Thursday July 1 Pentecost 5
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Psalm 131
God is like a mother on whom I rest in complete confidence.
Psalm 132
The psalm reminds God that David was committed to finding a permanent place for the ark to stay in Jerusalem and that God swore an oath that God would never abandon David or Jerusalem.
In our time we can understand this oath to be God’s absolute commitment to creation and to our rescue which is accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Psalm 133
Another short psalm expressing joy in the abundance we experience when humanity lives in unity—that is, in justice and inclusion of all.
1 Samuel 13: 5-18 What’s Samuel about?
Saul is frightened by the Philistines, although considering what God has done to those evil people (as the ancient Israelites understood them), he has no need to fear. But, not trusting God, Saul attempts to use a sacred ceremony to force God to help him—he turns religion into magic as a way of getting what he wants. Samuel says that his lack of trust in God will result in his downfall and that God has chosen to replace him. In the next few readings, Saul will repeatedly use religion as a tool to force God, or the people, to do his will. He does not trust God.
It’s a good question to ask in our time—is faith being used to try to manipulate God to get what we want, or is faith about being open to God’s call to us to enact justice for all?
Luke 23: 13-25 What’s Luke about?
Luke, writing for Roman readers, portrays Pilate (the local representative of the emperor) as supporting Jesus and arguing for his release. Pilate’s stance undermines arguments that Jesus deserved his execution. But Jesus was executed, and Luke attributes this to the overwhelming power of public demand.
It is very difficult to maintain loyalty to justice against wide public opposition, as we know in our time. But as we also know, God’s justice will be victorious.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you have taught us through your Son
that love fulfils the law.
May we love you with all our heart,
all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength,
and may we love our neighbour as ourselves;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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