The consequences of protecting what you love

Thursday, October 5, 2006 -- Week of Proper 21

"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 location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html

Discussion Blog: To comment on today's reflection or readings, go to http://lowellsblog.blogspot.com, find today's reading, click "comment" at the bottom of the reading, and post your thoughts.

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 987)
Psalm 105:1-22 (morning) // 105:23-45(evening)
Hosea 5:8 - 6:6
Acts 21:27-36
Luke 6:1-11

The consequences of protecting what you love.

Hosea publishes the guilty sentence to those who have betrayed God's love with their unfaithfulness. The consequences of their unfaithfulness will escalate. First, God sends them prophets to accuse them. Then God smites them "by the words of my mouth." God's desire is that they will turn from their betrayal and live in steadfast love. But Israel is going through the motions -- empty worship, rituals without heart. That's not what is needed. "For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." Instead of turning their hearts back toward God, Israel tries to leverage its own affairs through an alliance with Assyria. "But he is not able to cure you or heal your wound," says Hosea.

God wants Israel to return in love. But Israel won't. The consequences are predictable and bad, says Hosea. It will be punishment from God, says Hosea. It is pitiful that neither God nor Hosea can get their attention now to convince them to change their ways before something bad happens. Hosea sees a time of future hope, however. After they are punished, after they go through the predictable consequences of their unfaithfulness, their hearts will return again to God, and God will heal and bind them up.

In the Acts of the Apostles, the earlier prophecies come true. Paul knew before he returned to Jerusalem that it would be costly for him to go there, that he would face conflict and be imprisoned. Not only was this revealed through prophecy, it was the most predictable thing in the the world. Paul has been visiting synagogues throughout the Jewish diaspora telling the story of Jesus, the Messiah who saves us through grace -- as a free, unqualified gift. The message is subversive toward traditional Judaism and its devotion to the strict observance of the law as the path to salvation. Paul has also been stealing the Gentile "godfearers" who were part of the synagogue community and important for the synagogue's economic and political support. Paul brings these Gentiles into his Messiah movement without requiring circumcision or observance of the law. How could Paul be seen as other than an enemy to faithful Jews who love their traditions, including the faithful Jewish Christians of Jerusalem? When Paul is found in the Temple, the faithful act to protect its sacredness. They drag him out violently with an intent to kill.

So much conflict is about protecting what you love. Jews love the Torah. They set a hedge around the Ten Commandments out of love and respect. "Honor the Sabbath and keep it holy." How wide should that sabbath hedge be? It was something the rabbis argued about. Conservative rabbis taught that "man was made for the sabbath." Theirs was a "strict rest." Liberal rabbis taught that "the sabbath was made for man." There are emergencies of need that take precedence over sabbath rest. Today Jesus weighs into that debate.

Jesus doesn't correct his disciples when they meet their hunger by doing work traditionally forbidden on the sabbath -- they pluck some heads of grain, rub them together in their hands and eat them. Jesus cites a precedence from Jewish history. When David was a fugitive from Saul, he and his men were hungry, and they ate the bread of the Presence which was set aside only for God and for priests. The human needs of hunger trump the sabbath commandment, he is saying.

Then follows the test case. They are in the synagogue on a sabbath. There is a man with a withered hand. The conservative tradition is clear. You have six other days to do the work to heal him. Do it then. Don't desecrate the sabbath. Jesus frames the question differently. "Is it lawful to do good or to harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?" He heals the man's hand. His argument and act are not convincing. To many of the faithful, Jesus has defiled the holy commandment of God to "Honor the Sabbath and keep it holy." They love the law. They love the sabbath. They will seek to stop Jesus, and, if necessary, to kill him. It seems necessary to protect the faith that they love.

All acts have consequences, including acts to protect what you love. Loving rightly is crucial.

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