Lectionary Reflection
Year A, Epiphany 3
Standard (Episcopal) Lectionary – Revised
Common Lectionary
New Testament Lesson
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1 Corinthians 1: 10-17 (Standard)
and 1 Corinthians 1: 10-18 (RCL)
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[Start both Lectionaries] I appeal
to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that
there be no divisions among you, but that you be united
in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been
reported to me by Chloe's people that there are quarrels
among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that
each of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I
belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas,"
or "I belong to Christ." Has Christ been divided?
Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the
name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you
except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that
you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the
household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether
I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to
baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent
wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied
of its power. [End Standard Lectionary] For the
message about the cross is foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power
of God.
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| New
Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989
by the Division of Christian Education of the
National Council of the Church of Christ in the
USA, and used by permission. |
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Reflection
on 1 Corinthians 1: 10-12
by the Rev Tom Harries
A sermon celebrating
and giving thanks for the sun could grow out of the image of
light shining on those who were in darkness, which appears in
the Isaiah passage and then is quoted in Matthew. This was discussed
elsewhere.
Another possibility
is to work off of the Corinthians' lesson:
Where Paul says,
"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that
there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the
same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to
me by Chloe's people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers
and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, "I belong
to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I
belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." Has
Christ been divided?"
We might expand
on his point and apply it to caring for creation.
People say, "I
belong to the US, I belong to Nigeria, I belong to China.…
When in fact
we all belong to the one planet earth, and we need to be united
in our care for her.
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The
Rev Tom Harries was priest-in-charge of the Episcopal Church
of the Holy Communion, St. Peter, MN; Total Ministry Mentor
in Central Minnesota; and Co-chair of MEESC, when he originally
wrote this reflection in 2007. Tom and we welcome your comments.
Please address your comments or additional reflections to Tom
Harries or any MEESC
member, or mail them to:
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