This blog provides a meditation on the Revised Common Lectionary along with a headline from world news:

IRAN’S OPPOSITION CALL FOR RALLY

Iran's response to democrats

Timothy 1:1-17

THE FIRST LETTER OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope, 2 To Timothy, my loyal child in the faith:Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I urge you, as I did when I was on my way to Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach any different doctrine, 4and not to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies that promote speculations rather than the divine training that is known by faith. 5But the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. 6Some people have deviated from these and turned to meaningless talk, 7desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make assertions.

8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it legitimately. 9This means understanding that the law is laid down not for the innocent but for the lawless and disobedient, for the godless and sinful, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their father or mother, for murderers, 10fornicators, sodomites, slave-traders, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching 11that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

conversion of Paul-Caravaggio

12 I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, 13even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. 16But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. 17To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

We know this is not really from Paul as it tries to use his doctrine of justification but fails to do so, through a crucial misunderstanding, namely that God could forgive Paul “because he acted in ignorance”. In his authentic letters Paul never offers any excuse for his behaviour prior to conversion nor does he ever suggest that forgiveness cannot be offered to those whose sin is deliberate. The author of this letter does however set out what became orthodox teaching, that the law of God condemns the sinner while God’s grace rescues him. His phrase, “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners” has been the comfort and hope of many troubled people including myself, and should be cherished. The task of plainly communicating the meaning of the Christian gospel challenges every generation of the church and those who succeed are not always the deepest thinkers. Sometimes those who have the deepest concern for struggling people do it best.

Mark 11:1-11

11When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2and said to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3If anyone says to you, “Why are you doing this?” just say this, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.” ’ 4They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5some of the bystanders said to them, ‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’ 6They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting,

‘Hosanna!

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

10   Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!’

11 Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.

a horse laugh to power

This passage is headed “Jesus triumphal entry to Jerusalem” in my bible (NRSV). This shows how misleading such headings can be. Mark’s version of this story is almost a parody of an Imperial Triumph: the victor is ridiculously mounted on a donkey (can anyone look serious on a donkey?); the ecstatic crowd is not made up of leading citizens but of peasants from Galilee and passing pilgrims; and it climaxes in the victor looking around and going off for his tea! I say almost a parody, but I think Mark means the reader to see how Jesus’ “triumph” undermines the humourless vainglory of a state pageant. In this moment as always, Jesus chooses to belong to the little ones who trust in him even if they fail to comprehend his true identity. The king of the castle gives his ragged rascals a moment of celebration before the real battle begins. This is a model for the church’s worship and politics. We celebrate King Jesus as we prepare to share his weakness in the world. The opposition in Iran, planning a risky public appearance this week, shares his contempt for power, and his gallantry.