Mystery
Friday, October 20, 2006 -- Week of Proper 23
"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
Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 989)
Psalm 16, 17 (morning) // 22 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus 1:1-10, 18-27 (found in the Apocrypha; also called Sirach)
Acts 28:1-16
Luke 9:28-36
Following a prologue written by the author's grandson who translated this work from Hebrew to Greek, Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach, opens this way:
All wisdom is from the Lord, and with him it remains forever.
The sand of the sea, the drops of rain, and the days of eternity -- who can count them?
The height of heaven, the breadth of the earth, the abyss and wisdom -- who can search them out?
In the presence of mystery we are reverent. Mystery surrounds us.
One of my major reservations about any form of fundamentalism is the presence of mystery. Certainty is the first temptation. In the garden the tempter compromised the original couple with the false promise of the forbidden fruit, "when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Wisdom begins with the tangible tension between the unknowable depths of mystery and our gladness with what God has revealed to us. "The fear of the Lord" is the attitude that Jesus Ben Sirach invites us to embrace. Reverence the mystery. Honor God. Accept human finitude. In that spirit, mystery is revealed, God opens to us the depths, humanity is blessed.
With reverent, humble gladness we can attain to much that is true. But only God can count the sand of the sea, the drops of rain, and the days of eternity. We hold lightly the little we are given to know.
In Luke's account of the Transfiguration of Jesus, Peter, James and John, though weighed down with sleep, stay awake and witness the revelation of mystery. They see the glory of Jesus. Their vision is momentary, but wonderful. The cloud overshadows them, and they know what they only previously intuited.
Peter's temptation is to make something concrete out of the mystery. He would contain it, objectify it, concretize it. "Let us make three dwellings." But Mystery cannot be contained. Mystery cannot be contained by sacred writings, doctrines, religious practice, or tradition. Ultimately, Peter and the others are simply silent before the utterness of what they have experienced.
Much of what we offer in the Church, through the worship, prayer, study, practice, service, ministry, teaching and fellowship, is intended to create in us an openness to mystery, a context for the possibility of an encounter with God. Yet even when God reveals the divine self to us, we touch only a fringe of the whole, we see through a mirror, dimly. Such is beyond words. At best we retreat into silence, God's first language.
But there is left with us the tingling gladness that we have been touched by truth, we have known some of the mystery. The vast ocean remains, but the wonders of having been immersed in a small corner of the whole is fulfilling and grounding. We are left with reverence and awe.
The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom, making peace and perfect health to flourish.
She rained down knowledge and discerning comprehension, and she heightened the glory of those who held her fast.
To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom, and her branches are long life.
Lowell
______________________________
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the "
The
posted by Lowell @ 7:43 AM
0 comments
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home