Various Musings
Thursday, March 8, 2007 -- Week of 2 Lent
"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. 952)
Psalms [70], 71 (morning) // 74 (evening)
Jeremiah 4:9-10, 19-28
Romans 2:12-24
John 5:19-29
"Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens; you have done great things; who is like you, O God?" (Psalm 71:19)
There is so much in these readings; I will have to be brief.
Jeremiah describes the destruction of Judah by Babylon as being like a reversal of the story of creation from Genesis 1. Judah is left waste and void, the heavens are dark, the mountains quake, the birds have fled, the vegetation is desert. And God's heart is in anguish. "My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the walls of my heart! My heart is beating wildly..."
Jeremiah says that it is God's will for Babylon to invade. Jeremiah says that this tragic destruction is the predictable consequence of Judah's behavior. God does not shield us from the consequences of our bad choices. But God does suffer with us. God's heart aches for us. Finally, there is a hint of promise. "For thus says the Lord: The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end." (My thoughts go toward the predictable consequences of humanity's contribution to climate change.)
Paul continues his critique of religious people who fail to live up to their responsibilities. And he continues his insistence that nonreligious or pagan people are acceptable before God when they "do instinctively what the law requires." I wish more Christians would heed Paul's words. I heard an interview on "Fresh Air" a while back. Terri Gross was visiting with one of the authors of that awful "Left Behind" series. He had crossed paths with the Dalai Lama, in an airport I believe. He asked the Dalai Lama if he would accept Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior. Terri Gross followed up with questions, and he clarified his belief that the Dalai Lama would go to hell unless he accepted Jesus, as will everyone else who does not become a Christian. The Dalai Lama is a person of obvious compassion and spiritual maturity. He is among those who "show that what the law requires is written on their hearts." (2:15) The God of Christianity is more than a tribal deity.
And the passage from John lyrically expresses the union and love between the Father and the Son. The work that Jesus is doing is the same work that the Father is doing. The love and the life that the Father gives is the same love and life that Jesus is giving. When we see Jesus we are looking at the human face of God. Elsewhere John will say that we are taken into that very same work and life and love in an organic union within the dance of the Father and the Son. We are made one with the Son who is one with the Father. Infinite love opens to us, and that is the life we are invited to breathe.
Lowell
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posted by Lowell @ 8:23 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
But all have sinned he says. Rom. 3:23. not all Jew, or any other tribe. Following the law is an impossibility because we must follow physically and our heart must follow it. Imagine God sending his son to be murdered and forsaken by himself if there was another way. Jesus said I am the way, no man cometh to the Father but my me. Perfection is an impossibility. Salvation other that by Christ is unavailable, unachievable, and unimaginable. If you can imagine yourself, or anyother for that matter, being perfect then you have put yourself at a position equal to God himself and that is a scary place to be. God resisteth the proud and is no respector of persons. That includes the Dalai Lama. G
Alas, Christianity's weakest link stands exposed by Lowell and anonymous in their conflicting viewpoints. I referring to John 3:18. "...he that believeth not is condemned already." I would like to interpret this to mean that those who oppose the message of truth are surely in deep trouble, as are those who never look for the truth. This leaves those who are unable to perceive God's truth due to chance of birth or mental handicap. Is John condemning them?
John is not condembing anyone? Jesus made that statement and we condemn ourselves. Paul said in Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. Simple reason and observation will be enough according to Paul. If someone is handicapped to the point that they cannot observe this then I would like to interpret that they will not be judged the same as those who see and choose to ignore. People sho oppose the message are not in deep trouble, they are doomed. What is the truth. Jesus is the truth. He is who he says he is. The way. No man cometh to the father but by me. I am sure the Dalai Lama will appreciate that Lowell gave him a pass into Heaven. Judgement is God's job as we are so often reminded. G
The Bible contains many voices, some of them conflicting. It is possible to prove just about anything by quoting carefully chosen verses. This may be what you are talking about as the "weakest link" of Christianity. But it could also be its greatest strength. Sure, there will be people who claim to have the whole truth and deny anyone else has any of it, but it also allows many different kinds of people to follow the way of Jesus, who might not be able to if everything was spelled out exactly as some would like. As loudly as some yell about the things I believe as a Christian, I defend their right to believe as they wish and call themselves Christians. It may sometimes be ugly, but we are all human, after all. I will find a community where I feel safe and can follow the way of Jesus and leave others to worry about themselves. I will grieve for those others leave on the outside, and try to find a way to make them welcome in my part of the community.
Hey doug,
I don't really see any any conflicting voices in the Bible. I think anyone who claims they have the whole truth misses the point. Truth doesn't belong to anyone, it is out there for everyone. That truth is the Bible and it is the whole truth. It warns against adding to it or taking away. Any Kind of person can follow Jesus. But like the rich man who went away sad, we all need to address our sin and repent. If Jesus would accept anyone that will repent and a church would not, we should all grieve.
Christian tradition has always said that the Word of God is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. It is through the Word that God creates the universe. We say that Jesus is the Word of God incarnate -- the human face of God.
The question then rises -- how small is your Word? Some would limit the Word to the "words" of the Bible as it was eventually edited and adopted by the Church sometime in the 3rd century. Some would limit the Word to the historical person of Jesus of Nazareth. The most expansive view of the Word recognizes the Second Person of the Holy Trinity as the manifestation of God's creative universal presence. The Word which was present and active at creation is also present and active in every incarnation of truth, goodness and beauty.
So if a scientist discovers the truth of E=mc2 (a truth not present in the Bible) or if a holy monk like the Dalai Lama calls a generation to a divine-like compassion or if a Moslem community in Iran creates an exquisite handmade rug of rare beauty -- traditional orthodox Christianity would see those activities as the manifestation of God's Word in creation, the presence and activity of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. Whenever we recognize God's Word present and active, it is God's Spirit that opens our senses to acknowledge God's being in the world. We are wrapped up in the vital life of the Blessed Trinity.
That is why it is so risky to make such narrow boundaries of human judgement and legalism. To fail to see the presence of God is to risk blaspheming the Holy Spirit. And the stories in Scripture have a strong theme to teach us -- that God is most often revealed in the unexpected person and place. The failure to recognize God's work in Jesus -- who didn't look like the conquring Messiah predicted by the Bible -- was such a failure. Well intended statements like "Jesus is the only way" or "the Bible is the only truth" incline us to miss God manifest as the Word incarnate from before time and forever.
Lowell
Too broad a boundry is also risky. Matt 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat. G
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