Sunday Scriptures and Reflection Questions for November 21

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
The Last Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 29
November 21, 2010
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Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved
Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the
earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his
most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and for ever. Amen.
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Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year C
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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.
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The Lessons

Jeremiah 23:1-6
Canticle 4 or 16
Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43
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Jeremiah 23:1-6

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD.
Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd
my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and
 you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says
the LORD. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands
 where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall
be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd
them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing,
says the LORD.

The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous
Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and
righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live
in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."

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Jeremiah condemns the elite -- the rulers and others who have power and authority.
 He calls for God to raise up just leaders and a Messianic king.  What would Jeremiah
be calling for in our day?

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Canticle 16

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

Free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,

To give people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

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The old man Zechariah rejoices over the child Jesus.
What are his expectations for the rule of the Messiah?
What are you prayers for the Messiah's rule in our day?
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Colossians 1:11-20

May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power,
 and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving
thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints
in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into
the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him
all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through
him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from
the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all
the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile
to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the
blood of his cross.

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How have you been rescued from the power of darkness and transferred into the kingdom
of Jesus?

What is meant by the exuberant praise of this second paragraph?

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Luke 23:33-43

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there
 with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father,
forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide
his clothing. The people stood by, watching Jesus on the cross; but the leaders
scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah
of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him
sour wine, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was
also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you
not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you
not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed
have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but
this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come
into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in
Paradise."

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A king who hangs from a cross.  What does it mean?
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For a way to Pray with these scriptures, go to the following link for instructions
about how to use Lectio Divina with the Sunday readings:
www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html
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