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. . . As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord . . . Joshua 25:15b
Proper 17 Yr B
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Comments on this post:
August 28, 2021: A friend of ours and a great Bible teacher always remarks, "Don't just say the doings of Jesus but DO the sayings of Jesus".
From the editor: Some time ago (I think 1989), The Episcopal Church of St Simon & St Jude tried for one year a new "Creation" lectionary, from the first Sunday in September through the Feast of St Francis of Assisi (October 4). I have recently discovered that the lectionary is very much alive in some Episcopal dioceses around the United States. Because I think our "care of creation" is very important, I will be including this emphasis within the scripture section below along with Track 1 and 2 (as before). I hope you take the opportunity to consider this emphasis in your studies each week. A special feature of the season of Creation is a contemporary reading (meaning not from the Bible) instead of or in addition to the Epistle. I will select one of the suggested readings each week. Feel free to explore the season of creation further here.
Introduction
Introduction
The lesson from the letter of James is an excellent read. Read it again. All good comes from God, who is unchanging! We are the first-fruits of God's creation. We need be quick to listen and slow to speak [now that's hard]; be mindful of what our behavior says about us; embrace the word that gives us life. If you only hear the word, it's kinda like "when you walk away from seeing yourself in the mirror but forget what you looked like"! What powerful imagery is that! Think about it—walk away from the mirror and you can't remember what you look like? If you are a doer then you are blessed. To be pure and undefiled before God, you must care for orphans and widows and do not allow the world to contaminate you. Repeating: do not allow the world to contaminate you! It's a pretty tall order but we're up to the task. Comment here.
James 1:17-27
James 1:17-27
“Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, . . . But be doers of the word, . . . Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”
From sermon4kids.com: “One day some religious leaders complained to Jesus that they had seen some of his disciples eating without first washing their hands. . . . Jesus answered, "You are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. The prophet Isaiah must have been talking about you when he said, 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. . . ." Those religious leaders were very concerned about clean hands, but Jesus was more concerned about a clean heart. We should be too!”
Scripture: September 1, 2024 (Proper 17)
Track 1: Song of Solomon 2:8-13 (image)—creation focus: Love [of God] received through nature; Psalm 45:1-2, 7-10 (image)—Creation focus: Beauty of creation as God’s anointing
Track 2: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9 (image)—creation focus: God’s rules are for living on the land; Psalm 15 (image)—creation focus: The righteous as those who dwell on a holy mountain
Epistle: James 1:17-27 (image)—creation focus: Creation is God’s good gift; look after it)
Alternate or additional reading from creation focus: Fyodor Dostovesky "Love all God's creatures"
Gospel: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 (image)—creation focus: Sustenance is God’s good gift for all
A video/audio journey through the scripture.
Collect: Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
Creation Collect: Lord of all love and glory, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Creation; increase in all true unity; nourish the world with all goodness; and bring forth the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ the Wisdom of Creation, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.
Reflection: How can we know the difference between human tradition and the commandments of God? How can we know that we serve God from the heart?
(excerpted from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion: Liturgies for Year B, Volume 2 © 2014 Westminster John Knox Press)
Special Note: The World Day for Care of Creation is September 1.
Symbols of the Church
Symbols of the Church
The rock carries significant historical and biblical implications. Historically, rocks were used in the making of ancient altars, as recorded in the book of Genesis for patriarchs like Noah, Abraham, and Jacob who made altars of uncut stones to offer sacrifices to God. This act made rocks important parts of covenant enactments, symbolizing God's presence and the site of divine encounters.
From a biblical perspective, the rock is not only a positive symbol of God's reliability, strength, and protection but also used negatively to indicate stubbornness or spiritual insensitivity, as in Zechariah 7:12, "...they made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law."
Excerpted from The Digital Bible website
Click here for a page of symbols described in this publication.
Images enhancing
the scripture
“Obey God and live” by Elijah Pierce
“Le cantique des cantiques” [song of songs] by Marc Chagall
“Be doers of the word” by FaithLight
Music founded
in the scripture
“Rose of Sharon”, Sacred Harp singing workshop
“I want to walk as a child of the light”, sung by children's choir
“The Lord is my light“, from the Taizé community
Other voices
about the scripture
"Mark 7: Catch 22" by Peter Lockhart
“Human existence cannot be silent. nor can it be nourished by false words, but only true words, with which man and women transform the world. To exist, humanly, is to name the world, to change it.. . . Human beings are not build in silence, but in word, in work, in action-reflection.” by Paulo Freize; ”
“Let every word be the fruit of action and reflection. Reflection alone without action or tending toward it is mere theory, adding its weight when we are overloaded with it already. Action alone without reflection is being busy pointlessly. Honor the Word eternal and speak to make a new world possible.”
© Helder Camara
Alleluia. Speak, Jesus, Word of God. It’s your turn to speak. Alleluia, Alleluia.
Brother, who speaks truth to his brothers and sisters, give us your new freedom. Free from profit and from fear, we will live in gospel; we will shout in gospel; Alleluia. Alleluia.
Against the orders of hate you bring us the law of love. In the face of so many lies you are the truth out loud. Amid so much news of death you have the word of life. After so many false promises, frustrated hopes, you have, Lord Jesus, the last word, and we have put all our trust in you. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Your truth will set us free. Alleluia. Alleluia.
© Pedro Casaldaliga, Brazil
Movies representing some part of the scripture
“Weapons of the Spirit” (1989, not rated), story of Huguenots protecting Jews during WWII, “the Bible says feed hungry and visit sick”, Review 1, Review 2
“Snow falling on cedars” (2000, PG-13), Japanese-American accused of killing his neighbor at sea, Review
For families: Study guide and activities (another guide), group activity; snack, kid video
For children: See family guide/activities (another activity); bulletin; crafts;
For middlers: See family guide/activities (another activity); bulletin; crafts.
For youth: This week’s concept is “Be doers of the Word, not just hearers”. Do you hear folks say "do this" or "do that" as it relates to your worship? Don't sit on the front. Sing all the verses. Read the lesson while the lector is reading. And others. Are these what the week's concept is about? No. So ponder what you consider the concept is about. How can you be a doer and not just a hearer? Comment here.
Last Sunday of summer . . . Summer is just about over (school started?) but it is still hot and ice cream is still cold and refreshing. So far this month, I've had praline pecan, java chunk, rocky road, and birthday cake ice creams. My last choice will be COFFEE ice cream. Yummy! I'm happy already. What are you having?
The Sunday Gospel readings return to Mark’s Gospel today. This passage recounts one of the occasions when Jesus took the Pharisees and other experts on the Law to task for putting more emphasis on ceremonial and dietary rules than on the “weightier” requirements of God. It is not outer conformity to the Law but an inner change that brings us into a right relationship with God and with others.
Using Song of Solomon: For the remainder of this Church year, we read portions of the “Wisdom Literature” of the Hebrew scriptures. Even though some of the books are ascribed to writers of an earlier time, these books come from the last few centuries before Christ. The Song of Solomon is a wedding song in which a bride and groom are portrayed expressing their love and desire. In the Wisdom tradition these passages are taken as allegories of God’s love for the people and our love for God. God comes to us to ravish us with the divine love and to join us in the divine life.
Using Deuteronomy: The Law is intended to set the people of Israel apart from other nations, as Moses says in today’s reading from Deuteronomy. This is so that other nations, impressed by Israel’s righteousness and wisdom, will be drawn to Israel’s God. Jesus is actually reaffirming this Mosaic principle in the reading from Mark. (Christians need to remember that when Jesus criticizes the practices of his contemporaries he is not criticizing Judaism, but those whose practices undercut real Judaism.)
Today we begin reading through the letter of James. This epistle encourages us to live our faith in concrete actions of love and mercy. True religion is based on carrying out its faith in lives of righteousness and mercy.
As the people of God we gather to remember what God has done, to remember God’s principles for living, and to realign ourselves with God. Out of our relationship with God, re-established in our liturgical and sacramental encounter, comes the power to confront and overcome evil, and the righteousness which draws others to God.
From The Rite Light: Reflections on the Sunday Readings and Seasons of the Church Year. Copyright © 2007 by Michael W. Merriman. Church Publishing Incorporated, New York.
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