Thursday April 29 Easter 4
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Psalm 50
This psalm imagines God’s response to the people doing evil and abandoning justice. Rather than simply reacting or punishing, God lays out the case as if God were taking them to court—the idea is that God is being completely fair and getting an unbiased opinion about what the people have done. They have substituted religion for being just and if this continues there will be consequences, but if they return to justice all will be well.
Psalm 98
The people, the nations, and the whole of creation delight in God’s victory and rejoice when God comes to put all creation right. This psalm is used at Easter, and is often used on Sundays, mini-anniversaries of Easter. There is some lovely imagery of the sea deliberately making a noise with its waves and rivers doing the same by clapping their hands.
Wisdom 5: 9-23 What’s Wisdom about?
Just as a ship, or bird, or arrow, leaves no mark in the air after they pass, so evil people will disappear without a trace when they die. But righteous people (who insist on inclusive justice) will be defended by God who will ensure those opposed to justice will be completely defeated.
Luke 6: 39-49 What’s Luke about?
Jesus speaks about the solid foundation for our lives which is trust in God’s justice. Otherwise we may be as ridiculous as blind people showing blind people where to go, or people with terrible eyesight thinking they have perfect vision. When you see clearly you see that just people act justly.
This week’s collect:
O God of peace,
who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ,
that great shepherd of the sheep,
by the blood of the eternal covenant,
make us perfect in every good work to do your will,
and work in us that which is well-pleasing in your sight;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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