Sunday, May 29, 2022

Monday prior to Pentecost

 

Psalm 104:24, 27-30 The antiphon for Pentecost is an ancient Liturgical Text “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia.” — The Psalmist marvels at the grandeur and the detail, the perfection and completeness of God’s work in creation - verse 24 sums it all up.

Psalm 104 – LORD of all Creation

This Psalm has no title either in the Hebrew or Chaldean; but it is attributed to David by the Vulgate, Septuagint, Ethiopic, Arabic, and Syriac translations of the Old Testament Scriptures.

The Psalm gives an interpretation to the many voices of nature, and sings sweetly both of creation and providence. The poem contains a complete cosmos: sea and land, cloud and sunlight, plant and animal, light and darkness, life and death, are all proved to be expressive of the presence of the Lord.

V. 24, O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all.

The psalmist continues in amazement as he looks at nature and creation. He sees it all not as the result of random and purposeless events, but as the wise works of a great God who has right of ownership over all of it (Your possessions).

Your works…. Your possessions; they are all God’s property, and should be used only in reference to the end for which they were created. All abuse and waste of God’s creatures are spoil and robbery on the property of the Creator.[2]

“God’s Use of Language” is the theme for this coming week. In the Old Testament lesson, [Genesis 11:1-9] God uses language to confuse the world. In the Epistle, [Acts 2:1-21] Language us used to understand the Gospel. In the Gospel [John 14:23-31] Language is used to witness to Christ with the help of the Comforter.

Pentecost” is a Greek word, meaning fifty. The Jews celebrated Pentecost as a harvest festival. Later, it was used to celebrate the giving of the Law on Sinai and the birthday of Israel. Christians celebrate Pentecost as the birthday of Missions and global evangelism

Collect for Psalm 104: God of all light, life and love, through the visible things of this world you raise our thoughts to things unseen, and you show us your power and your love. From your dwelling-place refresh our hearts and renew the face of the earth with the life-giving water of your Word, until the new heaven and new earth resound with the song of resurrection in Jesus Christ our Lord. [3]  -30 May, 2022



[1] When the Helper Comes, copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

[3] Collect for Psalm 104, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, © 1994, The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY


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