Scriptures and Reflection Questions for February 19

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
6th Sun. after the Epiphany, Year B
February 12th, 2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Collect

O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year B
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How to use this page:

Print this and read a different passage each day and think about it.  Some questions
are offered to help stimulate your reflection.  You'll find your experience of worship
on Sunday will be intensified.

For a method to read and pray with the scriptures you might try to use the ancient
practice of Lectio Divina (Divine Reading).  We've written some instructions on 
how to use Lectio with the Sunday Scriptures at the following link: 
www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html

We use the Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2 Kings 2:1-12

Psalm 50:1-6

2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Mark 9:2-9  

   

___________________________________________________

2 Kings 2:1-12

Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from you?" And he said, "Yes, I know; keep silent."

Elijah said to him, "Elisha, stay here; for the LORD has sent me to Jericho." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they came to Jericho. The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, "Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from you?" And he answered, "Yes, I know; be silent."

Then Elijah said to him, "Stay here; for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit." He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not." As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

_________________________________________________________

Elisha stays with Elijah until he receives the spiritual strength he desires.
How have you persevered in order to grow spiritually? 
What has happened to you in the process?    

_________________________________________________________

Psalm 50:1-6 

The God of gods has spoken; *

     God has called the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Out of Zion, perfect in its beauty, *

     God is revealed in glory.

You, God, will come and will not keep silence; *

      before you there is a consuming flame,

      and round about you a raging storm.

You call the heavens and the earth from above *

     to witness the judgment of your people.

"Gather before me my loyal followers, *

     those who have made a covenant with me and sealed it with sacrifice."

Let the heavens declare the rightness of your cause, *

     for you alone are judge.

                                                                                 St. Helena Psalter

______________________________________________________________

When have you sensed God's presence in beauty or glory or in nature?      

_____________________________________________________________

2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

______________________________________________________________

Paul has seen light and knowledge in the face of Jesus, but that inspires him to live a life he happily characterizes "as a slave."  What does he mean?  How have you embraced both the divine vision and the mission of service?   

______________________________________________________________

Mark 9:2-9

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!" Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

______________________________________________________________

Three disciples have a vision that gives them a glimpse of a deeper reality of Jesus than they have known before.
When have you had "transfiguration experiences"? -- when you sensed something deeper and truer than ordinary reality  

_______________________________________________________________

Scriptures and Reflection Questions for Feb. 12

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
6th Sun. after the Epiphany, Year B
February 12th, 2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Collect

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers;
and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help
 of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will
 and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year B
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How to use this page:

Print this and read a different passage each day and think about it.  Some questions
are offered to help stimulate your reflection.  You'll find your experience of worship
on Sunday will be intensified.

For a method to read and pray with the scriptures you might try to use the ancient
practice of Lectio Divina (Divine Reading).  We've written some instructions on
how to use Lectio with the Sunday Scriptures at the following link:
www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html

We use the Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2 Kings 5:1-14
Psalm 30
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Mark 1:40-45

___________________________________________________

2 Kings 5:1-14

Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor
with his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man, though
a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of their raids
had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman's
wife. She said to her mistress, "If only my lord were with the prophet who is in
 Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." So Naaman went in and told his lord
 just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. And the king of Aram said,
 "Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel."


He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and
ten sets of garments. He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, "When
this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you
may cure him of his leprosy." When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his
clothes and said, "Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to
me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel
with me."

But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes,
he sent a message to the king, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to
me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel." So Naaman came with his
horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a
 messenger to him, saying, "Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall
be restored and you shall be clean." But Naaman became angry and went away, saying,
"I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name
of the LORD his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!
Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of
 Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?" He turned and went away in a rage.
But his servants approached and said to him, "Father, if the prophet had commanded
you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all
he said to you was, `Wash, and be clean'?" So he went down and immersed himself
seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was
restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

_________________________________________________________

At a time when the Arameans dominated Israel as a subject state, a powerful general
comes to Elisha the prophet of Israel for healing from leprosy.
What issues of power and class are present in this story?

How might our powerful and dominating nation discover wisdom and power from nations
we might think as being backward or subject to us?_________________________________________________________

Psalm 30

I will exalt you, O God, because you have lifted me up *
     and have not let my enemies triumph over me.

O my God, I cried out to you, *
     and you restored me to health.

You brought me up, O God, from the dead; *
     you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.

May all your servants sing to you, O God, *
     and give thanks for the remembrance of your holiness.

For your wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, *
     your favor for a lifetime.

Weeping may spend the night, *
     but joy comes in the morning.

While I felt secure, I said, "I shall never be disturbed. *
     You, O God, with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains."

Then you hid your face, *
     and I was filled with fear.

I cried to you, O God; *
     I pleaded with you, saying,

"What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? *
     Will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?

Hear and have mercy upon me; *
     O God, be my helper."

You have turned my wailing into dancing; *
     you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.

Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; *
     O my God, I will give you thanks for ever.

                                     St. Helena Psalter
______________________________________________________________

Does this psalm sound more like a plea for help or as thanksgiving for deliverance
already accomplished?  Or both?

How might this psalm be a prayer that you might express?
_____________________________________________________________


1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the
prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in
all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one.
So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish
my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not
be disqualified.

______________________________________________________________

What disciplines help bring good order and health to your life?
What parts of your life might benefit from more discipline and practice?______________________________________________________________


Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus begging him, and kneeling he said to him, "If you choose,
you can make me clean." Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched
him, and said to him, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Immediately the leprosy left
 him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once,
 saying to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the
priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that
 Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and
 people came to him from every quarter.

_______________________________________________________________

Jesus violates the cleanliness mandates of the scripture and the tradition.  Out
 of compassion Jesus touches the unclean leper, and the leper is cleansed.  The
event causes such attention that Jesus must take new measures to protect his privacy.
Where do you see issues of cleanliness and tradition being in conflict with the
demands of compassion?  What are some of the costs that sometimes come with acts
 of compassion?
_______________________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Lowell

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR

The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Our Rule of Life:
  We aspire to...
     worship weekly
     pray daily
     learn constantly
     serve joyfully
     live generously.

Check our website: www.stpaulsfay.org

Scriptures for February 5, Epiphany 5

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
5th Sun. after the Epiphany, Year B
February 5th, 2011~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Collect

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that
abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ;
who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
 for ever. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year B
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How to use this page:

Print this and read a different passage each day and think about it.  Some questions
are offered to help stimulate your reflection.  You'll find your experience of worship
on Sunday will be intensified.

For a method to read and pray with the scriptures you might try to use the ancient
practice of Lectio Divina (Divine Reading).  We've written some instructions on
how to use Lectio with the Sunday Scriptures at the following link:
www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html

We use the Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isaiah 40:21-31
Psalm 147:1-12, 21c
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
Mark 1:29-39
___________________________________________________

Isaiah 40:21-31

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
       Has it not been told you from the beginning?
       Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
       and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
       and spreads them like a tent to live in;
who brings princes to naught,
       and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
       scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows upon them, and they wither,
       and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
To whom then will you compare me,
       or who is my equal? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high and see:
       Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them,
       calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength,
       mighty in power,
       not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
       and speak, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD,
       and my right is disregarded by my God"?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
       the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
       his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
       and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
       and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,
       they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
       they shall walk and not faint.

_________________________________________________________

The prophet exalts God and warns those who might imagine God is irrelevant to them.

How do you "wait for the Lord" and renew your strength?
_________________________________________________________


Psalm 147:1-12,21c

Alleluia! How good it is to sing praises to you, O God; *
     how pleasant it is to honor you with praise!

For you rebuild Jerusalem *
     and gather the exiles of Israel.

You heal the brokenhearted *
     and bind up their wounds.

You count the number of the stars *
     and call them all by their names.

Great are you and mighty in power; *
     there is no limit to your wisdom.

You lift up the lowly, *
     but cast the wicked to the ground.

We sing to you, Most High, with thanksgiving; *
     we make music to you upon the harp,

For you cover the heavens with clouds *
     and prepare rain for the earth;

You make grass to grow upon the mountains *
     and green plants to serve humankind.

You provide food for flocks and herds *
     and for the young ravens when they cry.

You are not impressed by the might of a horse; *
      you have no pleasure in human strength;

But you have pleasure in those who fear you, *
      in those who await your gracious favor. Alleluia!

                               St. Helena Psalter
______________________________________________________________

How might you sing this psalm to apply to our day, our political and economic realities?
_____________________________________________________________


1 Corinthians 9:16-23

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation
is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of
my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.
What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel
 free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.

For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so
that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews.
To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under
the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became
as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's
law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that
I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all
means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in
its blessings.

______________________________________________________________

Paul speaks of his adaptations for the sake of sharing the Good News.

How do you adapt to the needs of others in order to be caring or compassionate?
 ...to share, to serve, or to lead?______________________________________________________________


Mark 1:29-39

Jesus left the synagogue at Capernaum, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew,
with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they
 told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up.
 Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with
demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were
sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the
demons to speak, because they knew him.

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted
place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they
found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let
us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also;
for that is what I came out to do." And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming
the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

_____________________________________________________________

A busy day in Jesus' life.  Note how he finds time to pray and refresh.

How does Jesus keep the main thing the main thing?
How do you find balance?  ...time to reflect, rest, and pray.
How do you set boundaries so you can make the main thing the main thing?
_______________________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list,
go to www.stpaulsfay.org/id137.html

On most weekdays I send a Morning Reflection to this same list, offering a thought
about the readings from the Daily Office.

Lowell

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's
Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR

The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Our Rule of Life:
  We aspire to...
     worship weekly
     pray daily
     learn constantly
     serve joyfully
     live generously.

Check our website: www.stpaulsfay.org

Scriptures and Reflection Questions for Jan. 15

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
2nd Sun. after the Epiphany, Year B
January 15, 2011~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Collect

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant
 that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance
of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the
earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and
 reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year B
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How to use this page:

Print this and read a different passage each day and think about it.  Some questions
are offered to help stimulate your reflection.  You'll find your experience of worship
on Sunday will be intensified.

For a method to read and pray with the scriptures you might try to use the ancient
practice of Lectio Divina (Divine Reading).  We've written some instructions on
how to use Lectio with the Sunday Scriptures at the following link:
www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html

We use the Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
The Lessons

1 Samuel 3:1-10
Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51

___________________________

1 Samuel 3:1-10

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. The word of the LORD was
rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
 
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see,
 was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was
lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called,
"Samuel! Samuel!" and he said, "Here I am!" and ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am,
for you called me." But he said, "I did not call; lie down again." So he went and
lay down. The LORD called again, "Samuel!" Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said,
"Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been
revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went
to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD
was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and if he calls
you, you shall say, `Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went
and lay down in his place.

Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel
said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
__________

When have you discovered God's message when you weren't expecting it?
How do you listen to God?
____________________________________________

Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17 Domine, probasti

O God, you have searched me out and known me; *
     you know my sitting down and my rising up;
     you discern my thoughts from afar.

You trace my journeys and my resting-places *
     and are acquainted with all my ways.

Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, *
     but you, O God, know it altogether.

You press upon me behind and before *
     and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; *
     it is so high that I cannot attain to it.

For you yourself created my inmost parts; *
     you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I will thank you because I am marvelously made; *
     your works are wonderful, and I know it well.

My body was not hidden from you, *
     while I was being made in secret
     and woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb;
all of them were written in your book; *
     they were fashioned day by day,
     when as yet there was none of them.

How deep I find your thoughts, O God; *
     how great is the sum of them!

If I were to count them, they would be more in number than the sand; *
     to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours.

                                   The Saint Helena Psalter

__________

What does it mean to you to be entirely known by God?

______________________________________

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are beneficial. "All things are
lawful for me," but I will not be dominated by anything. "Food is meant for the
stomach and the stomach for food," and God will destroy both one and the other.
The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that
your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ
 and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that whoever is united
to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, "The two shall be one
 flesh." But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun fornication!
Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against
the body itself. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were
 bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

___________

Trace the argument that Paul is making.
How do you honor your body?

_______________________________________

John 1:43-51

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow
me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael
and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets
wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything
good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Nathanael
coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is
no deceit!" Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered,
 "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael replied, "Rabbi,
you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered, "Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things
than these." And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

____________

Nathanael has some sort of bias toward Nazareth.  What towns, regions or nations
 do you have a bias toward?

What might it mean to you for Jesus to say of you, "Behold a person in whom there
is no deceit?"  What would be necessary for Jesus to be able to say that of you?
_____________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On most weekdays I send a Morning Reflection to an email list, offering a thought
about the readings from the Daily Office.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list,
go to www.stpaulsfay.org/id137.html

Lowell

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, AR

The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Our Rule of Life:
  We aspire to...
     worship weekly
     pray daily
     learn constantly
     serve joyfully
     live generously.

Check our website: www.stpaulsfay.org