Today the church remembers Cornelius the Centurion.
Our Lord, of course, was Jewish. Some felt that the Christ had come to the Jews alone and that one must first become a Jew in order to become a Christian. Cornelius was a Gentile and a centurion (an officer in the Roman Army) stationed at Caesarea. He was widely respected among the Jews, not only because of his important position but also because he gave liberally to the poor and "honored God as they did." He was called "upright and God-fearing." He learned of Jesus Christ from the Apostle Peter, received the Holy Spirit, and was baptized.
It was Cornelius' profession of faith that led Peter to exclaim, "God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean". God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him." Perhaps the testimony of Cornelius would be helpful to those in our own time who see Christianity as a purely cultural thing. He is a fitting patron for the career soldier.
May we, like Cornelius, be ready to hear the Good News and to respond with our whole being. Amen.
O God, by your Spirit you called Cornelius the Centurion to be the first Christian among the Gentiles: Grant to your Church such a ready will to go where you send and to do what you command, that under your guidance it may welcome all who turn to you in love and faith, and proclaim the Gospel to all nations; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelius_the_Centurion
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Daily Readings for February 4, 2016
Genesis 23:1-20
Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years; this was the length of Sarah's life. And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. Abraham rose up from beside his dead, and said to the Hittites, "I am a stranger and an alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying place, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight." The Hittites answered Abraham, "Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold from you any burial ground for burying your dead." Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. He said to them, "If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron son of Zohar, so that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place." Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, "No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it; in the presence of my people I give it to you; bury your dead." Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. He said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, "If you only will listen to me! I will give the price of the field; accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there." Ephron answered Abraham, "My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver-- what is that between you and me? Bury your dead." Abraham agreed with Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants. So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, passed to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, in the presence of all who went in at the gate of his city. After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. The field and the cave that is in it passed from the Hittites into Abraham's possession as a burying place.
Hebrews 11:32-12:2
And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-- who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented-- of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
John 6:60-71
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father." Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil." He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
Psalm 70 Deus, in adjutorium
1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me.
2 Let those who seek my life be ashamed and altogether dismayed; let those who take pleasure in my misfortune draw back and be disgraced.
3 Let those who say to me "Aha!" and gloat over me turn back, because they are ashamed.
4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let those who love your salvation say for ever, "Great is the LORD!"
5 But as for me, I am poor and needy; come to me speedily, O God.
6 You are my helper and my deliverer; O LORD, do not tarry.
Psalm 71 In te, Domine, speravi
1 In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge; let me never be ashamed.
2 In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; incline your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe; you are my crag and my stronghold.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor.
5 For you are my hope, O LORD God, my confidence since I was young.
6 I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother's womb you have been my strength; my praise shall be always of you.
7 I have become a portent to many; but you are my refuge and my strength.
8 Let my mouth be full of your praise and your glory all the day long.
9 Do not cast me off in my old age; forsake me not when my strength fails.
10 For my enemies are talking against me, and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together.
11 They say, "God has forsaken him; go after him and seize him; because there is none who will save."
12 O God, be not far from me; come quickly to help me, O my God.
13 Let those who set themselves against me be put to shame and be disgraced; let those who seek to do me evil be covered with scorn and reproach.
14 But I shall always wait in patience, and shall praise you more and more.
15 My mouth shall recount your mighty acts and saving deeds all day long; though I cannot know the number of them.
16 I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord GOD; I will recall your righteousness, yours alone.
17 O God, you have taught me since I was young, and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.
18 And now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not forsake me, till I make known your strength to this generation and your power to all who are to come.
19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens; you have done great things; who is like you, O God?
20 You have showed me great troubles and adversities, but you will restore my life and bring me up again from the deep places of the earth.
21 You strengthen me more and more; you enfold and comfort me,
22 Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will sing with joy when I play to you, and so will my soul, which you have redeemed.
24 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness all day long, for they are ashamed and disgraced who sought to do me harm.
Psalm 74 Ut quid, Deus?
1 O God, why have you utterly cast us off? why is your wrath so hot against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation that you purchased long ago, the tribe you redeemed to be your inheritance, and Mount Zion where you dwell.
3 Turn your steps toward the endless ruins; the enemy has laid waste everything in your sanctuary.
4 Your adversaries roared in your holy place; they set up their banners as tokens of victory.
5 They were like men coming up with axes to a grove of trees; they broke down all your carved work with hatchets and hammers.
6 They set fire to your holy place; they defiled the dwelling-place of your Name and razed it to the ground.
7 They said to themselves, "Let us destroy them altogether." They burned down all the meeting-places of God in the land.
8 There are no signs for us to see; there is no prophet left; there is not one among us who knows how long.
9 How long, O God, will the adversary scoff? will the enemy blaspheme your Name for ever?
10 Why do you draw back your hand? why is your right hand hidden in your bosom?
11 Yet God is my King from ancient times, victorious in the midst of the earth.
12 You divided the sea by your might and shattered the heads of the dragons upon the waters;
13 You crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave him to the people of the desert for food.
14 You split open spring and torrent; you dried up ever-flowing rivers.
15 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you established the moon and the sun.
16 You fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.
17 Remember, O LORD, how the enemy scoffed, how a foolish people despised your Name.
18 Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; never forget the lives of your poor.
19 Look upon your covenant; the dark places of the earth are haunts of violence.
20 Let not the oppressed turn away ashamed; let the poor and needy praise your Name.
21 Arise, O God, maintain your cause; remember how fools revile you all day long.
22 Forget not the clamor of your adversaries, the unending tumult of those who rise up against you.
Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years; this was the length of Sarah's life. And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. Abraham rose up from beside his dead, and said to the Hittites, "I am a stranger and an alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying place, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight." The Hittites answered Abraham, "Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold from you any burial ground for burying your dead." Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. He said to them, "If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron son of Zohar, so that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place." Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, "No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it; in the presence of my people I give it to you; bury your dead." Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. He said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, "If you only will listen to me! I will give the price of the field; accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there." Ephron answered Abraham, "My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver-- what is that between you and me? Bury your dead." Abraham agreed with Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants. So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, passed to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, in the presence of all who went in at the gate of his city. After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. The field and the cave that is in it passed from the Hittites into Abraham's possession as a burying place.
Hebrews 11:32-12:2
And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-- who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented-- of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
John 6:60-71
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?" But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, "Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father." Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil." He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
Psalm 70 Deus, in adjutorium
1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me.
2 Let those who seek my life be ashamed and altogether dismayed; let those who take pleasure in my misfortune draw back and be disgraced.
3 Let those who say to me "Aha!" and gloat over me turn back, because they are ashamed.
4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; let those who love your salvation say for ever, "Great is the LORD!"
5 But as for me, I am poor and needy; come to me speedily, O God.
6 You are my helper and my deliverer; O LORD, do not tarry.
Psalm 71 In te, Domine, speravi
1 In you, O LORD, have I taken refuge; let me never be ashamed.
2 In your righteousness, deliver me and set me free; incline your ear to me and save me.
3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe; you are my crag and my stronghold.
4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor.
5 For you are my hope, O LORD God, my confidence since I was young.
6 I have been sustained by you ever since I was born; from my mother's womb you have been my strength; my praise shall be always of you.
7 I have become a portent to many; but you are my refuge and my strength.
8 Let my mouth be full of your praise and your glory all the day long.
9 Do not cast me off in my old age; forsake me not when my strength fails.
10 For my enemies are talking against me, and those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together.
11 They say, "God has forsaken him; go after him and seize him; because there is none who will save."
12 O God, be not far from me; come quickly to help me, O my God.
13 Let those who set themselves against me be put to shame and be disgraced; let those who seek to do me evil be covered with scorn and reproach.
14 But I shall always wait in patience, and shall praise you more and more.
15 My mouth shall recount your mighty acts and saving deeds all day long; though I cannot know the number of them.
16 I will begin with the mighty works of the Lord GOD; I will recall your righteousness, yours alone.
17 O God, you have taught me since I was young, and to this day I tell of your wonderful works.
18 And now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not forsake me, till I make known your strength to this generation and your power to all who are to come.
19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens; you have done great things; who is like you, O God?
20 You have showed me great troubles and adversities, but you will restore my life and bring me up again from the deep places of the earth.
21 You strengthen me more and more; you enfold and comfort me,
22 Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.
23 My lips will sing with joy when I play to you, and so will my soul, which you have redeemed.
24 My tongue will proclaim your righteousness all day long, for they are ashamed and disgraced who sought to do me harm.
Psalm 74 Ut quid, Deus?
1 O God, why have you utterly cast us off? why is your wrath so hot against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation that you purchased long ago, the tribe you redeemed to be your inheritance, and Mount Zion where you dwell.
3 Turn your steps toward the endless ruins; the enemy has laid waste everything in your sanctuary.
4 Your adversaries roared in your holy place; they set up their banners as tokens of victory.
5 They were like men coming up with axes to a grove of trees; they broke down all your carved work with hatchets and hammers.
6 They set fire to your holy place; they defiled the dwelling-place of your Name and razed it to the ground.
7 They said to themselves, "Let us destroy them altogether." They burned down all the meeting-places of God in the land.
8 There are no signs for us to see; there is no prophet left; there is not one among us who knows how long.
9 How long, O God, will the adversary scoff? will the enemy blaspheme your Name for ever?
10 Why do you draw back your hand? why is your right hand hidden in your bosom?
11 Yet God is my King from ancient times, victorious in the midst of the earth.
12 You divided the sea by your might and shattered the heads of the dragons upon the waters;
13 You crushed the heads of Leviathan and gave him to the people of the desert for food.
14 You split open spring and torrent; you dried up ever-flowing rivers.
15 Yours is the day, yours also the night; you established the moon and the sun.
16 You fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter.
17 Remember, O LORD, how the enemy scoffed, how a foolish people despised your Name.
18 Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts; never forget the lives of your poor.
19 Look upon your covenant; the dark places of the earth are haunts of violence.
20 Let not the oppressed turn away ashamed; let the poor and needy praise your Name.
21 Arise, O God, maintain your cause; remember how fools revile you all day long.
22 Forget not the clamor of your adversaries, the unending tumult of those who rise up against you.
Meditation for February 4, 2016
John 6:64 But among you there are some who do not believe.
John seems surprised that even Jesus’ brothers didn’t believe in him. Of course they didn’t. Had the evangelist never met any siblings? If a prophet never has any respect in his hometown, what about the Messiah, who must explain the kingdom of heaven to people who saw him in diapers? Some scholars argue that this passage refers to Jesus’ cousins rather than actual brothers, but either way, Jesus’ wandering around talking about his father in heaven must have caused some eyerolling among the relatives.
For me, this experience makes Jesus’ Incarnation seem more real. It reminds me that Jesus was a real man with a real family. His family loved him, teased him, watched him grow up. The story about how he wandered off during the trip back from Jerusalem and was found in the temple lecturing the priests was probably pulled out at family gatherings until everyone was sick of hearing it. He was one of us, God incarnate whose death and resurrection remain a holy mystery, and a kid with brothers who messed with him, whose parents were proud when he took his first steps.
John seems surprised that even Jesus’ brothers didn’t believe in him. Of course they didn’t. Had the evangelist never met any siblings? If a prophet never has any respect in his hometown, what about the Messiah, who must explain the kingdom of heaven to people who saw him in diapers? Some scholars argue that this passage refers to Jesus’ cousins rather than actual brothers, but either way, Jesus’ wandering around talking about his father in heaven must have caused some eyerolling among the relatives.
For me, this experience makes Jesus’ Incarnation seem more real. It reminds me that Jesus was a real man with a real family. His family loved him, teased him, watched him grow up. The story about how he wandered off during the trip back from Jerusalem and was found in the temple lecturing the priests was probably pulled out at family gatherings until everyone was sick of hearing it. He was one of us, God incarnate whose death and resurrection remain a holy mystery, and a kid with brothers who messed with him, whose parents were proud when he took his first steps.
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