Tag: Season After Pentecost
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Season after Pentecost (Proper 17 [22]): The Psalm Passage – From praise to puzzlement to praise; a movement of the spirit
“O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples.” (Psalms 105:1) I am often impressed and stand in awe of the Revised Common Lectionary’s matching of various types of scripture passages. This week especially the Psalm’s passage seems to be right in line with the Old Testament…
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Season after Pentecost (Proper 17 [22]): The Epistle Passage – Preacher and Seeker read Paul out loud
Preacher:“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.” Seeker: If you must compete, beloved listener, with you brother and sister – let it be a competition of caring, a race to show compassion, a contest of warm…
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Season after Pentecost (Proper 17 [22]): The Gospel Passage – The ups and downs of living a Christian life
Last week, although less than exactly one week ago, Peter had made it to the “top of the heap” in identifying that Jesus was the Son of God. Now, Jesus said that it was the God in Heaven who had revealed this to Peter and not Peter’s own glimpse into the Divine. This week Peter…
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Season after Pentecost (Proper 17 [22]): The Old Testament Passage – Called out by the Great “I AM”
Moses had discovered in his early adult life that he was not cut out to be the adopted son of the Pharaoh’s daughter. The story of his realization and departure from Egypt comes before this passage. “Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the…
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Season after Pentecost (Proper 16 [21]): The Psalm Passage – A Preacher and Seeker dialog dedicated to those who stand for peace and compassion
Preacher: “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side — let Israel now say – “ Seeker: If the Lord God had not been standing with us . . . Preacher: “ . . . if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when our enemies attacked…
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Season after Pentecost (Proper 16 [21]): The Gospel Passage – Long ago, faith began
“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16:13-14) What does public opinion say? In the days we…
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Season after Pentecost (Proper 16 [21]): The Epistle Passage – Our function and call within the Body of the Lord God
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1) Often times there is the presumption that what we do with or to our bodies is separate and distinct from what we…
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Season after Pentecost (Proper 16 [21]): The Psalm Passage – The fates turn on the Israelites
“Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.”(Exodus 1:8) We now start down another long road of the story of God’s called and chosen people. It has often been joked by Jews that they sometimes wish God would chose someone else! It is bitter humor. The sentiment has at times been…
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Season after Pentecost (Proper 15 [20]): The Psalm Passage – Seek and treasure harmony where you find it
“How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For…
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Season after Pentecost (Proper 15 [20]): The Gospel Passage – What is clean and not clean
“Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they…
A Simple Desire 