Saturday May 22 Easter 7
Click here for simplified daily office prayers
Psalm 107 Part 2
When the Israelites completed their journey through the wilderness God brought disaster on the evil people who lived there (as the Israelites understood them) to make a fertile place for God’s own people. When God’s people were oppressed, God rescued them. Wise people, the poem says, will take this to heart and will trust in God’s care and justice to prevail.
One of our tasks today is to cultivate that trust in God’s care for humanity so that when disaster happens in our world we will have something solid to offer.
Exodus 19: 3-20 What’s Exodus about?
God has rescued the people from slavery in Egypt and will shortly give them new life in the form of the Ten Commandments which describe how to live in peace and justice. But first they will experience the absolute power of God appearing in thunder and lightning. Early Christians may have associated this experience with the gift of the Holy Spirit given in fire and wind which transformed them from a terrified community to one through which the Good News was taken around the Roman empire. Tomorrow is the anniversary of God giving the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, through whom we live in new life today.
Luke 11: 14-23 What’s Luke about?
Some people say that the reason Jesus can overcome evil forces is because he himself must be evil. He laughs at this because if evil forces are throwing out evil forces, then evil will soon collapse! Instead, Jesus insists that he is a force for good and that good is already triumphing over evil—the kingdom is already arriving in his own presence.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ
with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven.
Mercifully give us faith to know
that, as he promised,
he abides with us on earth to the end of time;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Click here to share a comment on the web site.