lectionary commentary
Our four lectionary readings for Sunday include the second of two weeks in Ruth,
a good old Sunday School Bible story from which, shamefully but as usual in lectionary churches, we only read snippets. Even if I mean that judgmentally, I'll add an italicized exclamation point (!) to indicate tongue in cheekness vice dour octogenarial stodginess. Our tradition - - in Anglicanism the word tradition should not be used carelessly but only thoughtfully, because, as opposed to custom or practice such as coffee hour or Sunday School between services, it may have theological implications as in Scripture Tradition Reason - - our tradition of rather blindly, mindlessly to my notion, reading four lessons (includes the psalm) even though the rubric (BCP 357) only requires that one be read (if there's Communion, we must have a gospel reading), is loosely based on ancient Jewish synagogue practice of reading two, first from the Law and then from the Prophets. Our tradition is to reverse that "descending" order and read ascendingly OT, responsive psalm, NT, and ultimately from a Gospel - - in which our theology, which is why the tradition is to stand and sing or say "Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluiia" is that Jesus Christ is personally present in and as the Gospel Word.
So anyway, we have so many readings that the lectionary framers, fearing that we will get bored, and knowing d-well that we are lazy listeners, do an awful (yes) lot of cutting down into snippets. But if, again, for every loss there's a gain, an upside of this nod to our sloth is that it gives the Sunday School mentor more possibilities for discussion. Just so, maybe we'll expand on Ruth a bit in Adult SS this coming Sunday - - including that most folks probably don't realize that the tragedy of Ruth leads through an X-rated scandal before it gets to Easter; and that the only incontestable reason for including in the canon of Scripture a story in which a gentile is married into a Jewish family is that this gentile is a great-grandmother of God's most beloved favorite David the king. Who brings his own scandals, great stories which go to prove that God loves us, sins and all.
That said, here is this coming Sunday's snippet from Ruth:
Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17
Naomi her mother-in-law said to Ruth, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.” She said to her, “All that you tell me I will do.”
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David. (The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God)
And oh by the way, long after good old campfire stories like our ancestor Jacob getting his own comeuppance, this is far from the first Bible story to be blessed with scandal for the sake of stirring us to smirk, nod and chortle as we nudge the person sitting next to us.
Whatever.
A promising Thursday morning on the Florida Gulf Coast
RSF&PTL
T
a good old Sunday School Bible story from which, shamefully but as usual in lectionary churches, we only read snippets. Even if I mean that judgmentally, I'll add an italicized exclamation point (!) to indicate tongue in cheekness vice dour octogenarial stodginess. Our tradition - - in Anglicanism the word tradition should not be used carelessly but only thoughtfully, because, as opposed to custom or practice such as coffee hour or Sunday School between services, it may have theological implications as in Scripture Tradition Reason - - our tradition of rather blindly, mindlessly to my notion, reading four lessons (includes the psalm) even though the rubric (BCP 357) only requires that one be read (if there's Communion, we must have a gospel reading), is loosely based on ancient Jewish synagogue practice of reading two, first from the Law and then from the Prophets. Our tradition is to reverse that "descending" order and read ascendingly OT, responsive psalm, NT, and ultimately from a Gospel - - in which our theology, which is why the tradition is to stand and sing or say "Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluiia" is that Jesus Christ is personally present in and as the Gospel Word.
So anyway, we have so many readings that the lectionary framers, fearing that we will get bored, and knowing d-well that we are lazy listeners, do an awful (yes) lot of cutting down into snippets. But if, again, for every loss there's a gain, an upside of this nod to our sloth is that it gives the Sunday School mentor more possibilities for discussion. Just so, maybe we'll expand on Ruth a bit in Adult SS this coming Sunday - - including that most folks probably don't realize that the tragedy of Ruth leads through an X-rated scandal before it gets to Easter; and that the only incontestable reason for including in the canon of Scripture a story in which a gentile is married into a Jewish family is that this gentile is a great-grandmother of God's most beloved favorite David the king. Who brings his own scandals, great stories which go to prove that God loves us, sins and all.
That said, here is this coming Sunday's snippet from Ruth:
Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17
Naomi her mother-in-law said to Ruth, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.” She said to her, “All that you tell me I will do.”
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. The women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David. (The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God)
And oh by the way, long after good old campfire stories like our ancestor Jacob getting his own comeuppance, this is far from the first Bible story to be blessed with scandal for the sake of stirring us to smirk, nod and chortle as we nudge the person sitting next to us.
Whatever.
A promising Thursday morning on the Florida Gulf Coast
RSF&PTL
T