Data for Sunday, January 18, 2009

Observance of the Day --- Second Sunday after Epiphany

Collect: (prayer for intentions that align,more or less, with the scriptures readings which are designated for this particular Sunday) Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Selected Scripture of the Day --- John 1: 45-51 -- Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (RSV) [Comment: The last verse is a reference to the vision of the patriarch Jacob -- Genesis 28:12-22 -- and a sign that Jesus would be in direct communication with God. BTW - John is the only one of the four gospel writer who mentions the apostle Nathanael, but he never mentions Bartholomew who is included by the other gospel writers in the list of the 12 apostles. As far as we know, the gospel references to Nathanael and Bartholomew pertain to the same person.]

Place of the Day --- Wannee, Florida, USA -- 29°43'06"N, 82°56'29"W - a rural settlement along the Suwanee River, about 5 miles ESE of the village of Bell on US Highway 129, and about 10 miles NE of the town of Trenton, the seat of Gilchrist County and about 36 miles W of the city of Gainesville.