Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 15 May 2014

another day  Had some awful storms through here last night.  Hail, damaging winds, tornado watches, HEAVY rain, all of that.  I see that a tree fell onto the roof of the mayor of a nearby city - Youngstown - in the midst of all of it.  He had a bad day already: he'd just been indicted by a grand jury on multiple charges of official corruption.  If you know the area at all, you probably are not surprised.  It's been a wholly-owned fiefdom of the Democrat Party, augmented with assistance from the unions and the Mafia. No, not a  joke, the Cosa Nostra.is alive and well.  The only interesting part is that it's on the contested line between the families in Buffalo and the families in Chicago.  Corruption is a way of life.  Place looks like a cross between Chicago and Detroit, the worse parts of either, just on a smaller scale.
We were spared much damage, but the storms around us didn't make for a restful night.  Once the storms left and we just had lots of rain, got some rest.  Not much, but some.
Dear Wife is next door "watching" the great-niece.  Good for both of them.  Wife was at the appointment with the arthopod (OK, for completeness, that means Orthopedic Surgeon) yesterday.  He examined her, looked at the previous day's X-rays, confirmed her knees are in bad shape, that she has a torn rotator cuff on the one arm, that the knee surgery done on her some years back (Maquet Procedure) was A Bad Idea, but that she;s not currently a good candidate for surgery.  And is setting up a visit with a physical therapist.  Turns out she knows the therapist, I think they were in college together or something.
Last night, we were part of the onlookers at great-nephew's school "concert.  First graders in a 10-minute long production.  Celebrating Cinqo de Mayo.  Now, other than the fact that May 5 was 10 days ago, what is the point of this?  I might note, incidentally, that this is NE Ohio.  Lake Erie is not far from here, and Canada is across the lake.  You can drive to Quebec in about 500 miles, while a drive to Mexico is about 1700 miles.  If we were to be celebrating another culture, it would seem that the French one in Quebec would be more appropriate.  Matter of fact, when I was in high school in this area, a TINY high school at that, there were two foreign languages taught.  Latin, in part because that was considered to be a mark of an educated person (and, also, some of the Roman Catholic parishes in the area still celebrated the Mass in Latin).  And French, because we could pick up the French-language radio stations coming over the lake from Montreal, etc.  But we had no involvement with Mexico, and still don't.  So I do not understand.  I had some people hint that it might be due to that worthless abomination known as "Common Core", which is barely possible, I suppose.  Stupid enough, probably.  By the way, my daughter's mother-in-law was born in Mexico, near Queretaro, and she tells us that nobody in Mexico celebrates Cinqo de Mayo, it's a bogus notion, not quite as made-up as Kwanzaa, but close.
strange world.

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as I write this, our older daughter is in surgery a long, long way from here, for removal of a tumor behind her uterus, a tumor not found in late Thanksgiving but now the size of a honeydew melon.  A tough morning for all.  Prayers all around.


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The Old Testament reading is chapters 12, 13, and 14 of 2nd Kings.  Just gets worse and worse and worse. And Elisha dies.

II Kings 12

1	In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2	And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.
3	But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
4	And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the LORD,
5	Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.
6	But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.
7	Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.
8	And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.
9	But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD.
10	And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags, and told the money that was found in the house of the LORD.
11	And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the LORD: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the house of the LORD,
12	And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.
13	Howbeit there were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the LORD:
14	But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the LORD.
15	Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.
16	The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the LORD: it was the priests'.
17	Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
18	And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king's house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem.
19	And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20	And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.
21	For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his stead.

II Kings 13

1	In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.
2	And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
3	And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days.
4	And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.
5	(And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.
6	Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)
7	Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.
8	Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
9	And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.
10	In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.
11	And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein.
12	And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
13	And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14	Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.
15	And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.
16	And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.
17	And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
18	And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.
19	And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
20	And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
21	And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
22	But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
23	And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.
24	So Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his stead.
25	And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.

II Kings 14

1	In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.
2	He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
3	And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.
4	Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.
5	And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.
6	But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
7	He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.
8	Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.
9	And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.
10	Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
11	But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
12	And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.
13	And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
14	And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.
15	Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
16	And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.
17	And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
18	And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
19	Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.
20	And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.
21	And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
22	He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.
23	In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.
24	And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
25	He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.
26	For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.
27	And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.
28	Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
29	And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.

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The New Testament reading is verses 25-47 in chapter 5 of John's Gospel.

John 5:25-47

25	Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
26	For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27	And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28	Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29	And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
30	I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
31	If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32	There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
33	Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
34	But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
35	He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36	But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
37	And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
38	And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
39	Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40	And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
41	I receive not honour from men.
42	But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43	I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
44	How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
45	Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
46	For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.
47	But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?