For Those Who Plow Without Hope--March 8, 2018

My Light, my Salvation, Stronghold of my life;

whom shall I fear, or of whom be afraid?

When I go down to Egypt, be with me.

But having said this, I must consider

all the people in the world who plow

without hope and thresh without hope

for even the smallest of shares in the crop.

You blessed loaves and broke them; you divided

the fish, and thousands were fed.  Lord, show us how

to do all in our power to divide what we have  

and to feed the starving millions.

For them, I fear indeed.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 27; 147:12-20; 126; 102

Gen. 46:1-7, 28-34

1 Cor. 9:1-15

Mark 6:30-46

Selected Verses

Ps. 27:1

The LORD is my light and my salvation;
          whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
          of whom shall I be afraid?

Gen. 46:3-4

Then he said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.  I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph's own hand shall close your eyes."

1 Cor. 9:10b

It was indeed written for our sake, for whoever plows should plow in hope and whoever threshes should thresh in hope of a share in the crop.

Mark 6:41-42

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, [Jesus] looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all.  And all ate and were filled…