jesus continues to tell the disciples about the mission they are to undertake. The “Advocate” is the Holy Spirit; he is the “spirit of truth” (15:26, 16:13), and will be sent to the disciples, the Church, by Christ “from the Father”. The Church too is to witness, to work with the Holy Spirit, by living the life that Christ made possible, continuing Christ’s work in the world (15:27). Why does Jesus say: “yet none of you asks me ...”? (16:5) They have asked the question earlier (13:36, 14:5). Perhaps he is saying: preoccupied with “sorrow” (16:6), you are missing the main point: the coming of the Spirit. Then 16:7: by leaving them, Jesus is able to send the Spirit. One thing the Spirit will do is to show “the world” (16:8, possibly Jews) that they are wrong on three counts: • their idea of sin is incorrect (16:9); • the righteous who condemned Jesus are wrong: he is God's agent (16:10); and • he has defeated sin (16:11). For example, to heal on the Sabbath is not sinful. Then 16:12-13: the Spirit will tell them things Jesus has not. In his guidance, he will speak what comes to him from God (as Jesus has spoken what the Father has told him.) The Spirit will prophesy about events “to come”. The Spirit will reveal the essential nature of God, and show Christ’s essential nature and power (“glorify”, 16:14). Whether the word comes from the Father, the Son, or the Spirit it is the same. 15:18-27: The believer’s relationship to the world – to be separate from it. [NOAB] 15:26-27: In Acts 1:21-22, after the Ascension, Peter says to the gathered followers of Jesus: “‘So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us – one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection’”. In Acts 5:32, Peter and the other apostles tell the high priest: “‘And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him’”. [NOAB] 15:26: “Advocate”: The Greek word is parakletos. In 1 John it refers to Christ, but in the Gospel to the Holy Spirit. Parakletos is derived from a word that means call to one’s side, so it corresponds exactly to the Latin advocatus. But there is a difference between a Roman advocatus and a Hellenic parakletos: in a Roman court, an advocatus pleaded one’s case for one, but in a Greek court one had to plead one’s own case, but one brought along one’s friends as parakletoi to influence the court by their moral support and testimony to one’s value as a citizen. So Champion is a better translation. Note that the “Advocate” will testify, bear witness. This role is also ascribed to the Spirit in Matthew 10:20 and Mark 13:11. There are also other parallels (in vv. 18-20) to Matthew 10 and Mark 13. [BlkJn] 15:27: In Acts 1:8, Jesus says: “‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’”. 16:1-33: The Christian’s relationship to the world. [NOAB] 16:1-4a: Forewarning of conflict. It is to be expected that the world, even the religious world, will persecute the followers of Christ. See Acts 22:3-5 and 26:9-11 for Paul’s description of his persecution of the Church. [NOAB] 16:1: “these things”: i.e. the hatred by the world and the activity of the Spirit in 15:18-27. [BlkJn] 16:1: “to keep you from stumbling”: BlkJn offers so that you should not be made to fall away. See also 13:19; 14:28; 15:11. 16:2: “put you out of the synagogues”: This is one word in Greek: aposynagogos. It (and the notion) is also found in 9:22 and 12:42. That Jesus foretold such an event is likely. Note that relations with the synagogue were by no means cordial in the mid first century: for example, Paul seceded from the synagogue at Corinth (see Acts 18:5-7). The synoptic gospels also contain predictions of persecution and of death for the faith: see, for example, Mark 13:9, 12-13, 18-19; Matthew 5:10; 10:17-18, 21-23; 24:9; Luke 12:4, 11; 21:12, 16-17, 23-24. [BlkJn] 16:3: “they have not known the Father or me”: For failure to know Christ or the Father, see also 1:10; 8:55; 17:25. This involves an inadequate apprehension of the true nature and activity of the Father and of Jesus, coupled with an inability to obey God’s will. [BlkJn] 16:6-7: “sorrow” at Jesus’ departure is transformed by “the truth” that his death and resurrection make possible the Spirit’s work. [NOAB] 16:7: “if I do not go away ...”: The Spirit could only be given after Jesus’ death (see 7:39), but is to remain with the disciples for ever (see 14:16) and will teach them things that they cannot grasp before the resurrection (see 16:12). As a result, a richer experience awaits the disciples. Here, as in 15:26, it is Jesus who sends the Spirit, not the Father, as in 14:16, 26. [BlkJn] 16:8: “prove the world wrong about sin ...”: BlkJn offers convict the world of sin ... . The Greek verb, elegchein, is forceful. It is also used in 3:20 and 8:46. 16:9-11: ”because”: The subordinate clause in each verse is introduced by oti, which can mean either in that or because: it is perhaps more likely that the reasons for the conviction of the world are being given rather than that the terms “sin”, “righteousness” and “judgement” are being defined. [BlkJn] 16:9: In 3:19-21, part of Jesus’ answer to Nicodemus is: “‘And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God’”. 16:11: “ruler of this world”: See also 12:31 (“the ruler of this world will be driven out”); 14:30 (“I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me”); 1 Corinthians 2:8; Colossians 2:15. [NOAB] 16:13: “Spirit of truth”: A term also found in 14:17 and 15:26. In 1 John 4:6, the “spirit of truth” is contrasted with the “spirit of error”. Similar contrasts are found in 1QS (Qumran Rule of the Community) 3:13-4:26 and Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. John uses terminology current at the time he was writing. [BlkJn] 16:13: “he will guide you into all the truth”: This expression probably comes from Psalms 25:5 (“Lead me in your truth”); 143:10 (“Let your good spirit lead me”) and Isaiah 63:14 - all in the Septuagint translation. [BlkJn] 16:13: “he will not speak on his own”: Like Jesus, he will not speak on his own authority. In 5:30, Jesus says: “‘I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me’”. See also 7:17; 12:49; 14:10. [BlkJn] 16:14: “he will take what is mine ...”: The Spirit will continue the work Jesus has begun but will not reveal completely fresh notions – in the light of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. [BlkJn] 16:15: Further indication of the close relationship that exists between Jesus, the Father, and the Spirit. [BlkJn]