​The lectionary passages for the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Psalm 111:1-10
Second Reading: I Corinthians 8:1-13
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28

The liturgical color for the day is: Green

It says in the Gospel that he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and that he taught.  There was one there with an unclean spirit who called out Jesus.  Jesus handles it.  He worshiped.  He taught.  He dealt with the tough stuff.

He worshiped: We need to continually hear again that God is God, and we are not.  We need to come together in worship to be in community with each other and to get that larger perspective of how we fit into the universe.  What is our place in the cosmos?  What is our place in all of existence?  How do we stand before God?

He taught: It is what we know Jesus did in the synagogue that day and everywhere that he went.  He taught.  And he taught not only by opening up the Scriptures and telling stories about God and God’s reign in our world, but he also taught with his very life.  His life taught in the way that he paid attention to the ones who had been cast aside by the culture.  He helped the poor and healed the sick and he took up the cross. 

He dealt with the tough stuff:  We have to deal with the tough stuff.  Each of us has our own tough stuff in that we need to deal with . To deal with the tough stuff is not to wish it away, but to know, without a doubt, our only strength to deal with that tough stuff is Jesus.

We are not alone in any of this—he is with us!

—

Rev. Dr. Daris Bultena
General Presbyter and Stated Clerk