Tuesday April 27 Easter 4
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Psalm 45
A poem about King David, using the imagery of an ancient oriental king, describing his personal and public magnificence and the glory of his relationship with the queen. Note that his prime duty is to serve truth and justice.
We can read this poem as a description of our own fulfilled self and relationships which have been made possible for us in union with Christ’s resurrection.
Wisdom 3: 1-9 What’s Wisdom about?
In the face of defeat by the Greek army, and subsequent execution of their young men by the conquerors, the writer promises that in some way God will rectify this abuse. The author is encouraging the people not to lose hope when disaster overwhelms them.
Luke 6: 12-26 What’s Luke about?
Jesus chooses the twelve disciples, symbolically re-constructing the ideal Jewish community with twelve tribes. He then describes how life is experienced in God’s community which consists of Jews and non-Jews (from Tyre and Sidon). Jesus congratulates the poor, the hungry and the the despised because they know their desperate need for God and will experience God’s care. But he warns those who are comfortable because they live in the illusion that they are already fulfilled, and so they will not experience God’s love and will find themselves empty. Knowing one’s need and weakness is, counter-intuitively, the route to fulfillment in the new community Jesus is initiating.
This week’s collect:
O God of peace,
who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ,
that great shepherd of the sheep,
by the blood of the eternal covenant,
make us perfect in every good work to do your will,
and work in us that which is well-pleasing in your sight;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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