Sunday September 9, 2007

Today we continue our study of early Christianity inspired by the Episcopal Diocese "Peace Village" kit.

CALL TO SILENCE AND OPENING MEDITATION
Readings - Strands of Early Christian Thought
Readings from the Lost Gospel "Q" (thought to be earlier than Mark)

As the walked along the road they met a man who said to Jesus, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus answered, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to rest his head."To another he said, "Follow me." But that person replied, "Let me go and bury my fathr first." Jesus answered, "Let the dead bury their dead. Your duty is to go and spread the news of the realm of God."

Another person said, "I will follow you, but first let me go and say good-bye to my family." Jesus said to him, "no one who puts a hand on the plough and continues to look at what was left behind is suited for the realm of God."No one lights a lamp and puts in under a bushel basket. They put it on a stand so that everyone can see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is clear, your entire body fills with light. But if your eye becomes clouded, your body is in darkness. Be careful that your light never fades into darkness.

When you see clouds in the western sky, you say, "It's going to rain"And it does! When the wind blows from the south, you predict scorching weather. And it comes! You know the lay of the land and can read the face of the sky. So why can't you interpret the here and now?

The Lost Gospel Q: The Original Sayings of Jesus (Paperback)
by Marcus Borg (Editor), Thomas Moore (Introduction)

Readings from the Gospel of Thomas
Mary asked Jesus, "Who are your disciples like?" He replied: "They are like little children in a field that does not belong to them. When the field's owners come they will say:"Give our field back." They will strip naked in the owners' presence and give it back, returning their field to them."

When you go into a region and walk around in the rural areas, whenever people receive you, eat whatever they provide for you, and heal their sick.

A Reading from the Gospels

A Reading from Luke 24: 13-35

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emma'us, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, "What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cle'opas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet might in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see." And he said to them,' O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary t hat the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He appeared to be going further, but they constrained him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went into stay with them. When he was at table with them, h e took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight. They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?" And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, who said, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon! Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

A Reading from The Gospel of Mary Magdalene

I, she said, I saw the Lord in a vision and I said to Him, Lord I saw you today in a vision. He answered and said tome, Blessed are you that you did not waver at the sight of Me. For where the mind is there is the treasure.

http://ww.gnosis.org/libarary/marygosp.htm

Call to Conversation

Closing Meditation