Sunday June 6 Pentecost 2
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Psalm 24
While entering through the doors of the temple the poet sings a hymn of praise to God who brought order out of the dangerous primordial ocean. Appropriate for a Sunday as we enter into our worship.
Psalm 29
Astonishment at the overwhelming presence of God in nature who rules the untameable ocean and even makes mountains cavort like calves and oak trees “writhe” in a gale! We worship such a God, who makes such strength and peace available to us.
Deuteronomy 29: 16-29 What’s Deuteronomy about?
As the book of Deuteronomy concludes, Moses describes the disasters that will strike if the people abandon the God of justice and generosity. This is exactly the diagnosis that the prophets pronounced as the cause of the exile and slavery in Babylon. While the speech is attributed to Moses, the compilers had in mind the disaster that had just befallen the people, and were warning them lest they bring another exile upon themselves.
Matthew 15: 29-39 What’s Matthew about?
Jesus feeds 4,000 people from a tiny amount of food, with lots left over. This is a sign that God’s kingdom is breaking into the world and people are experiencing God’s profound generosity in their time of hunger. This story happens at Lake Galilee in which the common people have been driven into destitution by Herod exploiting the fisheries to fund his immense palace and sea port at Caesarea. For Jesus to take “a few small fish” which is all most then had to live on, and to provide a feast overflowing with food had political implications about whose side God was on. Such a story would have provided hope of vindication for early Christians in Matthew’s time who were increasingly being crushed by Roman violence. It can provide that assurance for us, as well.
This week’s collect:
O God,
you have assured the human family of eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Deliver us from the death of sin
and raise us to new life in him,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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