Saturday May 1 Easter 4
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Psalm 55
I am terrified at what is happening. The city is full of corruption and my dear familiar friend has betrayed me. I will not cease imploring God to intervene and put things right.
Appropriate for a Saturday, when Jesus, betrayed by friends, waits in silence in the grave.
Wisdom 7: 1-14 What’s Wisdom about?
The idea is that King Solomon is speaking and saying that he was born in the way that any ordinary person is conceived and born. But what made him special is that he valued Wisdom above everything else, including above riches and jewels and power. This is an image about the presence of God that would appeal to Greeks and Jews living in Greek culture 200 years before Jesus.
Luke 7: 18-35 What’s Luke about?
John the Baptist’s disciples ask if Jesus is the image of God who has come to bring in God’s kingdom. Jesus doesn’t answer directly but points to all the events which are qualities of the kingdom. He then praises John but says that following his own path of death and resurrection is the way into the kingdom. John’s path was through discipline and opposition to Rome, and Jesus’ path is through joy and acceptance, but both paths are being refused by the religious leaders.
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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