Today’s Reflection:
Certainly the church is human, with a goodly collection of hypocrites and sinners. Yet just as essentially is she divine — consecrated by Christ as his body on earth so that “the gates of Hades will not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). Gregory of Nyssa deepends this analogy with the idea of the church as nurse, its teachings being our milk, its sacraments our food.
Worship is at the center of the church’s communal life. While it may not always be clear what the shabby little church across town is all about, be assured that it is an invitation touching our deepest yearning — to be embraced in an organic belonging that God intends for the church to provide. (W. Paul Jones, Becoming Who God Wants You to Be)
From page 43 of Becoming Who God Wants You to Be: 60 Meditations for Personal Spiritual Direction by W. Paul Jones. Copyright © 2013 by W. Paul Jones. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question: Describe your Christian community.
Today’s Scripture: If it had not been the LORD who was on our side — let Israel now say —
if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when our enemies attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; (Psalm 124:1-3, NRSV)
This Week: pray for caregivers.
Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
This week we remember: Leoba (September 28).
Leoba
September 28
St. Leoba was an educated holy woman in the Middle Ages. As if that wasn't enough to make her stand out among her contemporaries, she also served as an advisor to kings and queens. Just before Leoba was born, her mother dreamed that the child would do great service for the Church, and Leoba didn't disappoint. When she was seven years old she went to the monastery at Wimbourne, where she underwent much of her formative spiritual education.
In or around AD 733, her cousin St. Boniface asked her to help him in his church building efforts in Germany. She agreed, and was appointed abbess at Bishofscheim in Germany. For forty years she taught the Scripture to young nuns at Bishofscheim, and was eagerly sought by many for her wisdom and knowledge. She was friend and counselor to Hildegard, the wife of Charlemagne, and died in 779.
If St. Leoba had taken the Spiritual Types Test she probably would have been a Sage. Leoba's feast day is September 28.
Image of statue in Schornsheim.
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22
Psalm 124
James 5:13-20
Mark 9:38-50
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Esther 7:1 So the king and Haman went to Queen Ester’s banquet; 2 and the king again said to Ester at the wine banquet, “Whatever your request, Queen Ester, you will be granted it; whatever you want, up to half the kingdom, it will be done.” 3 Ester the queen answered, “If I have won your favor, king, and if it pleases the king, then what I ask be given me is my own life and the lives of my people. 4 For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, killed, exterminated. If we had only been sold as men- and women-slaves, I would have remained quiet; since then [our] trouble would not have been worth the damage it would have caused the king [to alter the situation].” 5 King Achashverosh asked Ester the queen, “Who is he? Where is the man who dared to do such a thing?” 6 Ester said, “A ruthless enemy — it’s this wicked Haman!” Haman stood aghast, terrified before the king and queen., 9 Harvonah, one of the king’s attendants, said, “Look! The gallows seventy-five feet high that Haman made for Mordekhai, who spoke only good for the king, is standing at Haman’s house.” The king said, “Hang him on it.” 10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordekhai. Then the king’s anger subsided.; 9:20 Mordekhai recorded these events and sent letters to all the Jews in all the provinces of King Achashverosh, both near and far, 21 instructing them to observe the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and the fifteenth day, every year, 22 [to commemorate] the days on which the Jews obtained rest from their enemies and the month which for them was turned from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; they were to make them days of celebrating and rejoicing, sending portions [of food] to each other and giving gifts to the poor.
Psalm 124:1 (0) A song of ascents. By David:
(1) If Adonai hadn’t been for us —
let Isra’el repeat it —
2 If Adonai hadn’t been for us
when people rose to attack us,
3 then, when their anger blazed against us,
they would have swallowed us alive!
4 Then the water would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us.
5 Yes, the raging water
would have swept right over us.
6 Blessed be Adonai, who did not leave us
to be a prey for their teeth!
7 We escaped like a bird from the hunter’s trap;
the trap is broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of Adonai,
the maker of heaven and earth.
James 5:13 Is someone among you in trouble? He should pray. Is someone feeling good? He should sing songs of praise.
14 Is someone among you ill? He should call for the elders of the congregation. They will pray for him and rub olive oil on him in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer offered with trust will heal the one who is ill — the Lord will restore his health; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, openly acknowledge your sins to one another, and pray for each other, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 17 Eliyahu was only a human being like us; yet he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and no rain fell on the Land for three years and six months. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the Land produced its crops.
19 My brothers, if one of you wanders from the truth, and someone causes him to return, 20 you should know that whoever turns a sinner from his wandering path will save him from death and cover many sins.[James 5:20 Proverbs 10:12]
Mark 9:38 Yochanan said to him, “Rabbi, we saw a man expelling demons in your name; and because he wasn’t one of us, we told him to stop.” 39 But Yeshua said, “Don’t stop him, because no one who works a miracle in my name will soon after be able to say something bad about me. 40 For whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Indeed, whoever gives you even a cup of water to drink because you come in the name of the Messiah — yes! I tell you that he will certainly not lose his reward.
42 “Whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust me — it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be thrown in the sea. 43 If your hand makes you sin, cut it off! Better that you should be maimed but obtain eternal life, rather than keep both hands and go to Gei-Hinnom, to unquenchable fire! 44 [Mark 9:44 Some manuscripts include identical verses 9:44, 46: where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. (Isaiah 66:24)] 45 And if your foot makes you sin, cut it off! Better that you should be lame but obtain eternal life, rather than keep both feet and be thrown into Gei-Hinnom! 46 [Mark 9:46 Some manuscripts include identical verses 9:44, 46: where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. (Isaiah 66:24)] 47 And if your eye makes you sin, pluck it out! Better that you should be one-eyed but enter the Kingdom of God, rather than keep both eyes and be thrown into Gei-Hinnom,
48 where their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.[Mark 9:48 Isaiah 66:24]
49 Indeed, everyone is going to be salted with fire. 50 Salt is excellent, but if it loses its saltiness, how will you season it? So have salt in yourselves — that is, be at peace with each other.” (Complete Jewish Bible).
Esther 7:1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22
Verse 3
[3] Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
My life — It is my only request, that thou wouldst not give me up to the malice of that man who designs to take away my life. Even a stranger, a criminal, shall be permitted to petition for his life. But that a friend, a wife, a queen, should have occasion to make such a petition, was very affecting.
Verse 4
[4] For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.
Sold — By the cruelty of that man who offered a great sum to purchase our destruction.
Countervail — His ten thousand talents would not repair the king's loss, in the customs and tributes which the king receives from the Jews, within his dominions.
Verse 5
[5] Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?
Who, … — The expressions are short and doubled, as proceeding from a discomposed and enraged mind.
Durst — That is, to circumvent me, and procure a decree, whereby not only my estate should be so much impaired, and so many of my innocent subjects destroyed, but my queen also involved in the same destruction. We sometimes startle at that evil, which we ourselves are chargeable with. Ahasuerus is amazed at that wickedness, which he himself was guilty of. For he consented to the bloody edict. So that Esther might have said, Thou art the man!
Verse 6
[6] And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
Afraid — And it was time for him to fear, when the queen was his prosecutor, the king his judge, his own conscience a witness against him. And the surprising turns of providence that very morning, could not but increase his fear.
Psalm 124
Verse 5
[5] Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
The proud — Our enemies, compared to proud waters, for their great multitude and swelling rage.
James 5:13-20
Verse 14
[14] Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Having anointed him with oil — This single conspicuous gift, which Christ committed to his apostles, Mark 6:13, remained in the church long after the other miraculous gifts were withdrawn. Indeed, it seems to have been designed to remain always; and St. James directs the elders, who were the most, if not the only, gifted men, to administer at. This was the whole process of physic in the Christian church, till it was lost through unbelief. That novel invention among the Romanists, extreme unction, practised not for cure, but where life is despaired of, bears no manner of resemblance to this.
Verse 15
[15] And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
And the prayer offered in faith shall save the sick - From his sickness; and if any sin be the occasion of his sickness, it shall be forgiven him.
Verse 16
[16] Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Confess your faults — Whether ye are sick or in health.
To one another — He does not say, to the elders: this may, or may not, be done; for it is nowhere commanded. We may confess them to any who can pray in faith: he will then know how to pray for us, and be more stirred up so to do.
And pray one for another, that ye may be healed — Of all your spiritual diseases.
Verse 17
[17] Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
Elijah was a man of like passions — Naturally as weak and sinful as we are.
And he prayed — When idolatry covered the land.
Verse 18
[18] And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
He prayed again — When idolatry was abolished.
Verse 19
[19] Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
As if he had said, I have now warned you of those sins to which you are most liable; and, in all these respects, watch not only over yourselves, but every one over his brother also. Labour, in particular, to recover those that are fallen.
If any one err from the truth — Practically, by sin.
Verse 20
[20] Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
He shall save a soul — Of how much more value than the body! James 5:14.
And hide a multitude of sins — Which shall no more, how many soever they are, be remembered to his condemnation.
Mark 9:38-50
Verse 38
[38] And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
And John answered him — As if he had said, But ought we to receive those who follow not us? Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name - Probably this was one of John the Baptist's disciples, who believed in Jesus, though he did not yet associate with our Lord's disciples.
And we forbad him, because he followeth not us — How often is the same temper found in us? How readily do we also lust to envy? But how does that spirit become a disciple, much more a minister of the benevolent Jesus! St. Paul had learnt a better temper, when he rejoiced that Christ was preached, even by those who were his personal enemies. But to confine religion to them that follow us, is a narrowness of spirit which we should avoid and abhor. Luke 9:49.
Verse 39
[39] But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
Jesus said — Christ here gives us a lovely example of candour and moderation. He was willing to put the best construction on doubtful cases, and to treat as friends those who were not avowed enemies. Perhaps in this instance it was a means of conquering the remainder of prejudice, and perfecting what was wanting in the faith and obedience of these persons.
Forbid him not — Neither directly nor indirectly discourage or hinder any man who brings sinners from the power of Satan to God, because he followeth not us, in opinions, modes of worship, or any thing else which does not affect the essence of religion.
Verse 40
[40] For he that is not against us is on our part.
For he that is not against you, is for you — Our Lord had formerly said, he that is not with me, is against me: thereby admonishing his hearers, that the war between him and Satan admitted of no neutrality, and that those who were indifferent to him now, would finally be treated as enemies. But here in another view, he uses a very different proverb; directing his followers to judge of men's characters in the most candid manner; and charitably to hope that those who did not oppose his cause wished well to it. Upon the whole, we are to be rigorous in judging ourselves, and candid in judging each other.
Verse 41
[41] For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
For whosoever shall give you a cup — Having answered St. John, our Lord here resumes the discourse which was broken off at the 37th verse. Mark 9:37; Matthew 10:42.
Verse 42
[42] And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
On the contrary, whosoever shall offend the very least Christian. Matthew 18:6; Luke 17:1.
Verse 43
[43] And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
And if a person cause thee to offend — (The discourse passes from the case of offending, to that of being offended) if one who is as useful or dear to thee as a hand or eye, hinder or slacken thee in the ways of Cod, renounce all intercourse with him. This primarily relates to persons, secondarily to things. Matthew 5:29; Matthew 18:8.
Verse 44
[44] Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Where their worm — That gnaweth the soul, (pride, self will, desire, malice, envy, shame, sorrow, despair,) dieth not - No more than the soul itself: and the fire (either material, or infinitely worse!) that tormenteth the body, is not quenched for ever. Isaiah 66:24.
Verse 49
[49] For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
Every one — Who does not cut off the offending member, and consequently is cast into hell, shall be, as it were, salted with fire, preserved, not consumed thereby whereas every acceptable sacrifice shall be salted with another kind of salt, even that of Divine grace, which purifies the soul, (though frequently with pain) and preserves it from corruption.
Verse 50
[50] Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
Such salt is good indeed; highly beneficial to the world, in respect of which I have termed you the salt of the earth. But if the salt which should season others, have lost its own saltness, wherewith will ye season it? - Beware of this; see that ye retain your savour; and as a proof of it, have peace one with another. More largely this obscure text might be paraphrased thus: - As every burnt offering was salted with salt, in order to its being cast into the fire of the altar, so every one who will not part with his hand or eye, shall fall a sacrifice to Divine justice, and be cast into hell fire, which will not consume, but preserve him from a cessation of being. And on the other hand, every one, who, denying himself and taking up his cross, offers up himself as a living sacrifice to God, shall be seasoned with grace, which like salt will make him savoury, and preserve him from destruction for ever. As salt is good for preserving meats, and making them savoury, so it is good that ye be seasoned with grace, for the purifying your hearts and lives, and for spreading the savour of my knowledge, both in your own souls, and wherever ye go. But as salt if it loses its saltness is fit for nothing, so ye, if ye lose your faith and love, are fit for nothing but to be utterly destroyed. See therefore that grace abide in you, and that ye no more contend, Who shall be greatest. Matthew 5:13; Luke 14:34. (John Wesley's Explanatory Notes).
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