Archive for December 2014
Above: Mt. Sinai, Between 1898 and 1946
Image Source = Library of Congress
Reproduction Number = LC-DIG-matpc-09625
Mountains, God, and Holiness
FEBRUARY 12 and 13, 2024
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The Collect:
Almighty God, the resplendent light of your truth
shines from the mountaintop into our hearts.
Transfigure us by your beloved Son,
and illumine the world with your image,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 26
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The Assigned Readings:
Exodus 19:7-25 (Monday)
Job 19:23-27 (Tuesday)
Psalm 110:1-4 (Both Days)
Hebrews 2:1-4 (Monday)
1 Timothy 3:14-16 (Tuesday)
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God seemed quite mysterious–even dangerous–in Exodus 19. Anyone who touched Mt. Sinai would die, for the mountain was holy, and that made the geographical feature more hazardous than usual. There was also a hazard in the peoples’ pledge to obey God’s commandments, due to the penalties for violating them.
God was also a threat in the mind of Job, who, in 19:23-27, looked forward to his Redeemer/Vindicator, a kinsman who would, in the words of a note on page 1529 of The Jewish Study Bible (2004),
vindicate him, will take revenge on God for what God has done to Job.
That is a desire many people have felt. That interpretation is also far removed from a traditional Christian understanding of the text, not that there is anything wrong with that difference.
We find the friendly and scary faces of God in the New Testament readings. Hebrews 2:1-4 reminds us of penalties for sins. Yet 1 Timothy 3:14-16 brings us the mystery and the graces of God in the context of Jesus. That example is far removed from Exodus 19:7-25, where divine holiness was fatal to people. What could be closer to people–even in contact with them–and holy without being fatal to them than Jesus?
Mountains and the divine go together in the Bible. Moses received the Law on one. Jesus preached from mountains. His Transfiguration occurred on one. He “ascended” (whatever that means in literal, as opposed to theological terms) from a mountain. The symbolism also works in our lives, as in our “mountaintop experiences.”
As we depart the Season after the Epiphany for Lent, may we seek and find, by grace, a closer walk with God, whose holiness gives us life and is not fatal to us. May we internalize the lessons God wants us to internalize. And, when we are angry with God, may we have enough faith to, in the style of Job, argue faithfully. Communication cannot occur in the absence of messages.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 4, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE FIFTH DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF JOSEPH MOHR, AUSTRIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT BARBARA, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN OF DAMASCUS, HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN CALABRIA, FOUNDER OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE POOR SERVANTS AND THE POOR WOMEN SERVANTS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/mountains-god-and-holiness/
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Above: He Wept Over It, by Enrique Simonet
Image in the Public Domain
The Aroma of Christ
FEBRUARY 8-10, 2024
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The Collect:
Almighty God, the resplendent light of your truth
shines from the mountaintop into our hearts.
Transfigure us by your beloved Son,
and illumine the world with your image,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 26
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The Assigned Readings:
1 Kings 11:26-40 (Thursday)
1 Kings 14:1-18 (Friday)
1 Kings 16:1-7 (Saturday)
Psalm 50:1-6 (All Days)
2 Corinthians 2:12-17 (Thursday)
1 Timothy 1:12-20 (Friday)
Luke 19:41-44 (Saturday)
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The Lord, the most mighty God, has spoken
and called the world from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth;
our God comes and will not keep silence.
Consuming fire goes out before him
and a mighty tempest stirs about him.
He calls the heaven above,
and the earth, that he may judge his people:
“Gather to me my faithful,
who have sealed my covenant with sacrifice.”
Let the heavens declare his righteousness,
for God himself is judge.
–Psalm 50:1-6, The Book of Common Prayer (2004)
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The readings for these three days weave together two themes: the reality of God and the influence of holy people. Often these holy people were prophets of God; I point to Ahijah of Shiloh (1 Kings 11 and 14) and Jehu son of Hanani (1 Kings 16), who were instrumental in establishing and replacing monarchs. There were many others, such as St. Paul the Apostle (2 Corinthians 2), pseudo-Paul (1 Timothy 1), and Jesus himself (Luke 19). The messenger is crucial, as is the message. If someone refuses to deliver a message from God, another will accept the mission. The message will go forth.
To ponder divine mercy is pleasant, but that statement does not apply to God’s wrath. God is not a teddy bear, so to speak; if one thought to the contrary, one was in serious error. May we have a balanced perspective, one which takes into account both divine judgment and mercy in proper proportions. (This is possible by grace, not human power.) And may we remember that Jesus sought forgiveness for those who had him crucified.
I do not pretend to know the details of every person’s spiritual vocation from God. Sometimes, in fact, my vocation from God confuses me. Yet I am confident that all such vocations for Christians include, in the words of St. Paul the Apostle, being:
…the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.
–2 Corinthians 2:15-16a, The New Revised Standard Version (1989)
May we bear the aroma of Christ faithfully.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 4, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE FIFTH DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF JOSEPH MOHR, AUSTRIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT BARBARA, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN OF DAMASCUS, HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN CALABRIA, FOUNDER OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE POOR SERVANTS AND THE POOR WOMEN SERVANTS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/the-aroma-of-christ/
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Above: Ruins of the Temple of Apollo, Corinth
Image in the Public Domain
Judgment, Mercy, and Ethical Living, Part II
NOT OBSERVED IN 2015
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The Collect:
Loving God, by tender words and covenant promise you have joined us to yourself forever,
and you invite us to respond to your love with faithfulness.
By your Spirit may we live with you and with one another in justice, mercy, and joy,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 25
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The Assigned Readings:
Hosea 3:1-5 (Monday)
Hosea 14:1-9 (Tuesday)
Isaiah 62:1-5 (Wednesday)
Psalm 45:6-17 (All Days)
2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11 (Monday)
2 Corinthians 11:1-15 (Tuesday)
John 3:22-36 (Wednesday)
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Your throne is God’s throne, for ever;
the sceptre of your kingdom is the sceptre of righteousness.
You love righteousness and hate iniquity;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
–Psalm 45:6-7, The Book of Common Prayer (2004)
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The readings for these three days, taken together, use marriage metaphors for the relationship between God and Israel and the relationship between God and an individual. Idolatry is akin to sexual promiscuity, for example. That metaphor works well, for there were pagan temple prostitutes.
Idolatry and social injustice are a pair in many Old Testament writings, for the Bible has much to say about how we ought to treat others, especially those who have less power or money than we do. Thus Psalm 45, a royal wedding song, becomes, in part, a meditation on justice. Also, as St. Paul the Apostle reminds us by words and example, nobody has the right to place an undue burden upon anyone or cause another person grief improperly.
May we recall and act upon Hosea 14:1-9, which states that, although God judges and disciplines, God also shows extravagant mercy. May we forgive ourselves for our faults. May we forgive others for their failings. And may we, by grace, do all the above and recall that there is hope for us all in divine mercy. Such grace calls for a positive response, does it not?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 4, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE FIFTH DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF JOSEPH MOHR, AUSTRIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT BARBARA, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN OF DAMASCUS, HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN CALABRIA, FOUNDER OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE POOR SERVANTS AND THE POOR WOMEN SERVANTS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/judgment-mercy-and-ethical-living-part-ii/
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Above: The Cover of the Sheet Music to The Fall of Jerusalem and Zion March, 1900
Image Source = Library of Congress
Judgment, Mercy, and Ethical Living, Part I
NOT OBSERVED IN 2015
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The Collect:
Loving God, by tender words and covenant promise you have joined us to yourself forever,
and you invite us to respond to your love with faithfulness.
By your Spirit may we live with you and with one another in justice, mercy, and joy,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 25
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The Assigned Readings:
Ezekiel 16:1-14 (Thursday)
Ezekiel 16:44-52 (Friday)
Ezekiel 16:53-63 (Saturday)
Psalm 103 (All Days)
Romans 3:1-8 (Thursday)
2 Peter 1:1-11 (Friday)
John 7:53-8:11 (Saturday)
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The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love.
He will not contend forever,
or nurse His anger for all time.
–Psalm 103:8-9, TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (1985)
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As the readings for these three days remind us, God both judges and shows mercy. Often mercy follows judgment, in fact. We have received ample grace from God. Such generosity warrants a response of gratitude and ethical living from us. (Grace is free, but not cheap.) One aspect of that ethical living (as in 2 Peter 1:7) is brotherly affection, one of the four loves in the New Testament.
We read also of ways in which God’s glory becomes evident because of or despite human actions. If you, O reader, ever wondered if God will receive glory, the answer is “yes.” Nevertheless, it is better to be a vehicle of divine glorification than an obstacle to it.
John 7:53-8:11, the pericope regarding the woman caught in adultery, is a floating story actually of Synoptic origin. One can read the Gospel of John without it, moving from 7:52 to 8:12 without missing a beat. Usually I like to read an excerpt from the canonical Gospels in the immediate context of what happens before and after it, but today I will not follow that practice with regard to this pericope.
This is a story about a trap. Those religious authorities who sought to ensnare Jesus cared nothing about the location of the man with whom the woman had committed adultery. Jesus probably reminded them of the fact that the punishment for them under the Law of Moses was stoning also. Then our Lord and Savior forgave the woman, who had been a pawn just a few minutes prior.
May our thankfulness to God lead us to treat our fellow human beings ethically. And may we understand that, when we accuse others, we might open ourselves up to charges (even if not legal ones) also.
Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make, you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.
–Jesus in Matthew 7:1-2, The New Revised Standard Version (1989)
Also, forgiving each other goes a long way toward building better families, communities, cultures, and societies. So does minding one’s own business. Understanding the scope of one’s own business leads one to recognize the difference between doing what is necessary and proper to build up one’s neighbors and making matters worse. When we love one another properly, as God commanded, we glorify the deity by acting correctly toward others. We cannot love God, whom we cannot see, if we do not love human beings, whom we can see.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 4, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE FIFTH DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF JOSEPH MOHR, AUSTRIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT BARBARA, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN OF DAMASCUS, HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN CALABRIA, FOUNDER OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE POOR SERVANTS AND THE POOR WOMEN SERVANTS OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/judgment-mercy-and-ethical-living-part-i/
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Above: An Icon of the Last Judgment
Image in the Public Domain
Judgment, Sins, and Suffering
NOT OBSERVED IN 2015
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The Collect:
Almighty God, in signs and wonders your Son revealed the greatness of your saving love.
Renew us with your grace, and sustain us by your power,
that we may stand in the glory of your name,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 25
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The Assigned Readings:
Lamentations 5:1-22
Psalm 38
John 5:19-29
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LORD, do not rebuke me in anger
or punish me in your wrath….
But, LORD, do not forsake me;
my God, be not far aloof from me.
Lord my deliverer, hasten to my aid.
–Psalm 38:1, 21-22, The Revised English Bible (1989)
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Often we suffer because of the sins of others; that is objectively correct statement. I wish that it were false, but wishing will not alter that reality. Other times we suffer the consequences of our actions; that is also an objectively correct statement. We suffer, most basically, because we live, for the hail stones rain down upon the godly and the ungodly.
Yet, John 5:25-29 tells us, there will be a time when we will receive judgment or reward on the basis of grace and our actions. (We cannot stand on our own merit, such as it is.) This will fill many with hope and others with dread. Some will feel both emotions. But at least our judge will be one who has identified with people to the point of becoming incarnate as a man. He forgave those who had him crucified, did he not?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 3, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE FOURTH DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARUTHAS, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF MAYPHERKAT AND MISSIONARY TO PERSIA
THE FEAST OF SAINT BERNARD OF PARMA, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER, ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARY TO ASIA
THE FEAST OF JOHN OWEN SMITH, UNITED METHODIST BISHOP IN GEORGIA
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/judgment-sins-and-suffering/
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Above: Paul and Barnabas in Lystra, by Johann Heiss
Image in the Public Domain
Recognizing and Glorifying God
NOT OBSERVED IN 2015
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The Collect:
Almighty God, in signs and wonders your Son revealed the greatness of your saving love.
Renew us with your grace, and sustain us by your power,
that we may stand in the glory of your name,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 25
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The Assigned Readings:
Isaiah 30:18-26 (Monday)
Micah 4:1-7 (Tuesday)
Psalm 38 (Both Days)
Acts 14:8-18 (Monday)
2 Corinthians 1:1-11 (Tuesday)
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O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
–Psalm 38:1, The New Revised Standard Version (1989)
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Polytheists can blame negative (from a human point of view) divine actions on certain deities, thereby letting others off the proverbial hook. We monotheists, however, lack that option, so judgment and discipline come from God, as do mercy and consolation. It is a theological problem sometimes, but life without theological problems is not worth living, I suggest.
We humans interpret stimuli and other information in the context of our filters, many of which we have learned. Other germane factors include our age, level of educational attainment, and cognitive abilities. Yes, there is an objective reality, which we are capable of perceiving (at least partially) much of the time, but the range of perceptions persists. Often we need to question our assumptions, as many people in Lystra (Acts 14:8-18) should have done. God has spoken and acted, but how many of us have been oblivious to this reality or misinterpreted it?
We cannot, of course, grasp God fully. We can, however, have partial knowledge of the deity. And we can, out of love and devotion to God, recognize the source and love our neighbors as we love ourselves, by grace. That will glorify God.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 3, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE FOURTH DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARUTHAS, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF MAYPHERKAT AND MISSIONARY TO PERSIA
THE FEAST OF SAINT BERNARD OF PARMA, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER, ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARY TO ASIA
THE FEAST OF JOHN OWEN SMITH, UNITED METHODIST BISHOP IN GEORGIA
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/recognizing-and-glorifying-god/
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Above: King Hezekiah
Image in the Public Domain
Short-Term Thinking
NOT OBSERVED IN 2015
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The Collect:
Almighty God, in signs and wonders your Son revealed the greatness of your saving love.
Renew us with your grace, and sustain us by your power,
that we may stand in the glory of your name,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 25
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The Assigned Readings:
Isaiah 38:1-8 (Friday)
Isaiah 39:1-8 (Saturday)
Psalm 41 (Both Days)
Hebrews 12:7-13 (Friday)
Luke 4:38-41 (Saturday)
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By this I know that you are pleased with me;
because my enemy has not triumphed over me.
But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
and set me in your presence forever.
–Psalm 41:11-12, The New Revised Standard Version (1989)
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That text functions as a counterpart to the story of King Hezekiah of Judah, as we read it in Isaiah 38-39 and 2 Kings 20.
In the lectionary we read of two main healings–one of King Hezekiah and the other of St. Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. The former seemed not to have improved spiritually. In fact, he acted recklessly, showing off for a Chaldean/Neo-Babylonian envoy seeking an ally against Assyria. This happened about a century (maybe a little more than, perhaps slightly less than) before that would-be ally ended the existence of the Kingdom of Judah. The monarch took comfort that he would be dead by then. St. Simon Peter’s mother-in-law, however, extended hospitality to her house guests.
As Hebrews 12:7-13 reminds us, God disciplines people for their own good. Healing and holiness follow in that divine plan. Some people are oblivious, however; Hezekiah comes to mind immediately.
Hezekiah answered, “The word of the LORD which you have spoken is good,” for he was thinking to himself that peace and security would last out his lifetime.
–2 Kings 20:19, The Revised English Bible (1989)
Such self-interest does not indicate proper concern for others, especially those of the future. This kind of short-term thinking is what damages the planet and ravages ecosystems. Future generations and members of other species will pay the high price for a lack of concern and imagination and for the quest for convenience and immediate gratification in the present day. But we, unlike Hezekiah, will pay part of the price for our folly also. Are we not supposed to be stewards of blessings, including the Earth? Should we not extend hospitality to those around us and those not yet born?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 3, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE FOURTH DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARUTHAS, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF MAYPHERKAT AND MISSIONARY TO PERSIA
THE FEAST OF SAINT BERNARD OF PARMA, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER, ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARY TO ASIA
THE FEAST OF JOHN OWEN SMITH, UNITED METHODIST BISHOP IN GEORGIA
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/short-term-thinking/
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Above: Solomon’s Wealth and Wisdom
Image in the Public Domain
Treating People Properly
NOT OBSERVED IN 2015
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The Collect:
Almighty God, in signs and wonders your Son revealed the greatness of your saving love.
Renew us with your grace, and sustain us by your power,
that we may stand in the glory of your name,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 25
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The Assigned Readings:
2 Chronicles 7:12-22
Psalm 41
3 John 2-8
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Happy are those who consider the poor….
–Psalm 41:1a, The New Revised Standard Version (1989)
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In the Law of Moses, among purity codes and rules about when to stone people, one finds commandments about caring for people–from strangers to neighbors. That ethic was apparently strong in the Christian community which received 3 John. King Solomon, however, exploited his subjects economically. Thus he violated a divine condition for the perpetuation of the Davidic Dynasty in 2 Chronicles 7:17-22.
Some themes recur in the Bible. Among these are God’s concern for the poor and displeasure at the mistreatment of them. This is a point I can repeat in only a few ways, for it falls under the heading of what I, for the purpose of determining what does and does not constitute plagiarism, call the Green Grass Rule:
There are only a few ways to write that the grass is green.
So, O reader, how do you treat people, ranging from strangers to neighbors?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 2, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE THIRD DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF SAINT BRIOC, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND SAINT TUDWAL, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND BISHOP
THE FEAST OF CHANNING MOORE WILLIAMS, EPISCOPAL BISHOP IN CHINA AND JAPAN
THE FEAST OF JOHN BROWN, ABOLITIONIST
THE FEAST OF SAINT OSMUND OF SALISBURY, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
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THIS IS POST #400 OF ADVENT, CHRISTMAS, AND EPIPHANY DEVOTIONS.
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/treating-people-properly/
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Above: Jesus Healing the Son of an Official, by Joseph-Marie Vien
Image in the Public Domain
Signs, Wonders, and Faith
FEBRUARY 15, 2012
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The Collect:
Everlasting God, you give strength to the weak and power to the faint.
Make us agents of your healing and wholeness,
that your good may be made known to the ends your creation,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 24
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The Assigned Readings:
Job 30:16-31
Psalm 6
John 4:46-54
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I grow weary because of my groaning;
every night I drench my pillow
and flood my bed with tears.
–Psalm 6:6, Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006)
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The titular character of the Book of Job was faithful to God consistently. Even his arguing and complaining came from a place of fidelity. This was remarkable, given the fact that said book says at the beginning that God permitted Job’s suffering as a test of loyalty.
Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.
–Jesus in John 4:48, The New Revised Standard Version (1989)
“You” is plural in that quote.
The (possibly Gentile) royal (Herodian) official accepted that Jesus would save his son (who was elsewhere) from death. Thus the audiences for that comment did not include the father. Throughout the canonical Gospels people followed Jesus in search of a cure or healing of some kind. Many received what they sought, but how many gained faith (or a deeper faith–trust, that is) in God?
What do we seek from God? Is the deity merely a dispenser of convenient blessings, in our minds? Or do our professions of faith have substance of high spiritual quality?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 2, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE THIRD DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF SAINT BRIOC, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND SAINT TUDWAL, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND BISHOP
THE FEAST OF CHANNING MOORE WILLIAMS, EPISCOPAL BISHOP IN CHINA AND JAPAN
THE FEAST OF JOHN BROWN, ABOLITIONIST
THE FEAST OF SAINT OSMUND OF SALISBURY, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/signs-wonders-and-faith/
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Above: Reconstruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of Herod, by James Tissot
Image in the Public Domain
Honoring God and Respecting Persons
FEBRUARY 13 AND 14, 2012
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The Collect:
Everlasting God, you give strength to the weak and power to the faint.
Make us agents of your healing and wholeness,
that your good may be made known to the ends your creation,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 24
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The Assigned Readings:
2 Chronicles 26:1-21 (Monday)
2 Kings 7:3-10 (Tuesday)
Psalm 6 (Both Days)
Acts 3:1-10 (Monday)
1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1 (Tuesday)
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O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger,
or discipline me in your wrath.
Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing;
O LORD, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
–Psalm 6:1-2, The New Revised Standard Version (1989)
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My comments for the post I wrote prior to this one apply here also, I refer you, O reader, to them and pursue a different line of thought arising from assigned readings.
We ought to glorify God. We cannot do this while committing idolatry, acting to harm another human being (physically or spiritually) other than in self-defense or the defense of another person, or being oblivious to God, who has done much over time and continues to act. Likewise, when we act out of respect for others, we honor the image of God in them.
If you love me, keep my commandments,
Jesus said. He ordered people to love one another and honor God. He also provided an example to emulate. That example points out how dangerous loving one’s neighbors can be. Yet if we are truly to be Christians, we will follow him.
Often we humans designate some of our neighbors as people to look down upon, shun, discriminate against, murder, destroy culturally, et cetera. This is wrong, for all people bear the image of God and therefore possess inherent dignity. We might not get along with many of them, but we ought never to question their humanity or equality with us. The Golden Rule stands.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 2, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE THIRD DAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF SAINT BRIOC, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND SAINT TUDWAL, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT AND BISHOP
THE FEAST OF CHANNING MOORE WILLIAMS, EPISCOPAL BISHOP IN CHINA AND JAPAN
THE FEAST OF JOHN BROWN, ABOLITIONIST
THE FEAST OF SAINT OSMUND OF SALISBURY, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2014/12/06/honoring-god-and-respecting-persons/
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ADVENT, CHRISTMAS, AND EPIPHANY DEVOTIONS 
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