Scriptures and Reflection Questions for July 3

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
Third Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 9, Year A, Track 1
July 3, 2011
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Collect

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor:
Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole
heart, and united to one another with pure affection; 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
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 this link.

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

The Lessons

Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Psalm 45
Romans 7:15-25a
Matthew 11:16-19,25-30

________________________________________________

Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67

The servant said to Laban, "I am Abraham's servant. The LORD has greatly blessed
 my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver
 and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. And Sarah my master's wife
bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has.
My master made me swear, saying, `You shall not take a wife for my son from the
daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; but you shall go to my father's
house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.'

"I came today to the spring, and said, `O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if
 now you will only make successful the way I am going! I am standing here by the
 spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say,
"Please give me a little water from your jar to drink," and who will say to me,
"Drink, and I will draw for your camels also" -- let her be the woman whom the LORD
has appointed for my master's son.'

"Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her
water jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to
her, `Please let me drink.' She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and
said, `Drink, and I will also water your camels.' So I drank, and she also watered
the camels. Then I asked her, `Whose daughter are you?' She said, `The daughter
of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him.' So I put the ring on her nose,
and the bracelets on her arms. Then I bowed my head and worshiped the LORD, and
blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way
to obtain the daughter of my master's kinsman for his son. Now then, if you will
 deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I
may turn either to the right hand or to the left."

And they called Rebekah, and said to her, "Will you go with this man?" She said,
 "I will." So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham's
servant and his men. And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, "May you, our sister,
become thousands of myriads; may your offspring gain possession of the gates of
their foes." Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed
the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. Now Isaac had come from
Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb. Isaac went out in the evening to walk
in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. And Rebekah looked up, and when
she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, and said to the servant, "Who
 is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It
is my master." So she took her veil and covered herself. And the servant told Isaac
all the things that he had done. Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's
tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted
after his mother's death.

_____________

What stands out to you in this story about Isaac's marriage to Rebekah?
How might this story instruct us?
_____________

Psalm 45:11-18

"Hear, O daughter, consider and listen closely; *
     forget your people and your father's house.

The king will have pleasure in your beauty; *
     he is your master, therefore do him honor.

The people of Tyre are here with a gift; *
     the rich among the people seek your favor."

All glorious is the princess as she enters; *
     her gown is cloth-of-gold.

In embroidered apparel she is brought to the king; *
     after her the bridesmaids follow in procession.

With joy and gladness they are brought *
     and enter into the palace of the king.

"In place of fathers, O king, you shall have sons; *
     you shall make them princes over all the earth.

I will make your name to be remembered from one generation to another, *
     therefore nations will praise you for ever and ever."

                                        St. Helena Psalter

________

Here is a psalm that was probably written for a royal wedding.
How might you profitably read this psalm?
_______________________________________________

Romans 7:15-25a

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very
thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But
in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know
that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right,
but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want
is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but
sin that dwells within me.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at
 hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members
another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin
that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this
body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

____________

When do you find yourself doing things that violate your own sense of right?
How does Paul's lamentation address you?______________________________________________

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

Jesus said to the crowd, "To what will I compare this generation? It is like children
sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,

     `We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
     we wailed, and you did not mourn.'

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, `He has a demon'; the Son
of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, `Look, a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because
 you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed
them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been
handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and
no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal
him.

"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in
heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden
 is light."

________

Sometimes we get so contorted by complexities that nothing seems clear.  Jesus criticizes
those who criticized John for his ascetic life while criticizing Jesus for his celebratory
life.

What simple truths do you find help guide and direct you?
_______________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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 Sunday, June 26

Scriptures and Reflection Questions

Second Sunday after Pentecost

Proper 8, Year A
June 26, 2011
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Collect

Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and
 prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined
together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple
 acceptable to you; 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 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 this link.

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

The Lessons

Genesis 22:1-14
Psalm 13
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 10:40-42

________________________________________________

Genesis 22:1-14

God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said,
"Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah,
and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show
you." So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of
his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering,
and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. On the
 third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. Then Abraham said to his
young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will
 worship, and then we will come back to you." Abraham took the wood of the burnt
 offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the
knife. So the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham,
"Father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." He said, "The fire and the wood are
here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" Abraham said, "God himself will
provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So the two of them walked on together.

When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there
 and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar,
on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill
 his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, "Abraham,
Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." He said, "Do not lay your hand on the boy or
 do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld
your son, your only son, from me." And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in
a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt
offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place "The LORD will provide";
as it is said to this day, "On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided."

_____________

What impact might this story have had in its original context?

How might that be different from what we can gain or learn from this story?

What does this story mean to you?  How do you interpret the troubling notion that
Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son in obedience to God?  What does that mean
for us?

_____________

Psalm 13

How long, O God? Will you forget me for ever; *
     how long will you hide your face from me?

How long shall I have perplexity in my mind, and grief in my heart, day after day;*
     how long shall my enemy triumph over me?

Look upon me and answer me, O God; *
     give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;

Lest my enemies say they have prevailed over me, *
     and my foes rejoice that I have fallen.

But I put my trust in your mercy; *
     my heart is joyful because of your saving help.

I will sing to the Holy One, who has dealt with me richly; *
     I will praise the Name of God Most High.

                                               St. Helena Psalter

________

When have you cried "How long, O God?"?  What happened?

_______________________________________________


Romans 6:12-23

Do not let sin exercise dominion in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.
No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present
yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present
 your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion
over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

What then? Should we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you
 are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of
 obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you, having
once been slaves of sin, have become obedient from the heart to the form of teaching
to which you were entrusted,and that you, having been set free from sin, have become
slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations.
For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to greater
 and greater iniquity, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness for
sanctification.

When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. So what advantage
did you then get from the things of which you now are ashamed? The end of those
things is death. But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God,
the advantage you get is sanctification. The end is eternal life. For the wages
of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord

_________

When do you find you have passions that draw you in a sinful direction?

How does following God set you free?

______________________________________________


Matthew 10:40-42

Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes
the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive
a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous
person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of
 cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-- truly I tell
 you, none of these will lose their reward."

________

How do you welcome others as welcoming Christ?

_______________________________________________



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 Sunday, June 19

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
Trinity Sunday, Year A
June 19, 2011

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year A
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Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession
of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power
of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity: Keep us steadfast in this faith and
 worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father;
who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever.
 Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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:
http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Lessons

Genesis 1:1-2:4a
Psalm 8
2 Corinthians 13:11-13
Matthew 28:16-20
________________________________________________

Genesis 1:1-2:4a
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless
void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over
 the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening
and there was morning, the first day.

And God said, "Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate
the waters from the waters." So God made the dome and separated the waters that
were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. God
 called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

And God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place,
 and let the dry land appear." And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and
 the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was
good. Then God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed,
and fruit trees bearing fruit of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed
in it." And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed
of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God
saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

And God said, "Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from
the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and
 let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth." And it
 was so. God made the two great lights-- the greater light to rule the day and the
lesser light to rule the night-- and the stars. God set them in the dome of the
sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to
separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was
evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds
fly above the earth across the dome of the sky." So God created the great sea monsters
and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm,
and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them,
saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds
 multiply on the earth." And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth
day.

And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle
and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind." And it was so.
 God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind,
and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was
good.

Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and
let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air,
and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creeps upon the earth."

So God created humankind in his image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the
earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds
of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." God said, "See,
I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth,
and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every
beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps
on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant
for food." And it was so. God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was
very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the
seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh
 day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed
it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. These
are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

_____________

Why was this story written?  What does it tell us about God and creation?
What would you say to someone who was troubled by the science of evolution and the
telling of this story?
_____________

Canticle 13    Page 90, BCP
A Song of Praise    Benedictus es, DomineSong of the Three Young Men, 29-34

Glory to you, Lord God of our fathers; *
     you are worthy of praise; glory to you.

Glory to you for the radiance of your holy Name; *
     we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you in the splendor of your temple; *
     on the throne of your majesty, glory to you.

Glory to you, seated between the Cherubim; *
     we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

Glory to you, beholding the depths; *
     in the high vault of heaven, glory to you.

Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; *
     we will praise you and highly exalt you for ever.

________

This wonderful canticle is used regularly at Morning Prayer.
What images does it evoke in your imagination?
_______________________________________________

2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal,
agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with
you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy
Spirit be with all of you.

_________

How does this passage work as the closing of one of Paul's great letters.
What does the final sentence mean?
______________________________________________

Matthew 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed
them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and
said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore
and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have
commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

________

This passage is sometimes called "The Great Commission."  What stands out to you
 about this passage?

_______________________________________________


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 June 12

Pentecost Sunday, Year A
June 12, 2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Collect

Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation
by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world
by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

or

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them
the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment
in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ
 your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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:
http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Lessons

Acts 2:1-21
Psalm 104:25-35,37b
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13
John 20:19-23________________________________________________

Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place.
And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and
 it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire,
appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled
with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them
ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And
at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them
 speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are
not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us,
in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia,
Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts
of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Cretans and Arabs-- in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds
 of power." All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this
mean?" But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of
Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what
I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock
in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

`In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
  and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
   and your old men shall dream dreams.
Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
  in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
    and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
  and signs on the earth below,
    blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
  and the moon to blood,
    before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' "

_____________

What does the power of the Holy Spirit mean to you?

_____________

Psalm 104:25-35, 37b

O Holy One, how manifold are your works; *
   in wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.

Yonder is the great and wide sea with its living things too many to number, *
   creatures both small and great.

There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, *
   which you have made for the sport of it.

All of them look to you *
   to give them their food in due season.

You give it to them; they gather it; *
   you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.

You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
   you take away their breath, and they die and return to their dust.

You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
   and so you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of God endure for ever; *
   may the Holy One rejoice in all creation.

God looks at the earth and it trembles; *
   God touches the mountains and they smoke.

I will sing to God as long as I live; *
   I will praise my God while I have my being.

May these words of mine find favor; *
   I will rejoice in the Holy One. Alleluia!

                                  St. Helena Psalter

________

When you look at the majesty and wonder of creation, what thoughts do you have?

_______________________________________________

1 Corinthians 12:3b-13

No one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties
of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same
 Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates
all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the
common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to
another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith
by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the
working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits,
 to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually
just as the Spirit chooses.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body,
though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all
baptized into one body-- Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-- and we were all made to
drink of one Spirit

_________

What are some of your gifts?  How do you use your gifts "for the common good"?
______________________________________________

John 20:19-23

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the
 house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came
and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed
them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send
you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the
Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain
the sins of any, they are retained."

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The Risen Lord greet the disciples with the words "Peace be with you."  How is peace
connected with the gift of the Holy Spirit and the power to forgive or retain sins?

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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