Thursday December 9 Advent 2
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Psalm 37 Part 1
It’s tempting to want to be as successful as evil people, but seeking God’s justice will fulfill us, and God will defeat evil completely.
Amos 9: 1-10 What’s Amos about?
Amos says that there will be no escaping from God’s determination to stop injustice—the oppressors cannot escape the consequences of their abuse wherever they flee—to heaven or hell or anywhere. But God’s mercy shows through—some people will be saved.
For the next few days we read about God’s generous forgiveness by which the people return from captivity to Jerusalem and start re-building the temple and so return to God’s justice. Christians understand that Jesus soon to enter the world at Christmas is the beginning of rebuilding the human temple of justice.
Matthew 23: 13-26 What’s Matthew about?
Jesus is relentless in criticizing religious leaders who are without integrity and who oppress others. Some were using loopholes to appear religious while avoiding responsibility—they had argued that one didn’t have to keep a commitment if one had sworn only on part of the sacred altar. Some fulfilled their commitments by giving a tithe of tiny seasonings but paid no attention to justice for all. Matthew understands that Jesus is enraged at people who use the religion which was the symbol of justice to enact injustice. That is the ultimate blasphemy, not technical violations of the commandments.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
who sent your servant John the Baptist
to prepare your people to welcome the Messiah,
inspire us, the ministers and stewards of your truth,
to turn our disobedient hearts to you,
that when the Christ shall come again to be our judge,
we may stand with confidence before his glory;
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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