Readings for Advent 3

Isaiah 35:1-10 • Luke 1:46b-55 • Matthew 11:2-1

Prayer:
God of joy and exultation,
you strengthen what is weak;
you enrich the poor
and give hope to those who live in fear.
Look upon the needs of the world this day.
Make us grateful for what is good
and keep us faithful in your service to those in need.
Help us to know your joy as we wait in this Advent time.
Amen

Isaiah 35:1-10

In this oracle of restoration, the prophet promises:

1) restoration of the land to fertility,
2) the end of human suffering and infirmity,
3) restoration of hope and justice, and
4) the joyful return of the exiles from captivity.

The prophet has predicted the destruction of the nations, particularly of Edom, and the devastation of their lands. (Edom was thought to have aided the Babylonians in capturing Jerusalem.) The other lands will be laid waste, rendered unproductive and given over to wild beasts (in Chapter 34). Now, in contrast, exiled Israel will be restored. The “desert shall ... blossom” (v. 1), the fertility of “Lebanon” (v. 2), “Carmel and Sharon”, which has been taken from them (33:9) will be given to Israel as a sign of God’s favour and glory. (The Plain of Sharon, extending from the Mediterranean coast to the Carmel range of mountains, was then covered with dense oak forest, as was much of Lebanon.) The land which had once been given over to wild beasts (“jackals”, v. 7, “lion”, v. 9) will once again be cultivated, and barren land will bloom.

Not only the land will be restored, but human life will also be transformed, with the end of infirmity (“make firm ... feeble knees”, v. 3, “blind”, “deaf”, “lame”, “speechless” vv. 4-6), and with the restoration of justice (“vengeance” and “recompense” v. 4) and hope. “Waters” (v. 6) and “streams” will make the land fertile again. (The little evidence we have indicates that the exiles did not suffer in exile, so vv. 4-6 are not meant literally.) Finally, the exiles, those taken captive to Babylon, will return on a “Holy Way” (v. 8), a “highway” in safety (v. 9) to “Zion” (v. 10), the holy city, and once again will worship God in the Temple. All of these will be signs that God’s rule is restored and that his favour rests on his people.

For reflection:
-the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly." Can you picture the way crocuses boldly shove up through the snow at the first hint of spring time? a sign of hope and life after a long, cold winter. Imagine, then, hope and life springing forth from the desert. That sharp contrast of color in the midst of a sea of uniformity, where it is not expected.
-Opposites - did you ever have an 'opposite day' when you were young, where everything you said meant the exact opposite of the expected meaning? That is Isaiah's vision here: blind see. deaf here. lame leap. the desert streams. dry is wet. When God come, everything is completely changed, totally altered by the experience of God.
-"Make firm the feeble knees . . . [God] will come and save you." God's strength puts our fears to rest.

What do all these images say about the God we await?
Often we are led to think of God's coming as something to be feared. What are the feelings that Isaiah's images bring forth?
Who needs strength right now? Who needs hope? Who wishes for everything to be turned around, reversed?

Luke 1:46b-55
Mary is visiting Elizabeth and Zechariah. God’s messenger, Gabriel, has told her that she will bear Jesus, “the Son of God” (v. 35), successor to David and founder of an eternal kingdom. With God, “nothing will be impossible” (v. 37) – it was possible for Sarah to bear a child. Mary now thanks God in a poem known as the Magnificat, so called for the first word of its Latin translation. Speaking today, she might begin: From the depth of my heart, I declare the Lord’s greatness and rejoice in God my Saviour. “Servant” (v. 48) can also be rendered handmaid: in v. 38, she has acknowledged that she is a “servant of the Lord”, i.e. obedient to him in all things. She will be hailed by people of every age (“generations”, v. 48) in the new era of salvation launched by her son. Why? Because of the seemingly impossible “things” (v. 49) God has done for her. Then a reminder (v. 50): God is compassionate to all who hold him in awe throughout time. Vv. 51-53 universalize her experience, to reflect how God deals with all humanity always.
The “proud” (v. 51), the arrogant, are alienated from God by their very “thoughts”; he reverses fortunes, raising up those in need (“lowly”, v. 52, “hungry”, v. 53) and rejecting the rich, those who think they don’t need God. Vv. 54-55 sum up the Magnificat: in his compassion, God has fulfilled and continues to fulfill his promises to the patriarchs.

For reflection:
We usually think of magnifying in the sense of making something bigger. Thinking of it this way, what would it mean if you soul, your spirit, made God appear larger to others?
Mary speaks as one who sees God's greatness already complete in the not-yet-complete actions of the birth of her baby, we see by the fact that she speaks about what God has done in the past tense. What trust, and what vision! Where do we need that trust? What do we hope that God might do?
Mary's images of God are all about God who changes the usual order of things - a God who lifts up the lowly and removes the rich and powerful from their usual places.
And it’s a song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB0eT2tYAZk
What is your favourite seasonal song?
What event or experience has made you want to sing?




James 5:7-10
Early Christians expected the return of Jesus, the second coming, almost immediately. This was connected with expectations about the Kingdom of God. The apparent delay of this event caused some difficulties and even some disputes among the faithful. James warns his readers not to be impatient lest this impatience lead to grumbling and division within the church which will bring judgement. For with the second coming of Christ comes also the judgement of God. The second coming is a two-edged sword: its arrival is both of comfort and of warning to Christians!
Instead, James tells his readers that they are to be patient in suffering like the prophets . They are to bide their time like the farmer who plants his crop in the knowledge that the rains will come in their own time . (In Palestine, there are two rainy times of the year: October-November, “early” and April-May, “late”.) So it is with the Kingdom. It is on its way, it is “near”, but will come in its own time. Our impatience will not hasten its coming, but we can expect it with the confidence of faith.

For reflection:
James seems at first a surprise choice for a text for Advent. Isn't James all about faith and works? But here is a most appropriate text.
"Be patient . . . until the coming of the Lord." Patience is not something we seem to value anymore. We value speed and efficiency. When have you had to be patient? When has patience brought you something better than what you could have gotten right away?


Matthew 11:2-1
John the Baptist has been arrested and imprisoned. Discouraged and in doubt, he sends messengers to ask Jesus: “Are you the one ...?” (v. 3) But Jesus does not simply say yes. Instead, he points John (and the crowd) to the signs of the Kingdom (v. 5). Echoing Isaiah, he points out that the blind, the deaf, the lame and the lepers are being healed and good news is given to the poor. Anyone can claim to be a herald of the kingdom, but only in the presence of the Messiah will the true signs of the Kingdom be evident. These are not mere claims, but incontrovertible proof. Yet apparently there are some who take offense at Jesus (v. 6). Perhaps even John himself has been disappointed because his expectations of the Messiah do not seem to be fulfilled by Jesus, e.g. he does not “wear soft robes” (v. 8). Perhaps this has given rise to doubts. Jesus refers to the signs of the Kingdom in Isaiah. John is “more than a prophet” (v. 9) for he heralds the dawn of the final era of history and announces the coming of the Kingdom. Now Jesus validates John’s ministry as a true prophet (by quoting a prophecy from Malachi, v. 10), going on even to identify John as Elijah, returned (v. 14). (Jews understood the time of the prophets to have ended, but took Malachi’s words to mean that Elijah would come again.) Jesus criticizes the people who went out to see John the Baptist in the wilderness with a variety of incorrect expectations. What they actually saw was greater than they could have imagined. Yet even John, as great as he was, only pointed the way to an even greater reality (v. 11). Up to and including John the Baptist was the time of prophetic promise; now this promise is starting to be fulfilled (v. 13). When we are disappointed, or our expectations of God’s Kingdom are dashed, perhaps it is because we are not looking for the signs of the Kingdom that are all around us.

For reflection:
If you've seen The Matrix, think Morpheus to Neo for John the Baptist to Jesus. John wants to know if Jesus is the one he's been waiting for. If he is, John will invest himself in this Jesus, and prepare to direct people to Jesus. If he's not the one, fine, but John wants to know the truth up front.

Jesus responds by saying: don't ask for confirmation of who I am in words from me. The confirmation of who I am is in my actions and what I have done. Can we say the same of ourselves?

What did you go out to see? Jesus repeats this question three times. What are you looking for? A spectacle? A circus side-show? Jesus suggests that whatever misguided notions people had in seeking John out, they would get more than they bargained for: "A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet." Have you ever gotten more than you bargained for, in a good way? Done something without hope of much meaning, but found instead a life-changing experience.

"yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." Here's the puzzle Jesus lays out for us today. What does he mean by this? Well, if Jesus' message of good news is to announce that the kingdom of God is at hand, and John had been trying to prepare people for the coming, once the good news 'arrives', so to speak, John is - not irrelevant, exactly - but his task is done, his purpose has been served. We who live in the kingdom - our purpose is not yet served - we've more to do.

Readings for Advent 2

Take a moment to centre yourself in prayer:
O Promised One; Once again we come to this time of Advent and await your presence. Give us the patience to seek meaning in these busy days. Give us the courage to wait through times of trouble or confusion. Give us the compassion to wait for someone who is burdened or moving slower than we would move. Give us the faith to see the Messiah in everyone we meet. Give us hope that we will find in your word what we need to await your presence again, Amen.

Isaiah's Background

Unlike Jeremiah, Isaiah’s prophecy is a mixture of hope and doom right from the beginning. Today's passage is from First Isaiah, long before the destruction of Jerusalem, when Isaiah was trying to call the king of Judah (probably Ahaz) to account. Isaiah’s role may have been more “aristocratic” than our usual prophets; perhaps he was attached to the temple or the palace. He may have been married to a prophetess (or at least fathered her child) and named the child “swift the spoiling, prompt the plundering” – forecasting an invasion by the Assyrians (Isaiah 3.)

READ Isaiah 11:1-10
Isaiah being an insider, he may have written this passage for King Hezekiah’s ascent to the throne –it contains his hopes for the future of the “kingdom”, and high expectations for the king.

They wanted a Davidic king, with superhuman wisdom, who had God’s spirit in him, who listened to the prophets. This king would have the goal of justice for the poor, equity for the meek. Verse 1 begins with “And... there shall come forth” in the Hebrew – it suggests maybe something was lost. We always read Hebrew scripture with Christian perspective, and should be aware of our biases. For example, the verbs could be PRESENT not FUTURE as we suppose. It is Christian interpretation that Isaiah is speaking about a “stump” suggests kings were cut down, and the new growth is Jesus, the Messiah. The Hebrew could simply mean trunk, or stalk, and the Hebrew word for “branch” sounds very similar to “crown”.

In verse 2, the crown may not come from God, but the wisdom to rule must come from God. This arises out of the “fear of the Lord” found in verse 3, meaning reverence or awe, not scared. In verse 4, “the wicked” actually meant tyrant or bully – not someone who was sexually immoral but repressive over others. In verse 6 thhe rule of the king is not just over humanity but sets the environment for all creatures to live in peace, even a child could lead or herd them. Through the king God can even change the lion’s diet and redeem the serpent!

Verse 10 is probably part of next passage or an idependent oracle. “And in that day” is more future-oriented, universalist.

Question for Reflection: In the time of Isaiah, it was assumed the monarch would be the example of faith to the people. In our time, I like to think the roles are reversed – how do we model faithfulness and justice to our leaders?

READ Matthew 3:1-12

Nothing is known about Jesus' life from the escape to Egypt, and return to Galilee.
John the Baptist is such an important figure, he appears in all 4 gospels, and yet is he really central in Jesus’ story?
“The one who sees the signs” confirms Jesus’ importance for people who place importance on prophets. It was significant for the fulfilment of tradition. In verse 2, the “Kingdom is near” is unique to Matthew - There is dispute over whether this really was John’s message, or Jesus’ message. John’s message was largely one of repentance before judgement. In verse 3 there is a quote from Isaiah 40:3, which isn’t really a messianic passage! “The Lord” to Isaiah was YHWH, not a messiah.

John the Baptist was clothed like the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8), based from Jerusalem, not Galilee. The Jordan river was significant in Hebrew scripture – Elijah/Elisha; David and the Ark of the covenant, Joshua entering the Promised Land – all signalling that baptism at Jordan a “transition” and a new chapter in living.
For the Pharisees and Saduceess, baptism was already a ritual, but because of their other conflicts, John might have felt they would render his baptism empty. They expected special protection through Abraham, but John insists it does not require biological heritage and offers the image of a tree cut off at the root – fruitfulness is the test – fire is final judgement.

In verse 11, the phrase “coming after me” is literally a play on words for a disciple who shadows the teacher – not necessarily a compliment. But the one thing he was never required to do was touch the teacher's feet, that was the work of a slave. John reverses the understanding, Jesus was known to be a disciple of John's yet would ultimately be one greater than John. John not even fit to carry his shoes!

The phrase “with fire” has been added to Mark’s original version, incorporating final judgement imagery? And verse 12 is not found in Mark or John, it is possibly from another sources called "Q" – Jesus as final judge.

Question for Reflection:
How is John the Baptist’s message for you? Helpful or hopeful or threatening?

READ Romans 15:4-13
Paul in search of strong community – privileged to help the underdog – the strong in faith should support those who are weak. The purpose of the letter to the Romans was to build the body of Christ before Paul's arrival in Rome – breaking down obstacles both physical and theological. In verse 4, the scriptures written in former days for Paul were the Hebrew law and prophets – still valued and holy from Paul’s perspective. They could be a meeting point between Gentiles and Jews. His goal was harmony – in accordance with Christ, coming to a point where they could glorify God with one voice.

In the final part, Paul uses scripture to reinforce the idea they could live in peace in the new creation. In verse 9, he quotes Psalm 19:49 “that Gentiles might glorify”, but in most translations in Psalms, it reads "nations". Your translations may have nations or Gentiles in the following references:
Verse 10 quotes Deut 32.43; verse 11 quotes Ps 117.1; verse 12 quotes Isaiah 11.10
For Paul, Jesus provided a bridge between all cultural and religious difference.

Question for Reflection:
How do you, as a Christian, living in and supporting a religiously pluralistic age, understand Jesus to be “the bridge” between our faith and other faiths?

Closing:
Creed for our Advent Pilgrimage, by barb janes
in Gathering, Advent/Christmas/Epiphany 2010-2011, UCRD.

I believe in the promise of Christmas
and the importance of celebrating it in the church.
I believe in the God at the centre of Christmas,
whose hope for the world was imagined by prophets.
I believe in Mary,
who sang of turning the world upside down
and who allowed her life to be disrupted by God.
I believe in Joseph,
whose broken heart broke the rules
to do the right thing.
I believe in the smell of the stable -
I believe there is no place God won't go.
I believe in the shepherds, those simple ones open to hear the angels' song.
I believe in the Magi, the ones outside the faith,
outside the community, who searched out the Holy.
I believe in Jesus, born in poverty,
soon a refugee, raised in faith, lived seeking justice,
died speaking forgiveness, rose with a love that could not be stopped.
I commit to use this season to seek out the holy
both in God among and God beyond us.
I open myself to an Advent journey of great joy
that will change my life. Amen

Readings for November 28, 2010 Advent 1

Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44

Prayer to Begin
Unexpected God,
your advent alarms us.
Wake us from drowsy worship,
from the sleep that neglects love,
and the sedative of misdirected frenzy.
Awaken us now to your coming,
and bend our preoccupations into your peace. Amen.


Isaiah 2:1-5
Isaiah wrote these verses about 740 BC, a time when spirits were low in Judah: Assyrian armies were bent on conquest, and many people doubted God's power to preserve the dynasty of David in accordance with his promise; others believed themselves to be invincible in the face of enemies.

Because Chapter 1 begins with similar words, it appears that this and the next few chapters originally formed a separate document. The ideas in vv. 2-4 are also found in Micah 4. In the future (“in days to come”, v. 2) God will launch a new era in which he will dwell on earth (“house”), at Jerusalem. His presence above all others on earth symbolizes his sovereignty. (Jerusalem began on the eastern hill or “mountain”. By Isaiah’s time it had expanded on to part of the western hill. “Zion”, v. 3, was originally the name of the southern slope of the eastern hill, the site of the first settlement. The name was later used for the whole city.)

The prophet foretells a time when all peoples will make pilgrimage to Jerusalem (“let us go up”, v. 3) to worship God – to learn the way of living revealed by God. The city will be the source of “instruction” in ethical living. In Chapter 30, Isaiah tells us that in his time Judah rejected God’s message, but in this future time all peoples will accept it. (The Hebrew word for “instruction” is torah which is also a name for the first five books of the Bible, the Law.) In this future time, God will settle disputes among nations (“judge”, v. 4) and between people (“arbitrate”). It will be an age of peace and plenty: warfare being a thing of the past, agriculture (“plowshares”, “pruning hooks”) will prosper. (Conquering armies lived off the land and farmers were needed for military service.) In v. 5, Isaiah exhorts the people to adopt God’s ways now.

For reflection

Notice that the image here is not just of peace, but of turning weapons into tools, tools that help growth and creation and life. Non-war, Non-fighting is not enough. Proactive, pro-creative work is where God calls us. What examples of proactive activity for peace can you name? Where do you see hope for peace in the world?


"The Lord's house . . . shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it." This is a unique image: if you think of God as being on the mountain-top and nations as rivers - they stream upwards, against the usual flow, to meet with God. Reflect on this unusual image. How are we called to "go against the flow..."?




Romans 13:11-14

In vv. 1-8, Paul has written about the obligations we Christians have to civil authorities; he has continued his instructions on ethics for Christians. The only thing we Christians “owe” others – Christians and non-Christians – is love: this sums up the obligations of the Christian in life, of Christian ethics.

And love among Christians is something special: it is mutual.

Then vv. 9-10: if we love our neighbours, we will treat them as the Ten Commandments (“the law”) requires: this flows naturally out of our love for them, e.g. we will not offend them by what we do. This is why “one who loves another ... [fully satisfies] the law” (v. 8).

Now Paul tells us another reason why ethical behaviour is important for Christians. We know that we are living both in the present and in the age which is after the first coming of the Messiah and before the second: “salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers” (v. 11). Paul expresses it in terms of night and day: we should awake, pass from darkness to light, from evil to good. The image of armour is also found in contemporary Jewish writings about the end of the age; in 1 Thessalonians 5:8, Paul tells us that the “armour of light” (v. 12) is faith, hope, love for each other, fidelity, uprightness, etc. “Let us live” (v. 13), he says, as if the Day of the Lord is already here, “honourably”, not in ways that harm ourselves and our neighbours.

For Reflection:
"you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep." There is such urgency in this statement and in this passage. What are we waiting for to get going with doing God's work? We know what time it is: time for peace. time for justice. time for grace. Now is the moment to wake and work.Are we asleep? What would it take for us to wake up?


"salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers." - this is a good verse to plug John Wesley's idea of sanctifying grace - grace that grows in us as we become disciples. A time of conversion (justification) when we first come to 'be believers', however we might define that, is not the end and all and all of our relationship with God. How do we nurture our own spiritual growth? How has your faith changed over the years? What has encouraged that growth and development?


Matthew 24:36-44
Speaking to his followers, Jesus has foretold the destruction of the Temple; he has told them the signs of the coming of the end times. In the suffering and trials which will precede the End, society will break down, “many will fall away” (v. 10, from the faith) but “one who endures to the end will be saved” (v. 13). After these events, the “Son of Man” (vv. 27, 30) will come “with power and great glory”. This will mark the beginning of a new era, a new way of being. Followers should discern signs of the second coming of Christ (vv. 32-35).

But (v. 36), we do not know precisely when that coming will be, and neither does Jesus. The situation will be like that before the Flood: people were preoccupied with earthly matters (v. 38). When the Flood came, a small number “entered the ark” and were saved, but many drowned. The dawn of the new era will also be like this; Jesus gives two examples: of men (v. 40) and of women (v. 41). Some will be “taken” to be with Christ (because they are prepared) but others will be “left”. V. 43 is an other example. “Keep awake” (v. 42) to the will of God.


For reflection:
"at an unexpected hour" Ask yourself: "How often in my life I am putting things off - procrastinating - not so much about day to day things but about big things: I will start giving more ... pray more... I will help more .... I will take more time with the people who are important to me..." But the Son of Man comes unexpectedly. Again, is in the passage from Romans, the time is NOW.

Note that Jesus makes no mention of why some get taken and some left, or where they get taken, or anything specific. We bring a lot of assumptions to the text about what this means, but be careful not to read things into the passage that aren't there.

Why do you think Jesus tells the disciples (and us) these things? What's his intention? We react, today at least, with fear and anxiety and worry. Is that what Jesus meant for us to feel? If it isn't, (and I'm thinking it isn't) how come we're missing what he's getting at? Why are wooried?

In Jesus day, speaking to an audience of people who were largely poor, disenfranchised, conguered, subjugated, oppressed...the end of things, the start of something new , would be most welcome. They would react to Jesus warnings of the end with hope and expectation, not fear. Who in our world would react with hopeful expectation as they think about the end of the world as we know it? What would you like to see come to an end in the present? What new thing do you want to see happen?

Readings for November 21 2010

Opening Prayer:

O God, we pray that your reign might be seen in our midst. When your Spirit moves through our lives, may your priorities be evident in our choices. When your Christ approaches us in a stranger, may we offer our aid and respect. When your Word of Life is opened to us, may we open our hearts and be changed. In the fullness and beauty of all creation, may we celebrate your power at work, Amen


Reign of Christ Sunday was initiated by Pope Pius XI in 1925. It was the Church’s response to “increasing secularism”. It is always the last Sunday in the church year – the “pinnacle” of Jesus’ power before he is reduced to just a metaphorical twinkle in a prophet’s eye.


What role does a “reign of Christ” play in our lives? Our church has been studying what it means to live in the midst of Empire – to ask ourselves how we are complicit, and when we are in opposition, how do we maintain our courage to stand up for our beliefs?




Our scriptures offer us images of a different kind of “ruler” based on beliefs about God, Christ, as well as our ultimate purpose in the world.




READ Jeremiah 23:1-6


In Israel, the king was often associated with the shepherd, contrasting the good shepherd – one who does it for care of the sheep versus the bad shepherd - who does it for profit, and does not care about the welfare of the flock.




Jeremiah's context is war and destruction, his words are full of condemnation of the kings who led them to that place - they are the bad shepherds.




In verse 1, Jeremiah's critique is for the kings and advisors, not enemies like Babylon. Jeremiah blames his own people. He talks about the people scattered, which raises the question whether the exile has already happened. Verse 2-3 contains God’s indictment "You have not attended to the flock, so I will attend to you!" Almost like good parenting, sometimes nurturing, sometimes disciplining. God will take the role of shepherd back, protect, care until they flourish, gather the dispersed. Then God will (v.4) raise up shepherds from within community. In verse 5, Jeremiah uses the ophetic formulae "the days are surely coming" to give them hope for the future but let them know their hope is already in the works. "Raise up for David a righteous branch" – the good king who listened, cared what God thought, grew up a shepherd. David's line will produce the next king, rooted in the tradition, yet new.

In verse 6 Jeremiah talks about naming – a significant thing in that time, thought to have power. The new name reverses the meaning of old and corrupt King Zedekiah’s name!

(old) My righteousness is YHWH vs. (new) YHWH is our righteousness.




Question for Reflection: The scattered people would be gathered together around one understanding of righteousness – how does this help us to understand our own (personal) sense of being scattered, our communal sense of being scattered?





READ Colossians 1:11-20 –

One of Paul’s disputed letters (Deutero-Pauline) so we can expect it to be more “conservative” than his “original” works. It is likely the author was someone from “within” the community.


Background – Colossae a church, founded by Epaphras, but very vulnerable to influences from the "Christian gnostics" who denied the physical incarnation of Jesus. Growth is a theme throughout letter – author urging them towards maturity, standing up for right beliefs. Wisdom is another theme – spiritual wisdom versus the appearance of wisdom.




This passage – God’s role, Christ’s role in our “upbringing” affirms the reality of Jesus as fully human, and creation's goodness.




Question for Reflection: The author of Colossians is quick to re-affirm that Jesus is of the earth, and the earth is for him. God and Christ are involved in the world, not rescuing us from it. How do Christians express this belief in a pluralistic world of many faiths?


READ Luke 23:33-43



Why are we reading a Good Friday story when we are leading up to Xmas? In verse 33 – The Skull, Calvary(calvaria Latin), Golgotha (aramaic) - all mean the same thing. Biblical scholarship tells us that only political enemies were crucified, therefore the "criminals" are not common thieves, but rebels, and that is also why Jesus was executed.




The gospel of Luke contrasts innocence of Jesus versus cruelty of Rome:

Jesus forgives the guilty, Rome accuses the innocent.

Jesus shares the wealth, Rome divides the spoils.

Jesus offers comfort, Rome scoffs and mock.




Some bibles may verse 34 in parentheses – it was not found in the earliest texts. Note that Jesus does not offer forgiveness of sin but forgives their ignorance.




The second prisoner asks Jesus to remember him in his (Jesus') kingdom (not God’s!)

Question for Reflection: What kind of reversal does your theology or life need right now?

Readings for November 7 2010

The portrayal of Jerusalem's temple is one of inspirational beauty, which the faithful exiles returned to Jerusalem in hopes of rebuilding. When they lost sight of the temple, the prophets used that memory of great beauty to call them back to God's keeping.

Take a moment to pray as you begin this study:

O God, may we be firm in our faith with you. Bless us with a love that keeps us at all times and in every circumstance. Guide us in the way of Jesus and transform us in the Word of Life, we pray, Amen

READ Haggai 1:15b-2:9

Haggai is not the most popular prophet for us today, he appears rarely in our schedule of readings, and his prophecies seem restricted to a particular time and place. How do we make his words relevent today?

By the decree of the Persian emperor Cyrus (who defeated the Babylonians), the Israelites returned to Jerusalem to re-build the temple under the political leadership of Nehemiah, and the religious leadership of Ezra. But the rebuilding of the temple was delayed by various conflicts between the people of the northern and southern kingdoms. After 18 years "home", only the foundation had been laid!

Haggai and Zechariah were 2 prophets who kept at the people to get going and finish the temple. Psalms 145-148 are ascribed to these prophets, who are chronologically the “last” of the Hebrew prophets (from the Christian perspective) until the next prophetic voice which is John the Baptist.

Earlier in the prophecy Haggai criticized the people for building themselves fine, paneled homes, while God resided in poverty. He threatened them with financial failure and drought if they are not faithful in giving God a worthy place in their rebuilt lives. In verse 2, note that Haggai's message is delivered on 3 levels – to Zerubbabel (political); to Joshua (spiritual) and to the people (social.) Haggai uses a rhetorical question in verse 3 - it would have been about 66 years! But the former beauty of the temple was legendary. We can share in the message of verse 4 "Take courage!" and ”I am with you”. In verse 5 the prophet reminds the people of their history with YHWH - verse 6-9 is a new vision of the promised land, that “land of milk and honey” only it is a temple restored to its former glory. In this way Haggai believed that Jeremiah's promise would be fulfilled (Jeremiah 29:14;30:3 31:23) and the stolen treasures returned to their rightful place.

Question for Reflection: We often quote “Without a vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18 – wording from the KJV – more contemporary versions are different.) What vision jump-starts your enthusiasm for ministry?

READ 2 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 13-17

“Second Paul” – most scholars suggest that it was not Paul writing 2 Thessalonians, though the letter was attributed to him. It expresses some non-Pauline views: ie. God’s love is for believers only; God wreaks eternal vengeance against “enemies”; Christ's victory is Second Coming, not resurrection; that Second Coming is future, not imminent.

It is likely the author was writing to keep his readers from straying from core Christian beliefs, by recalling Paul's teachings and creating a harsh boundary between those who follow faithfully, versus those who follow false teachings.

He paints a pretty colourful picture of those outside salvation, and those "sanctified" by true belief.

Question for Reflection: Do we have to believe we are ultimately right (and others wrong) in order to have hope?

READ Luke 20:27-38

The Sadducees, high priests and temple authorities, did not believe in resurrection. They read only the Torah as authoritative scripture. The Pharisees, who taught in the synagogue, also saw the Psalms and prophets as holy scripture and believed in resurrection. Luke portrays Jesus as being the fulfilment of the best hope of the Pharisees.

In the passage the Sadducees try to trap Jesus by proposing a ridiculous situation concerning resurrection. But Jesus tells them they are the ones being ridiculous if they think God's realm will follow their rules! In God's realm, a widow doesn't need a husband to be valued. God's realm is full of living beings like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, just as Moses said.

Question for Reflection: Jesus affirmed that the continuity between this life and any understanding of afterlife is God and God's love. When we understand that God's love transforms us in God's realm, how does that shape your understanding of life, in all its dimensions?

We close with a peace poem by the Muslim Inayat Khan, founder of the Sufi Order of the West:

Send Thy peace, O Lord, which is perfect and everlasting, that our souls may radiate peace. Send Thy peace, O Lord, that we may think, act and speak, harmoniously. Send Thy peace, O Lord, that we may be contented and thankful for Thy bountiful gifts. Send Thy peace, O Lord, that amidst our worldly strife we may enjoy Thy bliss. Send Thy peace, O Lord, that we may endure all, tolerate all in the thought of Thy grace and mercy. Send Thy peace, O lord, that our lives may become a divine vision, and in Thy light all darkness may vanish. Send Thy peace, O Lord, our Father and Mother, that we Thy children on earth may all unite in one family.

Readings for October 24,2010

Joel 2:23-32 and Psalm 65 • 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 • Luke 18:9-14

Prayer: O Wellspring of salvation,
we come to you in joy,
for you have heard the prayers of the poor
and raised up the lowly.
Pour out your Spirit
on young and old alike,
that our dreams and visions may bring
justice and peace to the world.
Amen.

Joel 2:23-32

The Book of Joel: The first verse tells us that this book is by Joel "son of Penuel". We do not know who this Joel is, for he is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament; however, the text does tell us something about him. First, he was a prophet. There are twelve prophetic books at the end of the Old Testament, of which Joel is one. Second, he has an appreciation of worship in the Temple. He mentions various officials, but never a king, so he probably lived after the return from exile. The earliest he could have written is then 515 BC, when the Temple was rebuilt. Sidon is mentioned. It was destroyed in 343 BC, so Joel wrote before that date. He starts by describing a locust plague and a drought, which he sees as God's punishment. The effects are catastrophic, like the day of the Lord. The people repent, and God restores their fortunes. Again God is in their midst.

He gives a highly realistic account of a plague of locusts. So great was the devastation that there were no grapes with which to make “sweet wine” (1:5) for celebrating a feast. The priests are to mourn, for no cereal offerings can be made in the Temple – all the crops have been destroyed. Even “joy withers away among the people” (1:12). This invasion, Joel says, is a foretaste of “the day of the LORD” (1:15); it is a punishment from God. The “pastures” (1:19) are as though burnt by “fire”. Blow the shofar, the ram’s horn, he says, to warn of the approach of the End! (2:1) Judah is under attack. So thick are the locusts that the sun is obscured – a sign also of the end times (2:2). The insects, like a conquering army on the move, are commanded by God. Can any survive the onslaught? (2:11) But there is still a chance: if a person repents and turns to God, perhaps God will be “gracious and merciful” (2:13).

Again Joel advises blowing the shofar (2:15): to summon the people to a fast. Put off your marriage! (2:16) Priests, intercede for the people: may God spare Judah from mockery by other nations, of being thought God-less (2:17). God does forgive; he has “pity on his people” (2:18). He returns fertility to the land, restores Judah to place of honour among nations, and destroys the locusts. “Early rain” (2:23) softened earth parched by the summer heat; it made ploughing possible; “later rain”, in April/May, provided sustenance for summer crops. Trees again bear fruit (2:24). God will “repay” (2:25) for the destruction by the locusts (“hopper ... cutter” – stages in insect development) sent by him. He is still Judah’s God, “in the midst of Israel” (2:27), the only God. Judgement Day, “the day of the LORD”, will come “afterward” (2:28), much later. He will grant his power, his “spirit”, to all Judeans, to “sons ...” and even to “slaves” (2:29). Signs (“portents”, 2:30) will warn of the coming of the Day. Then the remnant faithful to God “shall be saved” (2:32), including those “whom the LORD calls”.

For Reflection:

* In this passage there is a strong connection between the people and God and their planet.
* "I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit." A beautiful and inspiring verse ,inclusive in describing who will be dreaming and giving prophecy and visioning for God - old, young, men, women, free, slaves. How can we overlook verses like this to say that there are only some who are of certain categories of people that God will call to speak and preach and lead?? Who arose that we are excluding today through whom God may speak?
* "And my people shall never again be put to shame." Shame - where is the shame in your life? Here God is lifting shame from us.

Shame
Shame has been identified as a family of feelings. We may be feeling shame when we feel:
alienated
inadequate
helpless
powerless
defenseless
weak
insecure
uncertain
shy
ineffectual
inferior
flawed
exposed
unworthy
hurt
intimidated
defeated.
rejected
dumped
rebuffed
stupid
bizarre
odd
peculiar
different

Shame is often experienced as the inner, critical voice that judges whatever we do as wrong, inferior, or worthless.

Shame is not the same as guilt.When we feel guilt, it's about something we did.
When we feel shame, it's about who we are.
When we feel guilty we need to learn that it's OK to make mistakes.
When we feel shame we need to learn that it's OK to be who we are!

Shame is about the appearance of guilt or impropriety. Its not just a question of whether you did something its whether you look like you did something.

Can shame ever be a force for good in life?


2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18
Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus, together known as the Pastoral Epistles, are markedly different in vocabulary and literary style from epistles we know to be Paul's. They also present a more institutionalized church. For these reasons, most scholars believe that the Pastorals were written a generation or so later than the letters we are sure are Pauline. 2 Timothy is the most personal of the Pastorals: most of it is directed specifically to Timothy. From the Book of Acts, we know that Timothy was from Lystra in Asia Minor, and was the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother who had become a Christian. He accompanied Paul on his travels.

For Reflection:
* "poured out as a libation" - we are poured out as an offering - we can live our lives in a way that pours our self out to others and to God. But if we don't pour ourselves out?In our culture we get what is ours. Pouring ourselves out for others is not a cultural ideal. The paradox of faith is that by giving we receive.
* "fought the good fight . . . finished the race." This is a popular funeral text, and with good reason. There is a sense of fatigue, here, in some ways, tiredness at the journey of life, but also accomplishment - a life well-lived in God's hands.What other images or metaphors speak to you of a life well lived?

Luke 18:9-14

Luke has presented Jesus telling a parable about a judge and a widow. Even the uncaring judge listens to a petition, eventually; when Christ comes again, he will hear and answer the prayers of the faithful with due alacrity. Now Jesus tells a parable to “some” who take a legalistic approach to Judaism: “they were righteous”, pious. Pharisees kept the Law scrupulously - both written and aural, so they must be acceptable to God! (The unwritten law formed a protective shell round Mosaic law, reducing the chances of ever erring to the point of transgressing the real law.) Like the Pharisee in the story, they were fastidious in their observation of ritual practices: they fasted on Mondays and Thursdays, and tithed (v. 12): they were seen to be religious. But their pride in keeping the Law led them into self-righteousness (“trusted in themselves”, v. 9), self-importance, and arrogance (“regarded others with contempt”). On the other hand, tax collectors were despised for collaborating with the Roman occupiers. At this point, Jesus’ hearers would be cheering for the Pharisee, especially since most were followers of the Pharisaic party. The tax collector admits he is a sinner (v. 13), repents (“beating his breast”) and seeks God’s mercy. In v. 14, Jesus explains the example story: the tax collector goes home “justified”, accepted by God, acquitted in God’s court of justice, for he has recognized his need for God’s mercy – but not the Pharisee. In the kingdom, roles will be reversed: God receives those who turn to him and implore his mercy; he rejects those who parade their supposed virtues. We should receive the Kingdom as a child does (v. 17).

For Reflection:The Pharisee and tax collector both come to God to pray - one thanking God that he is not like the other or others, who he deems inferior, but the tax collector simply praying for God's mercy. It is easy for us to say that we would never be like the Pharisee, and look down on him. But actually, we are just like him - only maybe not how we think. Before we judge the Pharisee too much, maybe we can look at him a little differently. Is he actually trying to prove himself before God - thinking he must earn God's love? At first, we see him as arrogant and full of himself, but at second read, we see him as many of us - trying hard to do what's right, but never really trusting that God's grace can be so free and easy as promised. We think eventually we will have to 'pay up' with our good deeds to get a share in God's grace. Where the tax collector gets it right is this: he knows he needs God's mercy, and he asks for it. And God gives it. Amazing grace.

Do you ever feel that you have to earn God's favour? Do you feel worthy of God's love? Or shame for being who you are? Prevenient grace. How hard is it to believe that God's love is unconditional, and God's favour free?

Readings for October 17, 2010

Our image today is a heart. In reality, it is a heart made of many pieces, a heart broken and then mended for new purpose. Our readings today celebrate the persistent love of God and the challenge of responding with persistent hope.

Opening Prayer:
O Holy One, Open our hearts, that we might receive your Spirit of Compassion. Encourage us, when we are faint in our heartbeat of faith. Empower us, when our courage runs dry. Raise us up that we might see beyond our obstacles. And when we hear your word, give us faith to move mountains, In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen

READ Jeremiah 31:27-34

Our reading is part of the "Book of Consolation" Jeremiah 30:1-31:40, where the context is utter destruction, but already God, through Jeremiah, invites the people to have hope.

“The days are surely coming” - it sounds like more of Jeremiah's usual forecast of doom and judgement is on its way. But Jeremiah wants the people of God to know that future hope is as sure as the past judgement. He uses the metaphor of “seeding” new life that is universal, not exclusive to Jews or even to humanity. He also mentions both Northern and Southern kingdoms reunified under God. Who really destroyed Jerusalem? For Jeremiah it was the powerful who made unfaithful choices. The whole passage rephrases Jeremiah 1:1-10, the prophecy of doom.

Verse 31 is the only place in Hebrew Scripture to use “new covenant”. In Jeremiah’s view the “new covenant” is a re-issuing of the first, the one offered to Noah, Abraham and David. In verse 32 "not like the old one" refers to the Mosaic covenent based on commandments. The new covenant is sheer unconditional promise, it is internal not external. God promises to remember sin no more – "forgive and forget. "

Question for Reflection:

How do you feel about "forgive and forget"? Is it possible for you? Do you believe it is possible for God?

READ 2 Timothy 3:10-13/14-4:5, 6-8

CONTEXT -
Pseudo“Paul”, the author, is continuing to encourage Pseudo“Timothy”, a pastor, not to lose faith even in times of suffering. Was the pastor wavering? The author tells him to remember Paul’s suffering, and yet how much Paul accomplished. This is done by remembering his roots, his own early learning, faith and from “whom” (in the plural) he first learned it. The "sacred writings" was a phrase used for the law and the prophets, but interpreted “through” faith in Jesus Christ – the two must go hand-in-hand. The author warns that "itching ears" will lead to distortions of scripture. It must be inspired by the Spirit both in the writing and in the reading!

Question for Reflection:

What are the "itching ears" doing with scripture in our time?

READ Luke 18:1-8
A story unique to Luke’s gospel, this is a parable of Jesus remembered and then framed to teach a lesson about prayer. "That they would not lose heart" - for Luke, this is about the same persecution that “2 Timothy” faced.

Our present faith is connected to future hope – if we believe, then we are persistent in trying to make things happen. Jesus' listeners needed to believe that justice was possible, even when the unjust had all the power. Luke's readers needed to know that God was listening to their prayers for help.

Question for Reflection:

In what situations do you need to be more persistent? In what ways do you think your faith community needs more persistence?

Closing Prayer:

Psalm 119: 97-104, from Everyday Psalms by James Taylor, 2005 Wood Lake Books.

In the maze of modern life,

it helps to have clear directions.

A clear vision of how things ought to be

gives great advantage.

I don't have to balance this against that.

I don't have to choose the lesser of two evils.

You give me a goal.

The world is changing so fast,

the wisdom of old age isn't always applicable;

But your wisdom is.

Our ways are not always your ways,

nor is our wisdom your wisdom.

You have taught me how to discern the difference.

And what a difference that makes!

You help me to see more clearly;

with your guidance, I can grope my way through. Amen

Readings for October 10, 2010: Thanksgiving

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 • Philippians 4:4-9 • John 6:25-35
Prayer: God,in your Son Jesus Christ you richly bless us with all that we need, bread from the earth and the bread of heaven,which gives life to the world. Grant us one thing more:grateful hearts to sing your praise, in this world and the world to come. Amen.




Harvest Thanksgiving; A Global tradition : Given the differences in climate and crops around the world, harvest festivals can be found at various times throughout the world. Harvests festivals typically feature feasting, both family and public, with foods that are drawn from crops that come to maturity around the time of the festival. Ample food and freedom from the necessity to work in the fields are two central features of harvest festivals: eating, merriment, contests, music and romance are common features of harvest festivals around the world.
Harvest festivals around the world:

• Chuseok: Korea
  
• Crop Over: Barbados
• Dongmaeng: KoreaNiiname-sai,
  
• Shinjo-sai: Japan
• Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia Argentina
• Mehregan (October 2): Iran, Ancient Persia
• Mid-Autumn Festival: China, Vietnam
• Pongal: India
• Annual Harvest Festival of Prosser, Washington, celebrated on the 4th full weekend in September
• Solung: falls between June and July for nine days. T
• he Adi (also Abor) is a major collective tribe living in the Himalayan hills of Arunachal Pradesh
• Sukkot: Jewish harvest festival lasting eight days in the fall, in which time is spent in tabernacles or booths
• Hasyl toýy:Turkmenistan - the holiday on the last Sunday in November
• .Ikore: celebrated by the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria
• Khuado Pawi: celebrated by the Chin tribe of India, Burma and recently in the USA and many other parts of the world.

Canadian Thanksgiving: There are three traditions behind our Canadian Thanksgiving Day.
1) Long ago, before the first Europeans arrived in North America, the farmers in Europe held celebrations at harvest time. To give thanks for their good fortune and the abundance of food, the farm workers filled a curved goat's horn with fruit and grain. This symbol was called a cornucopia or horn of plenty. When they came to Canada they brought this tradition with them.

2)In the year 1578, the English navigator Martin Frobisher held a formal ceremony, in what is now called Newfoundland, to give thanks for surviving the long journey. He was later knighted and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in northern Canada named after him - Frobisher Bay. Other settlers arrived and continued these ceremonies.

3)The third came in the year 1621, in what is now the United States, when the Pilgrims celebrated their harvest in the New World. The Pilgrims were English colonists who had founded a permanent European settlement at Plymouth Massachusetts. By the 1750's, this joyous celebration was brought to Nova Scotia by American settlers from the south.

At the same time, French settlers, having crossed the ocean and arrived in Canada with explorer Samuel de Champlain, also held huge feasts of thanks. They even formed "The Order of Good Cheer" and gladly shared their food with their Indian neighbours.

After the Seven Year's War ended in 1763, the citizens of Halifax held a special day of Thanksgiving.

The Americans who remained faithful to the government in England were known as Loyalists. At the time of the American revolution, they moved to Canada and spread the Thanksgiving celebration to other parts of the country. many of the new English settlers from Great Britain were also used to having a harvest celebration in their churches every autumn.

Eventually in 1879, Parliament declared November 6th a day of Thanksgiving and a national holiday. Over the years many dates were used for Thanksgiving, the most popular was the 3rd Monday in October. After World War I, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving were celebrated on the Monday of the week in which November 11th occurred. Ten years later, in 1931, the two days became separate holidays and Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day. Finally, on January 31st, 1957, Parliament proclaimed....


"A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed... to be observed on the second Monday in October."

A reflection to begin: What are you thankful for today? Take a few minutes and make a list of all that you are grateful for...

After you have made your list consider how making the list made you feel?



Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Deuteronomy is a book of instruction, or Torah. It is the fifth book of the Bible. Moses speaks on God's behalf, with authority, to the assembled people of Israel, as they prepare to enter the Promised Land.

The book seems to be Moses’ final speech to the Israelites before they cross into the Promised Land; however closer inspection shows that Deuteronomy is more than this; it is a reinterpretation of the Exodus legal tradition for a later generation, who now live a settled life. Exodus reads only: “The choicest [best] of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God.” Our passage expands on this.

The commandment here is detailed and specific: the first fruits are to be taken in a “basket” to “the priest who is in office”, to a central location. Earlier, there were several shrines to God but now there is only one – at Jerusalem. Here the giving is linked to Israelite history: God swore to Abraham to give the Promised Land to Israel. Jacob, the “wandering Aramean”, and his children moved to Egypt in a time of famine. There they multiplied, were oppressed and enslaved. When they prayed to God to help them, he used his power to free them.

No longer are they wandering semi-nomads; now they live in a prosperous “land flowing with milk and honey”. In thanks for God’s gift of both the land and abundant crops, Israelites are to give produce to God; in recognition of his sovereignty over the land, they are to prostrate themselves before him. God’s gifts are cause for celebration by Israelites and foreigners who live in Palestine.

Questions for reflection:

• What specific traditions and practices are part of your thanksgiving celebrations? What are our collective rituals and practices of Thanksgiving?
  
• If we are grateful for our blessings, how does that get expressed?
• Do we live in a land of promise, a prosperous land? Do we give thanks for that or take it for granted?
• How do we include the outsider, the alien in our thanksgiving?
  

Philippians 4:4-9
Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, a prosperous Roman colony in northern Greece, from prison. We do not know whether this imprisonment was in Ephesus or in Rome. It appears that he was held under house arrest. It is possible that the epistle is actually made up of three letters. It contains many personal references, exhorts members of the Philippian church to live the Christian life and to good ethical conduct, introduces Timothy and Epaphroditus as his representatives, and warns against both extreme conservatives and liberals. Lastly, he thanks the Philippian community for their material support.

Paul began the conclusion to the letter back in Chapter 3 verse 1 . After a digression – to warn against heresy and self-indulgence and to urge devotion to Christ – he tries to finish the letter, but certain concerns intrude. It seems that “Euodia” and “Syntyche”, two workers for Christ, differ in their understanding of what the way of Christ is, and that this is causing disunity in the Philippian community. We do not know to whom Paul refers as his “loyal companion but whoever this is he is asked to be instrumental in achieving reconciliation.

Verse 4 is the conventional Greek salutation (like our goodbye) but here Paul means “rejoice” literally. May you behave towards others as you should (“gentleness”, v. 5). Paul expects the Second Coming soon: “The Lord is near.”

Then: rather than worrying on their own, the Philippians should ask God to help them, through prayer, both in prayers of “supplication” (petition) and of “thanksgiving”. God’s “peace” will protect them against their own failings and external threats. It “surpasses all understanding” either by being beyond the grasp of the human mind or by achieving more than we can conceive. In v. 8, Paul advises members of the community to live according to an ethical standard.

Questions for reflection:

• In our society do we think about the good things or the bad? What does the media focus on? If you were to experience the world only through the media what would you be missing? Does the media accurately portray the world you live in?
  
• How does looking at the bad stuff make us feel?
  
• How does counting our blessings feel?
• Paul calls us to think about the good, the noble, the beautiful. What would living this way accomplish?
  

John 6:25-35
Jesus’ miraculous provision of food to the crowd has recalled, for John, the gift of manna to the people of Israel in the desert. The crowd has taken Jesus for a political messiah who will free them from Roman occupation. John continues to pursue the question: Who is Jesus? Is he divine?

Jesus and the disciples have escaped the crowds, but only for a while. Rather than tell them of his walking on water (which they would misunderstand), he does not answer them. He tells them that they are seeking him not because they understand the spiritual meaning of the food, but for another free meal (v. 26). He says: raise your sights above material things, to eternal ones, to what I, “the Son of Man will give you” (v. 27). The Father has shown me to be authentic (“seal”). I will give you nourishment for ever. But they have only grasped that the food is miraculous, a work of God, so they ask: how can we do such miracles? (v. 28) Jesus answers: only one work of God (v. 29) is essential: to trust in me. Again, they misunderstand; they ask: what proof will you give us? (v. 30). Moses gave us manna from heaven in the wilderness (v. 31); you have only given us earthly food. We expect the Messiah to give us manna again. In v. 32, Jesus tries to clear up the misunderstandings: it was God, not Moses who gave you manna; the Father gives bread now; and manna met physical needs but “true bread” is more than that. Then v. 33: Jesus himself is the true bread, the “bread of God”: he “comes ... from heaven and gives life ...”. They still do not grasp that he is the bread, Finally, he says: I am the sustenance of life itself, of very existence, for those who trust in me; I will fill their every need.

Questions for reflection:
True story. A child drew a picture of a fish in her classroom. A brown rectangle. A fish stick. This was the only "fish she had ever seen.

• Who gives us bread? Where does our food come from? Do we forget where our groceries come from? Are we disconnected from the earth and from the cycles of seedtime and harvest?
• What is your spiritual bread? Where do you find it? Where does it come from?
• What miracles surround us? What everyday miracles do we take for granted?

Thanksgiving Thoughts to Ponder...

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart

Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action. ~W.J. Cameron

Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day. ~Robert Caspar Lintner

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings! ~Henry Ward Beecher

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~Thornton Wilder

On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence. ~William Jennings Bryan

Thanksgiving is possible only for those who take time to remember; no one can give thanks who has a short memory. ~Author Unknown

If I have enjoyed the hospitality of the Host of this universe, Who daily spreads a table in my sight, surely I cannot do less than acknowledge my dependence. ~G.A. Johnston Ross

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward