Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows.
In the early part of the twentieth century archeologist excavating the royal cemetery of Ur, an ancient Sumerian city mentioned in the Bible, made a gruesome discovery. In a huge pit in front of the tomb of a dead ruler of that city were several rows of the skeletons of men and women. The pit also contained the remains of four wheeled chariots and the skeletons of donkeys and oxen that had pulled them. Next to the chariots were the skeletons of their drivers.
While the tomb of the ruler was filled with grave goods, a golden helmet, jewelry, works of art, and a harp, and vessels that had at one time contained food and drink, the human skeletons in the pit had no grave goods or food and drink buried with them. The skeletons of the women had elaborate hair ornaments and the skeletons of the men closest to the entrance to the pit had helmets and spears—what they had worn or carried in their daily lives.
Scattered near the skeletons were numerous small clay cups which suggested that those buried in the pit had taken poison or they had taken a drug which rendered them unconscious, and they had been buried alive and died from suffocation. Few skulls had evidence of blunt instrument trauma, suggesting that some occupants of the pit had not gone to their deaths willingly.
Based upon the evidence, this particular ruler did not subscribe to the belief, “you can’t take it with you.” He was buried not only with his material possessions but also those who had served him in life.
In contrast are the views expressed in this Sunday’s readings and psalm.
In this Sunday’s message, we unpack the meaning of this Sunday’ Gospel reading and its implications for us.
Readings: Ecclesiastes 1: 2, 12-14, 2: 18-23, Colossians 3: 1-11, and Luke 12: 13-21.
Message: Our Most Precious Possession
Link: https://allhallowsmurray.blogspot.com/2025/08/sundays-at-all-hallows-sunday-august-3.html
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May Sundays at All Hallows be a blessing to you.
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