·  18 Bernard Mizeki, Catechist and Martyr in Rhodesia, 1896

·  22 Alban, First Martyr of Britain, c. 304 is venerated as the first recorded British Christian martyr,^[1] and is considered to be the British protomartyr. Along with his fellow s

·  24 The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

·  25 James Weldon Johnson, Poet, 1938

·  26 Isabel Florence Hapgood, Ecumenist and Journalist, 1929

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,"

says 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)

                                    Colossians 1: 24 - 28   (Roman Catholic)

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.

NJBC 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”.