Devotion for Wednesday After the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C (ELCA Daily Lectionary)

Above:  The Shema

Image in the Public Domain

Timeless Principles

MAY 22, 2019

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The Collect:

O Lord God, you teach us that without love, our actions gain nothing.

Pour into our hearts your most excellent gift of love, that,

made alive by your Spirit, we may know goodness and peace,

through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.  Amen.

–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 34

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The Assigned Readings:

Leviticus 19:9-18

Psalm 133

Luke 10:25-28

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Oh, how good and pleasant it is

when brethren live together in unity!

It is like fine oil upon the head

that runs down upon the beard,

Upon the beard of Aaron,

and runs down upon the collar of his robe.

It is like the dew of Hermon

that falls upon the hills of Zion.

For there the LORD has ordained the blessing,

life for evermore.

–Psalm 133, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)

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The brethren cannot live together in unity when some of them exploit others of them economically, mistreat and insult the handicapped, engage in judicial corruption, and/or harbor hatred.

The reading from Luke 10 provides an example of the Bible quoting itself.  There we read to commandments from the Torah:

Love your fellow as yourself

–Leviticus 19:18b, TANAKH:  The Holy Scriptures (1985)

and

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

–Deuteronomy 6:5, TANAKH:  The Holy Scriptures (1985)

These are timeless principles.  Passages such as the rest of Leviticus 9:9-18 contain generalizations and culturally specific details.  They are the sort of material Rabbi Hillel said,

The rest is commentary.  Go and learn it.

How ought we to apply the timeless principles of Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 in our times and places?  May we do so properly and successfully, by grace.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

JANUARY 2, 2016 COMMON ERA

THE NINTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS

THE FEAST OF JOHANN KONRAD WILHELM LOEHE, BAVARIAN LUTHERAN MINISTER AND COORDINATOR OF DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN MISSIONS

THE FEAST OF SABINE BARING-GOULD, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER

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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2016/01/02/timeless-principles/

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