Friday, March 31, 2006
From AscensionNYC
Friday in the Fourth Week of Lent
Psalm 107:1-32
1 Corinthians 12:27 - 13:3
Mark 9:2-13
To me the lessons for the day are messages, messages in code that have multiple meanings, but generally there is one that dominates, surpassing the others. In an attempt to understand the lessons for today I read the King James, the Revised Standard, and the Oxford New English Bible.
The reading from Mark tells me that Peter was a Jew who believed in the Prophets. He thought Jesus was another prophet, on par with Elijah and Moses. But then Peter had a revelation that Jesus was more than a Prophet, he was the Son of God. Peter wanted to spread this news, but Jesus told him to wait until the son of man had risen from the dead. Thus Peter learned that while on earth Jesus was human, that he would suffer and die as a human, but that he would rise from the dead as the Son of God. The mural above our altar portrays this moment when the Son of God ascends into heaven to become one with God.
The 107th Psalm is detailed and complex. It describes four situations of human suffering: The homeless, hungry and thirsty, wandering in the desolate wilderness; the prisoners chained in irons in the dark prison; the sick, refusing food and drawing near to death; and the storm-tossed sailors near to drowning in the sea. In each case in response to their cries to God for help, God's steadfast love delivered them from their distress. The Psalm tells me that God's love is continuous and all-powerful.
In his letter to the Corinthians Paul is saying that it does not matter what we do, how successful we are or how charitable we are, if we do not have love, we are nothing and have nothing. He tells me that if we have love we are the body of Christ. To me it is an ecumenical message. As Christians we are united in our love for each other.
1 Corinthians 12:27 - 13:3
Mark 9:2-13
To me the lessons for the day are messages, messages in code that have multiple meanings, but generally there is one that dominates, surpassing the others. In an attempt to understand the lessons for today I read the King James, the Revised Standard, and the Oxford New English Bible.
The reading from Mark tells me that Peter was a Jew who believed in the Prophets. He thought Jesus was another prophet, on par with Elijah and Moses. But then Peter had a revelation that Jesus was more than a Prophet, he was the Son of God. Peter wanted to spread this news, but Jesus told him to wait until the son of man had risen from the dead. Thus Peter learned that while on earth Jesus was human, that he would suffer and die as a human, but that he would rise from the dead as the Son of God. The mural above our altar portrays this moment when the Son of God ascends into heaven to become one with God.
The 107th Psalm is detailed and complex. It describes four situations of human suffering: The homeless, hungry and thirsty, wandering in the desolate wilderness; the prisoners chained in irons in the dark prison; the sick, refusing food and drawing near to death; and the storm-tossed sailors near to drowning in the sea. In each case in response to their cries to God for help, God's steadfast love delivered them from their distress. The Psalm tells me that God's love is continuous and all-powerful.
In his letter to the Corinthians Paul is saying that it does not matter what we do, how successful we are or how charitable we are, if we do not have love, we are nothing and have nothing. He tells me that if we have love we are the body of Christ. To me it is an ecumenical message. As Christians we are united in our love for each other.
David Welles
