Joseph et al
Saturday is coming to life now, light, 80F and 85%, but below was the view from 7H just after four o'clock this morning, lights from Courtney Point west along Magnolia Beach, moon high, Saturn following along behind.
The news from Joy Thompson looks good beyond all our fears a few weeks ago,
my sister Gina with Joseph at their regular summer Carolina lake cottage visit, their making of memories resuming; may the Lord continue to lift up the light of his countenance upon you.
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Thinking of Sunday School tomorrow, summers we continue albeit informal and my free, loose and easy preparations always subject to setting aside if/when anyone comes with something they'd like to talk about. From the lectionary, two possible first readings are below and I may comment slightly on each, but when class opens, if they want to talk about General Convention of the Episcopal Church, to be held in Austin, Texas starting this week and going through Friday, July 13th, we'll do that. It's triennial, coming along every three years in the summer, location varying from time to time.
For many people, the Episcopal Church is General Convention, for many it's their bishop (Episcopal is from NT Greek ἐπίσκοπος, overseer, guardian, bishop) and diocese, for many others self included it's simply the local parish wherever I happen to be worshiping and serving, hoping General Convention doesn't shake things up too badly, looks positive this time.
Anyway, below are those two possible OT readings for tomorrow. David's song at the death of Saul and Jonathan is a lament, grieving both men but especially his friend Jonathan. His words, "how the mighty have fallen," we often lift out of context and say wryly with sarcasm, but that's not at all how David means it.
We will not be reading the Wisdom of Solomon selection, but it strikes me interesting, asserting "God did not make death," interesting because of our major scripture that credits God as Creator of all that is, seen and unseen: created, we are material things, and material things wear out, are used up, and die in the natural course of things. However, I may agree with the rest of the sentence, "and he does not delight in the death of the living" - - which complements a verse from the Good News Translation of Psalm 116, "How painful it is to the Lord when one of his people dies!" and we could do worse than to anchor our faith in that.
Happy Saturday. Already happy for me, my breakfast was my half of yesterday's go-box from Los Antojitos, the green chile relleno stuffed with spinach, tasty and delicious beyond words. We went at lunch time for our anniversary celebration and for a change they were not crowded. We shared the guacamole salad, which was both beautiful and delicious, a chicken enchilada, a cheese enchilada, and the chile relleno spinach. As well as anniversary dinner it was a dry run for next month, when we expect to be there, Linda, me, Malinda, Kristen, Joe & Nick, Tass, Jeremy, Caroline, Charlotte, Ray, Britany and Lilly. I'll have the same things again minus the cheese enchilada plus a margerita.
2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag.
David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan. (He ordered that The Song of the Bow be taught to the people of Judah; it is written in the Book of Jashar.) He said:
Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
How the mighty have fallen!
Tell it not in Gath,
proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.
the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.
You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor bounteous fields!
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor bounteous fields!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more.
the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more.
From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
from the fat of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
nor the sword of Saul return empty.
nor the sword of Saul return empty.
Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.
they were stronger than lions.
O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you with crimson, in luxury,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
who clothed you with crimson, in luxury,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan lies slain upon your high places.
I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
greatly beloved were you to me;
your love to me was wonderful,
passing the love of women.
your love to me was wonderful,
passing the love of women.
How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!
and the weapons of war perished!
Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15; 2:23-24
God did not make death,
And he does not delight in the death of the living.
For he created all things so that they might exist;
the generative forces of the world are wholesome,
and there is no destructive poison in them,
and the dominion of Hades is not on earth.
For righteousness is immortal.
And he does not delight in the death of the living.
For he created all things so that they might exist;
the generative forces of the world are wholesome,
and there is no destructive poison in them,
and the dominion of Hades is not on earth.
For righteousness is immortal.
God created us for incorruption,
and made us in the image of his own eternity,
but through the devil’s envy death entered the world,
and those who belong to his company experience it.
and made us in the image of his own eternity,
but through the devil’s envy death entered the world,
and those who belong to his company experience it.