Scriptures for February 5, Epiphany 5

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
5th Sun. after the Epiphany, Year B
February 5th, 2011~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year B
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

Isaiah 40:21-31
Psalm 147:1-12, 21c
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
Mark 1:29-39
___________________________________________________

Isaiah 40:21-31

Have you not known? Have you not heard?
       Has it not been told you from the beginning?
       Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
       and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
       and spreads them like a tent to live in;
who brings princes to naught,
       and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.
Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,
       scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,
when he blows upon them, and they wither,
       and the tempest carries them off like stubble.
To whom then will you compare me,
       or who is my equal? says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high and see:
       Who created these?
He who brings out their host and numbers them,
       calling them all by name;
because he is great in strength,
       mighty in power,
       not one is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
       and speak, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD,
       and my right is disregarded by my God"?
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
       the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
       his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
       and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
       and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,
       they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
       they shall walk and not faint.

_________________________________________________________

The prophet exalts God and warns those who might imagine God is irrelevant to them.

How do you "wait for the Lord" and renew your strength?
_________________________________________________________


Psalm 147:1-12,21c

Alleluia! How good it is to sing praises to you, O God; *
     how pleasant it is to honor you with praise!

For you rebuild Jerusalem *
     and gather the exiles of Israel.

You heal the brokenhearted *
     and bind up their wounds.

You count the number of the stars *
     and call them all by their names.

Great are you and mighty in power; *
     there is no limit to your wisdom.

You lift up the lowly, *
     but cast the wicked to the ground.

We sing to you, Most High, with thanksgiving; *
     we make music to you upon the harp,

For you cover the heavens with clouds *
     and prepare rain for the earth;

You make grass to grow upon the mountains *
     and green plants to serve humankind.

You provide food for flocks and herds *
     and for the young ravens when they cry.

You are not impressed by the might of a horse; *
      you have no pleasure in human strength;

But you have pleasure in those who fear you, *
      in those who await your gracious favor. Alleluia!

                               St. Helena Psalter
______________________________________________________________

How might you sing this psalm to apply to our day, our political and economic realities?
_____________________________________________________________


1 Corinthians 9:16-23

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation
is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of
my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission.
What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel
 free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.

For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so
that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews.
To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under
the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became
as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's
law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that
I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all
means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in
its blessings.

______________________________________________________________

Paul speaks of his adaptations for the sake of sharing the Good News.

How do you adapt to the needs of others in order to be caring or compassionate?
 ...to share, to serve, or to lead?______________________________________________________________


Mark 1:29-39

Jesus left the synagogue at Capernaum, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew,
with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they
 told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up.
 Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with
demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were
sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the
demons to speak, because they knew him.

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted
place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they
found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let
us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also;
for that is what I came out to do." And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming
the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

_____________________________________________________________

A busy day in Jesus' life.  Note how he finds time to pray and refresh.

How does Jesus keep the main thing the main thing?
How do you find balance?  ...time to reflect, rest, and pray.
How do you set boundaries so you can make the main thing the main thing?
_______________________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 Jan. 15

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
2nd Sun. after the Epiphany, Year B
January 15, 2011~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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, worshipped, 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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year B
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

1 Samuel 3:1-10
Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51

___________________________

1 Samuel 3:1-10

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. The word of the LORD was
rare in those days; visions were not widespread.
 
At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see,
 was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was
lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called,
"Samuel! Samuel!" and he said, "Here I am!" and ran to Eli, and said, "Here I am,
for you called me." But he said, "I did not call; lie down again." So he went and
lay down. The LORD called again, "Samuel!" Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said,
"Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been
revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went
to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD
was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and if he calls
you, you shall say, `Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went
and lay down in his place.

Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel
said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."
__________

When have you discovered God's message when you weren't expecting it?
How do you listen to God?
____________________________________________

Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17 Domine, probasti

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.

For you yourself created my inmost parts; *
     you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I will thank you because I am marvelously made; *
     your works are wonderful, and I know it well.

My body was not hidden from you, *
     while I was being made in secret
     and woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb;
all of them were written in your book; *
     they were fashioned day by day,
     when as yet there was none of them.

How deep I find your thoughts, O God; *
     how great is the sum of them!

If I were to count them, they would be more in number than the sand; *
     to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours.

                                   The Saint Helena Psalter

__________

What does it mean to you to be entirely known by God?

______________________________________

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are beneficial. "All things are
lawful for me," but I will not be dominated by anything. "Food is meant for the
stomach and the stomach for food," and God will destroy both one and the other.
The body is meant not for fornication but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
And God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Do you not know that
your bodies are members of Christ? Should I therefore take the members of Christ
 and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that whoever is united
to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For it is said, "The two shall be one
 flesh." But anyone united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun fornication!
Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against
the body itself. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were
 bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

___________

Trace the argument that Paul is making.
How do you honor your body?

_______________________________________

John 1:43-51

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow
me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael
and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets
wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything
good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Nathanael
coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is
no deceit!" Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered,
 "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael replied, "Rabbi,
you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered, "Do you believe
because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things
than these." And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened
and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

____________

Nathanael has some sort of bias toward Nazareth.  What towns, regions or nations
 do you have a bias toward?

What might it mean to you for Jesus to say of you, "Behold a person in whom there
is no deceit?"  What would be necessary for Jesus to be able to say that of you?
_____________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On most weekdays I send a Morning Reflection to an email list, offering a thought
about the readings from the Daily Office.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list,
go to www.stpaulsfay.org/id137.html

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 Jan. 8

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
1st Sun. after the Epiphany, Year B
The Baptism of Our Lord
January 8, 2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year B
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm 29
Acts 19:1-7
Mark 1:4-11
___________________________

Genesis 1:1-5

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.

__________

In what ways do you see divine order in creation?
_____________________________________________


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

__________

Recall a time when you experienced the presence of God in nature.  ...in worship.
What happened?
______________________________________


Acts 19:1-7

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came
to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, "Did you receive the
 Holy Spirit when you became believers?" They replied, "No, we have not even heard
that there is a Holy Spirit." Then he said, "Into what then were you baptized?"
They answered, "Into John's baptism." Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism
 of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him,
that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and
 they spoke in tongues and prophesied -- altogether there were about twelve of them.

___________

What does it mean to you to be baptized into the name of Jesus and to receive the
Holy Spirit?
_______________________________________


Mark 1:4-11

John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance
for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all
the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river
Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather
belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, "The one
who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and
untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit."

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the
Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart
and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You
 are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."

____________

What does it mean to be Beloved of God and to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

_____________________________________________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To subscribe or unsubscribe to our Morning Reflections & Scriptures email list,
go to  www.stpaulsfay.org/id137.html
http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id137.html
On most weekdays I send a Morning Reflection to this 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