Wednesday 11:30 Noon
Last Wednesday at our first 11:30 noon Healing Eucharist & Lunch with Bible Study we discussed the gospel reading for the upcoming Sunday. Different today, we’ll read the gospel in our worship because our Tradition requires there be a gospel reading whenever there is Holy Communion; but in our Bible Study later, instead of discussing the gospel, we’ll have a go at the Old Testament readings, Lamentations 1:1-6 and Psalm 137. I’ve not studied Lamentations in a group before, so this should be good.
ALSO
instead of having Lunch & Bible Study in Battin Hall, from the sanctuary we’ll walk down the brick path to the library where our Adult Sunday School class meets on Sunday mornings. The change is because the round tables in Battin Hall proved not optimal for small group Bible study last week. So, we’ll try this instead!
For Bible enthusiasts who want to have an early look, here’s Lamentations 1:1-6
1
How lonely sits the city
that once was full of people!
How like a widow she has become,
she that was great among the nations!
She that was a princess among the provinces
has become a vassal.
that once was full of people!
How like a widow she has become,
she that was great among the nations!
She that was a princess among the provinces
has become a vassal.
2
She weeps bitterly in the night,
with tears on her cheeks;
among all her lovers
she has no one to comfort her;
all her friends have dealt treacherously with her,
they have become her enemies.
with tears on her cheeks;
among all her lovers
she has no one to comfort her;
all her friends have dealt treacherously with her,
they have become her enemies.
3
Judah has gone into exile with suffering
and hard servitude;
she lives now among the nations,
and finds no resting place;
her pursuers have all overtaken her
in the midst of her distress.
and hard servitude;
she lives now among the nations,
and finds no resting place;
her pursuers have all overtaken her
in the midst of her distress.
4
The roads to Zion mourn,
for no one comes to the festivals;
all her gates are desolate,
her priests groan;
her young girls grieve,
and her lot is bitter.
for no one comes to the festivals;
all her gates are desolate,
her priests groan;
her young girls grieve,
and her lot is bitter.
5
Her foes have become the masters,
her enemies prosper,
because the Lord has made her suffer
for the multitude of her transgressions;
her children have gone away,
captives before the foe.
her enemies prosper,
because the Lord has made her suffer
for the multitude of her transgressions;
her children have gone away,
captives before the foe.
6
From daughter Zion has departed
all her majesty.
Her princes have become like stags
that find no pasture;
they fled without strength
before the pursuer.
all her majesty.
Her princes have become like stags
that find no pasture;
they fled without strength
before the pursuer.
and Psalm 137 with its melancholy longing that becomes vengeful, seething rage
137 עַ֥ל נַהֲרֹ֨ות ׀ בָּבֶ֗ל שָׁ֣ם יָ֭שַׁבְנוּ גַּם־בָּכִ֑ינוּ בְּ֝זָכְרֵ֗נוּ אֶת־צִיֹּֽון׃
2 עַֽל־עֲרָבִ֥ים בְּתֹוכָ֑הּ תָּ֝לִ֗ינוּ כִּנֹּרֹותֵֽינוּ׃
3 כִּ֤י שָׁ֨ם שְֽׁאֵל֪וּנוּ שֹׁובֵ֡ינוּ דִּבְרֵי־שִׁ֭יר וְתֹולָלֵ֣ינוּ שִׂמְחָ֑ה שִׁ֥ירוּ לָ֝֗נוּ מִשִּׁ֥יר צִיֹּֽון׃
4 אֵ֗יךְ נָשִׁ֥יר אֶת־שִׁיר־יְהוָ֑ה עַ֝֗ל אַדְמַ֥ת נֵכָֽר׃
5 אִֽם־אֶשְׁכָּחֵ֥ךְ יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח יְמִינִֽי׃
6 תִּדְבַּ֥ק־לְשֹׁונִ֨י ׀ לְחִכִּי֮ אִם־לֹ֪א אֶ֫זְכְּרֵ֥כִי אִם־לֹ֣א אַ֭עֲלֶה אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֑ם עַ֝֗ל רֹ֣אשׁ שִׂמְחָתִֽי׃
7 זְכֹ֤ר יְהוָ֨ה ׀ לִבְנֵ֬י אֱדֹ֗ום אֵת֮ יֹ֤ום יְֽרוּשָׁ֫לִָ֥ם הָ֭אֹ֣מְרִים עָ֤רוּ ׀ עָ֑רוּ עַ֝֗ד הַיְסֹ֥וד בָּֽהּ׃
8 בַּת־בָּבֶ֗ל הַשְּׁד֫וּדָ֥ה אַשְׁרֵ֥י שֶׁיְשַׁלֶּם־לָ֑ךְ אֶת־גְּ֝מוּלֵ֗ךְ שֶׁגָּמַ֥לְתְּ לָֽנוּ׃
9 אַשְׁרֵ֤י ׀ שֶׁיֹּאחֵ֓ז וְנִפֵּ֬ץ אֶֽת־עֹ֝לָלַ֗יִךְ אֶל־הַסָּֽלַע׃
Better you should have the Hebrew than the English with its horrifying fury.
TW+