Lament
1Then
Job answered: 2"Today also my complaint
is bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning. 3Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even
to his dwelling! 4I would lay my case before
him, and fill my mouth with arguments. 5I would learn what he would
answer me, and understand what he would say to me. 6Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No; but
he would give heed to me. 7There an upright person could
reason with him, and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.
8"If I go forward, he is
not there; or backward, I cannot perceive him; 9on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him; I turn to the
right, but I cannot see him.
16God has made my heart faint;
the Almighty has terrified me; 17If only I could vanish in
darkness, and thick darkness would cover my face!
Job 23:1-9, 16-17
Double
click on the image to see more details.
(I
hope)
Angel of Truth Giving Freedom and Liberty to the Slave
GUÉRIN,
Jules Vallée
mural
1922
Lincoln
Memorial
Washington,
DC
United
States
|
Notes: |
The decoration above the Gettysburg address in the central group
typifies Freedom and Liberty. The Angel of Truth is giving Freedom and
Liberty to the slave. The shackles of bondage are falling from the arms and
feet. They are guarded by two sibyls. The group to the left represents
Justice and Law. The central figure in the Chair of Law has the Sword of
Justice in one hand; with the other she holds the Scroll of the Law. Seated
at her feet are two sibyls who are interpreting the Law. The standing figures
on each side are the Guardians of the Law, holding the torches of
intelligence. The group to the right represents Immortality. The central
figure is being crowned with the laurel wreath of Immortality. The standing
figures are Faith, Hope, and Charity. On either side are the vessels of wine
and oil, the symbols of Everlasting Life. [from Flickr] |
To lament means to express sorrow or regret.
Lamenting something horrific that has taken place
allows a deep connection to form between
the person lamenting and the harm that was done,
and that emotional connection is the first step
in creating a pathway for healing and hope.
We have to sit in the sorrow,
avoid trying to fix it right away,
avoid our attempts to make it all okay.
~
LaTasha Morrison
Prayerful lament is better than silence.
However, I’ve found that many people are afraid of lament.
They find it too honest, too open, or too risky.
But there’s something far worse:
silent despair.
~
Mark Vroegop
Robin
Sakamoto, Meishi, Shuto, and Reina Sakakibara on the Shinkansen
from
Morioka back home to Tokyo.
Carolyn
Alexander, Kimra Perkins, Sondra Kellogg, Jim Fay
We
enjoyed lunch together, then attended FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.
Ovation
West Musical Theater
Evergreen,
Colorado
Frank
Plaut
Frank
has played the Rabbi in three prior productions of Fiddler and he
again
plays the part of the Rabbi in this fourth Fiddler production.
(Frank
is 89 and a retired judge.)
Photo
by Colleen Lee
Poor
Lonely Elk (one antler) just off my patio.
The
two females he DID have were "elknapped" by the larger elk in the
background.
The
larger elk has many more members of his harem around the corner.
Evergreen Rotary
Rebecca and John Kirschner
"Never
in a Million Years. My Journey Through Grief and How to Keep Going Even When
You Think You Can't."
Rebecca
and John very frankly shared with us their journey since losing one of their
sons
to
substance abuse a year ago.
One
of the things they have done is have friends leave river rocks at
nature sites they have visited.
Rebecca
said they have had five responses of found rocks on Mason’s website.
Glorious Color
If I keep a green bough in my heart,
the singing bird will come.
~
Chinese Proverb
October 10, 2021 Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary
Time - Year B
Previous OPQs may be found at:
12Indeed,
the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to
judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid
bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.
14Since, then, we have a great
high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us
hold fast to our confession. 15For we do not have a high
priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in
every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:12-16
Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org
17As he was setting out on a
journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher,
what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good
but God alone. 19You know the commandments:
'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You
shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and
mother.'" 20He said to him,
"Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." 21Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one
thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have
treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." 22When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for
he had many possessions.
23Then Jesus looked around and said to
his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the
kingdom of God!" 24And the
disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again,
"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom
of God." 26They were
greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?"27Jesus looked at them and said,
"For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are
possible."
28Peter began to say to him,
"Look, we have left everything and followed you." 29Jesus said, "Truly I tell you,
there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father
or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30who will not receive a hundredfold
now in this age — houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and
fields with persecutions — and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last,
and the last will be first."
Mark 10:17-31
Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org
Job’s Lament
Job 23:1-9, 16-17 and Psalm 22:1-15
OR
Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 and Psalm 90:12-17
Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 10:17-31
(Harvest Sunday)
Joel 2:21-27
Psalm 126
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Matthew 6:25-33
Psalm 22 is so commonly associated with Jesus’ torment on Good Friday that it seems unworthy to be applied to our own lives. Yet, the psalm speaks of the suffering and emptiness that so many feel in times of unimaginable sorrow— the death of a child, the devastation of a hurricane, the anguish of a loved one away at war. There is power in acknowledging this suffering and the church’s response to it. We are not called to explain life’s hardships; rather, like Job, we are called to seek God’s presence with us in their midst. The Hebrews text reassures us that Jesus is with us in times of trial because he himself endured such trials for our sake. Mark reminds us that when we question God’s intentions for us, it is often our own choices that turn us away from God—choosing money, family, or security over God’s will for our lives.
First Reading Job 23:1-9, 16-17
1Then Job answered: 2"Today
also my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning. 3Oh, that I knew where I might find
him, that I might come even to his dwelling! 4I would lay
my case before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. 5I would learn what he would answer
me, and understand what he would say to me. 6Would he
contend with me in the greatness of his power? No; but he would give heed to
me. 7There an
upright person could reason with him, and I should be acquitted forever by my
judge.
8"If I
go forward, he is not there; or backward, I cannot perceive him; 9on the left he hides, and I cannot
behold him; I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.
16God has made
my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me; 17If only I
could vanish in darkness, and thick darkness would cover my face!
1My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?
Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my
groaning?
2O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
and by night, but find no rest.
3Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
4In you our ancestors trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5To you they cried, and were saved;
in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.
6But I am a worm, and not human;
scorned by others, and despised by the people.
7All who see me mock at me;
they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
8"Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver —
let him rescue the one in whom he delights!"
9Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
you kept me safe on my mother's breast.
10On you I was cast from my birth,
and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
11Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12Many bulls encircle me,
strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
13they open wide their mouths at me,
like a ravening and roaring lion.
14I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
it is melted within my breast;
15my mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
you lay me in the dust of death.
Second Reading Hebrews 4:12-16
12Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from
marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid
bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.
14Since, then, we have a great
high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us
hold fast to our confession. 15For we do not have a high
priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in
every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so
that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
17As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt
before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit
eternal life?" 18Jesus said
to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: 'You
shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall
not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and
mother.'" 20He said to
him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." 21Jesus, looking at him, loved him and
said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to
the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." 22When he heard this, he was shocked
and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
23Then Jesus
looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those
who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" 24And the
disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again,
"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of
God." 26They were
greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?"27Jesus looked at them and said,
"For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are
possible."
28Peter began
to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." 29Jesus said, "Truly I tell you,
there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father
or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30who will not receive a hundredfold
now in this age — houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and
fields with persecutions — and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last,
and the last will be first."