The Lessons Appointed for Use
Sunday closest to August 31 Proper 17 Year C RCL Jeremiah 2:4-13
Psalm 81:1, 10-16
or
Sirach 10:12-18
or
Proverbs 25:6-7
Psalm 112
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16
Luke 14:1, 7-14 THE COLLECT Proper Seventeen Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen. THE COLLECT Proper Seventeen The petition in the Proper 17 Collect is for God to increase true religion in us to manifest in our lives as good works Good works are the result of salvation and not the way we earn salvation. The readings through the three years illustrate good works as the result of the Lord’s actions on and through His people. From Jeremiah's call narrative in RCL A in which the Lord’s words are eaten and made a joy in his heart, to the admonition in James in RCL B to be not just hearers, but doer’s of the word. The readings call for and support the virtue of good works. (continued…..) THE COLLECT Proper Seventeen Another aspect of good works is motivation, the readings deal with why one might do good works. We are encouraged in Luke in RCL C for instance to make a banquet for the poor because unlike our rich friends who can repay by a return invitation, the poor cannot. Good works are always good, but they are best received by God when the motive is a pure one. There is a more subtle theological message that good works are pleasing to God but not required for salvation. Salvation is a gift freely given. We are also here called to Love God’s name, which is first revealed in The Exodus reading for RCL A. Jeremiah 2:4-13 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. Thus says the LORD: What wrong did your ancestors find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves? They did not say, "Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that no one passes through, where no one lives?" I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruits and its good things. Jeremiah 2:4-13 But when you entered you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination. The priests did not say, "Where is the LORD?" Those who handle the law did not know me; the rulers transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after things that do not profit. Therefore once more I accuse you, says the LORD, and I accuse your children's children. Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has ever been such a thing. Jeremiah 2:4-13 Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for something that does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water. The Apostasy of Israel Chapter 2, as a whole is a tirade against Israel for turning its back on God. The chapter starts with a comparison of the Sinai Covenant with a marriage vow broken by the bride, Israel. Following the reading the text becomes more rooted in events of the time. Assyria is referred to as a lion and Egypt as Memphis. God remains faithful The reading we have deals with God’s faithfulness in the face of rebellion. The image of God as a fountain of living water is one that will be adopted in the new testament. The leaky cisterns are full of stagnant water. John 4:7-14 A woman of Samaria 7 A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) † 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” John 7:37-38 an earlier trip to Jerusalem. Rivers of Living Water 37 On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, 38 and let the one who believes in me drink. As † the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart † shall flow rivers of living water.’ ” 39 Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, † because Jesus was not yet glorified. Psalm 81:1, 10-16 Page 704, BCP
Exultate Deo 1 Sing with joy to God our strength *
and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob. 10 I am the LORD your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said, *
"Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it." 11 And yet my people did not hear my voice, *
and Israel would not obey me. 12 So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts, *
to follow their own devices. 13 Oh, that my people would listen to me! *
that Israel would walk in my ways! Psalm 81:1, 10-16 Page 704, BCP
Exultate Deo 14 I should soon subdue their enemies *
and turn my hand against their foes. 15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, *
and their punishment would last for ever. 16 But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat *
and satisfy him with honey from the rock. Psalm 81:1, 10-16 Psalm 81 is a Liturgy for a festival the part we have is the summons to worship. The occasion is thought to be the Festival of Booths. This is one of the festivals that in John occasioned one of the earlier trips of Jesus to Jerusalem. The superscription reads: Psalm 81, God’s Appeal to Stubborn Israel. To the leader: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph. A directive to the choir master concerning the tune. There are also verse or chorus markings. Sirach 10:12-18 The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord; the heart has withdrawn from its Maker. For the beginning of pride is sin, and the one who clings to it pours out abominations. Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities, and destroys them completely. The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers, and enthrones the lowly in their place. The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations, and plants the humble in their place. Sirach 10:12-18 The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations, and destroys them to the foundations of the earth. He removes some of them and destroys them, and erases the memory of them from the earth. Pride was not created for human beings, or violent anger for those born of women. Introduction to:
Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach This is a part of the Apocrypha – that section of the Bible that is not the OT or the NT. This work is known as the Wisdom of Ben Sira aka Sirach. It was used as a “church book” in the early Christian community, which accepted it into its canon. The Jewish community, however, excluded it from the OT canon. The original Hebrew text was then lost to the western world from about 400 to 1900. Scholars have pieced together a pretty reliable text. Introduction Continued Ben Sira or Sirach operated a school and invited students before the year 180 B.C. and the Maccabean revolt. Sirach committed his wisdom to writing, probably in Jerusalem after 132 BC his grandson translated the original Hebrew into Greek. The grandson rightly stresses the profound knowledge that Sirach had of Hebrew traditions while the Hebrew Bible was in the process of formation. Sirach resembles the book of Proverbs, but individual proverbs are not set apart being incorporated into smooth-flowing poems. The text and context Chapter 10 contains poems entitled; The Sin of Pride, Persons Deserving Honor, and Concerning Humility. The reading we have is a small part of the section on pride. The section opens with a plea not to take offense at every injury. Immediately before the reading we are reminded that when Kings die their fate is same for others. The lesson The lesson here is not particularly religious as much as it is a wise saying and good advice for living. The fact that it mirrors in some ways the teaching of Jesus perhaps explains the value the early church placed on it. This is similar to the admonition to turn the other cheek. Proverbs 25:6-7 Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great; for it is better to be told, "Come up here," than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. Introduction to Proverbs The Text Luke 14: 7-11 [Today’s Gospel] Humility and Hospitality 7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9 and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Psalm 112 Beatus vir 1 Hallelujah!
Happy are they who fear the Lord *
and have great delight in his commandments! 2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *
the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches will be in their house, *
and their righteousness will last for ever. Psalm 112 Beatus vir 4 Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *
the righteous are merciful and full of compassion. 5 It is good for them to be generous in lending *
and to manage their affairs with justice. 6 For they will never be shaken; *
the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance. 7 They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; *
their heart is right;
they put their trust in the Lord. Psalm 112 Beatus vir 8 Their heart is established and will not shrink, *
until they see their desire upon their enemies. 9 They have given freely to the poor, *
and their righteousness stands fast for ever;
they will hold up their head with honor. 10 The wicked will see it and be angry;
they will gnash their teeth and pine away; *
the desires of the wicked will perish. Psalm 112 Psalm 112 contrasts the fate of the righteous and the wicked. It is an alphabetical acrostic. It is concerned with the rewards of righteousness rather than the punishment of ungodliness. Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." So we can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?" Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Context The reading is the last in the recent series from Hebrews. The reading is a part of the last section of the letter which ends shortly after the reading. Hebrews is a long comparison of the quality and all sufficient nature of the priesthood and sacrifice of Jesus compared to the imperfect priesthood and sacrifices of men. An appeal to endurance An appeal to endurance Cross Reference The comment about Angels refers to the incident by the Oaks of Mamre and Lot’s encounter prior to the destruction. It also is similar to the Gospel’s invitation to invite the lowly and poor to your next banquet. The readings omit the closing Benediction Sometimes the Lectionary leaves out some of the more interesting things. Hebrews is attributed to Paul, but is different than the other letters. It closes with a Benediction which makes it different than the usual close. Benediction 20 Now may the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 make you complete in everything good so that you may do his will, working among us t that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer This Benediction appears in the Compline Service. Burial Service I and II BCP 483 and BCP 501 Hieronymus Bosch, The Seven Deadly Sins, c. 1480
Oil on panel, 120 x 150 cm
Museo del Prado, Madrid Hieronymus Bosch, The Seven Deadly Sins, c. 1480
Oil on panel, 120 x 150 cm
Museo del Prado, Madrid in Pride, a demon presents a woman with a mirror in Pride, a demon presents a woman with a mirror in Pride, a demon presents a woman with a mirror in Avarice, a judge accepts a bribe in Lust, there are two pairs of lovers, musical instruments, and a jester being beaten with a spoon (an obscure medieval symbol of lust) Scarsellino (1550-1620), Virgin and Angels Imploring Christ not to Punish Lust, Avarice, and Pride
The painting has been truncated on all sides. In the painting, Christ appears among the clouds in the act of hurling punitive bolts of lightning on three figures of women who cling to each other fearfully below. They represent allegories of Lust (the young, partially nude figure to the left), Avarice (the elderly woman clinging possessively to her bag in the centre), and Pride (the woman clad in showy dress, jewels, and feathered headdress to the right). The Virgin, kneeling at Christ's feet, implores pity for the sinners. The surrounding angels echo her plea. Scarsellino (1550-16200, Virgin and Angels Imploring Christ not to Punish Lust, Avarice, and Pride
Oil on canvas, 87 x 104 cm
Pinacoteca, Vatican Luke 14:1,7-14 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely. When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, Luke 14:1,7-14 `Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, `Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 14:1,7-14 He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." A Deal for Good Behavior? What’s wrong with this picture? Jesus going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees! PHARISEES “Separated Ones” Josephus, the ancient historian, records the existence of the Pharisees as a distinct group in 145 B.C. Unlike the Sadducees, who tried to apply the Mosaic Law precisely as it was given, the Pharisees allowed some interpretation of it to make it more applicable to different situations, and they regarded these oral interpretations as of the same level of importance as the Law itself. PHARISEES They gradually secured a large following among the common people, who admired their austerity and shared their hatred of the pagan rulers. In the Gospels the Pharisees appear as the chief opponents of the Lord. Christ repeatedly denounced their purely external observance of the Law, formalistic precepts which even they themselves could not keep and their self-righteousness But also note that Jesus spends a lot of time with the Pharisees and some scholars dispute that the depiction is entirely fair. PHARISEES After the Resurrection they appear less hostile to the nascent Church than the Sadducees. A shared belief in the resurrection and retribution in the next world, in angels, in human freedom and Divine Providence. A Pharisee, Gamaliel, publicly defended the Apostles before the Sanhedrin in Acts. After the fall of Jerusalem (A.D. 70) the Pharisees seem to disappear from history. Context - the Journey to Jerusalem – Luke Timothy Johnson What is taking place here is more than a simple journey. Luke places within the journey's framework the largest portion of his sayings material. Jesus is surrounded by three groups. There are the amorphous crowds, his opponents -the Pharisees in this section, and his disciples. Luke makes considerable effort to note exactly what Jesus says to whom in these sayings. Journey to Jerusalem – Luke Timothy Johnson Jesus speaks parables to the crowd on the growth of the kingdom and the reality of selection and judgment in the kingdom. Then He turns to the Pharisees a lament over Jerusalem and its rejection of prophets; while at dinner with them he rebukes their seeking of honor and prestige and tells the parable of the great banquet which suggests their rejection of God's invitation and the consequent call to the outcast. Turning to the disciples, Jesus gives instructions on the use of possessions in almsgiving, telling the story of the unjust steward. The Larger Picture– Luke Timothy Johnson A subtle but effective point is made by this alternating pattern of sayings. Jesus is forming the true people of God around himself. The crowds are being called to repentance and the nature of discipleship. Those who reject the prophet are being warned of their own rejection by God. When the Pharisees ask him when the kingdom of God will come, Jesus answers, "The kingdom of God is in the midst of you“ His answer can be taken literally: the people obedient to the prophet's call are being formed all around the Pharisees they alone cannot see the signs of what is happening. Reconsider the reading with these thoughts If the invitation to the banquet is God’s invitation to the Kingdom. Is Jesus criticizing the position of honor occupied by the Pharisees in Worship. Suggesting that they make room for others. It’s a stretch . … .. What should we take away from this? If the Pharisees disappeared 1900 years ago, what does it mean to us? What about your firm, never miss a Sunday Episcopalians? Could this be a warning not to let the forms of worship interfere with the welcoming and affirming part of worship? A plea for us to scoot down the pew, welcome visitors and keep the doors open! Paolo Veronese, Feast in the House of Levi, 1573
Oil on canvas, 555 x 1280 cm
Gallerie dell'Accademia, Venice This work, painted for the Dominican order of SS. Giovanni e Paolo is the last of the grandiose "suppers" painted by Veronese for the refectories of Venetian monasteries. Originally a Last Supper, the exuberance of the presentation and number of “extras” aroused suspicions. On July 18th 1573 Veronese was summoned by the Holy Office to appear before the Inquisition accused of heresy. If the questions of the inquisitors show the first signs of the rigours of the Counter-reformation, Veronese's answers show clearly his unfailing faith in the creative imagination and artistic freedom. Not wishing to yield to the injunction of the Inquisition to eliminate the details which offended the religious theme of the Last Supper, he changed the title to "Feast in the House of Levi", a subject which tolerated the presence of fools and armed men dressed up "alla tedesca".
