THE BIBLE – TODAY’S TREASURE HUNT
COMMENT FOR EPIPHANY 7 19-02-06
Isaiah 43: 18 -25
The readings this week all point to the spiritual rewards of persistence.
It is late in the sixth century BCE as the Hebrew’s time in exile drags on. The prophet reminds the people of the great events of their history, then points out how they had just settled down comfortably for over 500 years; how the Northern kingdom of Israel had gone into exile and given up their heritage.
Their God was disappointed and had just about given up on them. But it is only their God who can find a way back, who can forgive and bring them home.
Psalm 41
This Psalm begins by saying that true happiness comes from the way we care for the poor and the weak. Then it looks at the lot of the poor and that of King David when seriously ill. We see the action of God in the actions of caring people.
II Corinthians 1: 18-22
Here Paul refers to another letter he wrote to his difficult, faction ridden Corinthian church. That very stern letter did not last long, and has just been lost. Now he contrasts the sort of adjustments he had to make in his plans with the sure working out of God’s plans and purposes.
Mark 2: 1-12
This is a great story and fills out our sense of the social history of the time. We might note, first, how the persistence of good friends wins over the indifference of the crowd, and secondly, how inner peace and spiritual health brought healing and strength to a paralysed
man. “Your sins are forgiven” is a truly liberating word.
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