Responsibility and Consequences

Wednesday, May 24, 2006 -- Week of 6 Easter (Jackson Kemper)

"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this link -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 963)
Psalms 119:97-120 (morning)
Leviticus 26:27-42
Ephesians 1:1-10
Matthew 22:41-46

for Evening Prayer (the Eve of the Ascension)
Psalm 68:1-20
2 Kings 2:1-15
Revelation 5:1-14

There are terrible consequences when we fail to live faithfully within the demands of justice and responsibility toward our neighbor and toward the earth. Today in Leviticus we hear some of the warnings.

There is one set of warnings that seem to relate to the consequences of not dealing justly with other human beings. The Torah sets out a system of laws governing relationships. These laws limit levels of physical or economic violence. They address abuses of power and greed. They provide means for honoring God and experiencing forgiveness. To follow these laws is to build a strong community that is able to care for all its inhabitants equally, preventing some from gaining exaggerated economic power over others. To follow these laws is to live peacefully and securely with other nations. To break these laws is to create systems of inequality and injustice that weaken the community and make it vulnerable to disaster from within and without.

There is another set of warnings that seem to relate to the consequences of not being good stewards of the earth. These laws provide for the land's sabbath rest and for the return of lands to the equal distribution of the ancient days every fifty years. To follow these laws will assure abundance. If these laws are ignored, the land will have its rest through the desolation of the nation.

Underneath all of this is the joined proposition that the people and the land belong to God and are to be treated with reverence. We do not posses the land. People are the beloved of God, not means toward economic ends. The people and land are not to be abused because of greed or misuse of power. The people are holy; the land is holy. Today's warnings speak of the desolating consequences that follow such unfaithfulness.

These warnings have historic reference in Israel's life. This bad stuff happens. It sounds like a wake-up call for us as well. In so many ways we are polluting our planet and abusing the earth at an unprecedented level. So many people are being left behind economically as others increase wealth and power dramatically. It is not hard to see the contemporary circumstances that the Scriptures warn us away from.

God asks for a humble response and for our making amends. What would humility look like in our day? What amends would heal the earth and repair inequalities? This passage ends with God's promise to remember the divine covenant with God's people and to "remember the land." But we've got to do our part. Otherwise, God "will continue hostile to you."


Lowell
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The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas