Old Testament for June 9, 2024

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 8:4-20
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage describes the transition of power within Israel, but also describes a complete shift in political systems.

Up until this time, Israel has been a loose confederation of tribes, led by a charismatic individual whom they called a judge. This judge had been identified by certain gifts of leadership and prowess, and was called by God for that particular time and circumstance.

It might be said that this was a “theocracy,” i.e., they were ruled by God; but there was not a centralized political authority.  In fact, there almost seems to have been a kind of loosely organized sense of democracy, at least in terms of the decisions made by each tribe in relation to one another.  Each tribe seems to have been represented by at least one elder, if not more.

Now, however, there was a movement toward political centralization and toward monarchy.

The motivation stated by the elders is related to their anxieties — Samuel is old, and his sons have proven to be corrupt and unworthy of leadership. Moreover, near the end of the passage the elders of Israel express their desire for a king to lead them in military campaigns.  They seem to believe that other nations led by a king have been more successful and secure.  Their motivation appears to be fear rather than confidence in God.

Naturally, Samuel takes all of this very personally.  He feels that this is somehow a referendum on his leadership, and he has been rejected.  But when he prays, God provides the alternative (and no doubt correct) interpretation.  God reassures him that God, not Samuel, is being rejected from leadership over Israel.  He also says that this has been a pattern for Israel since they were liberated from Egypt.  As they have sought security in false gods and idols, so now they are seeking security in a strong king rather than in God and his chosen prophet.

So, the Lord grants his permission, but with a provision — he tells Samuel to warn the people of the consequences of their actions.  Their children will become servants of the king; their servants will become the king’s property; and the king will help himself to their land and livestock, taking the best for himself.  What Samuel describes to them is a feudalistic system in which they will lose their freedom and their rights.

Even worse, when they cry out to God, he will not rescue them from the bondage they’ve chosen.

Nevertheless, the people are determined that this is what they want — to imitate all the other nations around them, and to give up the unique relationship they have enjoyed with God.

APPLY:  

What is the leader to do when the people declare they “want to go in a different direction?”  Politicians, CEO’s, pastors have often experienced just such a crisis in leadership.

Perhaps rather than resisting the will of the people, however misguided the leader may think it to be, the best thing to do is to follow Samuel’s example. First, pray.

It may be difficult for the leader to come to the same conclusion that Samuel did. He only arrived there because God made it very clear to him in prayer. Samuel was reassured that he wasn’t being rejected, God was!  That might not be the same message we receive from God!

However, when the will of the people had become clear, Samuel still had a responsibility to advise the people as to the consequences of their decision.

Even today, good leadership requires that the leader accede to the will of the majority; however, good leadership also requires that the leader advise his/her constituency about the possible consequences of their decision.

RESPOND: 

Leadership can be a very lonely role.  Knowing one’s people, the context, the challenges and the risks means that the leader understands the possible benefits as well as dangers that lie ahead.

In my own experience, this means that when a church or a group has made a decision that I disagree with, or that I think unwise, I have a responsibility to advise them as to the possible consequences.  However, once the decision is made, I must do my utmost to execute their will — provided of course that it doesn’t violate my own sense of values and morality.  In that case, the leader must bite the bullet and resign.

Lord, I pray for your reassurance when I feel that I have failed to lead properly.  I don’t ask for the same reassurance that Samuel received.  I acknowledge that in any given situation I may have made mistakes.  But I do ask for your assurance of love and acceptance when my leadership has been passed over or rejected. And help me to discern when it is time for someone else to take over the reins of leadership.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
The photo in the “Leadership” poster: “Mine, Mine, Mine” by Jason Samfield is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for April 7, 2024

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 133
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Psalm 133 describes brotherly unity as a great blessing.

This Psalm is described as A Song of Ascents.  These were Psalms that were sung by pilgrims as they approached Jerusalem during the three great festivals of the Hebrew liturgical year.

Attributed to King David, this psalm is also regarded as a Wisdom Psalm. In the Hebrew Bible, Wisdom literature includes the Book of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, part of Daniel, and several of the Psalms.  Wisdom literature is devoted to advice about how a wise person can live well and succeed in harmony with God’s laws and wisdom.

The metaphors that are used to illustrate this unity may seem both beautiful and perplexing to us. The precious oil poured out on Aaron’s head down his beard, and over his collar suggests a sense of abundance.  But is this reference to Aaron made because the High Priest in Israel is a symbol of the glue that holds the community together?  Is the religious ritual of the priestly role a bonding agent that creates this sense of unity?

It may be useful to note that not only is the precious oil considered useful in biblical culture for healing and cleansing, it is also used in anointing men for the roles of prophet, priest and king.

The other metaphor the Psalmist uses evokes a sense of refreshment — the dew of Mt. Hermon.  Mt. Hermon is between modern Syria and Israel, and is the highest mountain in the region, at over 9,232 feet. It would be cool, especially for someone climbing to such heights in a hot, dry climate.  For the dew to fall on Mt. Zion, in the central Judean highlands, suggests a refreshing blessing.

More significantly, though, the Psalmist maintains the sense of unity — Mt. Hermon, the northernmost point of Israel is identified with the geographical, religious and political center of Israel at Mt. Zion (aka Jerusalem).

The blessing that is bestowed is life forevermore.

David is the king of two kingdoms — Israel in the north and Judah in the south.  Mt. Hermon may represent the Northern Kingdom, and Mt. Zion may represent Judah.  No doubt David is celebrating the beauty of unity as a means of unifying these two kingdoms.

APPLY:  

Unity and harmony are indeed great blessings; but they are exceedingly rare in our polarized culture and world.  Not only are we divided by race, culture, and politics, but Christians are also divided by doctrinal differences; and even within denominations we find serious divisions today.

On those rare occasions when we do find cause for unity, it indeed feels like abundance and refreshment.

We must find ways to focus on those things that unite us rather than divide us whenever possible. But even when we cannot agree, we must still ‘speak the truth in love’ (cf. Ephesians 4:15) without compromising our integrity.

RESPOND: 

I grew up as an Air Force brat, the son of an Air Force Chaplain.  I honestly didn’t realize that there were serious differences between Christian denominations until I became a serious Christian myself in my young adulthood.

I knew that there were “Protestants” and “Catholics” because we had two different chapel services.  But I also knew that the same space was used for worship by both groups — the same altar, and even the same cross.  Even more fascinating — on one side of the cross were the letters “IHS” (common on many Protestant crosses), and on the other side was the “Corpus Christi” (a representation of the body of Christ).  So it struck me very early that though we worshiped at different times, we still worshiped the same Lord.

My prayer is that we will continue to find unity in Christ as Christians from every denomination.

Lord, may we be united in our worship of you as our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:

"Psalm 133" is in the public domain.

Psalm Reading for August 20, 2023

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 133
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Psalm 133 describes brotherly unity as a great blessing.

This Psalm is described as A Song of Ascents.  These were Psalms that were sung by pilgrims as they approached Jerusalem during the three great festivals of the Hebrew liturgical year.

Attributed to King David, this psalm is also regarded as a Wisdom Psalm. In the Hebrew Bible, Wisdom literature includes the Book of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, part of Daniel, and several of the Psalms.  Wisdom literature is devoted to advice about how a wise person can live well and succeed in harmony with God’s laws and wisdom.

The metaphors that are used to illustrate this unity may seem both beautiful and perplexing to us. The precious oil poured out on Aaron’s head down his beard, and over his collar suggests a sense of abundance.  But is this reference to Aaron made because the High Priest in Israel is a symbol of the glue that holds the community together?  Is the religious ritual of the priestly role a bonding agent that creates this sense of unity?

It may be useful to note that not only is the precious oil considered useful in biblical culture for healing and cleansing, it is also used in anointing men for the roles of prophet, priest and king.

The other metaphor the Psalmist uses evokes a sense of refreshment — the dew of Mt. Hermon.  Mt. Hermon is between modern Syria and Israel, and is the highest mountain in the region, at over 9,232 feet. It would be cool, especially for someone climbing to such heights in a hot, dry climate.  For the dew to fall on Mt. Zion, in the central Judean highlands, suggests a refreshing blessing.

More significantly, though, the Psalmist maintains the sense of unity — Mt. Hermon, the northernmost point of Israel is identified with the geographical, religious and political center of Israel at Mt. Zion (aka Jerusalem).

The blessing that is bestowed is life forevermore.

David is the king of two kingdoms — Israel in the north and Judah in the south.  Mt. Hermon may represent the Northern Kingdom, and Mt. Zion may represent Judah.  No doubt David is celebrating the beauty of unity as a means of unifying these two kingdoms.

APPLY:  

Unity and harmony are indeed great blessings; but they are exceedingly rare in our polarized culture and world.  Not only are we divided by race, culture, and politics, but Christians are also divided by doctrinal differences; and even within denominations we find serious divisions today.

On those rare occasions when we do find cause for unity, it indeed feels like abundance and refreshment.

We must find ways to focus on those things that unite us rather than divide us whenever possible. But even when we cannot agree, we must still ‘speak the truth in love’ (cf. Ephesians 4:15) without compromising our integrity.

RESPOND: 

I grew up as an Air Force brat, the son of an Air Force Chaplain.  I honestly didn’t realize that there were serious differences between Christian denominations until I became a serious Christian myself in my young adulthood.

I knew that there were “Protestants” and “Catholics” because we had two different chapel services.  But I also knew that the same space was used for worship by both groups — the same altar, and even the same cross.  Even more fascinating — on one side of the cross were the letters “IHS” (common on many Protestant crosses), and on the other side was the “Corpus Christi” (a representation of the body of Christ).  So it struck me very early that though we worshiped at different times, we still worshiped the same Lord.

My prayer is that we will continue to find unity in Christ as Christians from every denomination.

Lord, may we be united in our worship of you as our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:

"Psalm 133" is in the public domain.

Psalm Reading for January 1, 2023 Epiphany Sunday

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is one of the so-called “Royal Psalms” that either honors the king or is, as in this case, an intercession for the king.

The intercession is for the Lord to endow the king with those qualities that will help him rule with justice and righteousness.  The social concern here, as elsewhere in Psalms and in the Prophets, is not merely for the king’s wisdom, but that he will have a particular concern for the poor and the afflicted.

The Psalmist prays for distributive justice, but also for retributive justice.

• He prays for prosperity and protection for the oppressed — that is distributive justice.
• But he also prays that the king might have the power to crush the oppressor — that is retributive justice.

The metaphors in verses 5-7 implore the Lord to give the king long life and reign:

as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations. . .
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

In other words, may the king endure for as long as human imagination can possibly conceive!

Then, when we pick up with verses 10-11, the language sounds very much like Isaiah 60.  Gifts from far distant kings will flow as tribute to the king in Jerusalem.  Tarshish is as far west in the then known world the Psalmist can imagine — most likely Spain.  And Sheba and Seba are in the lower peninsula of Arabia.  Perhaps there is a nodding reference to the Queen of Sheba who came to Solomon’s court at the height of his powers?

And the Psalmist closes once again with a strong sense of social justice for the weak and needy whom:

He will rescue . . . from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.

Again, as with Isaiah 60, the Christian reader can see some foreshadowing of the coming of the Messiah — the references to justice and righteousness; the everlasting reign which will never end; and the tribute that comes from distant Gentile kings.

APPLY:  

We live in a largely “democratic” era, when kings no longer rule with absolute power in most lands.  But we still may pray for justice and righteousness, and relief for the poor and oppressed.

Obviously, the only “King” who will absolutely fulfill these longings is the true Anointed One, the Messiah Jesus.

Whatever tribute or gifts might be brought to him, or were brought to him in Bethlehem, his gifts to us far exceed what we can bring to him — justice, mercy, righteousness, true prosperity.

So we ultimately pray for his reign to come in our lives and in our world.

RESPOND: 

What gift can I possibly bring to honor Christ?  I have received far more than I can ever repay.

Our Lord, reign in my life and in our world!  Bring your justice, righteousness and prosperity for all people.  Amen!

PHOTOS:
“Psalm 72-5” by Baptist Union of Great Britain is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Gospel for April 3, 2022

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
John 12:1-8
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage follows directly after the dramatic raising of Lazarus from the dead.  This is a more “domestic” moment in the life of Jesus at the home of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha.  We already know that Jesus was close friends with this family prior to the crisis in Lazarus’ life, but they certainly had ample justification for a dinner in honor of Jesus now!

The descriptions of the three siblings are apt — Martha, of course, serves; Lazarus, the man of the house, reclines at table with the guests (as was common in a Jewish home of the day); and Mary pours out an expression of love for her friend and rabbi.

The spontaneous nature of this act seems pretty clear. The nard would have likely been reserved for a burial — perhaps originally with Lazarus in mind?

The precious value of this nard makes Mary’s act even more extravagantly generous.  And the intimacy of wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair suggests that she had not planned this moment.

Another character sketch is introduced when Judas begins to criticize what he’s witnessed.  This provides a foreshadowing of what is to come.  Judas, feigning pragmatism, questions the waste when the money could have been used for the poor.  The Gospel writer is skeptical of his motives — Judas, he suggests, is dishonest.  So what is to happen in the next chapters won’t come as a complete surprise.

Jesus rebukes Judas. In another moment of foreshadowing, he interprets Mary’s act as a preparation for his burial.  He is clearly focused on the cross and the tomb at this point.

His reaction to Judas’ “empathy for the poor” should not be misconstrued.  He is not suggesting that the poor should be neglected. He is actually quoting from Deuteronomy 15:11.

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

In other words, he is pointing out that the opportunity still remains to minister to the poor — but his time is short.  Her ministry to him was timely.

APPLY:  

How extravagant is our love for Jesus?  Martha serves Jesus at dinner.  We need Marthas, whose love is steadily expressed in works of service.

We also need Marys, whose love is spontaneous and overflowing.  She doesn’t hold back what is most precious, but pours it out on the feet of Jesus.

It has struck me that this anointing with oil is a reminder to us that Jesus is the Messiah — which means the anointed one.  Anointing with oil was a ritual used to set apart a prophet, a priest or a king in the Old Testament. Naturally, that anointing was administered on the head, not the feet.

Nevertheless, Jesus is our prophet, priest and king, teaching us the ways of the kingdom of God; offering himself as our sacrifice, and interceding for us; and ruling over our hearts and lives.

RESPOND: 

I wonder sometimes which sibling I am.  Do I serve as a part of my routine, as a duty, like Martha? Do I recline and rest like Lazarus, listening to my Lord? Do I act spontaneously and extravagantly and unselfconsciously in expressing my love for Jesus, like Mary?

The truth is, at different times I am a little like each of them. May I serve with diligent duty, rest and renew, and also pour out my love with exuberance.

But may I never be like Judas, exacting and calculatingly “pragmatic” but in truth simply self-interested.

Lord, forgive me when I am coldly calculating, and lack spiritual insight.  May my love for you be diligent, renewing, and exuberant.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
"John 12:1-8" uses this photo: “5 Sec Faces” by FLEE (a.k.a. FLEECIRCUS) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for January 2, 2022 Epiphany Sunday

A NOTE FROM CELESTE LETCHWORTH:

As most of you know, Tom went to be with the Lord in June, 2018.

Since the lectionary cycles every 3 years, I am able to copy Tom’s SOAR studies from the archives and post them each week with our current year’s dates.

Unfortunately — the lectionary passages selected for January 2, 2022 are different this year — they’re using the Scriptures associated with “The 2nd Sunday after Christmas” instead of using the Scriptures for “the 1st Sunday in January.”

I’m sorry I can’t find anything in the archives that Tom wrote about Psalm 147:12-20. On the 1st Sunday in January, he always chose to go with the “Epiphany Sunday” Scriptures (which used to be selected for the Sunday immediately preceding January 6). He loved Epiphany! It was one of his favorite holidays — right up there with Trinity Sunday.

So here’s his SOAR for the Epiphany Psalm selection for the 1st Sunday in January.

I pray that the Light of Christ will shatter whatever darkness you encounter this year. And that God will use each of us to shine the Light of Christ as a beacon to the lost and the least.

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is one of the so-called “Royal Psalms” that either honors the king or is, as in this case, an intercession for the king.

The intercession is for the Lord to endow the king with those qualities that will help him rule with justice and righteousness.  The social concern here, as elsewhere in Psalms and in the Prophets, is not merely for the king’s wisdom, but that he will have a particular concern for the poor and the afflicted.

The Psalmist prays for distributive justice, but also for retributive justice.  That is, he prays for prosperity and protection for the oppressed — that is distributive justice.  But he also prays that the king might have the power to crush the oppressor — that is retributive justice.

The metaphors in verses 5-7 implore the Lord to give the king long life and reign:

as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations. . .
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

In other words, may the king endure for as long as human imagination can possibly conceive!

Then, when we pick up with verses 10-11, the language sounds very much like Isaiah 60.  Gifts from far distant kings will flow as tribute to the king in Jerusalem.  Tarshish is as far west in the then known world the Psalmist can imagine — most likely Spain.  And Sheba and Seba are in the lower peninsula of Arabia.  Perhaps there is a nodding reference to the Queen of Sheba who came to Solomon’s court at the height of his powers?

And the Psalmist closes once again with a strong sense of social justice for the weak and needy whom:

He will rescue . . . from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.

Again, as with Isaiah 60, the Christian reader can see some foreshadowing of the coming of the Messiah — the references to justice and righteousness; the everlasting reign which will never end; and the tribute that comes from distant Gentile kings.

APPLY:  

We live in a largely “democratic” era, when kings no longer rule with absolute power in most lands.  But we still may pray for justice and righteousness, and relief for the poor and oppressed.

Obviously, the only “King” who will absolutely fulfill these longings is the true Anointed One, the Messiah Jesus.

Whatever tribute or gifts might be brought to him, or were brought to him in Bethlehem, his gifts to us far exceed what we can bring to him — justice, mercy, righteousness, true prosperity.

So we ultimately pray for his reign to come in our lives and in our world.

RESPOND: 

What gift can I possibly bring to honor Christ?  I have received far more than I can ever repay.

Our Lord, reign in my life and in our world!  Bring your justice, righteousness and prosperity for all people.  Amen!

PHOTOS:
“Psalm 72-5” by Baptist Union of Great Britain is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Old Testament for June 6, 2021

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
1 Samuel 8:4-20
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage describes the transition of power within Israel, but also describes a complete shift in political systems.

Up until this time, Israel has been a loose confederation of tribes, led by a charismatic individual whom they called a judge. This judge had been identified by certain gifts of leadership and prowess, and was called by God for that particular time and circumstance.

It might be said that this was a “theocracy,” i.e., they were ruled by God; but there was not a centralized political authority.  In fact, there almost seems to have been a kind of loosely organized sense of democracy, at least in terms of the decisions made by each tribe in relation to one another.  Each tribe seems to have been represented by at least one elder, if not more.

Now, however, there was a movement toward political centralization and toward monarchy.

The motivation stated by the elders is related to their anxieties — Samuel is old, and his sons have proven to be corrupt and unworthy of leadership. Moreover, near the end of the passage the elders of Israel express their desire for a king to lead them in military campaigns.  They seem to believe that other nations led by a king have been more successful and secure.  Their motivation appears to be fear rather than confidence in God.

Naturally, Samuel takes all of this very personally.  He feels that this is somehow a referendum on his leadership, and he has been rejected.  But when he prays, God provides the alternative (and no doubt correct) interpretation.  God reassures him that God, not Samuel, is being rejected from leadership over Israel.  He also says that this has been a pattern for Israel since they were liberated from Egypt.  As they have sought security in false gods and idols, so now they are seeking security in a strong king rather than in God and his chosen prophet.

So, the Lord grants his permission, but with a provision — he tells Samuel to warn the people of the consequences of their actions.  Their children will become servants of the king; their servants will become the king’s property; and the king will help himself to their land and livestock, taking the best for himself.  What Samuel describes to them is a feudalistic system in which they will lose their freedom and their rights.

Even worse, when they cry out to God, he will not rescue them from the bondage they’ve chosen.

Nevertheless, the people are determined that this is what they want — to imitate all the other nations around them, and to give up the unique relationship they have enjoyed with God.

APPLY:  

What is the leader to do when the people declare they “want to go in a different direction?”  Politicians, CEO’s, pastors have often experienced just such a crisis in leadership.

Perhaps rather than resisting the will of the people, however misguided the leader may think it to be, the best thing to do is to follow Samuel’s example. First, pray.

It may be difficult for the leader to come to the same conclusion that Samuel did. He only arrived there because God made it very clear to him in prayer. Samuel was reassured that he wasn’t being rejected, God was!  That might not be the same message we receive from God!

However, when the will of the people had become clear, Samuel still had a responsibility to advise the people as to the consequences of their decision.

Even today, good leadership requires that the leader accede to the will of the majority; however, good leadership also requires that the leader advise his/her constituency about the possible consequences of their decision.

RESPOND: 

Leadership can be a very lonely role.  Knowing one’s people, the context, the challenges and the risks means that the leader understands the possible benefits as well as dangers that lie ahead.

In my own experience, this means that when a church or a group has made a decision that I disagree with, or that I think unwise, I have a responsibility to advise them as to the possible consequences.  However, once the decision is made, I must do my utmost to execute their will — provided of course that it doesn’t violate my own sense of values and morality.  In that case, the leader must bite the bullet and resign.

Lord, I pray for your reassurance when I feel that I have failed to lead properly.  I don’t ask for the same reassurance that Samuel received.  I acknowledge that in any given situation I may have made mistakes.  But I do ask for your assurance of love and acceptance when my leadership has been passed over or rejected. And help me to discern when it is time for someone else to take over the reins of leadership.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:
The photo in the “Leadership” poster: “Mine, Mine, Mine” by Jason Samfield is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for April 11, 2021

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 133
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This Psalm describes brotherly unity as a great blessing.  This Psalm is described as A Song of Ascents.  These were Psalms that were sung by pilgrims as they approached Jerusalem during the three great festivals of the Hebrew liturgical year.

This Psalm, attributed to King David, is also regarded as a wisdom Psalm. In the Hebrew Bible, Wisdom literature includes the Book of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, part of Daniel, and several of the Psalms. Wisdom literature is devoted to advice about how the wise man (or woman) can live well and succeed in harmony with God’s laws and wisdom.

The metaphors that are used to illustrate this unity may seem both beautiful and perplexing to us. The precious oil poured out on Aaron’s head down his beard, and over his collar suggests a sense of abundance.  But is this reference to Aaron made because the High Priest in Israel is a symbol of the glue that holds the community together?  Is the religious ritual of the priestly role a bonding agent that creates this sense of unity?

It may be useful to note that not only is the precious oil considered useful in biblical culture for healing and cleansing, it is also used in anointing men for the roles of prophet, priest and king.

The other metaphor the Psalmist uses evokes a sense of refreshment — the dew of Mt. Hermon.  Mt. Hermon is between modern Syria and Israel, and is the highest mountain in the region, at over 9,232 feet. It would be cool, especially for someone climbing to such heights in a hot, dry climate.  For the dew to fall on Mt. Zion, in the central Judean highlands, suggests a refreshing blessing.

More significantly, though, the Psalmist maintains the sense of unity — Mt. Hermon, the northernmost point of Israel is identified with the geographical, religious and political center of Israel at Mt. Zion (aka Jerusalem).

The blessing that is bestowed is life forevermore.

David is the king of two kingdoms — Israel in the north and Judah in the south.  Mt. Hermon may represent the Northern Kingdom, and Mt. Zion may represent Judah.  No doubt David is celebrating the beauty of unity as a means of unifying these two kingdoms.

APPLY:  

Unity and harmony are indeed great blessings; but they are exceedingly rare in our polarized culture and world.  Not only are we divided by race, culture, politics — Christians are divided by doctrinal differences; and even within denominations we find serious divisions today.

On those rare occasions when we do find cause for unity, it indeed feels like abundance and refreshment.

We must find ways to focus on those things that unite us rather than divide us whenever possible. But even when we cannot agree, we must still ‘speak the truth in love’  (cf. Ephesians 4:15) without compromising our integrity.

RESPOND: 

I grew up as an Air Force brat, the son of an Air Force Chaplain.  I honestly didn’t realize that there were serious differences between Christian denominations until I became a serious Christian myself in my young adulthood.

I knew that there were “Protestants” and “Catholics” because we had two different chapel services.  But I also knew that the same space was used for worship by both groups — the same altar, and even the same cross.  Even more fascinating — on one side of the cross were the letters “IHS” (common on many Protestant crosses), and on the other side was the “Corpus Christi” (a representation of the body of Christ).  So it struck me very early that though we worshiped at different times, we still worshiped the same Lord.

My prayer is that we will continue to find unity in Christ as Christians from every denomination.

Lord, may we be united in our worship of you as our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:

"DSC_0017: Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity" by Ted is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for January 3, 2021 Epiphany Sunday

Mosaic in the basilica of Santa Pudenziana, a 4th century church in Rome. Photographed by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P.

A NOTE FROM CELESTE LETCHWORTH:

As most of you know, Tom went to be with the Lord in June, 2018.

Since the lectionary cycles every 3 years, I am able to copy Tom’s SOAR studies from the archives and post them each week with our current year’s dates.

Unfortunately — the lectionary passages selected for January 3, 2021 are different this year — they’re using the Scriptures associated with “The 2nd Sunday after Christmas” instead of using the Scriptures for “the 1st Sunday in January.”

I’m sorry I can’t find anything in the archives that Tom wrote about Psalm 147:12-20. He always chose to go with the “Epiphany Sunday” (the Sunday immediately preceding January 6)  Scripture selections on the 1st Sunday in January. He loved Epiphany! It was one of his favorite holidays — right up there with Trinity Sunday.

So here’s his SOAR for the Epiphany Psalm selection for the 1st Sunday in January.

I pray that the Light of Christ will shatter whatever darkness you encounter this year. And that God will use each of us to shine the Light of Christ as a beacon to the lost and the last.

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is one of the so-called “Royal Psalms” that either honors the king or is, as in this case, an intercession for the king.

The intercession is for the Lord to endow the king with those qualities that will help him rule with justice and righteousness.  The social concern here, as elsewhere in Psalms and in the Prophets, is not merely for the king’s wisdom, but that he will have a particular concern for the poor and the afflicted.

The Psalmist prays for distributive justice, but also for retributive justice.  That  is, he prays for prosperity and protection for the oppressed — that is distributive justice.  But he also prays that the king might have the power to crush the oppressor — that is retributive justice.

The metaphors in verses 5-7 implore the Lord to give the king long life and reign:

as long as the sun,
as long as the moon, through all generations. . .
and prosperity abound till the moon is no more.

In other words, may the king endure for as long as human imagination can possibly conceive!

Then, when we pick up with verse 10-11, the language sounds very much like Isaiah 60.  Gifts from far distant kings will flow as tribute to the king in Jerusalem.  Tarshish is as far west in the then known world the Psalmist can imagine — most likely Spain.  And Sheba and Seba are in the lower peninsula of Arabia.  Perhaps there is a nodding reference to the Queen of Sheba who came to Solomon’s court at the height of his powers?

And the Psalmist closes once again with a strong sense of social justice for the weak and needy whom:

He will rescue . . . from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.

Again, as with Isaiah 60, the Christian reader can see some foreshadowing of the coming of the Messiah — the references to justice and righteousness; the everlasting reign which will never end; and the tribute that comes from distant Gentile kings.

APPLY:  

We live in a largely “democratic” era, when kings no longer rule with absolute power in most lands.  But we still may pray for justice and righteousness, and relief for the poor and oppressed.

Obviously, the only “King” who will absolutely fulfill these longings is the true Anointed One, the Messiah Jesus.

Whatever tribute or gifts might be brought to him, or were brought to him in Bethlehem, his gifts to us far exceed what we can bring to him — justice, mercy, righteousness, true prosperity.

So we ultimately pray for his reign to come in our lives and in our world.

RESPOND: 

What gift can I possibly bring to honor Christ?  I have received far more than I can ever repay.

Our Lord, reign in my life and in our world!  Bring your justice, righteousness and prosperity for all people.  Amen!

PHOTOS:
“Rex et Legifer noster” by Fr. Lawrence Lew, O.P. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for August 16, 2020

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 133
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

Psalm 133 describes brotherly unity as a great blessing.

This Psalm is described as A Song of Ascents.  These were Psalms that were sung by pilgrims as they approached Jerusalem during the three great festivals of the Hebrew liturgical year.

Attributed to King David, this psalm is also regarded as a Wisdom Psalm. In the Hebrew Bible, Wisdom literature includes the Book of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, part of Daniel, and several of the Psalms.  Wisdom literature is devoted to advice about how a wise person can live well and succeed in harmony with God’s laws and wisdom.

The metaphors that are used to illustrate this unity may seem both beautiful and perplexing to us. The precious oil poured out on Aaron’s head down his beard, and over his collar suggests a sense of abundance.  But is this reference to Aaron made because the High Priest in Israel is a symbol of the glue that holds the community together?  Is the religious ritual of the priestly role a bonding agent that creates this sense of unity?

It may be useful to note that not only is the precious oil considered useful in biblical culture for healing and cleansing, it is also used in anointing men for the roles of prophet, priest and king.

The other metaphor the Psalmist uses evokes a sense of refreshment — the dew of Mt. Hermon.  Mt. Hermon is between modern Syria and Israel, and is the highest mountain in the region, at over 9,232 feet. It would be cool, especially for someone climbing to such heights in a hot, dry climate.  For the dew to fall on Mt. Zion, in the central Judean highlands, suggests a refreshing blessing.

More significantly, though, the Psalmist maintains the sense of unity — Mt. Hermon, the northernmost point of Israel is identified with the geographical, religious and political center of Israel at Mt. Zion (aka Jerusalem).

The blessing that is bestowed is life forevermore.

David is the king of two kingdoms — Israel in the north and Judah in the south.  Mt. Hermon may represent the Northern Kingdom, and Mt. Zion may represent Judah.  No doubt David is celebrating the beauty of unity as a means of unifying these two kingdoms.

APPLY:  

Unity and harmony are indeed great blessings; but they are exceedingly rare in our polarized culture and world.  Not only are we divided by race, culture, and politics, but Christians are also divided by doctrinal differences; and even within denominations we find serious divisions today.

On those rare occasions when we do find cause for unity, it indeed feels like abundance and refreshment.

We must find ways to focus on those things that unite us rather than divide us whenever possible. But even when we cannot agree, we must still ‘speak the truth in love’  (cf. Ephesians 4:15) without compromising our integrity.

RESPOND: 

I grew up as an Air Force brat, the son of an Air Force Chaplain.  I honestly didn’t realize that there were serious differences between Christian denominations until I became a serious Christian myself in my young adulthood.

I knew that there were “Protestants” and “Catholics” because we had two different chapel services.  But I also knew that the same space was used for worship by both groups — the same altar, and even the same cross.  Even more fascinating — on one side of the cross were the letters “IHS” (common on many Protestant crosses), and on the other side was the “Corpus Christi” (a representation of the body of Christ).  So it struck me very early that though we worshiped at different times, we still worshiped the same Lord.

My prayer is that we will continue to find unity in Christ as Christians from every denomination.

Lord, may we be united in our worship of you as our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier — Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen. 

PHOTOS:

"DSC_0017: Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity" by Ted is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.