Nature and Us

Wednesday, November 8 -- Week of Proper 26

"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. 991)
Psalm 72 (morning) // 119:73-96 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus 43:23-33 (found in the Apocrypha; also called Sirach)
Revelation 16:1-11
Luke 13:10-17

Within the reading today from Ben Sira is a notion that has contemporary resonance. Through most of chapter 43 the scribe sounds like a nature poet or an environmental mystic. The awe and beauty of creation reveals the glory of God.

Verse 26 is particularly interesting: "Because of [God] each of his messengers succeeds, and by his word all things hold together." The word messenger is the same word that is often translated "angel." So, the sun, moon, and stars; the snow, clouds, and storm; the frost and frozen water; the mountains and wilderness; the ocean with its islands and sea-monsters -- all are God's messengers. Each part of creation tells us something of the creator. All of the earth and the universe is in relationship. There is an ultimate coherence in all things, and it is God's active word which holds everything together.

I think of the mystical sounding descriptions of reality that we hear from scientists. Physicists tell us that every portion of matter exercises some kind of field force on everything other field. Environmental scientists tell us that creation is one living organism of interrelated complexity. Life is held together by the all. We are stardust evolved into consciousness.

Such a vision helps interpret some of the images of today's reading from Revelation. Angels again are present, but these messengers of God are pouring out bowls of wrath. "It is what they deserve" is the message of the angel of the waters. The plagues are natural and environmental ones. They are the consequences of the arrogant and abusive behavior of the beastly empire. Within creation is a kind of intrinsic divine justice. Earth suffers the inevitable consequences of wrong action.

I read these verses and see the images of Al Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." I see the glaciers melting and the waters of Katrina flooding. I see the polluted waters and the scourge of HIV/AIDS. All things hold together, and our human actions provoke natural consequences. Chaos theory shows us how even small actions can have large results over time.

The earth is alive and filled with the presence of God. We live in an intimate relationship with all that is within this divine life. Will we live responsibly or wantonly? Everything will be affected by our actions.

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