We begin the
readings this week with Joseph, whose extensive backstory [worth a re-reading in Genesis
chapters 37-50] may be remembered more for his “coat of many colors,” yet
has much more for us to know. As the quintessential annoying and spoiled little
brother, his jealous older brothers wanted to kill him and then decided to sell
him into slavery in Egypt.
Because of the same famine in the Genesis
reading for this week, in the Revised Common Lectionary, the brothers have been
forced to go to Egypt to seek food and find their little brother in charge of
the distribution of Pharoah’s stores. Joseph warmly receives them much to their
[and perhaps even our own] surprise. Here we move into a different piece of
Joseph’s story, as Dr. Gafney again, presents us with a passage never read in
the usual Sunday or Daily Lectionary. Can we imagine being so desperate as to sell
ourselves into slavery, whatever that would be for today? Consider, in these
days and times, with many beyond mere desperation, with little or no option for
food, shelter, or healthcare. In reading all of this passage, we see that
Joseph has the authority to be generous and is indeed generous to all who come
to him for sustenance in the short and the long terms, even volunteering
themselves as slaves for Pharoah.
The Psalmist gives
us a poetic rendering of life in our own times as well as in the ancient past.
The full psalm, Parts I, II, and III, are also worth the full reading whether
in your favorite translation or paraphrase, or from the Episcopal Book of
Common Prayer [BCPonline.org]. We see the fearful who
become thankful and the rebellious who learn from their mistakes. In Dr.
Gafney’s translation as well, and more or less the same in other versions, my
favorite line is the second part of verse 42: but all wickedness will shut
its mouth.
This piece from
Acts is perplexing for a variety of reasons, mostly because, with Peter’s
severe chastisement, the quickly deceased couple, are guilty of as Dr. Gafney puts
it, a crime without occasion because there was no requirement to give any of
their wealth, though that was the common practice. As Peter finds them
convicted of lying to the Holy Spirit, perhaps there was a prior pledge made by
Ananias that we aren’t told about. It certainly puts me on notice for my
current and future pledging.
In this Gospel
reading, we find yet another interesting piece which we haven’t heard in the
usual lectionary before, a prelude to the familiar Parable of the Sower,
a regular in our customary readings. Yet in the NRSV, the NKJV, the NIV and
others use this beginning and all mention several of women by name and many
others, who in various phrasings, are providing for them, that is
Jesus and the Twelve, out of their resources/out of their substance/out of
their own means. In her use of these passages, it certainly puts a
spotlight on what is usually in the shadows, or unnoticed at best ~ the true prominence
of women in the ministry of Jesus and the Twelve.
Many of us have
and many of us have not spent much time reading the Bible. For those of us who
have, we still seem to only remember the pieces we hear regularly through the
Revised Common Lectionary in all three weekly and two daily of its sets of
readings. I have not remembered these passages from Genesis, Acts, or Luke, though
I have read all of these completely, but not recently, nor do I remember all of
Psalm 107, although bits of it are familiar. These translations and their use
are difficult for some who only want what is familiar. Yet, for me, these
pieces can fill out our perspectives, and give light and breadth and depth to
the entirety of our informed Faith and its Narrative, push me to wonder and
wander further into these texts and other commentaries.
A thread that winds
through these readings is money and persistence. Money, wealth, and such resources
in and of themselves are neither good nor bad, despite one source showing 30+ biblical
quotes reflecting the usual adage that money is the root of all evil. Rather,
these are tools for walking through this journey of life. Some are gifted with or
earn much, some are relatively comfortable, and some for a variety of reasons
have far less. So it is and has always been. How we use these resources speaks
volumes about our priorities, our faith, and, even our character. How we
persist in trying to make a positive difference with whatever we have also
speaks to our priorities for all of God’s Creation.
As we look at life today,
especially in light of these passages, we know that there are several enormous
chasms dividing the really haves, the sort of haves, and the really do-not
haves. How we reach into those divisions is both personal and communal, a call
to each and all of us to pay attention, to act however we are able, even if we
can only show up with an extra blanket, to help serve a meal, or to spend time
and/or donate in whatever other way we can. Of course we cannot solve the
problems of our local community let alone the entire world individually, but we
can make a difference in a minute, an hour, or a day, for someone somewhere. We
can gather together and make a loud noise for those who have ears to hear and
to listen and who can do more, to do so. We can till the ground of our own beings and through
our sowing of prayer, of care, and of persistence, we can produce a fruitful
bounty of spiritual seeds to grow within us and to scatter among all we meet.
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~ Faithful SHEPHERDING GOD, grant
us each the wisdom, the desire, and the willingness to till, nourish, and tend the
ground of our hearts and souls. May we flourish, flower, and bear the fruit of your
divine Seed for our spiritual health, through which we become the sowers of
your love and grace, in all of our thoughts, words, and actions.
O Christ, God’s Word Incarnate
Response: Open us to listen, grow, reap, and sow
~ FAITHFUL SHEPHERDING GOD, impel the hearts, minds, and souls
of all who govern across cities, villages, towns, counties, states, and countries
upon this Earth, to act always with the highest ethical, moral, and
spiritual intent for everyone they lead. We pray especially for: add
your own petitions
O Christ, God’s Word Incarnate
Open us to listen, grow, reap, and sow
~ FAITHFUL SHEPHERDING GOD, ease the distress for those who are
poor in health, in spirit, or in the basic needs of life, and for those who
selflessly aid and comfort them. We now join our hearts to pray for those
in need… add your own petitions
O Christ, God’s Word Incarnate
Open us to listen, grow, reap, and sow
~ FAITHFUL SHEPHERDING GOD, soften the grief for all who are bereft,
as our beloved, raised to new life in glory and joy, are now with You for all
eternity. We pray
especially for: add your own petitions
O Christ, God’s Word Incarnate
Open us to listen, grow, reap, and sow
~ FAITHFUL SHEPHERDING GOD, we pause in this moment
to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and
memorials, aloud or silently…add your own petitions
O Christ, God’s Word Incarnate
Open us to listen, grow, reap, and sow
~ FAITHFUL SHEPHERDING GOD, grant
extra blessings for those who lead us in Your Church as they inspire and
encourage us, through Your Word and Sacraments, to take delight in and commit
our ways and our lives entirely to You. We
pray especially for: add your own petitions
O
Christ, God’s Word Incarnate
Open
us to listen, grow, reap, and sow
The Celebrant adds: O God WHO SAVES, create in us good
and honest hearts, filled with Your divine seeds of faith sown in the comfort
of Your mercy and the hope of the Resurrection. In our deeply held knowledge of
Your enduring love, guide us to hold fast to Your call, elevate the needy from
affliction, and yield abundant spiritual harvests for us all, as we flock together
as Your Family. We ask through Jesus, Sower of all the good that blooms within
us; and the Holy Spirit, Divine Nutrient for our souls; who together with You
are our One God, now and forever. Amen.
*Readings for our Parish in this Year C are from The Rev.
Dr. Wilda [Wil] Gafney, Womanist biblical scholar, and the Right Rev. Sam B. Hulsey
Professor of Hebrew Bible at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. She is
the author of A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church Yr C,
and others in her series, and translator of its biblical selections. I
definitely commend her book for the complete readings, to Clergy and Laity, for
her Text Notes, and “Preaching Prompts” whether or not you will use them in
your Liturgies/Services/Preaching. There is much to learn from her work to
inform every facet of our lives in Christ. To learn more about her and
her work, see her website: https://www.wilgafney.com/
