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Everyone wants to see God, right? But not today. And not too close, lest we be called on to do something. Lessons to be read from Scripture on the upcoming weekend tell the stories of how God DOES appear, and what God DOES expect us to do… Are you ready? This may involve you…

We find JEREMIAH as a “boy”–whether young in years or young in faith–being instructed by God to be a prophet to the nations (1:4-10). Gulp! Who, me? But I don’t know what to say… God tells Jeremiah and us, “Don’t be afraid! I am with you to deliver you.” (Read the whole book to see how this works out.) Even the most idealistic of us find a new role, a new place, which can be scary. But we don’t choose God, God chooses US–and prepares us to live out the Holy Conviction within us. The reading concludes on a positive note: the prophet is to build and plant, as well as be disruptive to the power system.

The CORINTHIAN Church was a diverse and eclectic group, contending with one another as to whom the Spiritual Gifts were best seen. And so Paul wrote an insert to his letter (13:1-13) about loving and caring for each other. This love, this respect, is the best gift of all; and their actions need to show this acceptance. Love is patient and kind, bearing all things, and believing, hoping, and enduring. Sometimes being correct is a lesser virtue. Although very nice, the passage is not about romance, so don’t use it for your wedding!

LUKE’s gospel continues the story about Jesus in his hometown synagogue: in last week’s narrative, Jesus amazed them all by announcing his messiahship–and in 4:21-30, we read how his fellow citizens rose up against him and were going to throw him off the cliff! This God thing is very nice in a book someplace, but Not In My Backyard! No, keep God confined to a scroll, in antiquity, but don’t ask me to welcome him today! Besides, we know this guy: he helped build our house. Can it be that the Good News has come so close? And what does that mean for me??

Gerhard Tersteegen, in the early 1700’s, wrote “God calling yet! Shall I not hear? Earth’s pleasures shall I still hold dear? Shall life’s swift passing years all fly, and still my soul in slumber lie?” Well??

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Come with us every Tuesday to wrestle with scripture passages to be shared on the upcoming weekend; at horacebrownking.com

The Season of Epiphany–“There’s God Now!”–continues to tell the story of God’s attempts to meet with us, the Creator’s creations. Stories to be heard on this upcoming weekend are not only nice remembrances, but remind today’s persons that we too are important.

The people of Israel returned from the Babylonian Exile and rebuilt the Temple around 520 BC. NEHEMIAH 8:1-10 tells about the occasion of re-finding the Law (probably the Book of Deuteronomy) and making susre all the people heard it and would adopt it. (It was this Law that Jesus came to exceed, although he was careful to respect it.) The core of this passage is the word “all”: the Deuteronomic virtues were’nt just for individual observation, they came to the PEOPLE, to re-establish their countercultural stance. From now on (?) this People will shine “as a light to the nations”.

The passage of I CORINTHIANS 12:12-31 is famous for building the Church as a human body. Paul’s analogy of each part having its own special function is to reassure each one of their worth and importance to the wholeness of the community. No matter how insignificant we feel, the health of the body is contingent upon us! That Body is healthy/whole not from what it did yesterday, but because of what it’s doing TODAY.

LUKE 4:14-21–the neighbors of Nazareth thought Jesus to be a Nice Boy, a Regular Guy, and they welcomed him into their synagogue. They had heard of his marvelous doings even in the beginning of his ministry; and, who knows? He may even do something for them! So he read from the scroll Isaiah’s words to the returned Exiles: “The Spirit has anointed me to bring Good News, to release the captives, to restore sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free…” Yes, yes, very nice. But then he said, “TODAY this scripture has been fulfilled.” What!! God’s here today?? Didn’t we tuck God away somewhere with the Christmas lights? Don’t we think of God as happening in our distant past??

What is Real? What is True? Where is your God today? And what are you doing, for Heaven’s sake??

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Come every Tuesday to get a preview of what God will say on the upcoming weekend: at horacebrownking.com

These few weeks after the Epiphany are well-placed to reveal God: winter has set in, “earth stands hard as iron”, heating bills and illness seem to accumulate more quickly. This is the Season for seeing God, the “AHA!” moment, the time to say, “Oh! NOW I get it!” Scripture passages to be explored lift up the Good Things that God has provided, reminding those of us overwhelmed by Winter that we do have an extravagant God, a God of abundance who can and does provide us with Hope.

The mysterious Third ISAIAH is writing to those returned from Exile, saddened by the realization that the homeland won’t look like they remembered or were told. Once hopeful, the People of the Return NOW have to address the reality of a ruined Temple and half-Judaized neighbors. Will YHWH change things, or will they have to be content with the World’s agenda? Some of us (the apostle Paul/Saul, for one) need a new Name to signify a fresh start. From Forsaken to My Delight, from Desolate to the loving acceptance of Marriage. Will we shine like a burning torch in the ashes of World & National News? Do we speak for the ones whose light has been only smoldering?

St. Paul tells the CORINTHIANS in chapter 12 about the plethora of holy gifts which God alone can–and does!–give. The humblest can now be proud of her new showing of God for the common good. “…there are a variety of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.” All of which is to say that TODAY God still blesses us with these gifts, given to YOU! Now how will you discover what immensity you have, and how will you use it in partnership with God? Students at Hogwarts have the Sorting Hat; church-members on the way have Prayer…

Why does St. JOHN include the story of the Marriage at Cana (2:1-11) in his Gospel when the other writers don’t? I think it’s to develop a sense of the process of Jesus’ awareness of divinity, beginning with Baptism and moving toward his ultimate Resurrection. At any rate, it’s a good remembrance of the special abundance of God’s gifts: when you’re touched by Jesus, the result is all Good Stuff! The old dry same-old same-old has now been filled to the brim!

These stories bring up the old question of Theodicy, which is a way of asking, “If God is so good, then why is so much wrong?” Ernest Hess writes, “In a world where many suffer from poverty, disease, injustice and hunger, how do we understand [these] stories of extravagant abundance?….life in this world, with its painful limitations, has been unpredictably invaded by grace…” (FEASTING on the WORD, C 1:265) Where have you seen God, today?

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Join us every Tuesday as we’re touched by the Scriptures to be read and heard on the upcoming weekend; at horacebrownking.com

The Baptism of the Lord is traditionally observed on the weekend after Epiphany. Jesus was baptized by his cousin, John, probably around 30 CE. It’s a time in which Believers remember their own commitments–or those made by others on their behalf–to accept God’s grace in growing their lives, and to reject the presence of sin. This weekend’s readings remind us that grace is sufficient for all of life, both the good and the bad.

ISAIAH 43:1-7 is a reminder to the Jews now living in exile in Babylon that God is still operative in a “strange” land. Just as YHWH has created, so YHWH continues to love and redeem the People wherever they are. Caution: this passage could be read as favoring the Zionists over the Gentiles, with music from “Exodus”! The water and the flame from v.2 could be seen as agents of purification, elements used by God for refining the dross out of our true natures.

ACTS 8:14-17 are a few obscure verses which tell how the Samaritans–the despised “tarnished” Jews–were accepted into the fold of the Baptized. Please notice that Peter and John, two “big guns” of Christianity, went THEMSELVES to show the Samaritans that the community cared! (Peter & John, the Disciples racing to see the Resurrection, were often paired by Luke: the Old and the Young, the gruff and the outspoken, EVERYone of EVERY age…)

LUKE 3:15-22 is yet another account of Jesus’ baptism, differing only slightly from Mark & Matthew. Jesus evidently identified with the persecuted and sin-sick, getting in line to receive what is now seen as a Sacrament. Please note that the dove/Holy Spirit descended upon him WHILE HE WAS PRAYING, a result(?) of the baptism. Evidently the Epiphany comes to us as we prayerfully begin the holy journey. Is it limited to special sacramental moments? By no means!

The World Council of Churches, meeting in Geneva in 1982, has written “The Holy Spirit is at work in the lives of people before, in, and after their baptism….[Baptism] marks them with a seal and implants in their hearts the first installment of their inheritance as sons and daughters of God.” Let the journey continue! “Remember your Baptism, and be glad!!”

In the process of unfolding, Horace Brown King

Join us each Tuesday to see and enjoy what pops out at us from the Scripture lessons for the upcoming weekend: at horacebrownking.com