Sunday Scriptures and Reflection Questions for Feb. 6

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
5th Sunday after Epiphany, Year A
February 6, 2011
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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.
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Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year A
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

Isaiah 58:1-9a,
Psalm 112:1-9,
1 Corinthians 2:1-12,
Matthew 5:13-20
___________________________

Isaiah 58:1-9a

Thus says the high and lofty one
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
Shout out, do not hold back!
Lift up your voice like a trumpet!
Announce to my people their rebellion,
to the house of Jacob their sins.
Yet day after day they seek me
and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness
and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments,
they delight to draw near to God.
"Why do we fast, but you do not see?
Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?"
Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day,
and oppress all your workers.
Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to strike with a wicked fist.
Such fasting as you do today
will not make your voice heard on high.
Is such the fast that I choose,
a day to humble oneself?
Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,
and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?
Will you call this a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD?
Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of injustice,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up quickly;
your vindicator shall go before you,
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.
________________________

The prophet describes the justice that God expects of us.

What does this mean to you?_____________________________________________

Psalm 112:1-9
Alleluia! Happy are they who fear God, *
and have great delight in the commandments!

Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *
the generation of the upright will be blest.

Wealth and riches will be in their house, *
and their righteousness will last for ever.

Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *
the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.

It is good for them to be generous in lending *
and to manage their affairs with justice.

For they will never be shaken; *
the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.

They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; *
their heart is right; they put their trust in God.

Their heart is established and will not shrink, *
until they see their desire upon their enemies.

They have given freely to the poor, *
and their righteousness stands fast for ever; they will hold up their head with
honor.

The Saint Helena Psalter
__________

What adjectives would you use to describe someone who is just and righteous?
______________________________________

1 Corinthians 2:1-12
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery
 of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you
 except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear
and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words
of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith
might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or
of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. But we speak God's wisdom,
secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the
rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified
the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,

"What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him" --

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches
everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human
except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly
 God's except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world,
but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on
 us by God.

___________

How would you describe the mystery of God revealed in Christ Jesus?_____________________________________

Matthew 5:13-20
Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how
can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown
out and trampled under foot.

"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after
lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives
light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others,
so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not
to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is
accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments,
and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven;
but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

_________

How are you the salt of the world and the light of the world?
In the Bible, the word "righteousness" usually means "justice."

What does it man to promote a justice that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees?
________________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 January 16

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
2nd Sunday after Epiphany, Year A
January 16, 2011

___________

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.

____________

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, worshiped, 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

___________

The Lessons

Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-12
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42

___________________________

Isaiah 49:1-7

Listen to me, O coastlands,
   pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The LORD called me before I was born,
   while I was in my mother's womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
   in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
   in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, "You are my servant,
   Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
But I said, "I have labored in vain,
   I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the LORD,
   and my reward with my God."

And now the LORD says,
   who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
   and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the sight of the LORD,
   and my God has become my strength--
he says,
"It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
  to raise up the tribes of Jacob
  and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
  that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth."

Thus says the LORD,
   the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
   the slave of rulers,
"Kings shall see and stand up,
   princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the LORD, who is faithful,
   the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

___________

The prophet knows himself to be God's servant, but his work has been frustrating
 -- "I have labored in vain..."  Yet God expands his call.  Not only will he "raise
up the tribes of Jacob" but he will also be "a light to the nations" so that God's
"salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."

When have you experienced frustration?

If your work and mission were to expand, what might that be?

_____________________________________________

Psalm 40:1-12

I waited patiently for you, O God; *
   you stooped to me and heard my cry.

You lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *
   you set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.

You put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; *
   many shall see, and stand in awe, and put their trust in you.

Happy are they who trust in you; *
they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.

Great things are they that you have done, O God, how great your wonders and your
 plans for us; *
   there is none who can be compared with you.

Oh, that I could make them known and tell them, *
   but they are more than I can count.

In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure *
   (you have given me ears to hear you);

Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required, *
   and so I said, "Behold, I come.

In the roll of the book it is written concerning me: *
   'I love to do your will, O my God; your law is deep in my heart.' "

I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation; *
   behold, I did not restrain my lips, and that, O God, you know.

Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness
and your deliverance; *
   I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the great congregation.

You are the Holy One; do not withhold your compassion from me; *
   let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever.

                                                  [The Saint Helena Psalter}

__________

Have you ever had your patience tried, and then found yourself lifted up?  What
happened?

______________________________________

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother
Sosthenes,

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus,
called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been
 given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech
and knowledge of every kind-- just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened
among you-- so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the
revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that
you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him
you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

___________

How might you feel if your congregation received this opening in a letter from Paul?
 How might Paul begin a letter to you?

_______________________________________

John 1:29-42

John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes
away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, `After me comes a man who
ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but I came
baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel." And
John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained
on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water
 said to me, `He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes
with the Holy Spirit.' And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the
Son of God."

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched
Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" The two disciples
heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following,
he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated
means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They came
and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about
four o'clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed
him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon and said
 to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). He brought
Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are
to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

____________

When have you see something that seemed like the manifestation of the Holy Spirit?
 How has that influenced your life?

Have you ever invited someone to "come and see"?  What happened?

Has anyone else ever invited you to "come and see"?  What happened?

Scriptures and Reflection Questions for January 9

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
1st Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A
January 9, 2011

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year A
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




Collect

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him
 your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are
baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess
him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God,
in glory everlasting.  Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
The Lessons

Isaiah 42:1-9 
Psalm 29
Acts 10:34-43
Matthew 3:13-17


___________________________

Isaiah 42:1-9

Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.

He will not cry or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.

He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

Thus says God, the LORD,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:

I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.

I am the LORD, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.

See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.

___________
Jesus used this passage from Isaiah to announce his own ministry at his hometown
 synagogue.  How does this passage inspire or call you?
_____________________________________________

Psalm 29
Ascribe to God, you heavenly beings, *
   ascribe to God glory and strength.

Ascribe due honor to God's holy Name; *
   worship the Most High in the beauty of holiness.

The voice of God is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; *
   God is upon the mighty waters.

The voice of God is a powerful voice; *
   the voice of God is a voice of splendor.

The voice of God breaks the cedar trees; *
   God breaks the cedars of Lebanon;

God makes Lebanon skip like a calf *
   and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.

The voice of God splits the flames of fire; the voice of God shakes the wilderness;
   God shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of God makes the oak trees writhe *
   and strips the forests bare.

And in the temple of the Holy One, *
   all are crying, "Glory!"

God sits enthroned above the flood, *
   enthroned for evermore.

God shall give strength to the people; *
   God shall give the people the blessing of peace.

                                         The Saint Helena Psalter

__________

When have you felt or heard the voice of God?
______________________________________

Acts 10:34-43

Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality,
but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to
 him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus
Christ--he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee
after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were
oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did
both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree;
but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people
but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after
he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that
he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets
testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins
 through his name."

___________

What does it mean to you that "God shows no partiality"?
How do you reclaim the gift of forgiveness?
_______________________________________

Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would
 have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"
But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to
fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized,
 just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and
he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice
from heaven said, "This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

____________

When we are baptized, we are incorporated into the Baptism of Jesus.

What does it mean to you that God has proclaimed of you:  "This is my Child, my
Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."?
_____________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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