Scriptures and Reflection Questions for May 13

Scriptures and Reflection Questions
Easter 6, Year B
May 13, 2012
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Collect

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our
understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in
all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that
 we can desire; 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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Acts 10:44-48
Psalm 98
1 John 5:1-6
John 15:9-17

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Acts 10:44-48

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.
The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of
the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking
in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone withhold the water for
baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" So he
 ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him
to stay for several days.

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What kind of courage or vision must it have taken for Peter, a Jew, to so freely
 incorporate Gentiles into the Christian community through baptism?  Imagine the
 arguments pro and con.  What do you think you would have done had you been Peter?
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Psalm 98

Sing a new song to God, *
     who has done marvelous things.

With your right hand, O God, and your holy arm, *
     you have won for yourself the victory.

You have made known your victory; *
     your righteousness have you openly shown in the sight of the nations.

You remember your mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, *
     and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

Shout with joy to God, all you lands; *
     lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.

Sing to God with the harp, *
     with the harp and the voice of song.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn, *
     shout with joy before God who reigns in majesty.

Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, *
     the lands and those who dwell therein.

Let the rivers clap their hands, *
     and let the hills ring out with joy before God, who will come to judge the earth.

God shall judge the world in righteousness *
     and the peoples with equity.

                                                        Saint Helena Psalter

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How do you express your joy and gladness to God?
What poetry might you use to describe your experience of the divine in nature?
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1 John 5:1-6

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone
who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children
of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this,
 that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world,
our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus
 is the Son of God?

This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only
but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for
the Spirit is the truth.

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How does love fulfill the commandments?
How does John's epistle imagine our loving and believing to bring victory?
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John 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide
in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have
kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to
 you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has
greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends
if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the
 servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends,
because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You
did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit
that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.
I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another."

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How do you keep your attention so that you can "abide in love"?
What's the hardest part about the commandment to "love one another"?
What's especially compelling about Jesus' teaching to abide in love and to love
one another?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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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