Friday June 28 Pentecost 5
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Psalm 107 Part 1
The first part of this psalm sings about how faithfully God has rescued people on many occasions: from slavery, from their own foolishness and rebellion against God, and from the dangers of travelling on the ocean. The ocean was a terrifying place for the Israelites, and the reference to God calming the storm and bringing them to harbour may have influenced the stories of Jesus calming storms.
Numbers 20.1-13 What’s Numbers about?
The Israelites rebel again, complaining that Moses, and therefore God, have led them into a trackless waste. God commands Moses to hit a rock with his staff whereupon water for the people pours out. Apparently in another version of this story, now lost, Moses and Aaron had also doubted God, and God’s punishment is that Moses will not enter the land that was promised.
This account of water from the rock at Meribah was referred to frequently in the psalms, and was much later referenced by Paul in 1 Corinthians where he says this rock was Christ. This story may also be reflected in John’s account of water coming out of Jesus’ side when the centurion stabbed his body with a spear after he had died during his crucifixion.
Matthew 20.29-34 What’s Matthew about?
Jesus heals two blind men, who then follow him as he travels to Jerusalem and his death. They clearly stand for the disciples, and perhaps especially the two disciples who have just asked to reserve the best seats in heaven—they have been blind to what Jesus has been saying about the necessity to be vulnerable in order to love. But despite their blindness, they will be healed like the two other blind men and will eventually follow Jesus by living his risen life.
This week’s collect:
O God our defender,
storms rage about us and cause us to be afraid.
Rescue your people from despair,
deliver your sons and daughters from fear,
and preserve us all from unbelief;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and ever. Amen.