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.
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Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
Year B
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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:
www.stpaulsfay.org/id272.html

We use the Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary.
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The Lessons

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

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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?

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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?

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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?
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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