Monday, March 26, 2012

Scriptures and Reflection Questions for Palm/Passion Sunday

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
Palm/Passion Sunday, Year B

April 1, 2012

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Collect

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; 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 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:




We use the Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
at the Liturgy of the Palms

Mark 11:1-11


When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, `Why are you doing this?' just say this, `The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.'" They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,"Hosanna!Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!Hosanna in the highest heaven!"Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
________
What does it mean to you that the same people who are crying "Hosanna!" to welcome Jesus so triumphantly into Jerusalem were crying "Crucify him!" within just a few days?
________________________________________________

at the Liturgy of the Word

Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Mark 15:1-39
________________________________________________ 
Isaiah 50:4-9a    
The Lord GOD has given methe tongue of a teacher,that I may know how to sustainthe weary with a word.Morning by morning he wakens--wakens my earto listen as those who are taught.The Lord GOD has opened my ear,and I was not rebellious,I did not turn backward.I gave my back to those who struck me,and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;I did not hide my facefrom insult and spitting.The Lord GOD helps me;therefore I have not been disgraced;therefore I have set my face like flint,and I know that I shall not be put to shame;he who vindicates me is near.Who will contend with me?Let us stand up together.Who are my adversaries?Let them confront me.It is the Lord GOD who helps me;who will declare me guilty?
___________ 
Isaiah speaks of one who bravely proclaims God's word in the face of adversity, threat and violence? When have you had to stand up to threat or intimidation in order to defend something principled?    
____________________________________
Psalm 31:9-16  
Have mercy on me, O God, for I am in trouble; *
my eye is consumed with sorrow,
and also my throat and my belly.
For my life is wasted with grief
and my years with sighing; *
my strength fails me because of affliction,
and my bones are consumed.
I have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbors,
a dismay to those of my acquaintance; *
when they see me in the street they avoid me.
I have been forgotten like the dead, out of mind; *
I am as useless as a broken pot.
For I have heard the whispering of the crowd;
__fear is all around; *
they put their heads together against me;
they plot to take my life.
But as for me, I have trusted in you, O God. *
I have said, "You are my God.
My times are in your hand; *
rescue me from the hand of my enemies,
and from those who persecute me.

Make your face to shine upon your servant, *
and in your loving-kindness, save me."

 
Saint Helena Psalter
____________ 
Read this psalm as it might have been on Jesus' lips during his passion.Read this psalm as it might be in the heart of someone who is being threatened in one of those places in the world where there is violence and oppression.
____________________________________
Philippians 2:5-11 
 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God,did not regard equality with Godas something to be exploited,but emptied himself,taking the form of a slave,being born in human likeness.And being found in human form,he humbled himselfand became obedient to the point of death--even death on a cross.Therefore God also highly exalted himand gave him the namethat is above every name,so that at the name of Jesusevery knee should bend,in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue should confessthat Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.
____________

Where in your life do you find yourself serving others. How can you link your service to the exaltation of Jesus?
____________________________________
Mark 15:1-39 
As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" He answered him, "You say so." Then the chief priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, "Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you." But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed. Now at the festival he used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. Then he answered them, "Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?" For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate spoke to them again, "Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?" They shouted back, "Crucify him!" Pilate asked them, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify him!" So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified. Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor's headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. And they began saluting him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him. They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him. The inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews." And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!" In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also taunted him. When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, "Listen, he is calling for Elijah." And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down." Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"
____________
What part of the Passion Gospel moves your heart in this reading? 

  _______________________________________________________________

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.
www.stpaulsfay.org

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Scriptures and Readings for Sunday, March 25


Scriptures and Reflection Questions
The Feast of the Annunciation, Year B
March 25, 2012
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Collect

Pour your grace into our hearts, O Lord, that we who have known the incarnation
of your Son Jesus Christ, announced by an angel to the Virgin Mary, may by his cross
and passion be brought to the glory of his resurrection; 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:

We use the Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Isaiah 7:10-14
Canticle 15
Hebrews 10:4-10
Luke 1:26-38

________________________________________________

Isaiah 7:10-14

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be
 deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not
put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it
too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord
himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear
 a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

___________

Isaiah speaks words of hope in a desperate situation.
When have you been desperate and chosen hope instead of despair?

____________________________________

Canticle 15 The Song of Mary Magnificat
Luke 1:46-55

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; *
     for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
     the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him *
     in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm, *
     he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
     and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things, *
     and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
     for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers, *
     to Abraham and his children for ever.

____________

Mary is a peasant, a woman.  Listen to the overtones of power, the political and
 economic pronouncements of her words.  Where in the world do you see the weak or
the poor making claims of political or economic power?

____________________________________

Hebrews 10:4-10

It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently,
when Christ came into the world, he said,

   "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
       but a body you have prepared for me;
   in burnt offerings and sin offerings
       you have taken no pleasure.
   Then I said, 'See, God, I have come to do your will, O God'
       (in the scroll of the book it is written of me)."

When he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and
offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to
 the law), then he added, "See, I have come to do your will." He abolishes the first
in order to establish the second. And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

____________

The writer of Hebrews sees the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross as transcending the
Biblical system of Temple sacrifice.  In what way is Jesus' sacrifice important
to you?
____________________________________

Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called
 Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.
The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one!
The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what
 sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary,
 for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and
bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the
Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor
David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will
be no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The
angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be
called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived
a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing
will be impossible with God." Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord;
let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.
____________

Mary is an icon of trust and obedience.  When have you trusted and been courageously
obedient because you sensed it was God's will?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this email list,
go to www.stpaulsfay.org/id137.html and follow the instructions.

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

Monday, March 12, 2012

Sunday Scriptures and Reflection Questions for March 18, 2012

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.

___________________________________________________

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.

__________________________________________________


Lessons


Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
Ephesians 2:1-10
John 3:14-21  

__________________________________________________

Numbers 21:4-9  


From Mount Hor the Israelites set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

___________

Have you ever had a prayer of intercession for healing answered?  If so, what happened?    

___________________________________


Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22  

We give you thanks, O God, for you are good; *
     your mercy endures for ever.

Let all those whom you have redeemed proclaim *
     that you redeemed them from the hand of the foe.

You gathered them out of the lands; *
     from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.

Some were fools and took to rebellious ways; *
     they were afflicted because of their sins.

They abhorred all manner of food *
     and drew near to death's door.

Then they cried to you in their trouble, *
     and you delivered them from their distress.

You sent forth your word and healed them *
     and saved them from the grave.

Let them give thanks to you for your mercy *
     and the wonders you do for your children.

Let them offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving *
     and tell of your acts with shouts of joy.

                                                                             Saint Helena Psalter  

____________

When have you found yourself stuck or afflicted because of your own "rebellious ways" or sins?  What did you do about it?  
____________________________________

Ephesians 2:1-10  


You were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ -- by grace you have been saved -- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God-- not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

____________

What is the contrast that the writer wants to present?
How might you illustrate the two ways of living?


___________________________________

John 3:14-21

Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

"Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God." 

____________

How would you describe the qualities of life that constitute living by the light that is following in the Way of Jesus?  

Sunday, March 04, 2012

Scriptures and Reflection Questions for Sunday, March 11

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
3rd Sunday in Lent, Year B
March 11, 2012

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

Collect

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep
us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended
from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which
may assault and hurt the soul; 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 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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
John 2:13-22

__________________________________________________

Exodus 20:1-17

Then God spoke all these words: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the
land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before
me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is
 in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under
 the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your
God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third
and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to
the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will
not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all
your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not
do any work-- you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock,
or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD
 blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that
the LORD your God is giving you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

____________

What do the 10 Commandments mean to you?

____________________________________


Psalm 19

The heavens declare your glory, O God, *
     and the firmament shows your handiwork.

One day tells its tale to another, *
     and one night imparts knowledge to another.

Although they have no words or language, *
     and their voices are not heard,

Their sound has gone out into all lands, *
      and their message to the ends of the world.

In the deep you have set a pavilion for the sun; *
     it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
     it rejoices like a champion to run its course.

It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of it again; *
     nothing is hidden from its burning heat.

Your law, O God, is perfect and revives the soul; *
     your testimony is sure and gives wisdom to the innocent.

Your statutes are just and rejoice the heart; *
      your commandment is clear and gives light to the eyes.

The fear of you is clean and endures for ever; *
     your judgments are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, more than much fine gold, *
      sweeter far than honey, than honey in the comb.

By them also is your servant enlightened, *
      and in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern unwitting sins? *
     Cleanse me from my secret faults.

Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion over me; *
     then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a great offense.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight,*
     O God, my strength and my redeemer.

                                                                Saint Helena Psalter

____________

What are your "unwitting sins" or your "presumptuous sins"?

____________________________________


1 Corinthians 1:18-25

The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us
 who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this
age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom
of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness
of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks
 desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and
foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than
human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

____________

Why would the message of the cross seem like foolishness or be a stumbling block?
How do you interpret the significance of the cross?

____________________________________


John 2:13-22

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple
 he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated
 at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple,
both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers
and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these
things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" His disciples
remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." The Jews
then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them,
"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said,
 "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise
it up in three days?" But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was
raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed
the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

____________

Why do you think Jesus drove out the money changers?
Who would have been angered by his action?

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

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