THE BIBLE – TODAY’S TREASURE HUNT
COMMENT FOR PENTECOST 17
Esther 7: 1-6, 9-10; 9:20-22
This book introduces us to life for the Jews under Persian rule from 538-333 BCE. Those exiles who remained in Babylon were helped on this occasion by an orphaned Jewish girl who won the beauty contest to replace Queen Vashti who was deposed for disobeying the King’s order to appear at a bawdy banquet. The survival strategies they used were gossip, intrigue and vengeful massacres. Sadly, from our point of view, not the forgiving tolerance advised in Deut.23:7
Psalm 124
This Pilgrim Song would have been used frequently for thanksgiving in the Covenant Community. Its vivid language describes the many dangers people faced. But then came the awareness of God’s help which was crucial to the community’s survival. We do not know what the dangers were, but the confidence of the community rests in the renewed experience of the Creator God in their lives.
James 5:13-20
The caring, loving actions of people working within their church community raise the spiritual atmosphere in the wider world. James could have been thinking of Jesus’ words “You are the salt of the earth”. James sounds happy as he is writing this because he sees this as the work of the Holy Spirit. So enterprises such as the Garrison and Killarney and every church structure have a ministry just by being there.
Mark 9:38-50
Jesus reminds his disciples that there is one God – one Spiritual Power, always and everywhere creating what is good and sorting out the tangles in the human family. It is the young in that one family which need special love and care. Hence those who would abuse and prey on children attract the harshest words he ever spoke. Then Jesus challenges people to think about what they are doing with their lives. What do his words mean in the context of drugs and money in professional sport today?
On the website to view the Bible text, just click on the reading heading.
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