Thursday July 15 Pentecost 7
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Psalm 37 Part 2
God always rescues and protects those who are just, and the powerful evil people will soon be brought to nothing. There is some daring imagery – evil people are imaged as a field in full harvest and as healthy trees – evil does seem to flourish sometimes.
1 Samuel 20: 24-42 What’s Samuel about?
David absents himself from Saul’s banquet and Saul is enraged at this insult and at his son Jonathan for supporting David, who Saul knows will wrest the kingdom from him and his son. Saul attempts to maim or kill his son. Using the pretense of target practice to cover their communication, Jonathan warns David to flee, and the two weep together and Jonathan confirms their vow that David will protect Jonathan when he becomes king. The writer is preparing us for the final outcome—that Jonathan will die in spite of David’s attempts to protect him, so that Saul’s disobedience will have the full consequence of extinguishing his family line.
Mark 2.23-3.6 What’s Mark about?
Jesus is criticized for allowing his disciples to pick heads of grain on the Sabbath—which was technically “work.” The Sabbath was originally intended as a weekly re-enactment of the joy of the completed creation. Jesus responds with a (strange to us) use of an Old Testament text in which David’s followers ate forbidden holy bread. (By a lucky coincidence we read this story tomorrow.) Jesus then deliberately heals a man on the Sabbath and claims that the Sabbath was intended as an experience of the fulfillment of the original creation. Religious leaders, who want to retain the power to control who is forgiven and who is acceptable by God accuse Jesus of desecrating the Sabbath and making God’s acceptance free to everyone and they begin the quest to execute him.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you have made us for yourself,
and our hearts are restless
until they find their rest in you.
May we find peace in your service,
and in the world to come, see you face to face;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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