Challenging Presumptions
Monday, March 12, 2007 -- Week of 3 Lent
(Gregory the Great)
"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. 954)
Psalms 80 (morning) // 77, [79] (evening)
Jeremiah 7:1-15
Romans 4:1-12
John 7:14-36
Today in Jeremiah we hear the beginning of the Temple sermon. Jeremiah is attacking one of the core foundational beliefs of Israel. His words would have been shocking and infuriating. The Temple was the central symbol of the people of Israel. Since the time of the prophet Isaiah everyone believed the promises to David were an unconditional assurance of Jerusalem's safety and the Temple's permanence. The Temple was the manifestation of God's presence, the meeting place between God and his people.
Jeremiah challenges the confidence and presumption of the people. They have put their trust in the wrong thing. Their trust must be in God alone -- not buildings, liturgies, or scriptural words written by human beings.
Jeremiah tells them that their faith will be manifested by their faithfulness. "If you truly act justly with one another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors for ever and ever."
I read an article Saturday by a Christian minister who was speaking of the privileged position our nation enjoys. We have been particularly blessed by God, he argued. Then he proceeded to lambaste socialist healthcare and those other inferior nations. His confidence and pride in our nation was abounding. And yet, there are many studies that show our nation's level of healthcare lags far behind many of the other developed nations. I've seen similar studies that measure the levels of poverty and unhappiness. Again, we lag behind many other nations.
In some circles those studies are blasphemy. They go against the common current and challenge the conventional world view of America First. They are as welcome in our generation as Jeremiah's Temple sermon was in his. As Jeremiah discovered, sometimes it is even dangerous to tell a proud and satisfied hierarchy that they are riddled with injustice.
Paul continues his critique on privilege. His target is the presumed religious privilege of the Jewish people. He invites a more universal perspective. When did Abraham receive God's blessing? It was when he trusted God (a universally accessible experience) not when he was circumcised (a particularly Jewish experience). Abraham is the father of all people of faith, not just the particular people of the circumcision.
We see similar strains of identity among the people of Christ. Like Paul, I see Christ's presence universally. Others see Christ's presence only among those who are demonstrably Christian.
Jesus is engaged in a similar conflict. The authorities challenge him based on their traditional interpretation of the words of Scripture. Jesus has violated the Sabbath commandment by healing on the day of rest. Therefore he cannot be a righteous person, they argue from Scripture. The Bible says we will not know where the Messiah comes from, they say. But we know where this man Jesus comes from. The authorities throw The Book at him.
The stories that form us as a scriptural people warn us of presumption and pride. God is free and mysterious. God will never be contained in a particular people, a Temple or a church, a particular worship, a sacred book, a doctrine, or a set of laws. Every time we have put our faith in those holy yet man-made things, God surprises us, opening our perspectives beyond our comfortable, secure boundaries.
Lowell
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posted by Lowell @ 7:47 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Privilege doesn't guarantee happyness. Privilege doesn't guarantee that we will be a Christian. But this I will guarantee, the Privileged will be held to a higher standard. How can socialist healthcare be better that personal relationships. It can't. The government taking my money and helping others steals my opportunity to be a blessing to others. It steals opportunity from the faithful to be good stewards and be God's hand and feet. It also allows total scams to be bums and those who don't work, don't eat. The local church needs to be where charity occurs, not some. Every American has the opportunity for riches and happyness. But the way it is going, opportunity isn't enough. Soon our government will give you money and healthcare and anything else to make sure you are happy.
reg
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