2 November 2006

Reflection on the Scriptures

While still writing down stuff about my trip to California and all the reflections from that adventure, I thought I’d pause for a bit and write down some thoughts about the scriptures from a couple of Sundaes…I mean, Sundays ago.

So, here’s my initial question – Why did this Epistle (2 Corinthians 11:31-12:9) and this Gospel Lesson (Luke 16:19-31) get put together in the lectionary? I mean, how does Paul learning that God makes him strong in his weaknesses have anything to do with Christ’s parable about Lazarus and the Rich Man? Ok, I have no idea really, but after thinking about it, I have my own guesses; which of course, I will subject you to now.

At first I didn’t get it. We discussed both of them at BBS that week. We spent more time discussing the gospel passage than St. Paul’s letter. Why? Well, because the lesson from 2 Cor. seemed pretty self explanatory. Our discussion on the Gospel kind of went all over the place – from what God thinks about wealth, to helping someone in hell – and while the discussion was good and helpful, it still kind of baffled me why the two scriptures were put together.

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