Sunday Scriptures, Epiphany 4C January 30^th, 2022

Jeremiah 1:4-10   Psalm 71:1-6  1 Corinthians 13:1-13   Luke 4:21-30

For Reflection: It is striking how much our current situation contributes to what we hear/ don’t hear, in these readings. What do we find here that helps to keep us going in these difficult days?  Something powerful happens when we recognize,

            –”Yes, that there, the part about— not being afraid, taking refuge in God, not being shamed, love is missing or  isn’t arrogant, or Jesus passing through the midst an angry, arguing mob, and went his way –

that is what I felt when X happened in my life. Or, that is what I needed when Y was going on.”

1. What speaks to your heart in these readings this week? (2 -3 sentences)
2. What does it mean to shelter in God? (Psalm 71)
3. If Jeremiah’s call from God is “typical”, what does that kind of call look like? What’s it about? Who receives that kind of call today?
4. How does love behave according to I Cor. 13? Where do you see that around you?
5. This week’s Gospel sounds something like a scene from an old TV Western, where Jesus is the strong, silent courageous but very unpopular hero in danger. What do you make of that?
6. To what is God calling you this week?
7. What is your prayer for this week?

Jeremiah 1:4-10   Common English Bible

4 The Lord’s word came to me:5 “Before I created you in the womb I knew you;     I made you a prophet to the nations.”6 “Ah, Lord God,” I said, “I don’t know how to speak because I’m only a child.”

7 The Lord responded,

    “Don’t say, ‘I’m only a child.’

        Where I send you, you must go;

        what I tell you, you must say.

8 Don’t be afraid of them,

    because I’m with you to rescue you,”

        declares the Lord.

9 Then the Lord stretched out his hand,

    touched my mouth, and said to me,

    “I’m putting my words in your mouth.

10 This very day I appoint you over nations and empires,

    to dig up and pull down to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.”

Psalm 71:1-6  ROBERT Alter translation

1 In you, O God, I shelter;

    let me never be shamed.

2 Through your bounty save me and free me,

Incline your ear to me and rescue me.

3 Be for me a fortress dwelling,

to come into always.

You ordained to rescue me,

for you are my rock and my bastion.

4 My God, free me from the hand of the wicked,

    from the grip of the [unjust and cruel.]

5 For you are my hope, [O God]

    my refuge from my youth.

6 Upon you I  relied from birth;

    From my mother’s womb You brought       me out. To You is my praise always.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13  Common English Bible

If I speak in tongues of human beings and of angels but I don’t have love, I’m a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and I know all the mysteries and everything else, and if I have such complete faith that I can move mountains, but I don’t have love, I’m nothing. 3 If I give away everything that I have and hand over my own body to feel good about what I’ve done but I don’t have love, I receive no benefit whatsoever.

4 Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant, 5 it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints, 6 it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth. 7 Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails. As for prophecies, they will be brought to an end. As for tongues, they will stop. As for knowledge, it will be brought to an end. 9 We know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, what is partial will be brought to an end. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, reason like a child, think like a child. But now that I have become a man, I’ve put an end to childish things. 12 Now we see a reflection in a mirror; then we will see face-to-face. Now I know partially, but then I will know completely in the same way that I have been completely known. 13 Now faith, hope, and love remain—these three things—and the greatest of these is love.

Luke 4:21-30  La Biblia de las Américas

21 Y comenzó a decirles: Hoy se ha cumplido esta Escritura que habéis oído.

22 Y todos hablaban bien de Él y se maravillaban de las palabras llenas de gracia que salían de su boca, y decían: ¿No es este el hijo de José?

23 Entonces Él les dijo: Sin duda me citaréis este refrán: «Médico, cúrate a ti mismo»; esto es, todo lo que oímos que se ha hecho en Capernaúm, hazlo también aquí en tu tierra.

24 Y dijo: En verdad os digo, que ningún profeta es bien recibido en su propia tierra.

25 Pero en verdad os digo: muchas viudas había en Israel en los días de Elías, cuando el cielo fue cerrado por tres años y seis meses y cuando hubo gran hambre sobre toda la tierra; 26 y, sin embargo, a ninguna de ellas fue enviado Elías, sino a una mujer viuda de Sarepta, en la tierra de Sidón. 27 Y muchos leprosos había en Israel en tiempos del profeta Eliseo, pero ninguno de ellos fue limpiado, sino Naamán el sirio. 28 Y todos en la sinagoga se llenaron de ira cuando oyeron estas cosas, 29 y levantándose, le echaron fuera de la ciudad, y le llevaron hasta la cumbre del monte sobre el cual estaba edificada su ciudad para despeñarle. 30 Pero Él, pasando por en medio de ellos, se fue.