 |
| Image: DwellingInTheWord |
Wrath and anger are hateful things,
yet the sinner hugs them tight...
Forgive your neighbor's injustice;
then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.
If we live, we live for the Lord,
and if we die, we die for the Lord;
so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive?
As many as seven times?
Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times
but seventy-seven times."
Minds, hearts and memories will be focused this Sunday on the tragedy of September 11, 2001. On the church calendar we'll be hearing the scriptures for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
How will we hear these words?
How will these scriptures be preached?
How will these scriptures be preached?
How will these texts touch our minds, our hearts and our memories?
Every week I encourage you to read and ponder the scriptures and background on them as the best way to prepare for Sunday worship. This week you might make this little scripture study a part of your prayer as we approach the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
Will you be shepherding young ones to church this weekend? Here are some hints to help children prepare to the Lord's Word.
Take some time today, this evening, tomorrow or the next day to sit with these scriptures. You'll be grateful that you did.
Tweet
Subscribe to A Concord Pastor Comments
I did a Word and Communion service at the jail this afternoon, using next Sunday's readings. Our worship aid this week was abominable! The Sirach reading was rendered:
ReplyDeleteWrath and anger are hateful things,
yet the sinner hugs them light.
Romans was almost unreadable...
By God's grace, we had a wonderful reflection on living into the grace of forgiveness.
Very challenging aren't they ?
ReplyDeleteIn the light of atrocities like 9-11 I find it hard to really forgive. Yet these readings form part of the bedrock of my Christian faith and life.
Like Shannon says, to forgive may have to come from a place of grace.
It also makes me wonder about what evil is and how to confront it and with what "weapon"- although even the word weapon seems inappropriate and inadequate?
I know what Jesus says but putting it into practice is very hard . I found the film of Gods and Men is a powerful depiction of what it means to have faith in the face of evil.
Thanks for setting us up to dwell on it!
Blessings