Thursday, January 31, 2013

Lectionary Ruminations for Sunday, February 3, 2013, the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)


Posted each Thursday, Lectionary Ruminations focuses on the Scripture Readings, taken from the New Revised Standard Version, for the following Sunday per the Revised Common Lectionary. Comments and questions are intended to encourage reflection for readers preparing to teach, preach, or hear the Word. Reader comments are invited and encouraged. All lectionary links are to the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible via the PC(USA) Devotions and Readings website, but if you prefer another translation, feel free to use that instead. (Other references may be linked to the NRSV via the oremus Bible Browser.) 

I have been posting Lectionary Ruminations to Presbyterian Bloggers for nearly three years.  I will attempt to continue posting through the Readings for February 10, 2013, Transfiguration of the Lord.   I may continue posting Lectionary Ruminations to my personal blog,   Summitto Shore but not here.  If you have been following my Lectionary Ruminations on Presbyterian Bloggers, please migrate over to my personal blog.

FirstReading - Jeremiah 1:4-10
1:4 Has the word of the LORD ever come to you, and if so, how?

1:5 I doubt this could be used as an argument for life beginning at conception as this sounds like life, or personhood, begins even before conception.  What do you know about the philosophy of George Berkeley?  Is this God talking to Jeremiah?

1:5 The “I do not know how to speak” and “I am only a boy” defense.  It never seems to work.

1:8 Do not be afraid of who, the nations?

1:8 Does this remind you of any other perhaps similar accounts in the Hebrew Scriptures?  Is this a call narrative?

1:10 Note two pairs of destructive activities and one pair of creative activities.

71:1 What comes to your mind when you hear the word “refuge”?  What is so bad about shame?

71:2 How does the LORD incline the divine ear?

71:3 How is a rock of refuge like a fortress?  Do any particular rocks to your mind when you hear “rock of refuge”?

71:5 “Help me Obi Wan Yahweh, you're my only hope.”

71:6 Does this verse justify the Lectionary pairing this Psalm with the First Reading from Jeremiah?  Does this verse justify referring to the LORD as a midwife?

13:1-13 Why read this in Sunday worship if there is no wedding to follow?  What can be said about passage that has not already been said?  Why do we tend to read this at weddings when we really need to read it at divorce proceedings and in the midst of church conflict?

13:1 What do angels sound like?

13:4-7 Anything missing in this definition?  How about Jenny (Ali McGraw) telling Oliver (Ryan O'Neal) “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” as written by Erich Segal?

13:11 Is there a difference between being childish and childlike?

13:12 It is a little enigmatic, nevertheless, this is one of my favorite verses.  Is there any play on the idea of “icon” here?  What is the difference between a thing reflected and its reflection?

13:13 Where did faith and hope come from?

4:21 Who is speaking?  To whom is he speaking?  What is the setting?  What scripture?

4:22 All?  Is this hyperbole?  When was the last time you were amazed by anyone’s words?  I think it is interesting that the speaker is identified as Joseph’s son rather than Mary’s son.

4:23 Where did this proverb come from?  What were people saying about his time in Capernaum?

4:24 What do you think about this?

4:25 What does this have to do with anthing?

4:28 Why were they filled with rage?  I thought they were all amazed.  What happened between  verse 22 and verse 28?

4:29 Why am I thinking about swine?

4:30 How did he do this?

ADDENDUM
In addition to serving as the half time Pastor of North Church Queens and writing Lectionary Ruminations, I also tutor part time.  If you or someone you know needs a tutor, or if you would like to be a tutor, check out my WyzAnt page and follow the appropriate links.

No comments:

Post a Comment