"When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’" (Matthew 14:32-33)

Prime Timers is a Christian Education group at St. Martin's for Episcopalians aged fifty and above. We are following a course of study based on the Revised Common Lectionary, the three year cycle of Bible readings used throughout the Anglican Communion and by many Protestant denominations worldwide. Next week's readings are right here, at the bottom of the page! You are invited to join us in the Parlor near the church offices, Sunday after the 9:00am service, 10:15am to 11:00.

Jacob sold for twenty pieces of silver by his brothers, by Giovanni Andrea de Ferrari, 1598-1669

Prime Timer Good News!

A Prime Timer tradition is hearing what others are up to, and charging a dollar for the privilege! Currently we donate the money we collect to the Amistad Mission in Bolivia, helping underprivileged kids. Murray gave thanks for his wife, who will be with us for several weeks before returning to their home in Calgary.

Valuing God's Kingdom

George Laigle led the Prime Timers today while our leader Carol Hartland is out recovering from knee replacement surgery.

The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand is our reading from Matthew today, one of Jesus' most famous miracles, and one of the few events recorded in all four gospels. It is a big test of faith. Do you believe five thousand men, not to mention their wives and children, could be fed when all you have on hand is two fish and five loaves of bread? Marty was impressed by Rev. Fields sermon this morning, where he points out that these people were a hardy lot, and it was unlikely that they travelled without provisions. That Jesus was able to have the crowd sit down and most likely share what they had with each other was maybe an even greater miracle than food multiplying out of nothing! Jesus gave the order to his disciples to feed the multitude, just as we are today's disciples and it is up to us to make things happen along our spiritual journeys.

Contrast this amazing story with what comes just before in Matthew's gospel, (Matthew 14:1-12) Herod's lavish feast where he grants Herodias daughter's request for the head of John the Baptist!

The reading from Genesis is a major event in Jacob's life, where he "wrestles" with what turns out to be the divine, and his name is changed to Israel. Marty notes how this is meant as an allegory. The Jewish people had arrived at the concept of monotheism, one God, in a world filled with fantastic stories of a multitude of Gods on Mount Olympus or all around you meddling in your life. Still, the best way to tell a story is through the interaction of people, so God is brought to earth in many ways to make a point. In this case it is the struggle that creates Israel, and that this land and people will be blessed by God.

Gil Bailie is a Catholic layman, author and lecturer. He founded the Cornerstone Forum, a non-profit organization concerned with today's spiritual and moral crisis. He has written:
“The meals Jesus shared with the outcasts were not simply the occasion for the delivery of his message. They were the message. The point of the feeding was not food; it was the breaking down of religious and social barriers that Jesus had been challenging as spiritually inconsequential in his preaching. It was hands-on learning. It was practice for living in the kingdom.”

Murray concluded class with a short prayer.

Lectionary readings

The Readings for Sunday, August 7th are from Lectionary Year One, Proper 14-A, "Miracle on the Waters": Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28; Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b; Romans 10:5-15 and Matthew 14:22-33. The text this week is from the New Revised Standard Version.

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28

¹Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. ²This is the story of the family of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. ³Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. ⁴But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

¹² Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. ¹³And Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.’ He answered, ‘Here I am.’ ¹⁴So he said to him, ‘Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me.’ So he sent him from the valley of Hebron.

He came to Shechem, ¹⁵and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, ‘What are you seeking?’ ¹⁶‘I am seeking my brothers,’ he said; ‘tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.’ ¹⁷The man said, ‘They have gone away, for I heard them say, “Let us go to Dothan.” ’ So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. ¹⁸They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. ¹⁹They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer. ²⁰Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.’ ²¹But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, ‘Let us not take his life.’ ²²Reuben said to them, ‘Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him’—that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. ²³So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; ²⁴and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

²⁵ Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. ²⁶Then Judah said to his brothers, ‘What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? ²⁷Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.’ And his brothers agreed. ²⁸When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b

¹ O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
² Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.
³ Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
⁴ Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
⁵ Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and the judgements he has uttered,
⁶ O offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

¹⁶ When he summoned famine against the land,
and broke every staff of bread,
¹⁷ he had sent a man ahead of them,
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸ His feet were hurt with fetters,
his neck was put in a collar of iron;
¹⁹ until what he had said came to pass,
the word of the Lord kept testing him.
²⁰ The king sent and released him;
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
²¹ He made him lord of his house,
and ruler of all his possessions,
²² to instruct his officials at his pleasure,
and to teach his elders wisdom.

^45b Praise the Lord!

Romans 10:5-15

⁵ Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that ‘the person who does these things will live by them.’ ⁶But the righteousness that comes from faith says, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷‘or “Who will descend into the abyss?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸But what does it say?
‘The word is near you,
on your lips and in your heart’
(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. ¹¹The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’ ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. ¹³For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

¹⁴ But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? ¹⁵And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

Matthew 14:22-33

²² Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. ²⁵And early in the morning he came walking towards them on the lake. ²⁶But when the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. ²⁷But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’

²⁸ Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ ²⁹He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came towards Jesus. ³⁰But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ ³¹Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ ³²When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. ³³And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’

NRSV