Scriptures & Reflection Questions for September 3

Here are the scripture readings for this upcoming Sunday.

Suggestion: 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.

If you would like to comment on these scriptures or have some on-line conversation about them, please go to sundayscriptures@blogspot.com and click the "comments" button at the bottom.

(St. Paul's uses the Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary readings which are a little different from the Prayer Book Lections. The recent General Convention authorized the RCL as our official lectionary.)

September 3, 2006
13th Sunday after Pentecost; Proper 17, Year B
Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary

Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-9
Psalm 15
Jamess 1:17-27
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 4:6-9
So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I
am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and
occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is
giving you. You must neither add anything to what I command you
nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the
Lord your God with which I am charging you.
You must observe them diligently, for this will show your
wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all
these statutes, will say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and
discerning people!" For what other great nation has a god so near
to it as the Lord our God is whenever we call to him? And what
other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this
entire law that I am setting before you today? But take care and
watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that
your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the
days of your life; make them known to your children and your
children's children.
________________

There is great wisdom in our ancient laws, customs and moral traditions.
What are some of the principles you would include in a list of eternal verities?
_____________________________________________________

Psalm 15
1 Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *
who may abide upon your holy hill?
2 Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *
who speaks the truth from his heart.
3 There is no guile upon his tongue;
he does no evil to his friend; *
he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.
4 In his sight the wicked is rejected, *
but he honors those who fear the Lord.
5 He has sworn to do no wrong *
and does not take back his word.
6 He does not give his money in hope of gain, *
nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
7 Whoever does these things *
shall never be overthrown.
________________

A psalm which describes the virtues of a good person.
Which of these qualities describe you?
Which of these are qualities that you need to develop?
_____________________________________________________

James 1:17-27
Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from
above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is
no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own
purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would
become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick
to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not
produce God's righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all
sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with
meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive
themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they
are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at
themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were
like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of
liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers
who act -- they will be blessed in their doing.
If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues
but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. Religion that is
pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for
orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained
by the world.
_______________

When have your actions not lived up to your words?
What can you learn from this passage?
___________________________________________________

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21, 23
Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come
from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they noticed that some of
his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without
washing them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat
unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the
tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the
market unless they wash it; and there are also many other
traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and
bronze kettles. ) So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him,
"Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the
elders, but eat with defiled hands?" He said to them, "Isaiah
prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
'This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines.'
You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human
tradition."
Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to
me, all of you, and understand: there is nothing outside a person
that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are
what defile."
For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions
come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness,
deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these
evil things come from within, and they defile a person."
_____________

What habits of thought, speech or action come from within you and seem to have a defiling effect?
Can you think of some outward practices of piety or moralism that seem without substance to you?
What signs do you look for as signs of inner integrity?
_____________________________________________________

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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