Part1 of 2
Daily Office Readings for Sunday of Proper 18: Year 2
Psalms 63:1-8(9-11), 98, and 103; Job 25:1to 6,27:1to6; Rev. 14:1to 7,13; Matt. 5:13 to 20
“No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house.” (Matthew 5:15)
I love the hymn, “This Little Light of Mine.” It is a reminder that we are truly called to be the light of the world. But maybe we are a “battery powered” light rather than a flame torch and our batteries are weak. We either need to get them charged or get new batteries.
Decency is key. Our baptismal covenant requires us to respect the dignity of every human being. For me, this means being kind to everyone without regard to how others might treat us. It is in this way that we are the light of the world. And remember, Jesus gave it to us, so we are going to let it shine. And, everywhere we go, we are going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Part 2 of 2
New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 18: Year A
Romans 13:8 to14: and Matthew 18:15to20
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:20)
Our Lord Jesus lived out this idea of 2 or 3. His favorite three were Simon Peter, John and James. He took only them with him to heal Jairus’ daughter; to the Mount of Transfiguration; and in the garden when he went to pray the night he was arrested. You might say that Peter, John and James were his “executive counsel.” They were all simple men, fishermen by trade.
The important qualities were, and are, a good and loving heart, and strong faith. They all had flaws. Peter was an ego-centric extrovert. John and James wanted to prearrange a position of glory for themselves in the kingdom. But notice that our Lord Jesus held onto them for his inner circle.
Is there a lesson in this example of three for us? In the passage from our Gospel lesson for this Sunday Jesus moves from a one-on-one situation to the whole Church. But in the middle he asks us to select one or two others to bear witness of the troubling situation. Can you pick two or three people from your faith community to stand by you in difficult times? Find 1 or 2, and you will make three, and Jesus is with thee.
Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John
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