Scriptures and Reflection Questions for Sunday, July 17

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 11, Year A, Track 1
July 17, 2011
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Collect

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our necessities before we ask
 and our ignorance in asking: Have compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give
us those things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we
 cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, 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 A
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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:
http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html
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The Lessons

Genesis 28:10-19a
Psalm 139: 1-11, 22-23
Romans 8:12-25
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

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Genesis 28:10-19a

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed
there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place,
he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was
a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of
God were ascending and descending on it. And the LORD stood beside him and said,
 "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on
which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall
 be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the
east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall
be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you
wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you
until I have done what I have promised you." Then Jacob woke from his sleep and
said, "Surely the LORD is in this place-- and I did not know it!" And he was afraid,
and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God,
and this is the gate of heaven."

So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under
his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that
place Bethel.

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When have you had a dream or vision that seemed meaningful to you?
What did you learn?

What did Jacob gain from this dream?

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Psalm 139:1-11, 22-23

O God, you have searched me out and known me; *
     you know my sitting down and my rising up;
     you discern my thoughts from afar.

You trace my journeys and my resting-places *
     and are acquainted with all my ways.

Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, *
     but you, O God, know it altogether.

You press upon me behind and before *
     and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; *
     it is so high that I cannot attain to it.

Where can I go then from your Spirit; *
     where can I flee from your presence?

If I climb up to heaven, you are there; *
     if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.

If I take the wings of the morning *
     and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there your hand will lead me *
     and your right hand hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will cover me, *
     and the light around me turn to night,"

Darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day; *
     darkness and light to you are both alike.

Search me out, O God, and know my heart; *
     try me and know my restless thoughts.

Look well whether there be any wickedness in me *
     and lead me in the way that is everlasting.

                              The Saint Helena Psalter
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How does it make you feel that God has searched us out and knows us?
How do you allow God's knowledge of you to lead you "in the way that is everlasting"?
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Romans 8:12-25

Brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the
 flesh -- for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit
you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the
Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to
fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba!
Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children
of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ --
 if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with
 the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing
 for the revealing of the children of God; for the creation was subjected to futility,
not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the
creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom
of the glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning
in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have
the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption
of our bodies. For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For
 who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for
it with patience.
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What does it mean for you to cry "Abba! Father!"?
What do you long for?
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Matthew 13:24-30,36-43

Jesus put before the crowd another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared
to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an
enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants
came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. And the slaves of the householder
came and said to him, `Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then,
did these weeds come from?' He answered, `An enemy has done this.' The slaves said
to him, `Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he replied, `No; for in
 gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them
grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect
the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into
 my barn.'"

Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him,
saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The
 one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world, and the good
seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one,
and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and
the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
 so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they
will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, and they will
throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of
 teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
Let anyone with ears listen!"

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What is the meaning of the instruction forbidding the householder's slaves from
trying to remove the weeds?

Try reading this parable as a metaphor for your own mixed motives -- the wheat and
the weeds that exist within yourself.  What does this parable say to you?

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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.

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