Prophetic Echoes

Friday, June 15, 2007 -- Week of Proper 5
(Evelyn Underhill, d. 1941)

"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. 970)
Psalms 69:1-23 (24-30) 31-38 (morning) 73 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus 45:6-16 (found in the Apocrypha)
2 Corinthians 12:11-21
Luke 19:41-48


The prophets live in the speech of Jesus today as he enters Jerusalem in tears. He echoes Jeremiah's words describing the siege which predicted the first destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Jesus sees similar judgment facing the contemporary city. He enacts the hope spoken in the last verse of Zechariah that there be no more traders in the Temple, and he speaks from the vision of Isaiah the holy precincts be a house of prayer not a den of robbers. He challenges the entrenched powers and speaks of the ideals of a just reign of God. The common people respond in their hearts, but those who are in charge are angry and deaf to his idealism. They will conspire to silence Jesus and to manipulate the populace to their will.

I can imagine Jesus speaking similar words today. Our is such an abusive time. Hostility and greed dominate. Power is abused. The two streams meet when money buys power. Religion is compromised and fails to speak the prophetic call to holiness and justice.


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