Friday July 5 Pentecost 6
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Psalm 141
Help me to be faithful to you, O God, and not be caught in evil.
Psalm 143
I am almost crushed by my enemy, and by my own weakness. But I remember how good you were in the past, and I still hope in you. Otherwise, there is no hope.
Numbers 24: 1-13 What’s Numbers about?
Balaam blesses the Israelites. We hear what is likely a very ancient song of triumph placed on Balaam’s lips. Despite ongoing pressure from his king, the foreigner Balaam refuses to disobey the God of Israel, and blesses the people and curses anyone (such as his own king) who would curse Israel. This story would have been of great encouragement to the Israelites suffering under deportation by Babylon a thousand years later when these stories were collected and written down.
This entire story is written to give us courage as in the church we stand for a different set of priorities—not the all-consuming grasp for power, but the priority of God—the life-giving commitment to fair justice for all.
Matthew 22.15-22 What’s Matthew about?
Because Jesus has overturned the tax tables earlier in the week, the religious leaders try to force Jesus into making a statement about the Roman taxes which will either deny the priority of the Jewish faith or deny the authority of the Roman emperor—either answer will justify their decision to execute him. This was, of course the central issue facing the religious leaders—how to be loyal to both the God of justice and the Roman gods of violence. To agree to pay taxes will ensure Jesus is abandoned by the common people because they hate the Roman extortion and oppression. To refuse to pay taxes will be treason against the occupying army. Jesus responds that Caesar and God should each receive their due, but Jesus deliberately implies that everything is due to God and therefore nothing is due to Caesar!
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you have taught us through your Son
that love fulfills the law.
May we love you with all our heart,
all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength,
and may we love our neighbour as ourselves;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.