Unconventional Peace

Tuesday, May 30, 2006 -- Week of 7 Easter
"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. 965)
Psalms 97, 99 [100] (morning) // 94, 95 (afternoon)
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Ephesians 3:14-21
Matthew 8:18-27

This has happened before. I finished my reflection, blocked, and hit "delete" instead of "copy." My journal program is an old one. There's no rescue option. It's gone.

I remember my basic idea, though. It starts with the unconventionality of Jesus demands in our Matthew reading. Family does not come first. There is no "place to lay your head" (a phrase that can be read as a physical or mental geography). All of these insecurities come in the context of Jesus' orders to go across "to the other side." He is always stretching boundaries, this tie taking his mission to the Gentile cities, to the unclean unbelievers. Excuses of taking care of our own first and of mental or physical security won't cut it. He drags his disciples to the other side.

No wonder there is a storm on the way across. These kinds of violations of convention are bound to stir up storms. Following Jesus can be more like traveling in a rocking boat in a storm than like standing firmly in a secure location. But his presence is our peace, the presence that stills the winds.

1 Samuel picks up on this theme of the unconventional, with the anointing of David -- the youngest/smallest, a humble eighth son. The tall, handsome first son Eliab was the natural choice.

The prayer of Ephesians 3:14f is an exquisite blessing for those who take the unconventional journey of following God. Our true place is to be "rooted and grounded in love." It is the geography of the heart, where Christ dwells through faith, so that our inner being may be filled with power that comes through the Spirit. To know the love of Christ surpasses knowledge. To know the love of Christ is to be filled with all the fullness of God.

That's the presence that stills the storms in the unconventional world of following the demands of love.

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