Friday September 17 Pentecost 16
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Psalm 69
A desperate plea for help in the midst of betrayal, disaster and defeat. Some imagery is violent, which we can interpret as expressing a deep desire that there be no evil in the world. The references to gall and vinegar may have influenced the early Christians’ description of Jesus’ crucifixion. Often used on Fridays, the weekly anniversary of the crucifixion.
Friday is a day to ask what it means that God is willing to go through such an experience.
2 Kings 1: 2-17 What’s Kings about?
As the writers interpreted their history, Ahaziah, King Ahab’s son, trusts the prophets of Baal the god of greed and not the prophets of the God of justice. The writers understand that the royal troops are supportive of the king’s loyalty to greed and suffer the consequences, but those who abandon the king are saved. But King Ahaziah doesn’t even attempt to repent and so cannot be saved. The kings are getting worse and worse and this will lead to the final disaster of the destruction of the temple.
Matthew 5: 11-16 What’s Matthew about?
Jesus describes our role as disciples to be salt and light. Salt was rare and extremely valuable and wasn’t for making food taste nice, but for preserving food. Light was also valuable—lamps were fragile and required constant purchase of oil. His point is that our following of Jesus’ sacrificial love makes the world strong (as if people had a secure supply of food and light) and our example of following the sacrificial love of Christ shows how the future of the world can be made secure.
Matthew, living in a time when Christians were settling down for the long haul, is concerned that we not think being a Christian is something irrelevant to the wider world—we can provide long-term food and long-term light when the rest of the society has lost its way. A great focus for followers of Christ in our day.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you call your Church to witness
that in Christ we are reconciled to you.
Help us so to proclaim the good news of your love,
that all who hear it may turn to you;
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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