Today's Scripture Readings
Jeremiah 23:1-6 (NRSV)
Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the LORD.
The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."
Psalm 23 BCP., p. 612
Ephesians 2:11-22 (NRSV)
Remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called "the uncircumcision" by those who are called "the circumcision" -- a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands-- remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 (NRSV)
The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
Blog Reflection
Jason and I returned from our vacation last Sunday. It was difficult to come back to Minnesota after spending 8 wonderful days in Provincetown, Massachusetts. We spent some much needed time together, visited my mother who lives not far from there, and attended my 25th High School Reunion on Friday of that week.
It was good to get away for a while. Put down the usual work, pace of life, posting on Facebook and Twitter day after day. Just to breath the magnificent salt air of the Atlantic Ocean on Cape Cod Bay. Walk around and have a sense of freedom. Meet some new people. Renew our longing for God.
In the Gospel today, Jesus invites the disciples to come away with him and rest for a bit. They had returned from their missionary work of sharing the good news in the near by towns. Jesus and those who followed him, were inundated by people for hours and days on end. Jesus, the Good Shepherd said: "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while."
Our summer sabbath is a time of rest and relaxation. A time to recollect and renew ourselves. Time to put some things down for a bit and seek refreshment. Everyone needs that from time to time.
It is very difficult to take that time with the news and activities taking place around us. The news of the shooting in Colorado leave us asking so many questions, that are difficult to ask. Even more difficult to get a desired reply to. How can we find rest and consolation with such violence and oppression alive and well?
The Christianists are not helping things much with their claims that the shootings happened because of liberalism, abortion, homosexuality, or saying that only the Christians will go to heaven. One Christianist tried to suggest that the shooting happened because of "churches welcoming gay and lesbian people." Could that person have been referring to the Episcopal Church particularly given that our convention was two weeks ago and we made some important progress towards more inclusion of LGBT people?
In a well written article in Time Ideas, Jon Meacham wrote the following.
Given that sexual orientation is innate and that we are all, in theological terms, children of God, to deny access to some sacraments based on sexuality is as wrong as denying access to some sacraments based on race or gender. This is not about secular politics (though the secular political world is coming to share these views) but about the perennial human effort to follow the ancient commandment to love one another as ourselves.
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