for Monday, 3 Feb 2025

 

There are subjects and there are topics, and though I'm as interested and concerned as the next American, I've tried somewhat over the years to keep +Time from being yet another rage about political issues. Social issues might be another thing, although politics is about social issues, how people treat other people, especially those they hate and those they can bully; while religion, at least Christianity, is about exactly the same thing: love God, love neighbor, where Neighbor is the one you hate as Jesus' listeners hated Samaritans; and where Love is not a feeling but how you treat other people.

And where lovingkindness is the rule, respecting the dignity of every human being.

Neighbors are not the same as brethren and friends, and Canada and Mexico have been valued, trusted friends. The way Mexico and Canada are being treated is unconscionable, no one treats friends contemptuously. Speaking of Canada as our 51st state is arrogant, outrageous. No desire for Mexico as our 52nd state, of course, because they are Brown people. 

Will the White House change the name of Mexico Beach to America Beach? 

China: not "friend," but "neighbor" and key trading partner where commercial and industrial interdependence is one deterrent to war. Every high tech item in my house is marked Made in China, and so is some of my clothing: I'm down to two black clergy shirts, and they're brandname marked "Joyful Clothing," which sounds ridiculous to American ears, but the price was reasonable, they're decent quality, they fit well, and I've been wearing them since 2005. Also my new shoes, shoes for seniors that are most convenient and comfortable, which is key at my age: made in China.

Linda's car was made either in Mexico or Canada.  

Maybe you get it, but I just don't get it. The economic idea of tariffs is not to raise money but to protect new industry while it develops and gains competitive ability, and/or to encourage citizens to "buy American" instead of buying foreign products. Maybe that's the idea. It'll be interesting to see how this plays, eh?

Those who are dead and gone don't have to worry about it, so there's that about living dodderingly into extreme old age, nomesane? How long, O Lord?

++++++++++

Here are the Propers for next Sunday, 9 Feb 2025. Scheduled to serve as Supply Priest two more Sundays before our new rector arrives, I'll be contemplating a pulpit message this week. 

The Collect

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Old Testament

Isaiah 6:1-8, [9-13]

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory."

The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!"

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out." Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I; send me!" [And he said, "Go and say to this people:

`Keep listening, but do not comprehend;

keep looking, but do not understand.'

Make the mind of this people dull,

and stop their ears,

and shut their eyes,

so that they may not look with their eyes,

and listen with their ears,

and comprehend with their minds,

and turn and be healed."

Then I said, "How long, O Lord?" And he said:

"Until cities lie waste

without inhabitant,

and houses without people,

and the land is utterly desolate;

until the Lord sends everyone far away,

and vast is the emptiness in the midst of the land.

Even if a tenth part remain in it,

it will be burned again,

like a terebinth or an oak

whose stump remains standing

when it is felled."

The holy seed is its stump.]

The Psalm: Psalm 138

1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; * before the gods I will sing your praise.

2 I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your Name, * because of your love and faithfulness;

3 For you have glorified your Name * and your word above all things.

4 When I called, you answered me; * you increased my strength within me.

5 All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord, * when they have heard the words of your mouth.

6 They will sing of the ways of the Lord, * that great is the glory of the Lord.

7 Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly; * he perceives the haughty from afar.

8 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; * you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies; your right hand shall save me.

9 The Lord will make good his purpose for me; * O Lord, your love endures for ever; do not abandon the works of your hands.

The New Testament

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you--unless you have come to believe in vain.

For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them--though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

The Gospel

Luke 5:1-11

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.