Something New. For everyone.

Friday, January 12, 2007 -- -- Week of 1 Epiphany, Year 1 -- Aelred of Rievaulx

"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. 942)
Psalms 16, 17 (morning) // 22 (evening)
Isaiah 42:(1-9) 10-17
Ephesians 3:1-13
Mark 2:13-22

Something new. For everyone.

I'm surprised that the lectionary makes the first nine versus of Isaiah 42 optional. It is the first of the four treasured "Servant Songs" of Second Isaiah. In these poignant lyrical passages, the prophet identifies Israel as God's servant. Part of Israel's call is to suffer faithfully in the redemptive work of God. The servant is called not only to raise up the tribes of Jacob, but also called beyond Israel "as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations." Something new. For everyone.

The work of the servant is quiet, humble, and subtle. "He will not cry or lift up his voice, or made it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench." But the mission is a challenging one -- "he will bring forth justice to the nations." The servant will persevere -- "he will not grow faint or be crushed until he has established justice in the earth, and the coastlands wait for his teaching." Eyes that do not see will be opened; the prisoners and those who sit in darkness will be liberated. Isaiah imagines the whole earth erupting in songs of praise at the pronouncement of this new mission -- humble, persevering mission of universal justice.

In Ephesians, a disciple of Paul speaks in his name and reminds readers of the apostle's call "to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make every one see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things." The new Good News is that "the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body." Something new. For everyone.

And Mark shows the radical table hospitality of Jesus. Jesus welcomes sinners. Note well: the word sinner does not have the same meaning in the Gospel as we commonly use it. We think that everyone is a sinner. Not so in the Gospel. Sinners were those who deliberately chose not to observe the Biblical laws. Sinners were intentionally nonreligious. The illustration in this passage is extreme. Jesus sits at table at the home of Levi the tax collector. Tax collectors were hated because they collaborated with the despised Roman occupation and practiced extortion and graft for their own self-interest. It is scandalous that a rabbi would sit down with such people. But that is exactly what Jesus does. Something new. For everyone.

These new teachings demand a new context. "No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the new wine is lost." These are compelling images for the eternal conflict -- how do we incorporate something new into our valued traditions? It usually takes a new context, a new consciousness -- new clothing, new wineskins.

But consciousness does expand and new containers evolve. God's servants embrace a universal call beyond tribe and religion. Hospitality becomes radically inclusive. Something new. For everyone.

Last Saturday diocesan clergy and leaders spent an hour in conversation with our new Presiding Bishop Katharine Jeffort Schori. She spent much of the time asking us what is going on in Arkansas. The most magic moment of the day happened when the Rev. Jos Tharakan told the Presiding Bishop about the motto the members of the little congregation of Christ Church in Mena had created for themselves. "God in all things. People of all kinds." Jos is a small man, maybe 5'6"; he speaks with the gentle accent of his country of origin, India. Mena is a small church, maybe 30 members on Sunday. But that day, they were the servants of vision and hospitality, inviting us to live into the hopes of Isaiah, Paul, and Jesus.

Something new. For everyone. "God in all things. People of all kinds."

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