A Lamp for Today

Daring to be Different: Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, Second of Luke, and feast day of the Apostle Ananias. Our readings for this week (2 Cor 6:16-18, 7:1; Luke 6:31-36) bring us face-to-face with an uncomfortable part of our faith: we are to be “holy” or different. We look to the challenge God gives to Israel in Exodus, and the promises to fulfill this holiness in the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel to help us to understand our calling.

Daring to be Different: Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, Second of Luke, and feast day of the Apostle Ananias. Our readings for this week (2 Cor 6:16-18, 7:1; Luke 6:31-36) bring us face-to-face with an uncomfortable part of our faith: we are to be “holy” or different. We look to the challenge God gives to Israel in Exodus, and the promises to fulfill this holiness in the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel to help us to understand our calling.

Today we read Galatians 2:16-20 and Mark 8:34-9:1 in the light of King David’s humiliation in 1 Samuel (Kingdoms) 21 and Psalm 33/34. Coming to terms with our fear of shame, our possible embarrassment concerning the faith, and the shame that Jesus our Lord bore helps us to take up our own crosses, and so share in Christ’s glory.

Today we read Galatians 2:16-20 and Mark 8:34-9:1 in the light of King David’s humiliation in 1 Samuel (Kingdoms) 21 and Psalm 33/34. Coming to terms with our fear of shame, our possible embarrassment concerning the faith, and the shame that Jesus our Lord bore helps us to take up our own crosses, and so share in Christ’s glory.

Today we read our epistle (1 Corinthians 16:13-24) and gospel (Matthew 21:33-42) in the light of Isaiah 5:1-7; 27:1-13 and 2 Peter 1: 3-12. We are led to see that there is a new song of hope that replaces the prophet’s lament over God’s people, because Jesus has become the cornerstone of God’s Temple.

Our readings for the eleventh Sunday of Matthew (1 Corinthians 9:1-12, Matthew 18:23-25) happily correspond this year with our remembrance of the Holy Prophet and last of the Judges of Israel, Samuel. Parts of his story in 1 Samuel/Kingdoms 12 and 28, plus words about him in Psalm 98 (LXX)/99 and Sirach 46, help us understand more deeply God’s character of justice and forgiveness, exemplified in the prophet. We, too, are called to this pattern as we respond to the problems of our day, including the social unrest and violence of this week.

Our readings for the eleventh Sunday of Matthew (1 Corinthians 9:1-12, Matthew 18:23-25) happily correspond this year with our remembrance of the Holy Prophet and last of the Judges of Israel, Samuel. Parts of his story in 1 Samuel/Kingdoms 12 and 28, plus words about him in Psalm 98 (LXX)/99 and Sirach 46, help us understand more deeply God’s character of justice and forgiveness, exemplified in the prophet. We, too, are called to this pattern as we respond to the problems of our day, including the social unrest and violence of this week.

We consider the physicality of Matthew 17:1-13, 2 Corinthians 4:6 and 2 Peter 1:19-21 in the light of the experiences of Moses (Exodus 24 and 34), Elijah (1 Kings 19) Daniel (Dan 10:5-10) and the prophecy of Malachi 4. The transformation which comes in seeing and hearing God affects the whole of who we are!

This week we consider Romans 15:1-7 and Matthew 9:27-35, in the light of Psalm 69 (LXX 68), the witness of the Old Testament, and the steadfast, encouraging character of our Triune God.

This week we consider Romans 15:1-7 and Matthew 9:27-35, in the light of Psalm 69 (LXX 68), the witness of the Old Testament, and the steadfast, encouraging character of our Triune God.