Thursday August 1 Pentecost 10
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Psalm 70
God can be trusted to deliver the poor from evil.
These two psalms are often used on Thursdays, the mini-anniversaries of the approach of Jesus’ death in the Garden of Gethsemane. Much of the imagery in these two psalms can be applied to Jesus being hunted, attacked, and seized, and to Jesus’ passionate prayers to be rescued by God.
Psalm 71
In old age I am filled with praise for the God who has rescued me in so many ways throughout my long life. People are attacking me now, but I trust in your salvation as you have acted for me all my life.
Judges 4.4-23 What’s Judges about?
Two women, Deborah and Jael, accomplish victory over an oppressor. Some of the details are gory for us but were understood by the ancient Israelites as demonstrations of God’s absolute power over evil.
It was unheard-of at the time that women could take initiative and leadership and act with such determination to rescue the people. So we may be hearing an ancient discovery that God acts outside the norms and through people usually without power, to protect the people to whom God is so committed. Perhaps we are to wonder how God may be acting through apparently powerless people in our day to restore justice and dignity for all.
Matthew 27.55-66 What’s Matthew about?
The women remain and Jesus is given a formal burial in a pristine tomb with Roman blessing. This story is likely an early Christian invention for what they wished had happened. The story of the sealing of the tomb is intended to make the resurrection more miraculous and to refute suggestions that Jesus’ body had been deliberately removed by his followers who could then claim he had been resurrected.
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.