If you are more into listening than reading, Words Twice a Week is available, along with other good stuff, as a podcast from St Paul’s Episcopal Church. Click here.
Ok – I stand corrected: SuperOne does sell Twinkies, there was a “Hostess” display a couple of aisles down from the Little Debbie. 2-pks and 10 pks.
And, I know usually we do the days of the week in the Sunday version, but we missed it last year during the “email a day” experience, I didn’t want us to miss it this year – May 1, along with being May Day, is also celebrated in some traditions, especially Celtic ones, as Beltane. Read through to the end and we’ll close with some of the Beltane Blessing!
Now, some thoughts on some of the lectionary texts -
Acts 8.26-40 Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch
+ this is not the disciple/apostle Philip whose day we just observed. This is Philip, one of the seven deacons whom Stephen organized to care for the poor. They scattered once Stephen was stoned, and began preaching and evangelizing far and wide. In vs 4-13, Philip has amazed people in Samaria, including “Simon the Magician”, whom he apparently baptized. Now the angel of the Lord directs him elsewhere. And in this story, it is clear that it is God/Spirit who is actually doing things, Philip does what he is told to do, but seems less impressive.
+ So this Ethiopian official was a eunuch. We don’t hear much about eunuchs today. Would he be in a somewhat similar situation to a “trans-persons” today? I don’t know.
+ the chariot was just parked by the road? The Spirit keeps prodding Philip along.
+ “How can I understand unless someone helps me?” Who helps/has helped you?
+ “Here’s water, can I be baptized?” Where did that idea come from? Had Philip talked about believers getting baptized? How would you have answered the fellow?
+ Philip snatched away – so who is now going to help the Ethiopian?
+ the Good News breaking through barriers – religious, political, geographical. What barriers does it face today?
Psalm 22.25-31
+ So this is the “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me…” psalm.
+ the title says “to the tune A Deer at Dawn” Sounds like a pleasant tune, unless maybe the deer is getting hunted at dawn!
+ note vs 19-21 psalmist calls on God to save; vs 22-24 promises praise in the congregation, vs 25-31, the psalmist does praise God, “paying his vow”. How do you think about this kind of bargaining with God?
+ in vs 21-22 the psalm moves “from plea to praise”.
+ vs 22-24 the family image, vs 25-26 the congregation, vs 27-31 all the world. And note in vs 26 “the poor will eat”, in vs 29 “the rich will bow down” – is there is suggestion that those in the congregation tend towards poverty, those in the world tend towards wealth? Would that still hold today?
+ one writer suggests vs 26 is describing a festive meal “with the last line a toast from a reveler intoxicated with wine and gratitude”! When was the last time you were “intoxicated with gratitude”?
+ vs 29 ”those who are dying” – the past; vs 31 “people not yet born” – the future.
+ “to a people yet unborn” suggests a confidence in the future. Do we have a confidence in the future, or not (politics breaking down, climate change, rise of extreme nationalism in different countries)? What do we proclaim to the future?
+ “all the earth will remember” – does that mean all the people, or more than that?
+ particularly when paired with the psalm, the theme of universality stands out. “God has dominion, rules over nations” – vs 28. How is that working out?
+ the psalms are expressed in general terms so that each one can “individualize what is expressed”. If you are caught up in the suffering themes of vs 1-21, how do you individualize them. If you are caught up in the praise and rejoicing of 22-31, again, how do you individualize it?
1 John 4.7-21
+ Ok – hands up, who is getting a little tired of First John. Kind of seems at first glance like a lot of platitudes.
+ we remember John was addressing a community that may have been as polarized religiously as our culture is politically.
+ vs 7-12 about love
+ vs 13 reasons to know/trust that we abide in/with God – 1) the Spirit, 2) Jesus
+ love is a commandment and a gift. Mystery, paradox.
+ the place of fear in faith – how does that settle out for you?
+ our human capacity to love is derivative, not original. But love comes from God even if we do not recognize/acknowledge it?
John 18.1-8
+ another “I am” statement. How is vine/branches the same or different from shepherd/sheep?
+ remember this is part of Jesus’ final words to the disciples, his after “last supper” remarks. It’s a little contrived – and note that at the end of ch 14 Jesus says, “Let us be going” – these words are addressed to a moving, growing, elsewhere-oriented community.
+ pruning – individuals get pruned, congregations get pruned. What has been pruned in your life? Can a person “self-prune”? What would you prune away if you could?
+ one writer notes that this passage has a high density of the word “abide” – which is a significant word in the New Testament.
+ “Ask for whatever you wish…” How do you think about that?
+ “We are called to the gracious experience of investing our lives in Jesus.” Worth thinking about.
+ “fruit bearing” here is perhaps not so much of Paul’s “Fruits of the Spirit” idea as it is preaching and witnessing.
Then here’s a piece from Eberhard Arnold that came to my inbox this week. It seemed to resonate with these passages.
It is a simple thing: joy in everything that lives. Anyone who can rejoice in life, in other people, in the fellowship of church community – anyone who feels joy in the mutual relationships of trust and inner fellowship – such a person experiences what love is. Anyone who cannot feel joy cannot live.… Only where there is joy do love and justice dwell. We need the spirit of joy to overcome the gloomy spirit of covetousness, the spirit of unjust mammon and its deadly hate. We can only have such joy if we have faith, and if we believe that the earth has a future.
Finally, here is a part of a Beltane blessing -
Bless, O Threefold true and bountiful, Myself, my spouse, and my children,
My tender children and their beloved mother at their head,
On the fragrant plain, on the gay mountain sheiling, (pasture with hut)
On the fragrant plain, on the gay mountain sheiling…
Everything within my dwelling, or in my possession, All kine and crops, all flocks and corn,
From Hallows Eve to Beltane Eve, With goodly progress and gentle blessing,
From sea to sea and every river mouth, From wave to wave, and base of waterfall.
Bless everything and every one Of this little household by my side,
Place the cross of Christ on us with the power of love,
Till we see the land of joy,
Till we see the land of joy...
That’s what I got for now -
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