Archive for the ‘Psalm 19’ Tag
Above: Moses with the Ten Commandments, by Rembrandt van Rijn
Image in the Public Domain
Covenants
MARCH 3, 2024
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19:7-14
1 Corinthians 1:22-25
John 2:13-22
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Eternal Lord, your kingdom has broken into our troubled world
through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son.
Help us to hear your Word and obey it,
so that we become instruments of your redeeming love;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 18
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Almighty God, because you know
that we of ourselves have no strength,
keep us both outwardly and inwardly that we may be defended
from all adversities that may happen to the body
and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 36
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Anti-intellectualism, rife in segments of the Christian tradition, is unfortunate and destructive. I, as an intellectual, recall being int the presence of professing Christians who have spoken dismissively of education and of having a faith allegedly superior to those of educated people. I also recall hearing to my face that I will go to Hell for asking too many questions and thinking too much. I bristle whenever I sense that anyone is even getting close to this attitude.
Willful ignorance is not a saving work. Neither is it a theological virtue.
The wisdom in 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 is speculative, philosophical wisdom of the Greek variety. As much as I value the Greek philosophical foundations of Western civilization, I do not mistake them for anything salvific. In context in 1 Corinthians, the message of St. Paul the Apostle is that salvation via Christ violates expectations, whether from Jewish tradition or Greek philosophy. In other words, God refuses to fit into our theological and philosophical boxes.
Instead of speculative wisdom, we have a covenant with God. We have a covenant into which God invites us–Jesus and Gentiles alike. Actually, the Jews have the older covenant. The Gentiles have a separate covenant. Both covenants lead to the same result. Both covenants impose moral demands upon those in covenant relationship with God. Those moral demands pertain to how we treat each other, both individually and collectively. Those moral demands boil down to the Golden Rule.
So, Jews and Gentile Christians alike can say, with equal conviction:
The LORD’s teaching is perfect,
restoring to life.
The LORD’s pact is steadfast,
it makes the fool wise.
The LORD’s precepts are upright;
delighting the heart.
–Psalm 19:8-9a, Robert Alter
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 16, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE TWENTIETH DAY OF LENT
THE FEAST OF SAINT ADALBALD OF OSTEVANT, SAINT RICTRUDIS OF MARCHIENNES, AND THEIR RELATIONS
THE FEAST OF SAINT ABRAHAM KIDUNAIA, ROMAN CATHOLIC HERMIT; AND SAINT MARY OF EDESSA, ROMAN CATHOLIC ANCHORESS
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN CACCIAFRONTE, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK, ABBOT, BISHOP, AND MARTYR, 1183
THE FEAST OF SAINT MEGINGAUD OF WURZBURG, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK AND BISHOP
THE FEAST OF THOMAS WYATT TURNER, U.S. ROMAN CATHOLIC SCIENTIST, EDUCATOR, AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST; FOUNDER OF FEDERATED COLORED CATHOLICS
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM HENRY MONK, ANGLICAN ORGANIST, HYMN TUNE COMPOSER, AND MUSIC EDUCATOR
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Link to the corresponding post at BLOGA THEOLOGICA
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Above: The Miracle of the Catch of 153 Fish
Image in the Public Domain
Positive Identity
MAY 1, 2022
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The Collect:
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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The Assigned Readings:
Acts 15:1-11
Psalm 19
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
John 21:1-14
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Psalm 19 tells us that divine teaching is perfect and that it renews life and makes the simple wise. Objectively, circumcision is part of the Law of Moses (Leviticus 12:3). Objectively, circumcision is a Biblical practice since Genesis 17:9-14. One need not think of of Judaizers at the time of earliest Christianity as evil people.
Yet consider the argument of St. Paul the Apostle in Acts 15:7b-12, O reader. Why ignore the absence of any mention of circumcision in Deuteronomy? Why overlook the references to “circumcision of the heart” in Deuteronomy 10:16 and 30:6? And why value circumcision of the flesh more than “circumcision of the heart” (Jeremiah 9:25-36)? Why overlook the lesser emphasis on physical circumcision before the Babylonian Exile relative to during and after the Babylonian Exile?
Circumcision was also a matter of identity. It marked a man as belonging to the covenant.
One person’s mark of identity can be another person’s barrier, though. This is where the reading from Acts 15 hits home for you, O reader, and for me. Each of us has something that is a matter of spiritual identity. That something is also an obstacle to someone else. How can we remain faithful to God without throwing out the proverbial bathwater? How can we know what we must retain at all costs? I offer no easy answers to challenging questions.
The reading from 2 Thessalonians 2 refers to apostasy–turning away from God. Returning to fishing in John 21 may not have constituted apostasy, but it was a bad idea. The question of what to do next was challenging. The old and familiar pattern had an appeal. Continuing to follow Jesus was a better idea.
May we find our identity in following Jesus.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JANUARY 11, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT THEODOSIUS THE CENOBIARCH, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONK
THE FEAST OF CHARLES WILLIAM EVEREST, EPISCOPAL PRIEST, POET, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF MIEP GIES, RIGHTEOUS GENTILE
THE FEAST OF SAINT PAULINUS II OF AQUILEIA, ROMAN CATHOLIC PATRIARCH OF AQUILEIA
THE FEAST OF RICHARD FREDERICK LITTLEDALE, ANGLICAN PRIEST AND TRANSLATOR OF HYMNS
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2021/01/11/positive-identity-part-ii/
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Above: Daniel in the Lions’ Den
Image in the Public Domain
Execution and Character Assassination
MARCH 3, 2024
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The Collect:
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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The Assigned Readings:
Daniel 6:4-24
Psalm 19
2 Timothy 2:16-26
Mark 14:12-25
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As I wrote in the previous post in this lectionary series, Darius the Mede, supposed predecessor of Cyrus II after the Persian conquest of the Chaldean/Neo-Babylonian Empire, was ahistorical and contradictory of other Biblical accounts. Attempts to explain “Darius the Mede” away by claiming that “king” is a translation error have not convinced me, for the text of Daniel 6 states plainly that he was a predecessor of Cyrus II. (The word translated “king” can also refer to another high-ranking government official; that is an accurate statement. However, read Chapter 6 from beginning to end and place the end and the beginning of that chapter in context of each other.) The author of Daniel 6 wrote theology, not history.
I stand with the facts. While doing so, I ponder the theology of the story of Daniel in the lions’ den, relate the story to other readings, and create a devotional post that covers the four assigned lessons.
I do not wish to attempt to reduce the causes of the crucifixion of Jesus to just one, for I know better than that. When I read Mark 14:12-25 beside Daniel 6, however, I detect a common thread–the jealousy of people of lesser character. Psalm 19 extols the Law of God. A servant of God seeks to be as blameless as possible. That is consistent with the advice in 2 Timothy 2:16-26.
Both Daniel and Jesus became threats, because of who they were and how good they were, to people of lesser character. In the fictional account of Daniel and the lions’ den, Daniel emerged unscathed. Jesus of Nazareth died terribly, however. Then he rose again a few days later, of course.
We mere mortals are imperfect; we all have proverbial skeletons in the closet. The best of us is not proud of certain deeds he or she has committed, as well as certain sins of omission. Perhaps we will not be at risk of murder or another form of killing, but character assassination can be a great peril. This is especially true in the digital age; nothing really goes away on the Internet, and social media is frequently a cesspool.
When we recognize someone who is morally superior to us, we need to confess our sins and seek to become better people, not seek to destroy that person. We have the Golden Rule to obey, after all.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JUNE 22, 2019 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT ALBAN, FIRST BRITISH MARTYR
THE FEAST OF DESIDERIUS ERASMUS, DUTCH ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, BIBLICAL AND CLASSICAL SCHOLAR, AND CONTROVERSIALIST; SAINT JOHN FISHER, ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC CLASSICAL SCHOLAR, BISHOP OF ROCHESTER, CARDINAL, AND MARTYR; AND SAINT THOMAS MORE, ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC CLASSICAL SCHOLAR, JURIST, THEOLOGIAN, CONTROVERSIALIST, AND MARTYR
THE FEAST OF GERHARD GIESCHEN, U.S. LUTHERAN MINISTER AND HYMN TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF SAINT PAULINUS OF YORK, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF NOLA
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2019/06/22/execution-and-character-assassination/
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Above: Icon of the Resurrection
Image Scanned by Kenneth Randolph Taylor
The Light of Christ, Part II
APRIL 8-9, 2023
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The Collect:
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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The Assigned Readings:
At least three of the following sets:
Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26
Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13 and Psalm 46
Genesis 22:1-18 and Psalm 16
Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 and Exodus 15:1b-13, 17-18
Isaiah 55:1-11 and Isaiah 12:2-6
Ezekiel 20:1-24 and Psalm 19
Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Psalms 42 and 43
Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Psalm 143
Zephaniah 3:14-20 and Psalm 98
Then:
Romans 6:3-11
Psalm 114
Matthew 28:1-10
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The history of the Great Vigil of Easter is interesting. We do not know when the service began, but we do know that it was already well-established in the second century C.E. We also know that the Great Vigil was originally a preparation for baptism. Reading the history of the Easter Vigil reveals the elaboration of the rite during ensuing centuries, to the point that it lasted all night and was the Easter liturgy by the fourth century. One can also read of the separation of the Easter Vigil and the Easter Sunday service in the sixth century. As one continues to read, one learns of the vigil becoming a minor afternoon ritual in the Roman missal of 1570. Then one learns of the revival of the Easter Vigil in Holy Mother Church in the 1950s then, in North America, in The Episcopal Church and mainline Lutheranism during the liturgical renewal of the 1960s and 1970s. Furthermore, if one consults the U.S. Presbyterian Book of Common Worship (1993) and The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992), on finds the ritual for the Great Vigil of Easter in those volumes.
The early readings for the Easter Vigil trace the history of God’s salvific work, from creation to the end of the Babylonian Exile. The two great Hebrew Biblical themes of exile and exodus are prominent. Then the literal darkness ends, the lights come up, and the priest announces the resurrection of Jesus. The eucharistic service continues and, if there are any candidates for baptism, that sacrament occurs.
One of the chants for the Easter Vigil is
The light of Christ,
to which the congregation chants in response,
Thanks be to God.
St. Paul the Apostle, writing in Romans, reminds us down the corridors of time that the light of Christ ought to shine in our lives. May that light shine brightly through us, by grace, that we may glorify God every day we are on this side of Heaven.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 29, 2018 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF PERCY DEARMER, ANGLICAN CANON AND TRANSLATOR AND AUTHOR OF HYMNS
THE FEAST OF SAINT BONA OF PISA, ROMAN CATHOLIC MYSTIC AND PILGRIM
THE FEAST OF JIRI TRANOVSKY, LUTHER OF THE SLAVS AND FOUNDER OF SLOVAK HYMNODY
THE FEAST OF JOACHIM NEANDER, GERMAN REFORMED MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2018/05/29/the-light-of-christ-part-iv/
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Above: Ezekiel
Image in the Public Domain
Two Scrolls
MAY 12, 2022
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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:
Ezekiel 2:8-3:11
Psalm 148
Revelation 10:1-11
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Psalm 148, with its theme of the praise of God, seems initially to contradict the tone of the other two readings. Each of those lessons speaks of a scroll of judgment, or, as TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (1985) renders part of Ezekiel 2:10,
lamentations, dirges, and woes.
God commissions Ezekiel to speak hard truths. The prophet accepts his commission, but not without some bitterness. The narrator in Revelation 10 describes an encounter with an angel and accepts his commission to
utter prophecies over many nations, races, languages, and kings.
–Verse 11b, The Revised English Bible (1989)
In each case the metaphorical consumption of the scroll occurs, with the narrator describing the judgments of God as tasting as sweet as honey. One might think more readily of Psalm 19:9b, which reads:
the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
Yet the framers of the daily lectionary attached to the Revised Common Lectionary for Sundays and major holy days saw fit to give us Psalm 148 instead. In a way this brings me back to Psalm 19–verse 19a, to be precise:
The fear of the LORD is clean and rejoices the heart.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
“Fear of God” is a misleading translation, for “fear” should be “awe.” Our narrators stand in awe of God, so even bitter words of judgment taste sweet, so to speak. Each narrator has a role to play, and he accepts it. Thus he can praise God even while performing a bitter task.
As for me, I have learned via living that I have had ample cause for gratitude beyond words to God during extremely difficult circumstances. I have felt closest to God during trying times, not comfortable ones. Perhaps Ezekiel had a similar (in some ways) experience of God; the book bearing his name has given me that impression.
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/two-scrolls/
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Above: Moses on Mount Sinai, by Jean-Leon Gerome
Image in the Public Domain
Epiphanies of God
FEBRUARY 29, 2024
MARCH 1-2, 2024
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The Collect:
Holy God, through your Son you have called us to live faithfully and act courageously.
Keep us steadfast in your covenant of grace,
and teach us the wisdom that comes only through 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 28
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The Assigned Readings:
Exodus 19:1-9a (Thursday)
Exodus 19:9b-15 (Friday)
Exodus 19:16-25 (Saturday)
Psalm 19 (All Days)
1 Peter 2:4-10 (Thursday)
Acts 7:30-40 (Friday)
Mark 9:2-8 (Saturday)
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The law of the LORD inspires reverence and is pure;
it stands firm for ever,
the judgements of the LORD are true;
they form a good code of justice.
–Psalm 19:10, The Psalms Introduced and Newly Translated for Today’s Readers, Harry Mowvley (1989)
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We are always in the presence of God.
Where can I go from your spirit?
Or where can I flee from your presence?
If I climb up to heaven, you are there;
if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there your hand shall lead me,
your right hand hold me fast.
–Psalm 139:6-9, Common Worship: Daily Prayer (2005)
Nevertheless, sometimes the presence of God becomes evident in an unusually spectacular way. How one ought to respond to those occasions is one topic in the assigned readings for these three days.
1 Peter 2 and Exodus 19 bring up the point of the faithful people of God having the responsibility to be a light to the nations. First, however, the faithful people must become that light. This was originally the call of the Jews, who retain that call as well as their status as the Chosen People. Far be it from me to give short shrift to the Jews, my elder siblings in faith! I, a Gentile, belong to the branch which God grafted onto their tree.
But how should one respond to a spectacular manifestation of the presence of God? Those details, I suppose, are culturally specific, as is much of the Law of Moses. Moses removed his sandals in the presence of the burning bush. At Mt. Sinai the people were to wash their clothing, abstain from sexual relations for three days, and avoid touching the mountain. There was a case of fatal holiness, a repeated motif in the Hebrew Scriptures. People were supposed to maintain a safe distance from God. As for sexual activity, it would cause ritual impurity (see Leviticus 15:18) in the Law of Moses, which they were about to receive. And, in the words of scholar Brevard S. Childs:
The holy God of the covenant demands as preparation a separation from those things which are normally permitted and good in themselves. The giving of the covenant is different from an ordinary event of everyday life. Israel is, therefore, to be prepared by a special act of preparation.
—The Book of Exodus: A Critical Theological Commentary (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster Press, 1974), page 369
As for women and the Law of Moses, I cannot help but notice that the code reflects a negative view of gynaecology. May such sexism become increasingly rare in today’s world.
One pious yet misguided response to a spectacular manifestation of the presence of God is to seek to institutionalize it. That was just one error St. Simon Peter committed at the Transfiguration, the description of which I understand as being more poetic than literally accurate. (Could any description do the event justice?) Another error was that the three proposed booths would be the same size; one should have been larger than the others.
Although we dwell in the presence of God and might even be aware of that reality most of the time, we still need moments when we experience it in unusual and spectacular ways. Mundane blessings are wonderful and numerous, but sometimes we need another variety of blessing and a reminder of the presence of God. I have had some of them, although they were substantially toned down compared to the Transfiguration, the burning bush, and the giving of the Law of Moses. They were, however, out of the ordinary for me. Thus I remember them more vividly than I do the myriads of mundane blessings and encounters with God. These unusual epiphanies have edified me spiritually at the right times. They have also called me to continue on my spiritual walk with God through easy and difficult times. That journey is one for the glory of God and the benefit of others–perhaps including you, O reader.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 10, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN ROBERTS, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR
THE FEAST OF HOWELL ELVET LEWIS, WELSH CONGREGATIONALIST CLERGYMAN AND POET
THE FEAST OF KARL BARTH, SWISS REFORMED THEOLOGIAN
THE FEAST OF THOMAS MERTON, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MONK
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2014/12/11/epiphanies-of-god/
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Above: St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia, April 7, 2012
Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta
Embrace This Mystery
LATE SATURDAY, APRIL 16-EARLY SUNDAY, APRIL 17, 2022
(BETWEEN SUNSET AND SUNRISE)
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READINGS AT THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
(Read at least two,)
(1) Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26
(2) Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18, 8:6-18, 9:8-13 and Psalm 46
(3) Genesis 22:1-18 and Psalm 16
(4) Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 and Canticle 8, page 85, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
(5) Isaiah 55:1-11 and Canticle 9, page 86, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
(6) Baruch 3:9-15, 3:32-4:4 or Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 and Psalm 19
(7) Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Psalms 42 and 43
(8) Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Psalm 143
(9) Zephaniah 3:12-20 and Psalm 98
DECLARATION OF EASTER
The Collect:
Almighty God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. or this O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord’s resurrection: Stir up in your Church that Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that we, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
READINGS AT THE FIRST HOLY EUCHARIST OF EASTER
Romans 6:3-11
Psalm 114
Luke 24:1-12
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My custom regarding posts for the Easter Vigil is to list the manifold and myriad readings (most of which are optional) and to offer a brief reflection. Consistent with that practice I invite you, O reader, to approach the question of divine power, which gave us the Resurrection, with awe, wonder, reverence, and praise. The Resurrection of Jesus is a matter of theology; historical methods cannot analyze it properly. I am a trained historian, so far be it from me to criticize methods which work well most of that time. But I am also a Christian, and I recognize the existence of mysteries beyond the bounds of historical scrutiny. Life is better with some mysteries than without them. So I invite you, O reader, to embrace this mystery.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MAY 31, 2012 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THE VISITATION OF MARY TO ELIZABETH
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http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2013/03/01/embrace-this-mystery/
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Easter Vigil, St. Peter and St. Paul Episcopal Church, Marietta, Georgia, April 4, 2010
Image Source = Bill Monk, Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta
He’s Alive!
LATE SATURDAY, MARCH 30-EARLY SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2024
(BETWEEN SUNSET AND SUNRISE)
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READINGS AT THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
(Read at least two,)
(1) Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26
(2) Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18, 8:6-18, 9:8-13 and Psalm 46
(3) Genesis 22:1-18 and Psalm 16
(4) Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 and Canticle 8, page 85, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
(5) Isaiah 55:1-11 and Canticle 9, page 86, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
(6) Baruch 3:9-15, 3:32-4:4 or Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 and Psalm 19
(7) Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Psalms 42 and 43
(8) Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Psalm 143
(9) Zephaniah 3:12-20 and Psalm 98
DECLARATION OF EASTER
The Collect:
Almighty God, who for our redemption gave your only- begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. or this O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord’s resurrection: Stir up in your Church that Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that we, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
READINGS AT THE FIRST HOLY EUCHARIST OF EASTER
Romans 6:3-11
Psalm 114
Mark 16:1-8
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A Related Post:
Great Vigil of Easter, Year A:
https://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/great-vigil-of-easter-year-a/
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Recently, while listening to Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) radio, I heard an interviewee say,
We danced our religion before we thought it.
This is objectively accurate.
I am an intellectual–an unapologetic one. So I like to ponder various matters deeply, exploring their nuances. This is healthy, for one ought to exercise one’s brain power frequently. Yet sometimes intellect and reason cannot explain something. The Resurrection of Jesus is one of these matters.
Without the Resurrection Christianity is a lie and we who affirm the reality of this event are pitiable fools, the the latest in a long line of deluded idiots. Yet the saints who preceded us were not deluded fools, and Christ is risen indeed.
Happy Easter!
KRT
Above: Moses with the Ten Commandments, by Rembrandt van Rijn
Law
MARCH 3, 2024
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Exodus 20:1-17 (New Revised Standard Version):
Then God spoke all these words:
I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work– you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Psalm 19 (1979 Book of Common Prayer):
1 The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament shows his handiwork.
2 One day tells its tale to another,
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
3 Although they have no words or language,
and their voices are not heard,
4 Their sound has gone out into all lands,
and their message to the ends of the world.
5 In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun;
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
6 It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again;
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect and revives the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.
8 The statutes of the LORD are just and rejoice the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is clear and gives light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is clean and endures forever;
the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold,
sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.
11 By them also is your servant enlightened,
and in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can tell how often he offends?
cleanse me from my secret faults.
13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me;
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offense.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (New Revised Standard Version):
The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
John 2:13-22 (New Revised Standard Version):
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves,
Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!
His disciples remembered that it was written,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
The Jews then said to him,
What sign can you show us for doing this?
Jesus answered them,
Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
The Jews then said,
This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?
But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
The Collect:
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Some Related Posts
Third Sunday in Lent, Year A
https://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/28/third-sunday-in-lent-year-a/
Exodus 20:
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/01/09/week-of-proper-11-friday-year-1/
http://ordinarytimedevotions.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/proper-22-year-a/
1 Corinthians 1:
http://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2010/10/05/fourth-sunday-after-the-epiphany-year-a/
https://lenteaster.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/thirty-sixth-day-of-lent-tuesday-in-holy-week/
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I grew up in the Bible Belt of southern Georgia U.S.A. My parents taught me to engage my brain fully when considering the Bible, a fact for which I bless them. That training continues to serve me well. To this day, if I had to live in certain counties in Georgia–for example, those without an Episcopal congregation–I would not attend church, for I doubt that I could find a place to worship and to engage mind within the same walls without incurring scornful looks. I am about to demonstrate why this is true.
One feature of Jewish law is that it is supposedly revealed–not subject to human reason–but revealed. Yet I propose that there is great moral and intellectual danger in going on autopilot with regard to the Law of Moses. For example, some of the Ten Commandments, printed above in English translation, classify women along with livestock and property. Others do not question the moral legitimacy of slavery. And other parts of the Law of Moses are quick to condemn people to death. Just flip over to Exodus 21.
One can cherry pick the parts of the Law of Moses which confirm one’s opinions concerning a variety of issues, but this constitutes intellectual dishonesty if one claims to take the Bible literally and to consider the Book inerrant and infallible. The truth is that we who read the book must pick and choose, for we cannot keep all of it, due to contradictions. This is especially true if we are Christians.
So, as one does not accept biblical inerrancy or infallibility, but who takes the Bible quite seriously, I choose to follow the Law of Love: What does love require? I can ignore Exodus 21:7f, which begins with selling one’s daughter into slavery, for the Law of Love proscribes that such an act is never appropriate. And, like the father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), I can overlook the commandment to put to death a child who curses his mother or father (Exodus 21:17).
The Johannine Gospel, unlike the Synoptic Gospels, places our Lord’s cleansing of the Temple at the inaugural phase of his ministry. (The Synoptics place this event just a few days before his crucifixion.) Thus the author of the Gospel of John has Jesus begin his ministry by questioning and protesting publicly the Temple system of animal sacrifices, one which many people could not afford. It was also true that the conversion of Roman currency (technically idolatrous, for it bore the allegedly divine Emperor’s image) into money religiously appropriate for the purchase of a sacrificial animal benefited not only the money changers but also the Temple authorities financially. This economic exploitation galled Jesus. For Jesus, love trumped all else.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25 speaks of Christ as being a stumbling block and a portal simultaneously. The purpose of the Incarnation was not to erect a stumbling block but, if that is what one makes Jesus, that is what he is for that person. Jesus is love incarnate. For many of us (in the general sense) pure love and compassion are terrifying, for they break down the barriers we use to define our reality. Who is an insider? Who is an outsider? Who is pure? Who is impure? Who is saved? Who is damned? We have our own answers, as does God. These answers conflict quite often. God, I suspect, is generally more merciful than we are.
KRT
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http://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2012/02/10/law/
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“This is the night….”
Image Source = John Stephen Dwyer
LATE SATURDAY, APRIL 8-EARLY SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2023
(BETWEEN SUNSET AND SUNRISE)
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READINGS AT THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
(Read at least two,)
(1) Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26
(2) Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18, 8:6-18, 9:8-13 and Psalm 46
(3) Genesis 22:1-18 and Psalm 16
(4) Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 and Canticle 8, page 85, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
(5) Isaiah 55:1-11 and Canticle 9, page 86, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
(6) Baruch 3:9-15, 3:32-4:4 or Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 and Psalm 19
(7) Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Psalms 42 and 43
(8) Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Psalm 143
(9) Zephaniah 3:12-20 and Psalm 98
DECLARATION OF EASTER
The Collect:
Almighty God, who for our redemption gave your only- begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. or this O God, who made this most holy night to shine with the glory of the Lord’s resurrection: Stir up in your Church that Spirit of adoption which is given to us in Baptism, that we, being renewed both in body and mind, may worship you in sincerity and truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
READINGS AT THE FIRST HOLY EUCHARIST OF EASTER
Romans 6:3-11
Psalm 114
Matthew 28:1-10
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Ritualism, despite what some say, is important. Rituals mark milestones in any civilization or culture. And rites are crucial to religion. So, with the Easter Vigil, we mark the resurrection of Jesus in a lovely (and long) ritual much grander and more meaningful than any Protestant Easter Sunrise Service.
During Lent we have not said the “A” word (Alleluia). We have put away most candles and entered into a penitential mood. This has become increasingly somber the closer we have come to Good Friday, the darkest day of them all. Now, after the beginning the Vigil in the darkness, we have a liturgical opportunity to welcome the light again and to resume saying “Alleluia.” And the candles are back!
Easter, a 50-day season has begun with a series of readings from the Bible about salvation history.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
Published originally at SUNDRY THOUGHTS OF KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR on June 19, 2010
LENTEN AND EASTER DEVOTIONS 
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