9 Mary, Martha and Lazarus of Bethany also known as Saint Lazarus or Lazarus of the Four Days, is the subject of a prominent miracle attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus restores him to life four days after his death. 30 William Wilberforce, 1833 was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade (also began the SPCA) and Anthony Ashley Cooper, Lord Shaftesbury, 1885, Prophetic Witnesses 31 Ignatius of Loyola, Priest and Monastic, 1556 was a Spanish knight from a local Basque noble family, hermit, priest since 1537, and theologian, who founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) Patron saint of soldiers - so thank a member of the armed forces or a veteran for their service. August 1 Joseph of Arimathaea was, according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus's Crucifixion. 2 Samuel David Ferguson, Missionary Bishop for West Africa, 1916 3 George Freeman Bragg, Jr., Priest, 1940. W. E. B. Du Bois, sociologist, 1963 OLD TESTAMENT: Hosea 1: 2 - 10 (RCL) Hose 1:2 (NRSV) When the LORD first spoke through Hose'a, the LORD said to Hose'a, "Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD." 3 So he went and took Go'mer daughter of Dibla'im, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4 And the LORD said to him, "Name him Jez'reel; for in a little while I will punish the house of Je'hu for the blood of Jez'reel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jez'reel." 6 She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the LORD said to him, "Name her Lo-ruha'mah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. 7 But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen." 8 When she had weaned Lo-ruha'mah, she conceived and bore a son. 9 Then the LORD said, "Name him Lo-am'mi, for you are not my people and I am not your God." 10 Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," it shall be said to them, "Children of the living God." Genesis 18: 20 - 32 (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL) Gene 18:20 (NRSV) Then the LORD said, "How great is the outcry against Sod'om and Gomor'rah and how very grave their sin! 21 I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know." 22 So the men turned from there, and went toward Sod'om, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23 Then Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" 26 And the LORD said, "If I find at Sod'om fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake." 27 Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." 29 Again he spoke to him, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." 30 Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." 31 He said, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." 32 Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it." PSALM 85 (RCL) Psal 85:1 (NRSV) LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob. 2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you pardoned all their sin. [Se'lah] 3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger. 4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us. 5 Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? 6 Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. 8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts. 9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky. 12 The LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps. 85 Benedixisti, Domine (ECUSA BCP) 1 You have been gracious to your land, O Lord, * you have restored the good fortune of Jacob. 2 You have forgiven the iniquity of your people * and blotted out all their sins. 3 You have withdrawn all your fury * and turned yourself from your wrathful indignation. 4 Restore us then, O God our Savior; * let your anger depart from us. 5 Will you be displeased with us for ever? * will you prolong your anger from age to age? 6 Will you not give us life again, * that your people may rejoice in you? 7 Show us your mercy, O Lord, * and grant us your salvation. 8 I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, * for he is speaking peace to his faithful people and to those who turn their hearts to him. 9 Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, * that his glory may dwell in our land. 10 Mercy and truth have met together; * righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 11 Truth shall spring up from the earth, * and righteousness shall look down from heaven. 12 The Lord will indeed grant prosperity, * and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness shall go before him, * and peace shall be a pathway for his feet. Psalm 138 (alt. for RCL) Psalm 138: 1 - 3, 6 - 8 (Roman Catholic) Psal 138:1 (NRSV) I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; 2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness; for you have exalted your name and your word above everything. 3 On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul. 4 All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth. 5 They shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD. 6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away. 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me. 8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. 138 Confitebor tibi (ECUSA BCP) 1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; * before the gods I will sing your praise. 2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your Name, * because of your love and faithfulness; 3 For you have glorified your Name * and your word above all things. 4 When I called, you answered me; * you increased my strength within me. 5 All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord, * when they have heard the words of your mouth. 6 They will sing of the ways of the Lord, * that great is the glory of the Lord. 7 Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly; * he perceives the haughty from afar. 8 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; * you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies; your right hand shall save me. 9 The Lord will make good his purpose for me; * O Lord, your love endures for ever; do not abandon the works of your hands. NEW TESTAMENT: Colossians 2: 6 - 15 (16 - 19) (RCL) Colossians 2: 12 - 14 (Roman Catholic) Colo 2:6 (NRSV) As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; 12 when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, 14 erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17 These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God. h/t Montreal Anglican From this letter, we know that Christians at Colossae, an industrial city, were subject to influences from other religions: some tried to synthesize Christianity with them. Our reading gives us an idea of notions they tended to adopt. Vv. 6-7 advise them to remain true to the gospel as they received it – in continuity with tradition. Vv. 8-13 warn against false teachings: “be on your guard” (Revised English Bible) that you not be made “captive” (and carried off) by any of these errant beliefs (“philosophy ...”) which are of “human” (not divine) origin: they see “elemental spirits” (spirits thought to infuse the four basic elements of the world) and cosmic (angelic) powers (“ruler and authority”, v. 10) as controlling the universe for God. The whole of God is found in Christ, without such intermediaries! (v. 9). (“Bodily” may mean: corporately: in the Church; incarnate: in bodily form; or actually: not only in appearance. Christians have full access to God’s power; he is superior to (and over) these spirits and angels. Vv. 11-12 speak of “baptism” as “spiritual circumcision”. (The “body of the flesh” is probably human weakness.) Baptism introduces us to sharing in Christ’s suffering and death (“buried with him”, v. 12); through it, we are already exalted with Christ (although our appearance with him in glory will come later). Before baptism, the Colossian Christians were alienated from God (“dead”, v. 13), mired in sin; now they are “alive”: for God (in love) forgave their sins. In effect, he cancelled the legal note of debt (v. 14a); Christ took this note on himself. V. 15 continues the military image begun with “captive” in v. 8: Christ leads the triumphal parade, followed by the subjugated angels who are on public display (perhaps in chains). Vv. 16-19 refute specific errant beliefs. Neither adopt Jewish dietary laws nor observe their holy days. The real “festivals” are Christ’s, not theirs (v. 17). Don’t be led astray from Christ’s way by those who insist on extreme asceticism (“self-abasement”, v. 18), by worship of powers other than Christ (“angels”), by devaluing earthly things in favour of spiritual fancies (“visions”), or by false pride. Take care not to separate yourself from Christ (“the head”, v. 19), the source of nourishment, unity and spiritual growth. A reading of Augustine's City of God would help any reader understand that what the author is concerned with here is the Colossians' angelolatry and the elemental spirits; for Augustine discusses thoroughly the Platonist idea that God had made lesser gods to create and maintain the earth, and to act as mediators between God and humanity. Augustine argues that the angels' nature depends on God just as much as humanity's does. For the author, the cosmic Christ is more than just the world-soul (which was another teaching of Platonism), but God himself through, by, and in whom God created everything. It's very complex. The author keeps warning his readers away from “philosophy” (v. 8), but you really have to know some philosophy to understand him here! I think the problem the author may have perceived (as Augustine did several centuries later) is that Platonism was so close in many ways to Christianity, and in many ways so attractive, that it was all too easy to let Platonist assumptions creep unexamined into Christian faith. The author has to walk the thin line between the influences of Judaism and Platonism, obviously not easy for his readers! References to the bodily image of God that Jesus is may also be inserted as a way of pulling the Colossians back from Platonic notions that the body was inherently evil. The incarnate Christ leads the disembodied elemental spirits captive. [Abbott Conway] Verse 6: “received”: The Greek word, paralambano, is used of teaching in Galatians 1:9; Philippians 4:9; 1 Corinthians 11:23. It is a technical term for receiving a tradition. [NJBC] Verse 6: “Christ Jesus the Lord”: This phrase is found only here and in Ephesians 3:11. [JBC] Verse 7: “thanksgiving”: The Greek word is eucharistos. It is repeated throughout the epistle: see also 1:12; 3:15, 17; 4:2. [JBC] Verse 8: “takes you captive”: The rare Greek verb sylagogeo has the added sense of carry you off as booty. [NJBC] Verse 8: “philosophy”: Some scholars render this as vain speculation, but this translation reads certain assumptions into the word. The Greek word philosophia itself implies simply love of wisdom. [NOAB] Verse 8: “empty deceit”: The Greek word, apate also occurs in Ephesians 4:22 (NRSV: “deluded”); 2 Thessalonians 2:10; Hebrews 3:13; 2 Peter 2:13 (NRSV: “dissipation”). [CAB] Verse 8: “human tradition”: In Matthew 15:2-3, 6, when some Pharisees ask Jesus “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?”, namely washing their hands before eating, he answers “for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God”. See also Mark 7:3, 5, 8-9, 13; Galatians 1:14; 1 Peter 1:18. [CAB] Verse 8: “elemental spirits”: The elements of which the world was thought to be composed are earth, fire, air and water. Spirits were thought to infuse these elements. (Many centuries later, scientists discovered chemical elements, e.g. hydrogen.) There were also spirits of the upper air. Verse 9: “in him”: Christ crucified, resurrected and exalted. [CAB] Verse 10: “the head of every ruler and authority”: Ephesians 1:21-22 says that Christ is “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion” and is “the head over all things for the church”. [NOAB] Verses 11-12: These verses reflect Romans 6:3-11, but here baptism is named as Christian circumcision. Circumcision is used figuratively in the Old Testament (see Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 4:4; Ezekiel 44:7), in the Qumran literature (see 1QS (Rule of the Community) 5:5) and elsewhere in the New Testament (see Romans 2:28-29 and Philippians 3:3). [NJBC] Verse 11: “putting off ...”: Greek apekdysis. This noun is used only here in the New Testament. The verb apekdyomai is found in 2:15; 3:9. There may be an allusion to mystery cults here: in some of them, initiates laid aside their garments during the rite. In the early Church the first act of the baptismal rite was the taking off of one's vesture. [NJBC] Verse 12: “you were also raised”: In Romans 6:5, the resurrection of Christians is in the future, but here it has already happened. See also Ephesians 5:14. [NJBC] Verse 12: “power”: Greek: energeia. This is a favourite word in Colossians and Ephesians: see also 1:29; Ephesians 1:19; 3:7; 4:16. Interestingly enough, in Greek philosophy energeia doesn't really mean power - that concept is rendered by the term dynamis. The Latin equivalent of dynamis is potentia, which is power (potency), but also potential, that which a thing is in itself before being manifested. The equivalent of energeia is operatio, that which is brought about to reflect the innate being of the thing. So energeia is really a bringing about, an actualizing, of something. I suspect that for the author, it is an important word because it signifies God actually having done the thing, not merely postulating it in some theoretical dimension. [Abbott Conway] Verse 12: Comments: our appearance with Christ in glory will come later: 3:3-4 says: “... you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory”. Verse 13: See also Ephesians 2:1, 5 and Romans 6:11. Acts 2:38 also connects baptism with the forgiveness of sins. See also Matthew 6:9-15 and Luke 11:1-4 (the Lord’s Prayer). Verse 13: “made you alive”: The word syzopoieo is only used in the New Testament here and in Ephesians 2:5. [JBC] Verse 14: “erasing the record”: An accounting term. Ephesians 2:15 says: “He [Christ] has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two ...”. See also 1 Peter 2:24. [NOAB] Verse 14: “legal”: i.e. in Mosaic law. Death was the penalty for disobeying the Law: see Genesis 2:17 and Deuteronomy 30:19. [JBC] Jews believed that the Law was given to Moses by angels: In Galatians 3:19, Paul writes that “it was ordained through angels by a mediator” (Moses). Verse 15: “made a public example of them”: As captives, stripped of their armour, were displayed as proof of victory. Verse 16: “festivals, new moons, or sabbaths”: In Galatians 4:10, Paul notes that some Christians in Galatia are “observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years”. This phrase (or variants of it) occur in 1 Chronicles 23:31; 2 Chronicles 31:3; Ezekiel 45:17; Hosea 2:11. [CAB] Verse 17: “shadow ... substance”: NJBC sees this as reflecting the Greek shadow/reality notion. “Substance” here is soma, literally body. An earthy thing was seen as a pale imperfect shadow of the heavenly perfect reality. Hebrews 8:5 says of the Jewish high priests that “They offer worship in a sanctuary that is a sketch and shadow of the heavenly one”. See also Hebrews 10:1; 1 Corinthians 13:10. Verses 18-19: “Do not let anyone ... dwelling on visions, ... head”: Another interpretation is that those who have given themselves to fanciful visions have also lost touch with their own heads. Verse 19: “the head”: See also Ephesians 1:22 (quoted above). Christ is also mentioned as head of the church in Ephesians 4:15. [NOAB] Verses 20-23: These verses contrast the constraints of philosophy and the liberty of believers. [NJBC] GOSPEL: Luke 11: 1 - 13 (all) Luke 11:1 (NRSV) He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2 He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial." 5 And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 And he answers from within, "Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. 9 "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" Then and now, a religious community has a distinctive way of praying; ours is exemplified by the Lord’s Prayer. In 5:33, Pharisees and scribes have noted that followers of John the Baptist “frequently fast and pray”; now Christians have their own prayer. Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer is shorter than Matthew’s (which we use). We approach God in a personal way, as “Father” (v. 2). His “name” is more than just a name: we pray that all may give respect due to him, so all may see his love. “Your kingdom come” looks forward to the Kingdom, where all barriers – of wealth, sex and ritual cleanness – will no longer exist. Of the five petitions, the last two seek filling of our needs. “Bread” (v. 3) is what we need to live; it is God’s gift to us. We share it with all, especially in the Eucharist. “Daily” here means day after day. The “time of trial” (v. 4) is the final onslaught of evil forces, before Christ comes again; it is also the temptations which assail us day-by-day. In vv. 5ff, Jesus tells two stories: even one who is asleep with his family responds “because of ... persistence” to a neighbour in need; a parent provides for a child. Even these people, separated from God, respond to the needs of others. How much more so will God respond to our prayers for help, through the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:1-13 The parallel to vv. 1-4 is Matthew 6:9-13 and to vv. 9-13 is Matthew 7:7-11. [NJBC] Verse 1: “He was praying”: For prayer as a part of recorded momentous events in Jesus’ life, see, e.g., Mark 1:35; Luke 3:21 (Jesus’ baptism); 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28 (the Transfiguration); 22:41-46 (on the Mount of Olives). [CAB] Verse 1: “‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples’”: BlkLk says that, in the days of Jesus’ ministry, Judaism considered a great part of the Eighteen Benedictions as obligatory. Here we have a request for a special prayer to express the particular outlook and concerns of a group of disciples of Jesus. Verses 2-4: The versions of the Lord’s Prayer are compared in the following table: Matthew Luke Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial, And do not bring us to the time of trial. but rescue us from the evil one. Each of the clauses found in Matthew but not in the commonly accepted Lucan text is found in some manuscripts of Luke. Matthew’s form is closer to Jewish prayers, and Luke’s to other Christian prayers. The Lord’s Prayer is probably based on Jewish prayers. [JBC] The doxology For the kingdom, ... (For thine is the kingdom... ) was added in the early Church. It is based on David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:11-13: “Yours, O LORD, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Riches and honour come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might; and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all. And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name.”. It is found in some early manuscripts of Luke. Verse 2: “Father”: God as a caring, provident, gracious and loving parent. In 10:21, we read “... Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father ...’”. In 22:42, on the Mount of Olives, Jesus prays: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done”. Jesus also addresses God as “Father” in 23:34, 46. [NJBC] Verse 2: “hallowed”: The verb, in the aorist passive tense, gives a once-for-all aspect to the petition; hence it is an eschatological motif. [JBC] Verse 3: “Give us each day our daily bread”: Throughout the gospels, the giving of bread has a eucharistic meaning. See also 9:17 (the Feeding of the Five Thousand). This is a petition for daily physical and moral renewal. [JBC] Verse 4: “forgive”: In Mark 11:25, Jesus instructs his disciples: “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses”. See also Matthew 18:35 (the fate of those who do not forgive, in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant). [CAB] Verse 4: “And do not bring us ...”: 2 Thessalonians 3:3 says: “... the Lord will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one”. See also James 1:13. Verse 4: “trial”: Temptation is another translation. In Luke, it is always bad; it never has the effect of strengthening. [NJBC] Verse 7: “the door has already been locked”: A door was barricaded with a large wooden or iron bar, which would be tiresome and noisy to remove. [JBC] Verse 7: “my children are with me in bed”: In a one-room Palestinian house, the whole family slept on a mat in the raised part of the room. [JBC] Verse 7: “I cannot get up”: i.e. I won’t! [JBC] Verse 8: “persistence”: JBC puts a different spin on the Greek word: shamelessness. [JBC] Verse 9: The Greek implies an introduction: I personally tell you ... [JBC] Verse 9: In Matthew 18:19, Jesus tells his disciples: “... truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven”. See also Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24; James 1:5-8; 1 John 5:14-15; John 14:13; 15:7; 17:23-24. [NOAB] Verses 11-12: See also Psalm 91:12-16: “... Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honour them ...”. [JBC] Verse 12: “scorpion”: A scorpion is black, so it could not possibly be mistaken for an “egg”. [JBC] Verse 13: “you ... who are evil”: “You” here is surely people in general. Opposed to God’s ways as shown by Jesus, they are even so made in the image of God, so reflect some of his ways. Verse 13: “Holy Spirit”: The Holy Spirit enables our sharing in Jesus’ sonship: see also Romans 8:23; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14. It is Luke who tells us of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (see Acts 2). Some manuscripts have Your Holy Spirit come upon us and cleanse us rather than “Your kingdom come” (v. 2). Both Marcion (died ca 160 AD) and Gregory of Nyssa (ca 330 – ca 395) knew the prayer with these words. BlkLk says that it is likely that Your Holy Spirit come upon us and cleanse us is a liturgical adaptation of the original form of the Lord’s prayer used perhaps when celebrating the rite of baptism or of the laying-on of hands.

23 24 Thomas a Kempis, Priest, 1471 was a German canon regular of the late medieval period and the most probable author of The Imitation of Christ, which is one of the best known Christian books on devotion. 25 Saint James the Apostle was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was a son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of John the Apostle. He is also called James the Greater to distinguish him from James, son of Alphaeus, who is also known as James the Less. 26 The Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary (traditionally identified as Anne was the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ, according to Christian and Islamic tradition. Mary's mother is not named in the canonical gospels, nor in the Qur'an. Anne's name and that of her husband Joachim come only from New Testament apocrypha, of which the Protoevangelium of James (written perhaps around 150) seems to be the earliest that mentions them. and Joachim) 27 William Reed Huntington, Priest, 1909 28 Johann Sebastian Bach, 1750, George Frederick Handel, 1759, and Henry Purcell, 1695, Composers OLD TESTAMENT: Amos 8: 1 - 12 (RCL) Amos 8:1 (NRSV) This is what the Lord GOD showed me--a basket of summer fruit. 2 He said, "A'mos, what do you see?" And I said, "A basket of summer fruit." Then the LORD said to me, "The end has come upon my people Israel; I will never again pass them by. 3 The songs of the temple shall become wailings in that day," qsays the Lord GOD; "the dead bodies shall be many, cast out in every place. Be silent!" 4 Hear this, you that trample on the needy, and bring to ruin the poor of the land, 5 saying, "When will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great, and practice deceit with false balances, 6 buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat." 7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Surely I will never forget any of their deeds. 8 Shall not the land tremble on this account, and everyone mourn who lives in it, and all of it rise like the Nile, and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt? 9 On that day, says the Lord GOD, I will make the sun go down at noon, and darken the earth in broad daylight. 10 I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; I will bring sackcloth on all loins, and baldness on every head; I will make it like the mourning for an only son, and the end of it like a bitter day. 11 The time is surely coming, says the Lord GOD, when I will send a famine on the land; not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. 12 They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it. Genesis 18: 1 - 10a (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL) Gene 18:1 (NRSV) The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mam're, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. 3 He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on--since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said." 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes." 7 Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. 9 They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." 10 Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son." PSALM 52 (RCL) Psal 52:1 (NRSV) Why do you boast, O mighty one, of mischief done against the godly? All day long 2 you are plotting destruction. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you worker of treachery. 3 You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth. [Se'lah] 4 You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. 5 But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. [Se'lah] 6 The righteous will see, and fear, and will laugh at the evildoer, saying, 7 "See the one who would not take refuge in God, but trusted in abundant riches, and sought refuge in wealth!" 8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. 9 I will thank you forever, because of what you have done. In the presence of the faithful I will proclaim your name, for it is good. 52 Quid gloriaris? (ECUSA BCP) 1 You tyrant, why do you boast of wickedness * against the godly all day long? 2 You plot ruin; your tongue is like a sharpened razor, * O worker of deception. 3 You love evil more than good * and lying more than speaking the truth. 4 You love all words that hurt, * O you deceitful tongue. 5 Oh, that God would demolish you utterly, * topple you, and snatch you from your dwelling, and root you out of the land of the living! 6 The righteous shall see and tremble, * and they shall laugh at him, saying, 7 “This is the one who did not take God for a refuge, * but trusted in great wealth and relied upon wickedness.” 8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; * I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. 9 I will give you thanks for what you have done * and declare the goodness of your Name in the presence of the godly. Psalm 15 (alt. for RCL) Psalm 15: 2 - 5 (Roman Catholic) Psal 15:1 (NRSV) O LORD, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill? 2 Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart; 3 who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; 4 in whose eyes the wicked are despised, but who honor those who fear the LORD; who stand by their oath even to their hurt; 5 who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent. Those who do these things shall never be moved. 15 Domine, quis habitabit? (ECUSA BCP) 1 Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? * who may abide upon your holy hill? 2 Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, * who speaks the truth from his heart. 3 There is no guile upon his tongue; he does no evil to his friend; * he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor. 4 In his sight the wicked is rejected, * but he honors those who fear the Lord. 5 He has sworn to do no wrong * and does not take back his word. 6 He does not give his money in hope of gain, * nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. 7 Whoever does these things * shall never be overthrown. NEW TESTAMENT: Colossians 1: 15 - 28 (RCL) Colo 1:15 (NRSV) He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers--all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. 21 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him-- 23 provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel. 24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25 I became its servant according to God's commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. h/t Montreal Anglican The Christians at Colossae lived in a society where many adhered to Greek cults. Vv. 15-20 are an early hymn about Christ (“He”); he is how we see (and access) God (“image”). Angelology was popular at the time; “thrones ... powers” (v. 16) were orders of angelic beings; each was “created”, had its origin “in him”, and exists “for him”; any power they have is subordinate to Christ’s. The whole of creation – both heavenly and earthly – were created “through him”, with his participation. He is also the “firstborn” (v. 18), the inheritor from the Father, of created-ness; he governs it, and is the cohesive power of the universe (v. 17). He existed “before all things”, before the first creative act. Greeks saw the “head” (v. 18) as the body’s source of life and growth. Christ is this to the Church, and “head” of it in the modern sense. He is “the beginning”, the nucleus of the restoration of humanity to union with God, of the new created-ness. In his death (“blood of his cross”, v. 20), resurrection, and ascension to the Father, he is the forerunner (“firstborn”, v. 18) of our elevation to being with the Father, of our reconciliation with the Father (v. 20). Christians at Colossae tried to find ultimate power and truth in various deities, but in Christ all power and ultimate truth is present (v. 19). Before the founding of the church at Colossae, the people there were “estranged ...” (v. 21). They are now with God, fully acceptable to him (“holy ...”, v. 22), thanks to Jesus’ fully human (“fleshly body”) presence and death, so long as they keep to the truth of the gospel and the “hope” (v. 23) it offers (and shun Greek cults). This gospel is available to all (“to every creature”). Paul extended the reach of Christ’s message; it was complete as he received it. In doing so, he suffered “afflictions” (v. 24). So “completing ... Christ’s afflictions” tells of Paul’s afflictions as extending Christ’s – in no way was Christ’s suffering incomplete. Greek cults limited knowledge of mysteries to initiates, but Christ came to make known God’s “mystery” (v. 26) to all (“Gentiles”, v. 27); it had been “hidden” (v. 26) in Old Testament times. Note “everyone” (three times) in v. 28. JBC considers that Colossians was composed after Paul’s lifetime, about 70-80 AD, by someone who knew the Pauline tradition. NOAB and CAB discuss the problem of authorship but do not, in their introductions to the book, state whether they consider Paul to have been the author or not. See the Clipping below on 1:26-28 for a hint of CAB’s view. 1:15-20: This hymn alludes to the wisdom motifs of the Old Testament and the Apocrypha: In Proverbs 3:19, Wisdom is the agent of creation In Proverbs 8:22-31, Wisdom was generated before God created, and was his partner in creating (see also Wisdom of Solomon 7:22; 9:2-4). [NJBC] For other Christological hymns, see Philippians 2:6-11; Ephesians 2:14-16; 1 Peter 3:18-19; Hebrews 1:3; 1 Timothy 3:16. 1:15: “image”: The image perfectly reveals the invisible God: John 1:18 tells us: “No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known”. See also Hebrews 1:3. [NOAB] For Paul on humans as being in the image of God or of Christ, see Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 11:7; 15:49 (“Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust [Adam], we will also bear the image of the man of heaven”); 2 Corinthians 3:18. In one place, 2 Corinthians 4:4, he speaks of Christ as being the image of God. [NJBC] 1:15: “the firstborn of all creation”: See also Psalm 89:27 (“I will make him [David] the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth”); Proverbs 8:22-31; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Philippians 2:6-7; Hebrews 1:2 (“... in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds”); 10:5-9; Revelation 1:17; 2:8; 22:13, 16. [CAB] 1:16: “all things ... were created”: John 1:3 says “All things came into being through him [“the Word”, the Logos], and without him not one thing came into being”. See also 1 Corinthians 8:6 and Hebrews 1:2. [CAB] 1:16: “thrones ... powers”: At Colossae, angelic beings may have been thought of as being rivals of, or supplementary to, Christ. See also 2:10, 15. [NOAB] [NJBC] These are categories of lesser supernatural beings present in creation. See Romans 8:38; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Ephesians 1:21; 3:10; 6:12 for similar lists. [CAB] NJBC notes that the Greek word here translated as “dominions” also appears in 1 Peter 3:22 (NRSV: “authorities”) and Jude 8; in those verses it refer to earthly powers. Only here in the New Testament is “thrones” a category of angelic beings. 1:17: “before all things”: Note John 8:58: “Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am’”. The phrase may mean first in rank. 1:17: “all things hold together”: Wisdom of Solomon 1:7 says “Because the spirit of the Lord has filled the world, and that which holds all things together knows what is said,”. [JBC] See also Hebrews 1:3. [NOAB] 1:18: “head of the body, the church”: Christ as head of the church is important in Colossians: see also 2:17, 19; 3:15. The community as the body is also found in the undisputably Pauline writings (see 1 Corinthians 6:15; 10:16-17; 12:12-27; Romans 12:4-5) but the image of Christ as head of the body is a development found only in Colossians and Ephesians (see also Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:15-16; 5:23). [NOAB] [NJBC] 1:18: “the beginning”: i.e. the origin or source of the Church’s life. See also Revelation 3:14 (“... The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God's creation”); Galatians 6:15 (“... a new creation is everything!”); 2 Corinthians 5:17. [NOAB] [JBC] 1:18: “firstborn from the dead”: See also Acts 26:23 (“being the first to rise from the dead”, Paul before Agrippa); Romans 14:9; 1 Corinthians 15:20 (“... Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died”). [NOAB] [NJBC] Christ’s resurrection is the first of a succession of others: see Revelation 1:5. [CAB] 1:19: “the fullness of God”: Another translation is: For it pleased God that in him [the Son] all the fullness of the deity should dwell. “Fullness” translates the Greek word pleroma. The pleroma would have had special significance if gnostic ideas formed part of the false teaching at Colossae. In Gnosticism, the pleroma was the whole body of heavenly powers and spiritual emanations that came forth from God. [NOAB] [NJBC] In this context, as can be seen from v. 20, the term “fullness of God” refers to the full power of divine grace which offers full reconciliation through Christ’s cross. John 1:16 tells us: “From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace”. See also Colossians 2:10. [CAB] NJBC notes that “of God” is not in the Greek., but note 2:9: “in him [Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily”. 1:20: “reconcile”: The Greek word is apokatallasso; it is used only in Colossians and Ephesians. In the undisputedly Pauline writings, the word katallasso is used, with the same meaning: see Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19. [NJBC] Prevalent Jewish belief was that the world had fallen into the captivity of the ruling powers through the sin of humans. Christ overcame these angelic powers by taking away their control over believers. [JBC] 1:21: See also 2:1. [CAB] 1:22: “his fleshly body”: In 2:11, the author speaks of Baptism as “putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ. His ordinary human body or bodily-ness (see 1QpHab (Qumran Pesher on Habakkuk) 9:2) as against the deprecation of the body, which was perhaps taught at Colossae (see 2:18, 21, 23). Colossians stresses the importance and dignity of Jesus’ human body in its saving function. [NJBC] 1:22: holy and blameless”: Ephesians 1:4 says “just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love”. [CAB] 1:24-2:7: Paul is personally unknown at Colossae. These verses explain why he (or the author) intervenes in the affairs of a church where members do not know him: in 2:1, he writes: “For I want you to know how much I am struggling for you, and for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me face to face”. [NOAB] 1:24: Because of the mystical union of the believers with Christ, what Paul suffers “for the sake of ... the church” can be called “Christ’s afflictions”. In 2 Corinthians 1:5, Paul writes “For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ” and in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10: “We are afflicted ... always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies”. [NOAB] Elsewhere Paul connects his sufferings to his role as an apostle (see Romans 8:30-31; 1 Corinthians 4:9-13; 2 Corinthians 11:23-33; 12:9-10; 13:4; Galatians 6:17), but only here are his sufferings for the sake of the Church. Elsewhere he speaks of his sufferings as participation in the death of Jesus (see 2 Corinthians 1:4-6; 4:8-10), but only here do his sufferings complete “what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions”. [CAB] Comments: in no way was Christ’s suffering incomplete: The hymn (vv. 15-20) proclaims Christ as the one through whom all are reconciled; v. 22 restates this. See also the Clipping on thlipsis below. [NJBC] 1:24: “afflictions”: The Greek word is thlipsis. It is never used of Jesus’ passion but is regularly used of those proclaiming the gospel: see Romans 5:3 (NRSV: “sufferings”); 8:35 (NRSV: “hardship”); 2 Corinthians 1:4, 8; 2:4 (NRSV: “distress”); 4:17; 6:4; 7:4. This suggests that the afflictions are Paul’s not Christ’s. Similarly, in 2:11 (“In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ”), the “circumcision of Christ” is not Jesus’ circumcision but the metaphorical circumcision of the Christian community. [NJBC] 1:25: “servant”: Literally, minister. [CAB] The Greek word is diakonos, sometimes translated deacon. The NRSV translates this noun as servants in 1 Corinthians 3:5. 1:26-28: A common theme developed in the literature of Paul’s students is that the mystery long hidden is now revealed to the nations by the command of God: see also Romans 16:25-26; Ephesians 3:3-10; 1 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2-3; 1 Peter 1:20. [CAB] 1:26: “mystery”: For God’s age-long purpose, his plan of salvation, hidden in Old Testament times from ordinary people, is now being revealed openly to Gentiles as well as Jews, see also 2:2; 4:3; Ephesians 1:9; 3:4-6. In the Qumran literature, the raz is the mystery revealed by God to certain persons, e.g. to the Teacher of Righteousness: see 1QpHab (Qumran Pesher on Habakkuk) 7:1-5. In the Old Testament, prophets were introduced in their visions into the heavenly assembly and there learnt the secret divine plans for history. [NOAB] [NJBC] “Mystery” is the content of the “word of God” (v. 25) that was given Paul to proclaim; but in 2:2-3 we read “I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” [CAB] 1:27: In Romans 1:5, Paul writes of Christ as the one “through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name”. See also Romans 16:26. [CAB] 1:27: “the riches of the glory”: NJBC offers richness. This phrase is also found in Romans 9:23. 1:27: “Christ in you”: Here it is the risen Christ who performs the functions attributed to the Holy Spirit in other epistles. [JBC] 1:28: In 1 Corinthians 1:6, Paul writes as maturing in the faith as “the testimony of Christ [being] ... strengthened among you”. [CAB] 1:28: “warning everyone and teaching everyone”: Here this is the task of the apostle but in 3:16 it is the responsibility of members of the community to admonish and teach each other. [NJBC] 2:1: “Laodicea”: A town about 18 Km (12 miles) west of Colossae. It is also mentioned in 4:13, 15-16; Revelation 1:11; 3:14-22. [CAB] 2:1: “who have not seen me face to face”: Evidently Paul had visited neither Laodicea nor Colossae. See also 2:5. In Romans 15:20, Paul says that his emphasis is on establishing Christian communities rather than on building on what other missionaries have already established. In Galatians 1:22, he says that he was, at the time, “unknown by sight” to the Christian communities in Palestine. [CAB] GOSPEL: Luke 10: 38 - 42 (all) Luke 10:38 (NRSV) Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." 41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her." Luke emphasizes that Christ came for all: all sectors of society, all peoples, and both sexes. Samaritans, despised by Jews, are welcome in the Kingdom. Jesus has told the seventy that proclaiming his message demands unswerving commitment. The lawyer has learnt that his love should be for everyone; if it is, he has eternal life. Now Jesus crosses Jewish cultural bounds: he is alone with women who are not his relatives; a woman serves him; and he teaches a woman in her own house. To sit at someone’s feet (v. 39) was to be his disciple. Mary is Jesus’ disciple. Martha, while devoted to her home, is “distracted” (v. 40) by busy-ness. The “only ... thing” (v. 42) that is really needed is to listen to Jesus’ message and proclaim it. This is the task that Mary has chosen; her role is exemplary. Jesus values Martha’s role, but Mary’s is “better”. (The wording of v. 42a varies among early manuscripts. The differences change the interpretation.) In John 11:1, Martha and Mary are well known; John says that Bethany “is the village of Mary and her sister Martha”. Luke is more cautious in introducing them and shows his limited knowledge of Palestinian geography by not naming the village. [NOAB] Verse 38: “into her home”: While this passage is unique to Luke, he does edit what he received from Mark and Q. He has added 28 references to “home” or “house”. 8:27 and 14:23 contain examples. Household Christianity is in view; women host the Church in their houses. [NJBC] Verse 39: “sat at the Lord's feet”: See also 8:35 (the Gerasene demoniac at Jesus’ feet) and Acts 22:3 (Paul at the feet of Gamaliel). [NJBC] Verses 40-42: BlkLk offers the following rather different translation: But Martha was distracted with all the housework and stood by them and said, ‘Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the housework alone? Tell her then to give me some help!’ In answer the Lord said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and make a fuss about a lot of things, but our need is for few things – or one! For Mary has chosen the best dish, and it will not be taken away from her.’ Verse 40: “tasks”: The Greek word is diakonein. This word became a technical term for Christian ministry, as it is in 2 Corinthians 4:1 (NRSV: “ministry”) and Romans 16:1 (NRSV: “deacon”). As happens so often in Luke’s stories of Jesus’ table fellowship, Jesus, the guest, become the dominant figure, or host, and answers questions about community life: see also 5:29-39; 7:36-50; 11:37-54; 14:1-24; 19:1-10; 24:13-35. [NJBC] Verse 41: “by many things”: Martha is distracted “by many things” which are not important enough to call for excessive attention or worry. [NOAB] Verse 42: With delicate ambiguity, Jesus rebukes Martha’s choice of values; a simple meal (one dish) is sufficient for hospitality. Jesus approves of Mary’s preference for listening to his teaching (thereby accepting a woman as a disciple) as contrasted with Martha’s unneeded acts of hospitality (the more usual woman’s role). [NOAB] Verse 42: “there is need of only one thing”: In other manuscripts this is translated as (1) only a few things are needed, indeed only one and (2) only a few things are needed. (2) seems to indicate that only a few things on the dinner table are needed, while (1) combines this interpretation with that given in Comments. BlkLk says that Jesus begins by protesting that only a few things are wanted for the meal, and he adds as an afterthought that apparently only one thing is needed, his teaching, since Mary is so taken up with it that she does not want anything (else) to eat. CAB says that these sisters represent two possible priorities for Jesus’ followers: service, or listening to his teaching. The latter is the “better part”.