The Pressures of the Day

Monday, July 16, 2007 -- Week of Proper 10

"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

NEW-- Audio Podcasts of today's "Morning Reflection" and those from the past week are available from http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id244.html (go to St. Paul's Home Page stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 974)
Psalms 25 (morning) 9, 15 (evening)
1 Samuel 18:5-16, 27b-30
Acts 11:19-30
Mark 1:29-45


There seems to be a tension within Jesus' ministry that may feel like a familiar tension to many of us. He has his message and his work of teaching that is central to his sense of calling. He also has his work of healing that fills up much of his time and tends to draw crowds and attention. There are only so many hours in a day. There are so many needs. How are things kept in balance?

We see Jesus beginning his work at the end of the sabbath, at sundown. "The whole city was gathered around the door" of Peter's house. Jesus "cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons... In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed."

Work and prayer. Mark gives us a picture of one of the ways that Jesus balances the demands and call upon his life. But there is something furtive about this prayer. Peter and the others hunt Jesus. "Everyone is searching for you," they say when they find him. Apparently there are more people who need his healing.

But Jesus sets a boundary, saying, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for this is what I came out to do." Jesus leaves one place, where there are still people who are sick and expressing their need for his healing power. He goes to another place, especially so he can teach and "proclaim the message." He emphasizes that this proclaiming "is what I came out to do."

But the next thing that happens is that a leper begs him, and Jesus makes him clean. Back to the healing. More than that, Jesus' pity reached across some important boundaries when he "stretched out his hand and touched" the man with leprosy. Such a touching would have made Jesus ritually unclean. It was forbidden by scripture. It might risk contagion. Yet, Jesus touches the man to heal him.

Then Jesus speaks again, telling the man to keep quiet about the healing and to present himself to the priest, following the instructions in the Torah for examination of leprosy and the public restoration to the worshipping community. But the man who was healed does not do as Jesus has told him. The man spreads the word of his healing. The public response is so energetic, that it interferes with his teaching. Jesus becomes so popular as a healer that he cannot go into a town openly, but must stay in the country. They want and need his healing. But are they willing to listen to his teaching?

How might this have impacted Jesus? He wants to proclaim the message -- "that is what I came out to do." But the demands of the crowd focus on his healing. His healing is good and important work too. And there are only so many hours to the day. When will he have the time and solitude to pray?

Such pressures and questions may feel pretty familiar to many people in our century. There are things we want to do, things we feel called to do. And there are other needs that we respond to, things we need to do. So often there is more to do than we can do in a day. In the center of it all, there is prayer -- our need for prayer, especially when we feel pressured.

I forget which Teresa it was -- maybe Saint Teresa of Avila or Sister Teresa of Calcutta -- but I recall her saying something like this. I have so many more duties that press upon me, I can't do it all. I'll just have to add another hour of prayer in order to respond to everything effectively.

Lowell
______________________

To Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the "Morning Reflections" email list,
go to our Subscriptions page -- http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id137.html

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

The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

See our Web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life:
We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.