Sunday, February 1, 2015

Sunday 2/1/15

The readings from today do not fit easily into the modern world. In the Old Testament reading, God accepts advice from Man on how to make prophecy more approachable. In the second, Paul writes about how difficult it is to maintain a spiritual view when married (recalling that wonderful line, "Ships are safe in the harbor, but that's not what ships are for.") In the New Testament reading, Christ engages, then expells, a devil.
In this episode, He is delivering a new message described in various translations and versions  with "authority" or "power." It has been explained as "not serving the scripture but the scripture serving Him." And the "unclean spirit" knows it. The audience is revolutionized.
Christ is in Capernaum, called "His own town" by one of the evangelists. He has been rejected by Nazareth. Astonishingly, there is almost nothing left of Capernaum now, other than the occasional archaeologic dig and a recent church. There seems to be little imprint of Christ in the area He spent most of His time. It is as if Christ's message existed only at that time, to be recorded and read only for interest sake. We know, of course, that is untrue. Christ's message is everywhere in the modern world, always under discussion and debate.
One can only wonder where the devils are.

No comments: