Friday July 30 Pentecost 9
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Psalm 73
I almost joined the proud and evil people, who get away with anything. But I continue to suffer in spite of being faithful to God. I could not understand this, until in your temple I realised that you are in charge in the end.
2 Samuel 5: 1-12 What’s Samuel about?
David is anointed king, and takes the city of Zion, which will later be called Jeru-Zion or Jerusalem. Jerusalem becomes the capital of the country and David later composes songs about how great it is.
Mark 7: 24-37 What’s Mark about?
Jesus goes into the province where the aboriginal people live, the people who Joshua had tried to exterminate when they first entered the promised land. An aboriginal woman argues with Jesus (an unimaginable insult) and wins the argument! And her child is healed. Jesus then heals an aboriginal man whose friends trust Jesus completely. We see a theme emerging: disgusting foreigners respond to Jesus more than the “people of God.” He is clearly undoing the abuse carried out by his ancestors. In verse 34, the translation says “sighed” but more accurately it means something like “groaned” or “grunted with anger”—it means that Jesus is incensed that people—especially those who had been abused in the past—are still suffering like this deaf man.
This week’s collect:
O God,
the protector of all who trust in you,
without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy,
increase and multiply upon us your mercy,
that with you as our ruler and guide,
we may so pass through things temporal,
that we lose not the things eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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