ramble and Propers
Below (scroll down), Propers for next Sunday, Aug 15. Practice for a while was to post them every Monday, but one of my new found joys in embracing where I find myself in life is to abandon reliability when it no longer suits me or serves me or others, and do whatever. Thus, been ignoring the Monday post.
Matter of fact, pretty much been ignoring +Time altogether, for reasons. Having done it daily, day by day almost never missing for more than ten years, since mid-October 2010, decided to find other ways to annoy myself and avoid annoying others.
So, what then? Watch films on laptop, Youtube, Amazon Prime Video. Found several 1930s and later films with Humphrey Bogart, much of the dialogue that was so masterful and artistic "in my day" is really, really corny and artificial. WWI and WW2 films, European perspective; history, documentaries as well as drama. Online news from abroad, especially MiddleEast, watching the irresistible force v. immovable object clash that is their sad world and for which there is no answer except everlasting war or one finally obliterates the other. Exploring Bible translations. Discovering things to do in adult Sunday School class. Worked on Hebrew for a while, one side of me wants to get back to that, though at this age one's mind seems more inclined to entertain oneself than to educate oneself. Subscribe] couple national magazines whose writing I enjoy, reading both online and print copy coming to the "house"; finishing them, pull off the label, Linda leaves them in the mailroom below, where they're quickly taken. Not going to buy any more cars, though I might like to have one of the new electrics, but still browse online antique/classic automobile sites and local dealers' websites. Watch the Bay, keep up with water traffic, people casting for mullet below my window, boats moving, ships coming and going, unsuspecting pontoon boat renters coming too close and grounding.
Always sorry for these folks, have run boats aground myself. Seventy years ago I was part of a Junior Yacht Club adventure in which we took all the sailboats across the Bay, ignorantly got them grounded, keels deep in mud when the tide when out, rescue boat sent for us conked out in mid-Bay, and U S Coast Guard had to come rescue us. A worthy escapade but that scared my mother half to death.
T
Sunday, 15 August, Proper 15B:
The Collect
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament
1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.
Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”
It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.”
The Psalm
Psalm 111
1 Hallelujah!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, *
in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the deeds of the Lord! *
they are studied by all who delight in them.
3 His work is full of majesty and splendor, *
and his righteousness endures for ever.
4 He makes his marvelous works to be remembered; *
the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
5 He gives food to those who fear him; *
he is ever mindful of his covenant.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works *
in giving them the lands of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice; *
all his commandments are sure.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, *
because they are done in truth and equity.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
he commanded his covenant for ever; *
holy and awesome is his Name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; *
those who act accordingly have a good understanding;
his praise endures for ever.
The Epistle
Ephesians 5:15-20
Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Gospel
John 6:51-58
Jesus said, “I AM the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
The Judeans then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”