Scriptures and Reflection Questions for April 3

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year A

April 3, 2011

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year A
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Collect
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the
true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may
live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and for ever. Amen.
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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 address:
http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html
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 The Lessons

1 Samuel 16:1-13
Psalm 23
Ephesians 5:8-14
John 9:1-41

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1 Samuel 16:1-13

The Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him
from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you
to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons."
Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the Lord
said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, `I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.'
Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall
anoint for me the one whom I name to you." Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and
came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said,
"Do you come peaceably?" He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord;
sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse
and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed is now
before the Lord." But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or
 on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not
see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the
heart." Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither
has the Lord chosen this one." Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither
has the Lord chosen this one." Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel,
and Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen any of these." Samuel said to
 Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest,
but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for
 we will not sit down until he comes here." He sent and brought him in. Now he was
ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, "Rise and anoint
 him; for this is the one." Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in
the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David
from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

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Think of some people who seem to have status because of their birth or their appearance.
Think of some people who who are gifted leaders but it seems surprising because
of their origins or appearance.
What can you learn from these things?

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Psalm 23

The Holy One is my shepherd; *
     I shall not be in want.

You make me lie down in green pastures *
     and lead me beside still waters.

You revive my soul *
     and guide me along right pathways for the sake of your Name.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; *
     for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; *
     you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over.

Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *
     and I will dwell in the house of God for ever.

                               The Saint Helena Psalter
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Why do you think this psalm has become such a favorite?
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Ephesians 5:8-14

Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light--
for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try
to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of
darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such
people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything
that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

"Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."
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How might you take this passage to heart in your own life?
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John 9:1-41

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi,
who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither
this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be
revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night
is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of
the world." When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva
and spread the mud on the man's eyes, saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam"
(which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. The neighbors
and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man
 who used to sit and beg?" Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No,
but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." But they kept asking
him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud,
spread it on my eyes, and said to me, `Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed
and received my sight." They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."

They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a
sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also
 began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on
 my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see." Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is
not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath." But others said, "How can a
man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And they were divided. So they said again
to the blind man, "What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened." He said,
"He is a prophet."

The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until
 they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, "Is
this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" His parents
answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not
know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he
 is of age. He will speak for himself." His parents said this because they were
afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus
to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said,
 "He is of age; ask him."

So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to
him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner." He answered, "I do
not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now
I see." They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" He
 answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want
to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?" Then they reviled him,
saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has
spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." The man
answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and
yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does
listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has
it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were
not from God, he could do nothing." They answered him, "You were born entirely in
sins, and are you trying to teach us?" And they drove him out.

Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you
believe in the Son of Man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I
 may believe in him." Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking
with you is he." He said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him. Jesus said, "I
came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those
who do see may become blind." Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said
 to him, "Surely we are not blind, are we?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind,
you would not have sin. But now that you say, `We see,' your sin remains."

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Have you ever seen acts of compassion or goodness that were discredited because
of some religious scruple?  How was that story similar or different from this one?
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On most weekdays I send a Morning Reflection  to this same list, offering a thought
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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