Above: Israeli Stamp of David
Image in the Public Domain
Repentance
JULY 28, 2024
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Exodus 12:1-14 or 2 Samuel 11:26-12:15
Psalm 52
2 Corinthians 5:11-21
Mark 6:1-13
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Repentance, as any theologically literate person should,know, is changing one’s mind and turning around. Repentance does not necessarily negate temporal consequences of sins, however. We still reap what we sow. If we sow love rather than evil, we will reap love rather than evil. We may still suffer for various reasons, ranging from the evil of others to the no cause we can discern, but we will suffer in the company of God, at least.
I choose to focus on a few aspects I noticed in some of the readings.
David was a troublesome character, as the story we began to read about him last week and finished this week made clear. Yet he accepted the uncomfortable words from the prophet Nathan. Other kings had yes-men for prophets, but David had Nathan.
One cannot use the imagery of the Jesus as the Passover Lamb to justify Penal Substitutionary Atonement and be intellectually honest. If one pays attention, one notices that the blood of the original Passover lambs saved the Hebrews from the consequences of Egyptians’ sins, not their sins.
St. Augustine of Hippo, writing about our Lord and Savior’s instructions to his Apostles in Mark 6:6b-13, offered this gem of wisdom:
They ought to walk not in duplicity, but in simplicity.
—The Harmony of the Gospels 2.32.75
May we refrain from walking in hypocrisy and duplicity before God and each other. May we walk in honest piety and simplicity instead. May we repent of hypocrisy and duplicity.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JULY 23, 2019 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT BRIDGET OF SWEDEN, FOUNDRESS OF THE ORDER OF THE MOST HIGH SAVIOR; AND HER DAUGHTER, SAINT CATHERINE OF SWEDEN, SUPERIOR OF THE ORDER OF THE MOST HIGH SAVIOR
THE FEAST OF ADELAIDE TEAGUE CASE, PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
THE FEAST OF SAINTS PHILIP EVANS AND JOHN LLOYD, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND MARTYRS
THE FEAST OF THEODOR LILEY CLEMENS, ENGLISH MORAVIAN MINISTER, MISSIONARY, AND COMPOSER
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2019/07/23/repentance-part-vii/
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ORDINARY TIME DEVOTIONS 
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