Idols

Tuesday, January 16, 2007 -- Week of 2 Epiphany, Year 1

"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. 944)
Psalms 26, 28 (morning) // 36, 39 (evening)
Isaiah 44:9-20
Ephesians 4:17-32
Mark 3:19b-35

Isaiah writes a scathing satire about idols. He imagines a wood artisan finding a tree, using part of it as fuel for warmth and baking, and another part he fashions into a god and worships -- "he prays to it and says, 'Save me, for you are my god!'" But the idol is blind, deaf, and mute.

As I was reading this, my mind was wondering, what do we use as our idols? Money comes to mind quickly. With part of it we warm and feed ourselves; with another part we buy the things that give us status or make us feel good. We "save" enough money and buy enough insurance to "save us" from trouble. We give money our time, attention and affection.

Whatever we seek to build or create has the potential of becoming an idol. If we attach our own sense of worth and well-being to our activity, we are in some way worshiping the idol. When we expect anything created, including another human being, to "save us" -- to give us security, love, standing, power or control -- we are worshiping the idol.

It is so easy to slip into idolatry. Sometimes my "to do list" is my idol. A good day is one when I check off many things on the list -- I am happy. A bad day is one when the "to do list" stares back at me in judgment.

I find myself worrying about George Bush often these days and rotating between cussing him and praying for him. It seems like some form of success as a leader has become an idol for him, concretized in the war in Iraq (and soon Iran?). He needs success in order to be justified. How painful it must be for the war's failure to stare back at him in judgment.

The problem with all idols is that they are unreal and they lead us to live unreal lives. Money is just a piece of paper; its only value is the value we give it. I know people who live with simple tastes and need very little money. They are happy. My "to do list" isn't real. It is just one thing that can assist me in defining my priorities -- what is the most real thing I can do or respond to in this moment? Obviously success in Iraq isn't real. It is beyond our means.

All of these are false gods. We create them with our own minds and hands. They cannot save us. Yet we give them our attention and devotion, and we expect them to make us happy. We are as silly as Isaiah's wood artisan.

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