Wednesday August 11 Pentecost 11
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Psalm 119 Part 6
Psalm 119 is a meditation on responding to God’s call to justice. Every verse contains some synonym for “justice”, such as “word”, “statute”, “commandment” or the like. The psalm is arranged in groups of eight verses. Each verse in the group starts with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet – the first group of eight verses all start with A, the second group all start with B and so on. The first seven verses mirror the seven days of creation, with the eighth sometimes pointing to the next group. This very careful construction mirrors God’s creating the universe by overcoming chaos with order. In the human world, justice, dignity and fulfilment – the outcomes of justice – are the expressions of order in the human world. The human world and the rest of creation are thus united. Today’s sections are based on the letters Ayin (which is not pronounced but which looks like o, or an eye), P, and Z (in Hebrew alphabetical order). As you read them, imagine the effect of each line in today’s first section beginning with a silent letter that looks like an eye and so on.
2 Samuel 14: 21-33 What’s Samuel about?
David officially forgives Absalom, but refuses to personally meet him and welcome him back into royal life. Absalom is attractive and popular and uses violence against Joab who had pursuaded David to allow him back, to ask David to fully reinstate him and rejoin the royal household. David finally forgives Absolom for the murder of Amnon.
Mark 10: 17-31 What’s Mark about?
A young man is determined to follow Jesus and enter the kingdom, but when Jesus says he must personally treat the poor as his equals, the young man is shocked because he is wealthy, and leaves. In those days only wealthy people could afford the full religious ceremonies, so the disciples are astounded when Jesus says rich people will have a hard time entering the kingdom. Jesus’ point is that being faithful to religion as an end in itself is of no use, and but giving up our security to provide justice to those who are oppressed is what gives us unlimited life. Jesus acknowledges that this is as impossible as a camel going through the eye of a needle, but God is able to change our priorities. Jesus says that when we give ourselves away in love, then everything turns up-side down, or right-way up and we will be rich in ways beyond imaging.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you sent your Holy Spirit
to be the life and light of your Church.
Open our hearts to the riches of your grace,
that we may bring forth the fruit of the Spirit
in love, joy, and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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