Friday April 9 Friday
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Psalm 136
God’s relentless love (‘mercy’ in the relentless refrain of this hymn) is seen first in creation, then in Israel’s rescue from Egypt as if that rescue was another part of creation, and finally for every creature.
Daniel 12: 1-4, 13 What’s Daniel about?
Daniel was written (not long before Jesus’ birth) to encourage the Jewish people who had been conquered by the Greeks. The story expresses hope that those who have died will be raised. Appropriate for Easter week.
John 16: 1-15 What’s John about?
A generation after Jesus the early Christians were facing two challenges. They were being “excommunicated” from the synagogues and Jesus wasn’t returning. In this passage John’s gospel addresses these two problems. Jesus says that being expelled from Judaism isn’t a sign that Christianity is mistaken but that those throwing them out don’t know God—that’s why they are revolted by the Christian claim that God could want to undergo the horror of crucifixion. The reason Jesus hasn’t returned is that Jesus is preparing something better—the gift of the Spirit who will lead and empower them and prove their faith is well founded.
This is of particular support to us in a time when God’s self-offering love is so spurned by powerful forces in society which believe that oppression and the threat of violence is the only way to find safety and fulfillment. Although Jesus’ life may seem very distant from our modern world, we too are offered the Holy Spirit as our way of experiencing the presence of Jesus in our time.
This week’s collect:
Lord of life and power,
through the mighty resurrection of your Son,
you have overcome the old order of sin and death
and have made all things new in him.
May we, being dead to sin
and alive to you in Jesus Christ,
reign with him in glory,
who with you and the Holy Spirit is alive,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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