Scriptures and Reflection Questions for Feb. 12

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
6th Sun. after the Epiphany, Year B
February 12th, 2011
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Collect

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers;
and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help
 of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will
 and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and 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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2 Kings 5:1-14
Psalm 30
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Mark 1:40-45

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2 Kings 5:1-14

Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor
with his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man, though
a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of their raids
had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman's
wife. She said to her mistress, "If only my lord were with the prophet who is in
 Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." So Naaman went in and told his lord
 just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. And the king of Aram said,
 "Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel."


He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and
ten sets of garments. He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, "When
this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you
may cure him of his leprosy." When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his
clothes and said, "Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to
me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel
with me."

But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes,
he sent a message to the king, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to
me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel." So Naaman came with his
horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a
 messenger to him, saying, "Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall
be restored and you shall be clean." But Naaman became angry and went away, saying,
"I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name
of the LORD his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!
Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of
 Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?" He turned and went away in a rage.
But his servants approached and said to him, "Father, if the prophet had commanded
you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all
he said to you was, `Wash, and be clean'?" So he went down and immersed himself
seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was
restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

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At a time when the Arameans dominated Israel as a subject state, a powerful general
comes to Elisha the prophet of Israel for healing from leprosy.
What issues of power and class are present in this story?

How might our powerful and dominating nation discover wisdom and power from nations
we might think as being backward or subject to us?_________________________________________________________

Psalm 30

I will exalt you, O God, because you have lifted me up *
     and have not let my enemies triumph over me.

O my God, I cried out to you, *
     and you restored me to health.

You brought me up, O God, from the dead; *
     you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.

May all your servants sing to you, O God, *
     and give thanks for the remembrance of your holiness.

For your wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, *
     your favor for a lifetime.

Weeping may spend the night, *
     but joy comes in the morning.

While I felt secure, I said, "I shall never be disturbed. *
     You, O God, with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains."

Then you hid your face, *
     and I was filled with fear.

I cried to you, O God; *
     I pleaded with you, saying,

"What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? *
     Will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?

Hear and have mercy upon me; *
     O God, be my helper."

You have turned my wailing into dancing; *
     you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.

Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; *
     O my God, I will give you thanks for ever.

                                     St. Helena Psalter
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Does this psalm sound more like a plea for help or as thanksgiving for deliverance
already accomplished?  Or both?

How might this psalm be a prayer that you might express?
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1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the
prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in
all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one.
So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish
my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not
be disqualified.

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What disciplines help bring good order and health to your life?
What parts of your life might benefit from more discipline and practice?______________________________________________________________


Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus begging him, and kneeling he said to him, "If you choose,
you can make me clean." Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched
him, and said to him, "I do choose. Be made clean!" Immediately the leprosy left
 him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once,
 saying to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the
priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that
 Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and
 people came to him from every quarter.

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Jesus violates the cleanliness mandates of the scripture and the tradition.  Out
 of compassion Jesus touches the unclean leper, and the leper is cleansed.  The
event causes such attention that Jesus must take new measures to protect his privacy.
Where do you see issues of cleanliness and tradition being in conflict with the
demands of compassion?  What are some of the costs that sometimes come with acts
 of compassion?
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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.

Check our website: www.stpaulsfay.org