Saturday, February 18, 2017

Epiphanies - the 4th Sunday


Back in January, on the fourth Sunday after Epiphany, the Lectionary presented a powerful confluence of Scripture - Prophecy, Psalm, Epistle and Gospel. I was struck by the synchronicity. I heard it as a prayer...about how we are called to live, the difficulties that accompany the calling and the living, and most important, the blessing.


Lord, Let the prophet Micah inspire my values, my behavior...

What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)

The Psalmist unpacks it...

Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others. (from Psalm 15)

St. Paul addresses the difficulty of going against the grain...

God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
(1st Corinthians 1:27)

Our Lord Christ speaks from the mountainside...

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 
(from the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:1-12)

And there's persecution, mourning, a thirst for something better. But we are children of God - the peacemakers. Ours is the Kingdom of Heaven. Rejoice and be glad! Amen.