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Showing posts from August, 2021

Potentially Problematic: Passion (Song of Songs 2:8-13)

  Ordinary Time The Bride Adores Her Beloved 8  The voice of my beloved!     Behold, he comes, leaping over the mountains,     bounding over the hills. 9  My beloved is like a gazelle     or a young stag. Behold, there he stands     behind our wall, gazing through the windows,     looking through the lattice. 10  My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my beautiful one,     and come away, 11  for behold, the winter is past;     the rain is over and gone. 12  The flowers appear on the earth,     the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove     is heard in our land. 13  The fig tree ripens its figs,     and the vines are in blossom;     they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my beautiful one,     and come away.”   (ESV)             Show of hands (emojis, if you’re with us online):   who here has read the book Song of Songs?   Who here has heard of it?           It is not a particularly oft-used text; in fact, this is the only t

Potentially Problematic: Armor (Ephesians 6:10-20)

  21st Sunday of Ordinary Time Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  13  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  14  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  15  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  16  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  17  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,  18  praying at all times in the

Potentially Problematic: Joy (Ephesians 5:15-20)

  Ordinary Time 15  Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise,  16  making the most of the time, because the days are evil.  17  So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  18  Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,  19  as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts,  20  giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . (NRSV)               A friend of mine introduced me to the song “Joy” in college, playing it on a CD in her well-worn Honda Fit while the sun slid down behind the railroad tracks.   I didn’t get it—didn’t like it, at first.   The lyrics are jarringly at odds with the chord progression and the whole thing felt right at the edge of being out of tune, just barely contained.   “That’s the point,” my friend said, almost rolling her eyes at me.           Th