Proper 7, Year B, RCL, Track 1 1 Samuel 17:57-18:5, 10-16, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Mark 4:35-41 Without God we find chaos. We see this in many stories of the Bible. In Genesis God creates order out of Chaos; forming the earth out of the unformed. In Exodus, chaos slowly enfolds upon Pharaoh. While Pharaoh is obstructing God plan to free the Israelites, Pharaoh’s life falls into chaos first by various plagues, losing his son and eventually, he loses his life when he falls into the chaos of mud, and water. Through God, out of this chaos, order is restored and the Israelites begin a new journey of faith. We see a similar tale in the story in Beauty and the Beast in which a man, a prince, only loo
Proper 6, Year B, RCL , Track 1 2 Corinthians 5:6-10,[11-13],14-17, Mark 4:26-34 What can we compare with the kingdom of God? I think what we first realize is that the kingdom of God is rather amazing; something beyond our explanation. Christ says it is like a seed that is spread on the ground. To understand this better, I think we need to look at this parable from our childlike eyes. I remember when I was in first grade. Each of us received a small clear plastic cup, a paper towel, and a kidney bean. We were instructed to put our name on the cup then roll up the towel. It was one of those stiff, brown paper towels that you pull out of the dispenser mounted on the wall. I rolled it up, put i
Proper 4, Year B, Track 1 1 Samuel 3:1-20, Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17, 2 Corinthians 4:5-12, Mark 2:23-3:6 The scene opens today with Samuel sleeping next to the Arc of the convenient. He is ministering to the Lord, possibly as a guard; guarding the sanctuary. Samuel works in the temple and was probably part of the temple’s daily routine. He obviously has a close relationship with the High Priest, Eli; so much so that Samuel isn’t concerned with entering Eli’s room at night when called. With all of this in mind, spending time in the temple and all the priests around him, I can only imagine Samuel thought he knew something of the Lord. But our text says “Samuel did not yet know the Lord and the wor
