• 
  25 James Weldon Johnson, Poet, 1938
• 26 Isabel Florence Hapgood, Ecumenist and Journalist, 1929
• 27 Cornelius Hill, Priest and Chief among the Oneida, 1907
• 28 Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon, c. 202
• 29 Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles

July

·  1 Harriet Beecher Stowe, Writer and Prophetic Witness, 1896 and Pauli Murray, Lawyer, Poet, Author, Activist, Priest (First African-American Woman ordained in Episcopal Church), 1985

OLD TESTAMENT:   Genesis 21: 8 - 21   (RCL)

Gene 21:8 (NRSV) The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son of Ha'gar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. 10 So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac." 11 The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. 13 As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring." 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Ha'gar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Be'er-she'ba.

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, "Do not let me look on the death of the child." And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Ha'gar from heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Ha'gar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him." 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.

20 God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Par'an; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Jeremiah 20: 7 - 13   (alt. for RCL)

Jeremiah 20: 10 - 13   (Roman Catholic)

Jere 20:7 (NRSV) O LORD, you have enticed me,

and I was enticed;

you have overpowered me,

and you have prevailed.

I have become a laughingstock all day long;

everyone mocks me.

8 For whenever I speak, I must cry out,

I must shout, "Violence and destruction!"

For the word of the LORD has become for me

a reproach and derision all day long.

9 If I say, "I will not mention him,

or speak any more in his name,"

then within me there is something like a burning fire

shut up in my bones;

I am weary with holding it in,

and I cannot.

10 For I hear many whispering:

"Terror is all around!

Denounce him! Let us denounce him!"

All my close friends

are watching for me to stumble.

"Perhaps he can be enticed,

and we can prevail against him,

and take our revenge on him."

11 But the LORD is with me like a dread warrior;

therefore my persecutors will stumble,

and they will not prevail.

They will be greatly shamed,

for they will not succeed.

Their eternal dishonor

will never be forgotten.

12 O LORD of hosts, you test the righteous,

you see the heart and the mind;

let me see your retribution upon them,

for to you I have committed my cause.

13 Sing to the LORD;

praise the LORD!

For he has delivered the life of the needy

from the hands of evildoers.

PSALM 86: 1 - 10, 16 - 17   (RCL)

Psal 86:1 (NRSV) Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

2 Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;

save your servant who trusts in you.

You are my God; 3 be gracious to me, O Lord,

for to you do I cry all day long.

4 Gladden the soul of your servant,

for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.

6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;

listen to my cry of supplication.

7 In the day of my trouble I call on you,

for you will answer me.

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours.

9 All the nations you have made shall come

and bow down before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

10 For you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me;

give your strength to your servant;

save the child of your serving girl.

17 Show me a sign of your favor,

so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame,

because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

86   Inclina, Domine   (ECUSA BCP)

1               Bow down your ear, O Lord, and answer me, *

     for I am poor and in misery.

2               Keep watch over my life, for I am faithful; *

     save your servant who puts his trust in you.

3               Be merciful to me, O LORD, for you are my God; *

     I call upon you all the day long.

4               Gladden the soul of your servant, *

     for to you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.

5               For you, O LORD, are good and forgiving, *

     and great is your love toward all who call upon you.

6               Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer, *

     and attend to the voice of my supplications.

7               In the time of my trouble I will call upon you, *

     for you will answer me.

8               Among the gods there is none like you, O LORD, *

     nor anything like your works.

9               All the nations you have made will come and

                              worship you, O LORD, *

     and glorify your Name.

10             For you are great;

you do wondrous things; *

     and you alone are God.

16             Turn to me and have mercy upon me; *

     give your strength to your servant;

     and save the child of your handmaid.

17             Show me a sign of your favor,

so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed; *

            because you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Psalm 69: 7 - 10 (11 - 15) 16 - 18   (alt. for RCL)

Psalm 69: 7 - 9, 13, 16, 32 - 34   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 69:7 (NRSV) It is for your sake that I have borne reproach,

that shame has covered my face.

8 I have become a stranger to my kindred,

an alien to my mother's children.

9 It is zeal for your house that has consumed me;

the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

10 When I humbled my soul with fasting,

they insulted me for doing so.

11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,

I became a byword to them.

12 I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate,

and the drunkards make songs about me.

13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD.

At an acceptable time, O God,

in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me.

With your faithful help 14 rescue me

from sinking in the mire;

let me be delivered from my enemies

and from the deep waters.

15 Do not let the flood sweep over me,

or the deep swallow me up,

or the Pit close its mouth over me.

16 Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good;

according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.

17 Do not hide your face from your servant,

for I am in distress-make haste to answer me.

18 Draw near to me, redeem me,

set me free because of my enemies.

32 Let the oppressed see it and be glad;

you who seek God, let your hearts revive.

33 For the LORD hears the needy,

and does not despise his own that are in bonds.

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,

the seas and everything that moves in them.

Note: Verse numbering in most Psalters and in Roman Catholic Bibles is different from the above.

69   Salvum me fac   (ECUSA BCP)

8  Surely, for your sake have I suffered reproach, *

     and shame has covered my face.

9  I have become a stranger to my own kindred, *

     an alien to my mother's children.

10  Zeal for your house has eaten me up; *

     the scorn of those who scorn you has fallen upon me.

11  I humbled myself with fasting, *

     but that was turned to my reproach.

12  I put on sack-cloth also, *

     and became a byword among them.

13  Those who sit at the gate murmur against me, *

     and the drunkards make songs about me.

14  But as for me, this is my prayer to you, *

     at the time you have set, O Lord:

15  "In your great mercy, O God, *

     answer me with your unfailing help.

16  Save me from the mire; do not let me sink; *

     let me be rescued from those who hate me

     and out of the deep waters.

17  Let not the torrent of waters wash over me,

neither let the deep swallow me up; *

     do not let the Pit shut its mouth upon me.

18  Answer me, O Lord, for your love is kind; *

     in your great compassion, turn to me."

19             “Hide not your face from your servant; *

     be swift and answer me, for I am in distress.

20             Draw near to me and redeem me; *

     because of my enemies deliver me.

NEW TESTAMENT:   Romans 6: 1b - 11   (RCL)

Roma 6:1 (NRSV) Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For whoever has died is freed from sin. 8 But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 5: 12 - 15   (Roman Catholic)

Roma 5:12 (NRSV) Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned-- 13 sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14 Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man's trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 16 And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17 If, because of the one man's trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. 19 For just as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

h/t Montreal Anglican

Paul has written of life before Christ: death was final, and “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” ( 5:20). He now asks rhetorically: are we to go on sinning in order to receive even more grace? (Is this the basis for Christian morality?) His answer is definitely not!, and another question (v. 2). Baptism makes the difference for Christians. In baptism, we die to sin. We are baptised into Christ's death, as well as into his resurrection. We too are raised from death by the Father, so that we may “walk” (v. 4) in the new life. Walking implies conscience-based ethical conduct. There is no room for wanton sin in such a life.
Just as we have been grafted on to Christ in his death, so we too will share with him through a resurrection like his (v. 5). We know that we ceased to be dominated by sin and divine wrath (“our old self”, v. 6) when we were baptised. This removed the effects of our waywardness, our enslavement to sin, but makes us ethically responsible for our actions. This is what baptism does (v. 7). Dying with Christ also includes living with him. Because Christ has risen, he will “never die again” (v. 9) – this is unique, once-for-all-time act, an anticipation of the age to come. And then the answer to the question in v. 2: Christ “died to sin” in the sense that sinless, he died rather than disobey the Father, and in the context of a sinful world. He was raised by the Father (v. 4) in order that he might live “to God” (v. 10, as he has always done.) So, as Christ is the model for our lives, and it is he upon whom our lives are grafted, we too must leave sin behind and be “alive to God” (v. 11) in Christ.

5:19: “one man’s disobedience ... one man’s obedience”: i.e. Adam’s disobedience and Jesus’ obedience. [ NOAB]
5:20: This is explained in 7:7-13. With the giving of the Law, there were then specific rules which could be broken – and broken they were. Waywardness existed before the Law was given, and it then increased. [ NOAB]
5:21: “dominion”: Paul writes in v. 14: “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace”. [ CAB]
6:1: As in 3:1-20, Paul anticipates questions which might come from his readers. and then proceeds to answer them. This form of rhetoric, developed in Greek philosophical debate, was called diatribe. See also 3:5; 4:1; 7:7; 9:14, 30. [ CAB]
6:1: That the question is raised repeatedly (see also 3:8 and 6:15) shows that people did not understand Paul's theology. Another way of putting the question is: if God brings about salvation of humans through Christ, as a sheer gift, why try to live an upright life? In 3:8, the question is phrased as: “And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say), ‘Let us do evil so that good may come’?” and in 6:15: “Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace?”. [ CAB]
6:2: “who died to sin”: See also 5:12-21. [ NJBC]
6:3: “Do you not know”: A frequent phrase in Paul’s writings, usually indicating something his readers already know well. It is also found in 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:2; 9:24. [ CAB]
6:3: “baptised into Christ Jesus”: It is possible that this reflects the imagery of baptism by immersion, but it certainly speaks of a movement of incorporation by which one is born to life in Christ.
6:3: “baptised into his death”: In Galatians 2:20, Paul writes: “... it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”, and in 2 Corinthians 4:8-10: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed ... always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies”. [ CAB]
6:4: A basic Christian confession of faith from the earliest traditions of the Church. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 expresses the same ideas: “For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures ...”, as does Colossians 2:12: “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”. [ CAB]
6:4: “buried”: The Greek word is synthapein, literally meaning co-buried. [ NJBC]
6:4: “glory of the Father”: In the Old Testament (see Exodus 16:7, 10), exodus miracles are ascribed to Yahweh’s kabod (glory); so too here is the rising of Christ. [ NJBC]
6:4: “walk”: A favourite Pauline expression borrowed from the Old Testament (see 2 Kings 20:3, Hezekiah prays to Yahweh, and Proverbs 8:20) to designate the conscious ethical conduct of the Christian. [ NJBC]
6:4: “newness of life”: See also Galatians 2:20. Through baptism, we are identified with the glorified Christ, enabling us to live actually with the life of Christ. [ NJBC] [ CAB]
6:4: “we too might walk in newness of life”: Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:7: “ we walk by faith, not by sight” and in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!”. [ CAB]
6:5-8: Paul says of the baptised Christian what he says of Christ himself in vv. 9-10. [ NJBC]
6:5: “been united with him”: Another syn word in Greek: synphytoi, literally grown together, as when a young branch is grafted onto a tree, it grows together with the tree and is nourished by it. [ NJBC]
6:5: “we will certainly ...”: For Paul, the resurrection of Christians is a future event, an eschatological one, but the renewal of Christian life is a present reality. [ NJBC]
6:6: “our old self”: NJBC offers the self we once were.
6:6: “was crucified with him”: See also Galatians 2:20. In Galatians 5:24, Paul writes: “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires”, and in Galatians 6:14: “May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world”. [ NJBC]
6:6: “the body of sin might be destroyed”: NJBC offers to do away with our sinful self. Probably the whole human is intended, both the former orientation of one’s very being and physical tendency to sin.
6:6: “no longer be enslaved to sin”: See also Galatians 2:20 and 2 Corinthians 5:17, quoted above. We have a new orientation. [ CAB]
6:7: There are two possible meanings:

• The Jewish notion that death of a guilty person ends all litigation, or
• One who has died has lost the very means of sinning. [ NJBC]

Both infer that a person’s status has changed.
6:8: “we have died with Christ”: i.e. through baptism. [ NJBC]
6:8: “we believe”: New life is not something seen in the normal sense, but with the eyes of faith; however, as v. 4 suggests, we already enjoy a share in this life. In 2 Corinthians 4:11-12, Paul writes: “For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you”. [ NJBC]
6:9: “Christ ... will never die again”: The parallel for the Christian is that he/she is freed from the finality of death. [ NJBC]
6:10: “he died to sin”: In 2 Corinthians 5:21, Paul puts the point a little differently: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God”. [ NJBC]
6:10: “he lives to God”: Since his resurrection, Christ enjoys a new relationship with the Father, into which he also introduces all who are baptised. In Galatians 2:19, Paul says: “For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ”. [ NJBC]
6:11: “consider yourselves”: NJBC offers think of yourselves. He goes on to interpret the verse as saying: deepen your faith continually to become psychologically aware of your union with God.
6:11: “in Christ Jesus”: As in 2 Corinthians 5:17, life in Christ is the new sphere of existence, a totally transformed way of looking at life and the world. [ CAB]

GOSPEL:   Matthew 10: 24 - 39   (RCL)

                    Matthew 10: 26 - 33   (Roman Catholic)

Matt 10:24 (NRSV)  "A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beel'zebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!

26 "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

32 "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

34 "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

35 For I have come to set a man against his father,

and a daughter against her mother,

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

36 and one's foes will be members of one's own household.

37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

Jesus continues to prepare the twelve for the continuation of his mission. He is both “teacher” and “master”. His disciples are students. There is so much to learn that they should never set themselves up as authorities independent of him. He has been called “Beelzebul”, (v. 25, the prince of demons); his disciples will be called worse. Do not be intimidated. At the end of the era, all ungodly and godly behaviour, now hidden, will be made known (v. 26). Now is the time to proclaim all that Jesus has told his disciples privately (v. 27). Do not fear your persecutors for they can only end your physical life; rather hold God in awe, for he can “destroy” (v. 28) you totally if you do not do his will. God cares for the life of even a sparrow (v. 29, sold as food in the market), so “do not be afraid” (v. 31) of losing the real life. Honest and forthright witness – and outright refusal to do so – will have eternal consequences (vv. 32-33). At the Last Day, Jesus will testify to the Father for those who have witnessed faithfully; he will declare those who turn against the gospel unworthy of life in the Kingdom.
Jesus gives a new interpretation to Micah 7:6, a verse thought to foretell the breakdown of society as the end-times approach (vv. 34-36). Spreading the gospel will have unfortunate side-effects. There will be tension and division (even within families) between those who accept Jesus’ message, and the demands it makes, and those who oppose his way. Christians must put loyalty to him above family loyalties (v. 37). Following Jesus involves the risk of death (“cross”, v. 38). Finally, a paradox: if one aims to preserve one’s earthly life, one will lose all (“life”, v. 39), but one who dies for Jesus will find true life, eternal life.

Verses 24-25: The background of these verses is the Jewish scholastic system of the time. When a student had learnt all he could from a teacher, he either studied under another teacher or set himself up as a teacher himself – with a distinctive philosophy/theology or school of thinking.
Verse 24: “above”: BlkMt offers superior.
Verse 25: The subordinate (“disciple” or “slave”) cannot expect better treatment than his superior receives. Jesus the teacher and master has been ridiculed and opposed; the Cross lies ahead. The apostles can expect similar treatment, and must be ready to suffer what he suffers. [ BlkMt]
Verse 25: “the master of the house”: Jesus is the master of the household of those committed to the Kingdom. [ BlkMt]
Verse 25: “Beelzebul”: He is obviously related to “Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron”, to whom Ahaziah sends messengers to seek a cure after he falls and is injured (see 2 Kings 1:2) and whom Elijah repudiates (see 2 Kings 1:6). [ BlkMt] In 12:24, Jesus is accused of working with the prince of demons (Satan).
Verses 26-33: See also Luke 12:2-9.
Verse 26: Unlike the Essenes [probably meaning the Qumran community] (and later the Gnostics), Jesus was opposed to secret doctrines known only to initiates.
Verse 26: On Judgement Day, all that is “secret” now (e.g. the wickedness of opponents, the loyalty or cowardice of disciples) will “become known”. [ BlkMt]
Verse 28: Hebrews 10:29-31 speaks of the “punishment ... deserved by those who have spurned the Son of God ...” and then states: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”. This verse seems to presuppose the Hellenistic idea of the immortality of the soul. 1 Timothy 6:16 says: “It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honour and eternal dominion”.
Verse 28: The disciples must not fear hostile people and so become silent or distort their witness. [ BlkMt]
Verse 28: “the soul”: i.e. one’s true self. [ BlkMt]
Verse 28: “destroy”: It is possible that the Greek means torment rather than annihilate.
Verse 28: “hell”: The Greek word is Gehenna. This was the valley of Hinnon (ge’Hinnon) outside Jerusalem where garbage (rubbish) was gathered and burned. Per 2 Kings 23:10, Hinnon had been the site of child sacrifice: see also Jeremiah 7:31; 19:5-6. It provided a physical reminder of the place of eternal punishment. See 1 Enoch 27:2; 90:24-26; 2 Esdras 7:36. [ JBC]
Verses 29-33: See also 6:26-33.
Verse 29: “sparrows”: Sparrows were the cheapest form of life.
Verse 29: “apart from your Father”: BlkMt offers without your Father’s knowledge.
Verses 32-33: See also vv. 40-42, Mark 8:38 and Luke 9:26.
Verse 32: “acknowledges ... acknowledge”: BlkMt offers confesses ... confess.
Verse 33: Here the Father is the judge at the end of time.
Comments : Jesus gives a new interpretation to Micah 7:6: Micah 7:5-6 says: “Put no trust in a friend, have no confidence in a loved one; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your embrace; for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; your enemies are members of your own household. But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me”.
Verses 34-38: While to Jesus the family has a basic role in society, a family is what God means it to be only if and when it is loyal to God. In 12:46-50, Jesus is told that his mother and brothers wish to see him. “Pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers!’”. The stronger tie is to his mission. [ BlkMt]
Verses 37-39: See also 16:24-25; 19:29; Mark 8:34-35; Luke 9:24-25; 14:27; 17:33; John 12:25.

18 Bernard Mizeki, Catechist and Martyr in Rhodesia, 1896  was an African Christian missionary and martyr.

22 Alban, First Martyr of Britain, c. 304 is venerated as the first-recorded British Christian martyr,[1] and he is considered to be the British protomartyr. Along with fellow Saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three named martyrs recorded at an early date from Roman Britain ("Amphibalus" was the name given much later to the priest he was said to have been protected).

24 The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

25 James Weldon Johnson, Poet, 1938

OLD TESTAMENT:   Genesis 18: 1 - 15, (21: 1 - 7)   (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." And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?" 13 The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, and say, "Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too wonderful for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son." 15 But Sarah denied, saying, "I did not laugh"; for she was afraid. He said, "Oh yes, you did laugh."

Gene 21:1 (NRSV) The LORD dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as he had promised. 2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Now Sarah said, "God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me." 7 And she said, "Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."

Exodus 19: 2 - 8a   (alt. for RCL)

Exodus 19: 2 - 6a   (Roman Catholic)

Exod 19:2 (NRSV) They had journeyed from Reph'idim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. 3 Then Moses went up to God; the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, "Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: 4 You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, 6 but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites."

7 So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. 8 The people all answered as one: "Everything that the LORD has spoken we will do."

PSALM 116: 1 - 2, 12 - 19   (RCL)

Psal 116:1 (NRSV) I love the LORD, because he has heard

my voice and my supplications.

2 Because he inclined his ear to me,

therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

12 What shall I return to the LORD

for all his bounty to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the LORD,

14 I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the LORD

is the death of his faithful ones.

16 O LORD, I am your servant;

I am your servant, the child of your serving girl.

You have loosed my bonds.

17 I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice

and call on the name of the LORD.

18 I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people,

19 in the courts of the house of the LORD,

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD!

Note: Verse numbering in your Psalter may not agree with the above.

116   Dilexi, quoniam   (ECUSA BCP)

1               I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of

                              my supplication, *

     because he has inclined his ear to me whenever

                              I called upon him.

10             How shall I repay the Lord *

     for all the good things he has done for me?

11             I will lift up the cup of salvation *

     and call upon the Name of the Lord.

12             I will fulfill my vows to the Lord *

     in the presence of all his people.

13             Precious in the sight of the Lord *

     is the death of his servants.

14             O Lord, I am your servant; *

     I am your servant and the child of your handmaid;

     you have freed me from my bonds.

15             I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving *

     and call upon the Name of the Lord.

16             I will fulfill my vows to the Lord *

     in the presence of all his people,

17             In the courts of the Lord’s house, *

     in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

     Hallelujah!

Psalm 100   (alt. for RCL)

Psalm 100: 1 - 3, 5   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 100:1 (NRSV) Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness;

come into his presence with singing.

3 Know that the LORD is God.

It is he that made us, and we are his;

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him, bless his name.

5 For the LORD is good;

his steadfast love endures forever,

and his faithfulness to all generations.

100   Jubilate Deo   (ECUSA BCP)

1  Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; *

     serve the Lord with gladness

     and come before his presence with a song.

2  Know this: The Lord himself is God; *

     he himself has made us, and we are his;

     we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

3  Enter his gates with thanksgiving;

go into his courts with praise; *

     give thanks to him and call upon his Name.

4  For the Lord is good;

his mercy is everlasting; *

     and his faithfulness endures from age to age.

NEW TESTAMENT:   Romans 5: 1 - 8   (RCL)

                                      Romans 5: 6 - 11   (Roman Catholic)

Roma 5:1 (NRSV) Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we Or [let us]} also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9 Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

h/t Montreal Anglican

Paul has already demonstrated that “we are justified by faith”. Justified is found worthy in God’s court. He says that there are three consequences of being justified:

·  “peace with God”, a state of harmony with him,

·  “hope” (v. 2) of sharing his power and eternal life, and

·  being reconciled with him.

It is through Christ that we have “access to this grace”, this blessed state of harmony. We also bask in the glory (“boast”) of “our sufferings” (v. 3, and not our accomplishments). Through a progression from them to patient “endurance” under spiritual duress, to maturity in the faith (“character”, v. 4) we come to hope. This is hope of a certainty (“does not disappoint”, v. 5) for God’s love enters and permeates our very beings “through the Holy Spirit” (which is also God’s gift.) “For while we were still weak” (v. 6, i.e. before we knew Christ), at the appropriate time in God’s plan, “Christ died for the ungodly”. It would be rare enough for anyone to die for a pious (“righteous”, v. 7) person, and perhaps a bit more likely for a particularly “good person” to do so, but Christ sacrificed his life for us when we were neither: we were sinners without hope then!

Paul develops these ideas further in 8:1-39: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death ...”. [ NJBC]
Verse 1: “justified by faith”: This is the theme of 3:21-31. [ CAB]
Verse 1: “peace”: In Hebrew, this is shalom, the state of being in which one enjoys all the benefits of a right relationship with God, namely partnership in reconciliation, eternal well-being and wholeness of life. Being justified is very similar, although it implies action.
Verse 1: “through our Lord Jesus Christ”: Christ is active as the mediator, the interface between the Father and humans, in carrying out God’s plan of/for salvation. In some form or other, Paul makes frequent use of this phrase in this chapter: see also vv. 2, 9, 11, 17, 21. [ JBC] He writes in 1:5: “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 2:16. “Through” means mediated by, in the Father’s plan of salvation. [ NJBC]
Verse 2: “obtained access”: JBC offers secured an introduction. We have been introduced into the sphere of divine favour through Christ. He has, as it were, led Christians into the royal audience chamber and into the divine presence.
Verse 2: “we boast in our hope ...”: In contrast to the boasting by Jews of their relationship to God mentioned in 2:17: “But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God”. [ CAB]
Verses 2,3,11: “boast”: In Paul’s writings, this word is sometimes meant in the obvious sense, but not here. Basking in glory is what he means here. [ NJBC]
Verse 3: “boast in our sufferings”: Paul also uses the word “boast” in 2 Corinthians 11:30; 12:9 and also 1 Corinthians 1:31; 3:21; 2 Corinthians 10:17; Galatians 6:13; Philippians 3:3. [ CAB]
Verse 3: “endurance”: See also 8:25 (where the Greek word is translated as “patience”) and 15:4-5. [CAB]
Verse 4: “character”: The Greek word is dokime, from a verb meaning to test, so the sense is proven-ness under testing. [ CAB]
Verse 4: “hope”: Openness to God’s future. [ CAB]
Verse 5: “and hope”: The sense is easier to see if we insert such between and and hope. A human may disappoint one by not doing what he or she commits to do, but God is not like this. [ NJBC]
Verses 5,8: “God’s love has been poured ... through the Holy Spirit”, “Christ”: In v. 5, God is the Father. These verses lead later to the doctrine of the Trinity.
Verse 5: “poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit”: In the Old Testament and Apocrypha, pouring out of a divine attribute is commonplace: for example, mercy in Sirach 18:11, wisdom in Sirach 1:9, grace in Psalm 45:2, and wrath in Hosea 5:10 and Psalm 79:6. See especially Joel 2:28 for the outpouring of the Spirit. [ NJBC]
Verses 6-11: Christ, in his death, has borne the consequences of our sin and thus has reconciled us to God. [ NOAB]
Verse 6: “weak”: NJBC offers helpless.
Verse 6: “Christ died for the ungodly”: Paul writes in 4:5: “But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness”. [ CAB]
Verse 8: God’s love is unconditional, spontaneous, not dependent on human love for him.
Verse 9: “justified by his blood”: This is a restatement of 3:24-25: “they [those who have fallen short of true godliness] are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith ...”. [ CAB] In 4:25, justification is the result of Christ’s resurrection, but here it is the result of his death. [ NOAB]
Verse 10: In Galatians 2:20, Paul writes: “... the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”. [ CAB]
Verse 10: “while we were enemies”: Perhaps Paul thinks partly of himself here, as a former persecutor of Christians.
Verse 11: In 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, Paul writes: “He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord’”. [ CAB]
Verse 11: “we have now received reconciliation”: In 3:21-22, Paul writes: “But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe”. [ NOAB]

GOSPEL:   Matthew 9: 35 - 10: 8 (9 - 23)   (RCL)

                    Matthew 9: 36 - 10: 8   (Roman Catholic)

Matt 9:35 (NRSV) Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." 10:1 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zeb'edee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphae'us, and Thaddae'us; 4 Simon the Cananae'an, and Judas Iscar'iot, the one who betrayed him.

5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim the good news, "The kingdom of heaven has come near.' 8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. 9 Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sod'om and Gomor'rah on the day of judgment than for that town.

16 "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19 When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Matthew has just told us of ten miracles Jesus performed; he has cured people both physically and spiritually. He has “compassion” ( 9:36) on the “crowds” in their leaderless state, “like sheep without a shepherd”; he has announced that the completion of God’s plan, his “harvest” ( 9:37), to return all to godliness, is about to begin. Now he instructs and commissions his disciples.

Both the physically and mentally sick were seen as “unclean” ( 10:1), under the power of evil spirits and so separated from God. Jesus gives the twelve “authority” and power to heal as he heals. (“Apostles”, 10:2, means sent outor commissioned.) As is his practice, their mission is mainly to Jews, “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” ( 10:6, including the marginalised and outcast). The mission to all nations will be announced later ( 28:19). The “good news” ( 10:7), as Jesus and John the Baptist have taught, is that complete union with God is near. Vv. 8-10 should be taken together: the message of salvation is freely available to all; however, emissaries must be supported. Do not waste time preparing for the mission. Missionaries are to depend on the local hospitality of “worthy” ( 10:11) people, i.e. those in favour with God; “greet” ( 10:12) them with the peace of God. Do not waste time on people who are not open to the gospel ( 10:14); God will judge them harshly, as he did the ungodly in “Sodom and Gomorrah” ( 10:15). Being an emissary for Christ will not be easy: be wary and sincere. Some will prey on you like “wolves” ( 10:16), bringing you before regional sanhedrins (“councils”, 10:17) and having you flogged. Some will bring charges against you to Roman prefects (“governors”, 10:18) and vassal “kings” under the Romans. Your endurance under persecution (“testimony”) will demonstrate to them and the world the validity of the gospel. At such times, the Holy Spirit will prompt you to witness to the good news. The era of the Church is the era of the end times; as prophesied by Micah, these will be times of betrayal ( 10:21) and hatred: particularly of those active in Christ’s cause. However, persistent patience in the face of suffering will lead to salvation, to citizenship in God’s kingdom. The early Church understood 10:23b as foretelling Jesus’ return in their lifetimes. To us, it is perplexing.

9:35-38: Very similar words are found in 4:23-25. [ NOAB]
9:36: Jesus’ compassion for the crowds, who are disadvantaged, is also found in Mark 6:34; Matthew 14:14; 15:32. [ NOAB]
9:36: “compassion”: The Greek word shows that the abdomen was seen as the seat of emotions. [ NJBC]
9:36: “like sheep without a shepherd”: Shepherd imagery is common throughout the Old Testament, where it is used for political and religious leadership: see Numbers 27:17; Ezekiel 34:5; 1 Kings 22:17; 2 Chronicles 18:16; Zechariah 10:2; 13:7. In Matthew, it recurs in 10:6; 15:24; 18:12; 26:31. [ NJBC]
9:38: “ask”: NJBC offers pray to.
10:1-4: The parallels are Mark 6:7; 3:13-19; Luke 9:1; 6:12-16. [ NOAB]
10:1: “his twelve disciples”: Normally in Matthew Jesus’ followers are a wider group. Matthew presupposes that they have been called earlier, though he only describes the calling of four: see 4:18-22. The number of disciples corresponds to the number of the tribes of Israel: a point brought out by Jesus in 19:28. The number symbolises the restoration of all Israel. [ NJBC]
10:2-4: The names listed here are the same as in the basic core of other lists: see Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:13. However, there are differences in some of the less well-known figures. [ NJBC]
10:2: “first, Simon, ...”: For Peter’s primacy, see also 16:17-19. [ NJBC]
10:3: “Matthew the tax collector”: 9:9 tells of Matthew’s calling: “As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him”. [ NJBC]
10:4: “Simon the Cananaean”: i.e. a nationalist. In Luke 6:15, he is called a zealot.
10:4: “Judas Iscariot”: Iscariot may refer to Judas’ origin in Kerioth, a town west of the Dead Sea. On the other hand, the word may mean liar. [ NJBC]
10:4-15: The parallels are Mark 6:8-11. Luke 9:2-5; 10:3-12. [ NOAB]
10:5: “sent out”: In the Greek, this verb has the same root as the noun apostle. [ BlkMt]
10:5: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles”: In 15:24, Jesus says: “‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel’”. [ NJBC]
10:6: “the lost sheep of the house of Israel”: Per Ezekiel 34:2-6, this includes those who have strayed and those who have been marginalised. In Matthew, besides 28:19, an openness to non-Jews is also perceptible in 10:18; 3:9; 8:11ff; 21:43; 22:1-14; 23:38-39. V. 18 seems to imply the existence of a mission to non-Jews. [ NJBC]
10:7-8: The primary message: through accepting the nearness of the Kingdom (or at least being open to the possibility of its nearness), healing will follow. See also 4:17, 23; 9:21, 35. [ NOAB]
10:7: Comments: as Jesus and John the Baptist have taught : In 4:17, Jesus advises: “‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’”; in 3:2 tells us that John the Baptist proclaimed: “‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near’”. [ NJBC]
10:8: “You received without payment”: This is a surprisingly Pauline phrase: see Romans 3:24 and 2 Corinthians 11:7. Ability to pay must never be a condition of hearing the good news. The rabbis shared this idea: Hillel, the great first century rabbinic scholar, said: He that makes worldly use of the crown shall perish ( Mishna ’Abot 1.13; 2.20; 3.18; 4.5). [ NJBC]
10:9-10: See also Luke 22:35-36, verses that suggest the wariness Jesus advises here in vv. 16-18. Gold, silver or copper (coins) were carried in the belt when travelling. The Marcan parallel permits sandals and a staff (for beating off thieves and wild animals). A connection with Mishna Berakot 9.5 may be intended: one may not enter the Temple in this gear. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]
10:10: “tunics”: A short-sleeved garment of knee length, held in at the waist with a girdle. [ NOAB]
10:12: “greet”: The usual (Jewish) form of greeting was: Peace be on this house. [ NOAB]
10:15: “Sodom and Gomorrah”: For the story of these cities, see Genesis 18:16-33; 19. [ NOAB]
10:16: In 24:9, Jesus warns “‘Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name’”. See also 24:13.
10:16: “wise as serpents”: The REB offers wary. See also Romans 16:19 and 1 Corinthians 14:20. Note also Midrash Canticles 2.14: God says of the Israelites, towards me they are sincere as doves, but towards the Gentiles they are prudent as serpents . This is a late text – which may show that Matthew was known to the author, or that the saying was proverbial. See also Luke 16:8 (The parable of the Dishonest Manager). [ NJBC]
10:18-25: The parallels are Mark 13:9-13 and Luke 21:12-17, 19.
10:17: “their synagogues”: Perhaps in contrast to Jewish-Christian synagogues (see James 2:2, where “assembly” is literally synagogue) but perhaps indicating that Matthew’s community has already been banned from synagogues. Mishna Sanhedrin contains the rules for judging in synagogues; Mishna Makkot tells of flogging.
10:18: “governors”: NJBC offers prefects.
10:19: This verse should not be taken as an excuse for not preparing sermons! [ NJBC]
10:20: See also John 16:7-11. In contrast with the Marcan parallel, Matthew stresses that the Holy Spirit is the spirit of the Father. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]
10:21: In 10:35-36, Jesus says: “‘For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's foes will be members of one's own household’”. See also Luke 12:52-53. [ NOAB]
10:21: “children will rise against parents ...”: In Micah 7:5-6 sees the sorry state of society in his time, and advises: “Put no trust in a friend, ... for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; your enemies are members of your own household”. [ NJBC]
10:23: The simplest (but not very satisfactory) interpretation is that Jesus expected to return after an interval which he left undetermined in detail. In Mark 13:32, Jesus says that he does not know when the end-times will come. Perhaps Jesus is saying that the Church will never reach all who are willing to listen to the good news. [ NJBC]
10:24-25: The “disciple” here is the learner or student. Jesus is the only teacher and abiding lord. One should see oneself as a life-long student of God’s ways and not set oneself up as an authority. (The Gnostics saw Jesus as one of many teachers: see Gospel of Thomas 1.3.) [ NJBC]
10:25: “Beelzebul”:2 Kings 1:2 speaks of “Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron”, a town in Philistine territory. The Israelites considered this god an unworthy rival to Yahweh. They changed it to Beelzebul meaning lord of dung. In the inter-testamental period, Beelzebul was a name used to designate the leader of the forces of evil. Jesus calls him “the prince of demons” (Matthew 12:24-27; Mark 3:22-26; Luke 11:15-19). [ HBD]