Friday, June 29, 2007

God in the Unexpected

Friday, June 29, 2007 -- Week of Proper 7
(St. Peter & St. Paul)

"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

EITHER the readings for Friday of Proper 7 (p. 972)
Psalms 102 (morning) 107:1-32 (evening)
1 Samuel 9:1-14
Acts 7:17-29
Luke 22:31-38

OR the readings for the Feast of Sts. Peter & Paul (p.998)
Morning: Psalm 66; Ezekiel 2:1-7; Acts 11:1-18
Evening: Psalms 97, 138; Isaiah 49:1-6; Galatians 2:1-9

(I read the lections for Saints Peter & Paul)


The reading from Acts has Peter defending himself from criticism among the early church leaders in Jerusalem. "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" All of the Christian males in Jerusalem were circumcised; the early church was a reform movement of Judaism, proclaiming Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. Peter violated scriptural commands and ancient tradition when he ate with Gentiles at the home of Cornelius the Roman Centurion.

Peter tells of the vision. Clean and unclean animals. The voice, "Get up, Peter; kill and eat." His answer, "By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth." The answer from heaven, "What God has made clean, you must not call profane." At that moment, people sent from Cornelius arrive. Peter says, "The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us." When Peter arrives and tells Cornelius' household the story of Jesus, they display evidence of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. "If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?"

This is a turning point in the history of the Christian movement. It puts Peter, the church's leader, squarely on the side of opening the church to Gentiles without their having to become Jewish like Jesus and all of the early disciples. In Acts 15 a council of the apostles will formally endorse the mission to the Gentiles, and entrust that work especially to Paul, the former persecutor of the church.

We discover God's presence and grace in the unexpected person and unexpected place! This is a major theme of scripture: Sarah the barren woman; Jacob the second son; a burning bush; Joseph, the youngest, the spoiled dreamer; Moses the murderer; manna in the wilderness; water from the rock; Rahab the harlot; Ehud the left-handed; Deborah the judge; Gideon the fearful; Jephthah the Gileadite, the son of a prostitute; David the youngest; the widow of Zarephath; Ruth the Moabite; Jeremiah the boy prophet; Hosea the betrayed; Jonah the unwilling; Amos a dresser of sycamores; Esther and Judith; Cyrus the Persian; Jesus the Galilean; a crucified criminal-blasphemer; uneducated fishermen; the Ethiopian eunuch; the Syrophonecian woman; the Good Samaritan; Cornelius the Centurion; Saul the persecutor.

Whenever we witness the presence and grace of God in the unexpected place or unexpected person, we are commanded to change our former perspective. "What God has made clean, you must not call profane." "The Spirit told me not to make a distinction between them and us."

Sunday we will read that there can be no law against the fruit of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Whenever we see these manifested in the lives of anyone, we are to be as quick as Peter with Cornelius and as fast as Paul on the road to Damascus. We must change our former perspectives. The Spirit is telling us "not to make a distinction between them and us." "What God has made clean, you must not call profane."


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.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Interpretations of Leadership

Thursday, June 28, 2007 -- Week of Proper 7
(Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, c.202)

"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. 972)
Psalms 105:1-22 (morning) 105:23-45 (evening)
1 Samuel 8:1-22
Acts 6:15 - 7:16
Luke 22:24-30


There are three accounts of Saul's being chosen the first king of Israel. They were redacted together sometime after 539 BCE into the form that we have inherited. Some scholars like to distinguish between at least two sources, often called the Saul Source and the Samuel Source. Today's passage is from the Samuel Source and bears the marks of editing by the Deuteronomic school of the seventh century and later.

According to the Samuel Source, the people's demand for a king displeased God and displeased the judge Samuel. We read of his oracle from God's voice: "They have rejected me (God) from being king over them." Samuel then describes the excesses of monarchy in a description that sounds rather like the later reign of Solomon. Later we'll read from the Saul Source which sees the call of Saul as an anointing by God which Samuel the seer approves.

In many strains of our scripture we have contrasting and conflicting traditions of interpretation. More than one opinion or interpretation is preserved in the tradition.

Was the monarchy a good thing approved of God? Depends on which interpretation you read -- the Saul or the Samuel source. The Hebrew tradition of respecting the fullness of their tradition and the value of debate and conversation is preserved in the final editing of the Bible. The Biblical perspective is that saving all of the sacred heritage is more important than being consistent and losing some of the experience of our rich history with God.

In the Acts of the Apostles we see Stephen making a defense of is faith in Jesus by reinterpreting the Biblical narrative with particular emphasis upon God's taking initiative to act in Israel's history. Among the stories of the patriarchs, he focuses upon that of Joseph, who because of jealousy was sold into slavery by his brothers. Yet God took special care of Joseph and was with him. Stephen is setting up his contention that God has taken the initiative again to act in the history of Israel by sending Jesus as the Messiah. Once again because of jealousy the leaders were divided and sought to kill God's chosen. But God was with Jesus to care for him by raising him from the dead. This is an interpretation of the ancient story that will not be well received by the authorities whom Stephen is addressing.

In a way, the gospel reading from Luke picks up on a theme from the Samuel Source. As Samuel discouraged the people from choosing a king because of the excessive exercise of royal power, Jesus tell his followers it is "not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. ...I am among you as one who serves."

The Servant as Leader; the Leader as Servant -- it is a central theme in the message from Jesus.

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.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Jesus' Table Fellowship

Wednesday, June 27, 2007 -- Week of Proper 7

"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. 972)
Psalms 101, 109: 1-4 (5-19) 20-30 (morning) 119:121-144 (evening)
1 Samuel 7:2-17
Acts 6:1-15
Luke 22:14-23


The radical table fellowship of Jesus was one of the unique characteristics of his ministry. In a culture where eating was a public event, what happened at his table was profound. In Hebrew tradition, it was important to take care when dining. There were of course the kosher laws of purity, addressing the care and cleansing of the pots, plates, cups, knives, forks and other utensils of the kitchen and dining. Kosher laws governed the butchering process and the designation of clean and unclean foods. Sabbath traditions limited when food could be prepared.

But beyond that was the custom that eating together established relationships. To eat with someone was a public sign of acceptance of that person. It was expected that a relationship created at the table was a lifelong obligation. And because the Jewish faith made moral action and ritual observance central to their religious practice, it was absolutely forbidden for an observant Jew to eat with someone of compromised morals or ritual purity. To do so would be to become impure. To do so would compromise one's morals. To do so would condone immorality, sin, and religious avoidance.

Jesus ate with sinners. Jesus ate with people who did not or could not observe the Torah. We have stories of Jesus eating with tax collectors, with people possessed by demons, with non-Jews, with women, with foreigners, with the un-clean and immoral. His table was a scandal. We recently read the story of when he was at the home of an observant Pharisee. A woman who was a sinner came into the meal and washed Jesus' feet with her tears. Jesus welcomed her care. The other guests were shocked. His table fellowship was different. It was one of the most distinctive characteristics of his life.

So on the eve of his arrest, Jesus is at table with his disciples. It is his last chance to give them something that will sustain them for the coming challenges. Luke says that it is a Passover meal, a holy remembrance of God's deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. Jesus announces the coming kingdom: "I tell you that from now on I will not drink the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." He takes bread and identifies it with his "body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." He takes the cup of wine. "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." He connects his death with the old covenant marked by the blood of the Passover, which gave freedom and identity to Israel.

On Easter Sunday, "When he was at table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him." (Luke 24:30-31) It was at table that the disciples truly understood that Jesus was still alive and that his Spirit would continue to empower them.

Since that evening the commandment "Do this in remembrance of me" has been obeyed, and generations of Christians have known him in the breaking of the bread. Our table is to be one of radical fellowship and hospitality. It is to be a place of radical welcome, forgiveness, inclusion, and nurture. No wonder the Eucharist has been the characteristically Christian form of worship for over 2000 years. It is the action that most centrally captures Jesus' life, death and resurrection.

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.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Gamaliel's Law

Tuesday, June 26, 2007 -- Week of Proper 7

"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. 972)
Psalms 97, 99, [100] (morning) 94, 95 (evening)
1 Samuel 6:1-16
Acts 5:27-42
Luke 21:37 - 22:13


Today it is called "Gamaliel's Law." The advice of the Pharisee Gamaliel has a spirit of moderation and tolerance. As a Pharisee, he is in the minority at this council dominated by the Sadducees and others of high rank. Among the Pharisees, Gamaliel led a more moderate or liberal school of interpretation that was also not as numerous as the school of Shammai. Eventually, the tradition of interpretation that evolved from Gamaliel's school became the dominant expression of Pharaseeism, from which most of modern Reform Judaism traces its roots. In Acts 22 St. Paul says that he was raised in the school of Gamaliel.

Gamaliel's advice to the council concerns their arrest of the early leaders of the Jesus movement. "Let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them -- in that case you may even be found fighting against God!"

He gave them several examples from their recent history of failed movements -- one who said he was a prophet who could lead his followers through the Jordan like Moses, another who led an abortive revolt against the Roman census. For a while these seemed like threats to the established Jewish order, but each fizzled. Leave these new followers of Christ alone, is Gamaliel's advice. If they are not of God, they too will fizzle. If they are of God, you cannot stop them, and you might be fighting God.

About sixteen years ago I was on the National Episcopal Cursillo Committee. Some of the leaders believed that Cursillo should set some policy in response to the conversation about sexual orientation that was raising anxiety in the church. The committee passed a policy that effectively barred non-celibate gay persons from leadership within the Cursillo movement. (I voted with the minority.)

The following year, two active Cursillo leaders came to appeal that decision. Each was gay (one lay; one priest), and each was deeply committed to and involved with Cursillo. As the priest finished his presentation to the committee, he humbly asked us to consider following Gamaliel's Law. Just leave us alone. You don't have to pass rules against us. If this movement to recognize the legitimacy of committed gay relationships is an undertaking of human origin, it will fail. But if it is of God, you will not be able to resist it, and you may even be found fighting against God.

On that note we finished our morning agenda, and went to celebrate the Eucharist. The readings assigned by the Book of Common Prayer for that day included this passage from Acts recounting Gamaliel's Law. No one, including the priest who had just spoken, realized these were the scriptures for the day. I watched a certain calm peace settle in the face of the priest who had just spoken to us. The anguish and hurt he had carried evaporated into a gentle glowing countenance. A couple of members of the committee had tears. That afternoon we reversed the decision from the previous year.
____

Note: We being Luke's account to Jesus' passion today.

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.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Apocalyptic Expectations

Monday, June 25, 2007 -- Week of Proper 7
(The Nativity of John the Baptist, transferred)

"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. 970)
Psalms 89:1-18 (morning) 89:19-52 (evening)
1 Samuel 6:1-16
Acts 5:12-26
Luke 21:29-36


Today we finish reading Luke's version of Jesus' teaching in the Temple. The section ends with an apocalyptic speech of anticipation of the the end of the age. Luke's version of these apocalyptic warnings is less cosmic than some other New Testament writers. He includes a vision of persecution and arrest of Christians by Jewish and Roman authorities. There is also a vision of an army attacking Jerusalem. These are things that actually happened during Luke's life.

It is likely that Jesus believed that God would intervene decisively and soon in the history of humankind. That apocalyptic expectation is a part of the teaching passed on by the early Church. Apocalyptic expectation is the hope that God will intervene dramatically to establish justice -- to punish wrongdoers and to reward the righteous and to restore righteousness. The early Church expected the immanent return of Jesus to establish the long anticipated Messianic reign of peace on earth. During the early ministry of Paul, that expectation was so intense that Paul discouraged his followers from getting married and having children.

By the time of Luke and of the later epistles, the expectation of a final end of the age and the physical return of Jesus had begun to fade. The pastoral epistles deal with that changed expectation by giving attention to institutional stabilization. For Luke, the return of Christ is already accomplished through the triumphal coming of the Holy Spirit empowering the Church with divine presence.

Apocalyptic expectation has a fascinating history throughout the two millennia of Christian life. When people are discouraged by the faithlessness of the times, when they feel helpless to control the great events and influences of their days, and when they are inclined toward fear and pessimism, the embers of apocalyptic hope burst again into flame. End time fever also tends to increase around certain calendar moments such as the year 1666 and 2000.

Other than the Bible, the best selling book of the 20th century was Hal Lindsey's "Late Great Planet Earth," a fanciful string of apocalyptic scripture verses imaginatively stitched into a bizarre but entertaining narrative. Among other things, Lindsey announced that the world would pass away around 1988, within the generation of the founding of Israel in 1948. Later editions of his work modified that claim. The popular "Left Behind" series of novels is largely based on Lindsey's scenario, which in turn was influenced by the Schofield Bible and the dispensational speculative theology of John Nelson Darby in the 1880's, the father of dispensationalism.

The strength of apocalyptic thought is the hope that God will act to accomplish justice. The weakness is in the specifics of historical events and end-time predictions. Yet one of the characteristics that apocalyptic preaching shares with mainline theology is the realization that each individual person will reach an end -- we do not know when or how. Therefore it is urgent that we act decisively today on behalf of God's purposes. Our time is short. What will we make of it? Will we cooperate with what God is doing, or will we be part of the problem? These are good questions.

Some see a new, more scientifically grounded form of apocalyptic thought manifested in today's warnings about global climate change. Jesus says, "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near." Science says, "Look at the ice melts and the storms and the calculations that graph the directions and trends of our planet's ecology. It is urgent that we act decisively today on behalf of our planet Earth." Our time is short. What will we make of it? Will we cooperate with God's creation, or will we be part of the problem?

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.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Practicing Christianity

Friday, June 22, 2007 -- Week of Proper 6
(Alban, First Martyr of Britain, c. 304)

"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. 970)
Psalms 88 (morning) 91, 92 (evening)
1 Samuel 3:1-21
Acts 2:37-47
Luke 21:5-19

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." Acts 2:42

"Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?" The Baptismal Covenant, Book of Common Prayer.

Luke's description of the life of the early church is at the center of our Baptismal Covenant. The Baptismal Covenant is the church's summary of our calling, a description of Christian life. The passage from Acts 2:42 is the first question following the Apostles' Creed. The other questions are as follows:

"Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?

"Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?

"Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

"Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?"

The answer to each question is, "I will, with God's help."

The Covenant is about as economical a description of Christian calling as any that I know of.

Luke continues to describe the common life that early Christians committed themselves to. It comes as a surprise to many that the early church members "would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need." Luke says that "all who believe were together and had all things in common." The description is not unlike Communist economic theory. That's not something many Westerners are comfortable with. Since at least the late 19th century there's always been a Christian Socialist movement within the Western Church, however.

The new life in Christ given by the Holy Spirit is a different way of being in the world. Throughout Christian history, disciples have practiced their faith by committing to some form of discipline or rule. At St. Paul's we encourage people to adopt some form of personal rule related to a five-point corporate Rule of Life. "We aspire to worship weekly, pray daily, learn constantly, serve joyfully, live generously."

How does our Rule of life, the Baptismal Covenant, and Luke's description of the early church practice inform your discipline and commitment? What does it mean to you to live as a follower of Christ?

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.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Reflections on Experience

Thursday, June 21, 2007 -- Week of Proper 6

"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. 970)
Psalms [83] or 34 (morning) 85, 86 (evening)
1 Samuel 2:27-36
Acts 2:22-36
Luke 20:41 - 21:4


We get a peek at some of the early church's mythology and preaching. Both the Acts of the Apostles and the Gospel according to Luke were written by the same person. Our lectionary cycle this week has us reading sequentially from both of these narratives simultaneously. Today in Acts we have Peter's sermon at Pentecost, where he interprets the events of that day, supporting his argument with quotations from Psalms 16 and 110. In Luke's Gospel we find Jesus in a dispute with the Sadducees, also quoting from Psalm 110.

Peter is preaching that the demonstration of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit which overcame the divisions of language to allow people from many tongues to understand one another and speak together as one is a fulfillment of prophecy and comes from the resurrected and exalted Jesus.

First Peter quotes Joel's famous oracle that God will pour out the divine Spirit upon all flesh, not just a few prophets. Then Peter tells the story of Jesus -- his deeds of power, his crucifixion, and his resurrection. "God raised him up, having freed him from the pains of death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power."

Peter quotes from Psalm 16. "For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption." Tradition and piety in the first century held King David to be the author of all of the Psalms. So Peter argues, "our ancestor David ...died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day." In other words, his body has experienced corruption, and presumably, his soul departed to Hades. Peter says that David's words were prophetic about a future descendent. That descendent is Jesus, who "was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption," because God raised him from death and exalted him to God's right hand.

To those who might object, saying, these words are about David, not about Jesus, Peter replies quoting from Psalm 110:1. "The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.'" Peter is saying, listen to the words of David. From David's mouth we hear, "The Lord [God] said to my Lord [David's Lord], 'Sit at my right hand...'" Peter asks, who is David's Lord? It is Jesus whom God made both Lord and Messiah.

The image Peter leaves with his listeners is of the resurrected and exalted Jesus sitting at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus has received the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus now pours out that Spirit upon all, as those present at Pentecost have witnessed. This imagery from Acts 2:33 is a key passage for subsequent theological development of the Doctrine of the Trinity.

In a delightful coincidence (maybe planned), we also read from Luke today in his Gospel using the Psalm 110:1 verse in a similar manner. Jesus is in debate with the Sadducees who reject the notion of resurrection or life after death. The Sadducees represented the more conservative or traditional wing of Jewish Biblical interpretation. Jesus challenges their view that the Messiah is David's son or descendent. Patriarchal respect requires a son to acknowledge respectfully the lordship and authority of the father. Yet David calls the Messiah "my Lord" does he not? From the perspective of the Sadducees, this would be something like a koan. It is illogical and unresolvable from their theology. In effect, Jesus has turned their ridicule back on them. (Yesterday we read their ridiculing question to him about the woman married seven times; which husband does she belong to in the resurrection.)

Experience, reflection, interpretation. It is an ancient religious pattern. Luke's Gospel and Acts show both Jesus and Peter following the same illuminating path. It is also the way the church does theological reflection today. We experience the presence of God. We reflect upon that experience, connecting it to the revelation of scripture and the traditions of our ancestors. Then we interpret what we have experienced, offering what we have learned and known to the wider community. Like Peter, we ask the Holy Spirit to inspire us and guide us into all truth. That is part of the promise of Pentecost.

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.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

The Miracle of Pentecost

Wednesday, June 20, 2007 -- Week of Proper 6, Year One

"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. 970)
Psalms 119:97-120 (morning) 81, 82 (evening)
1 Samuel 2:12-26
Acts 2:1-21
Luke 20:27-40


Last night I was watching the news. I saw stories of tragic violence that was so hard to understand. In Palestine, Hamas and Fatah brothers are at arms against one another. A few miles away Israel plans its response. Grieved and angry mothers cry out with songs of mourning that are both unintelligible to me and hauntingly anguished. Shia and Sunni brothers in Iraq plant devastating bombs while young men who look like my son walk into alleys and homes trying to discern whether these are friend or foe in an foreign and strange land. More sounds and shouts of passion and anger in words I do not know. I don't know the words, but the passion communicates -- grief, anger, revenge.

One person who is familiar with such violence and suffering is Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh. He lived through the horror and violence of the Vietnam War which divided his homeland. Much of his work during that war was spent trying to rebuild villages destroyed by the fighting.

Shortly after the attacks of September 11, Thich Nhat Hanh was asked, "If you could speak to Osama bin Laden, what would you say to him?" His response began in this way:

"If I were given the opportunity to be face to face with Osama bin Laden, the first thing I would do is listen. I would try to understand why he had acted in that cruel way. I would try to understand all of the suffering that had led him to violence. It might not be easy to listen in that way, so I would have to remain calm and lucid. I would need several friends with me, who are strong in the practice of deep listening, listening without reacting, without judging and blaming. In this way, an atmosphere of support would be created for this person and those connected so that they could share completely, trust that they are really being heard.

"After listening for some time, we might need to take a break to allow what has been said to enter into our consciousness. Only when we felt calm and lucid would we respond. We would respond point by point to what had been said. We would respond gently but firmly in such a way to help them to discover their own misunderstandings so that they will stop violent acts from their own will." (the full text of the interview is found at http://www.theconversation.org/thich.html)

The miracle of Pentecost is the miracle of communication. People speak and are understood across the barriers of language and culture. The listeners hear and understand the words from the hearts of people from foreign lands and tongues.

This is the activity and presence of God's Holy Spirit. It reunites a human race that has been divided since the days of the Tower of Babel.

At his Plum Village community in France, Thich Nhat Hanh works to facilitate the miracle of Pentecost. "This past summer a group of Palestinians and Israelis came to Plum Village, the practice center where I live in southern France, to learn and practice the arts of deep listening and loving speech. (Around 1,600 people come to Plum Village each summer from over a dozen countries to listen and to learn how to bring peace and understanding to their daily lives.) The group of Palestinians and Israelis participated in the daily schedule of walking meditation, sitting meditation, and silent meals, and they also received training on how to listen and speak to each other in such a way that more understanding and peace could be possible between them as individuals and as nations.

"With the guidance and support of the monks and nuns, they sat down and listened to each other. When one person spoke no one interrupted him or her. Everyone practiced mindfulness of their breathing and listening in such a way that the other person felt heard and understood.

"When a person spoke, they refrained from using words of blame, hatred, and condemnation. They spoke in an atmosphere of trust and respect. Out of these dialogues the participating Palestinians and Israelis were very moved to realize that both sides suffer from fear. They appreciated the practice of deep listening and made arrangements to share what they had learned with others upon returning to their home countries.

"We recommended that the Palestinians and Israeli talk about their suffering, fears, and despair in a public forum that all the world could hear. We could all listen without judging, without condemning in order to understand the experience of both sides. This would prepare the ground of understanding for peace talks to occur."

When asked "What do you think would be the most effective spiritual response to this tragedy (of September 11)?" Thich Nhat Hanh answered:

"We can begin right now to practice calming our anger, looking deeply at the roots of the hatred and violence in our society and in our world, and listening with compassion in order to hear and understand what we have not yet had the capacity to hear and to understand. When the drop of compassion begins to form in our hearts and minds, we begin to develop concrete responses to our situation. When we have listened and looked deeply, we may begin to develop the energy of brotherhood and sisterhood between all nations, which is the deepest spiritual heritage of all religious and cultural traditions. In this way the peace and understanding within the whole world is increased day by day.

"To develop the drop of compassion in our own heart is the only effective spiritual response to hatred and violence. That drop of compassion will be the result of calming our anger, looking deeply at the roots of our violence, deep listening, and understanding the suffering of everyone involved in the acts of hatred and violence."

On the day of Pentecost, some scoffed and said the people were drunk. Peter was convinced it was the presence of God's Holy Spirit being poured out upon humanity to give new dreams and new visions for the healing of the world.

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.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

The Apostle Not Chosen

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 -- Week of Proper 6, Year One

"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. 970)
Psalms 78:1-39 (morning) 78:40-72 (evening)
1 Samuel 1:21 - 2:11
Acts 1:15-26
Luke 20:19-26


Sometimes Matthias is called "the thirteenth apostle." After the betrayal and death of Judas, the early church selected one to take his place, to keep the number of apostles at twelve, symbolic of of the twelve tribes of Israel. Luke's account mentions two qualifications. The new apostle must be one who had been with Jesus' company since his baptism by John when Jesus called his group to follow him. And the new apostle must be one who can become a witness to the resurrection. In Greek the word "witness" is "martyr." For almost all of the apostles, their witness led to their suffering and their martyrdom.

Two qualified nominees were offered: Matthias and "Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus." We've just been through a similar process to choose an apostle for the Diocese of Arkansas. The office of Bishop (overseer) is seen as the successor apostolic office. (Note the reference to the position of overseer from Psalm 109:8 in the Greek Septuagint translation.) In our election process we took nominations for a few months. Then we conducted interviews for several more months to narrow the number of nominees to four. Those four posted answers to many questions about their theology, piety and leadership goals. Eventually we met as a diocese to interview the nominees in person. Then we met again to pray and to vote. I believe it was on the fifth ballot that Larry Benfield was elected to take his place as a witness to the resurrection as the thirteenth Bishop of Arkansas.

According to Luke's account, the crowd of about 120 believers prayed and then cast lots between Matthias and Joseph Barsabbas. Casting lots is a little bit like asking two people to pick straws. The one with the long straw wins. So Matthias is chosen "the thirteenth apostle." Some have called Joseph Barsabbas "the rejected apostle."

I have often thought about Joseph Barsabbas. He was equally qualified with Matthias, it seems. By the luck of the draw, he was not chosen. One of the consequences of that luck is that there are no churches named for him, as far as I can tell. I've never heard of one, and a Google search five pages deep shows none. There are dozens, maybe hundreds of churches named St. Matthias. Five pages into a Google search brings up lots of them. Two men equally qualified. One is immortalized, the other forgotten (or if remembered, labeled as "rejected"). The luck of the draw.

A lot of us can point to moments when luck played a pivotal point in our future, maybe for better, maybe not. In my imagination, Joseph Barsabbas accepted the lost opportunity, and lived a good life of integrity, humbly thankful that he was deemed worthy of that which he did not achieve. Yet, it is not hard to imagine him haunted or broken. After all, he was not accepted. He might even find justification to think that it was God who rejected him or found him wanting, since the method of choice -- prayer and casting lots -- was intended to seek God's choice. This is the kind of event that can depress or break a person. How do you get over great disappointments or great losses?

Although there are no churches named for Joseph Barsabbas, a legend holds that he became Bishop of Eleutheropolis, a small village south of Jerusalem on the road to Gaza. The Roman Catholic Church celebrates St. Joseph Barsabbas on July 20. One reference I checked included him among 23 others who share a July 20 Saint's Day. But still, as far as I can find -- no churches are named for him.

For me, Joseph Barsabbas is the patron saint of those who didn't get something significant that they were qualified for, something that may have changed their lives profoundly. Many of our lives have been profoundly shaped by what we didn't get. In our disappointments, it helps to have a friend.

I also think of St. Matthias as a patron saint for our lucky breaks, or for those privileges we have that are not necessarily earned. I am the product of so much unearned privilege -- born in 20th century America, of educated parents, white, male, raised in a good home, church and community. So much of what has shaped me and given me remarkable opportunities is mostly the luck of the draw. How different might my story be had I not enjoyed such advantages? Who would I be if I had drawn a bunch of short straws?

Joseph Barsabbas. Qualified apostle who didn't get the opportunity. I think it is important to acknowledge him. I'm sure God does.

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.

Monday, June 18, 2007

God in our Brokenness

Monday, June 15, 2007 -- Week of Proper 6, Year One
(Bernard Mizeki, 1896)

"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

Podcast: Audio versions of today's and the past week's Morning Reflection may be found at the following address: http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id244.html



Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 970)
Psalms 80 (morning) 77, [79] (evening)
1 Samuel 1:1-20
Acts 1:1-14
Luke 20:9-19

We begin today the poignant story of the birth of Samuel. This is wonderful literature and fine drama. Hannah is at the center of the story.

That is significant in itself. This is a story with a woman at its heart. In a patriarchal culture, a woman's story is important. We feel the pathos of the family situation, made more complicated by the (to us) unfamiliar context of polygamy. Elkanah loves his wife Hannah, but she is infertile. He has children through his other wife Peninnah. Hannah suffers the scorn of the wifely competition. Her husband's favor and love is simply not enough. She has a place of deep unhappiness within her.

One of the most consistent themes in scripture tells us that God favors those who are out of favor. God saves the outcast, downtrodden and oppressed. God loves the marginal and the underdog. God brings life to the barren. God has good intentions for Hannah.

We will learn later that the holy shrine of Shiloh where Hannah pours out her heart to God is a corrupt and compromised system. Eli the priest is old and powerless to oversee his greedy, privileged sons. They misuse their power and abuse their authority. Yet, despite the impotence of the priestly leadership at the shrine, it is a place filled with the potency of God. We learn today that Hannah will bear a child. Her son will become the model of righteousness and holy leadership.

God comes to us in earthen vessels. The metaphor of incarnation comes to us long before the birth of Jesus. God's heart is turned toward those who are not treated fairly in human ways, toward those who yearn for justice and for a better life. God turns special attention toward those who are needy.

And God can work effectively through cracked and broken vessels. Barren women and corrupt temples. Dysfunctional families and unfaithful priests.

God brings holiness out of unlikely places. God brings new life out of hopelessness. The story of the birth of Samuel is a reminder that God is especially present in the abandoned moments of human existence and always working to bring new life and resurrection despite our dysfunction and corruption.

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.

Friday, June 15, 2007

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
______________________

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

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Dark Clouds

Thursday, June 14, 2007 -- Week of Proper 5
(Basil the Great of Caesarea, 379)

"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 [70], 71 (morning) 74 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus 44:19 - 45:5 (found in the Apocrypha)
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Luke 19:28-40


Today we pick up reading a section of Ecclesiasticus (also known as the Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach, a Jerusalem scribe who lived around 180 BCE). Our reading begins with his famous Hymn in Praise of the Ancestors.

I was struck by a phrase in Ben Sira's passage about Moses: "He allowed him to hear his voice, and led him into the dark cloud." As I first read it, my word association for "dark cloud" was about the kind of experience that feels oppressive. When we feel like we are living in a dark cloud we have little energy or direction. It is a depressive existence.

But the dark cloud that Ben Sira references is Moses' direct experience of God. On Mount Sinai, Moses entered the dark cloud of God's presence and communed with God "face to face." It was within the dark cloud that God gave Moses the commandments, "the law of life and knowledge." An anonymous Christian mystic of the 14th century will speak of the contemplative experience of communion with God as the "cloud of unknowing."

These clouds have their similarities. Both the dark cloud and the cloud of unknowing are places where we exercise little energy or direction. Whatever energy and direction is present is of God. And they can both be fearful places. But the cloud of Sinai and the cloud of unknowing is a dazzling darkness that is filled with God's presence. It is life giving.

In today's reading Paul speaks of an experience of revelation that happened to him. "I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows." He doesn't seem to have words to describe his experience. But linked to this exhilarating spiritual revelation is another kind of darkness. "Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.'"

Paul relates together the ecstatic revelation and the thorn in the flesh. He is given both gift and challenge. Weakness seems to be a catalyst for each. The revelation of being caught up into an altered state of consciousness is a gift that bypasses even his awareness of his body. The fleshly thorn in the flesh is something he is powerless to overcome. Yet Paul finds both to be mediators of God's presence. The revelation for encouragement, the thorn for humility to trust.

Dark clouds are places of encounter with the divine. That's especially good to remember when the dark cloud feels more like the thorn in the flesh than like the third heaven.

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.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Paul's Conflicts

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 -- Week of Proper 5

"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 72 (morning) 119:73-96 (evening)
Deuteronomy 31:30 - 32:14
2 Corinthians 11:21b-33
Luke 19:11-27


We are reading from Paul's "severe letter" to the Corinthians (chapters 10-13), which predates most of the rest of the collection that we have surviving as 2 Corinthians. In his absence from the church he founded in Corinth, Paul has been challenged by some other Christian leaders. To counter the reports of his challengers' achievements, Paul defends his own ministry. In this passage he recounts his sufferings in connection with his apostolic work. He has been arrested and imprisoned. He has been flogged. "Five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning." He goes on to list shipwrecks and other dangers from his travel, including a daring escape from Damascus, being lowered in a basket from a window in the city wall.

It may be striking to us how conflictive and threatening the early Christian movement was in the environment of the Roman world. Rome was typically very tolerant of other cultures and religions. Why so did Paul experience so much hostility?

Part of Paul's conflict was with Jewish synagogues and authorities. That's pretty easy to understand. Paul's message was very subversive toward Judaism. In the Gentile world his primary target for converts to his church were the Gentile "Godfearers," Gentiles who were attracted to Judaism for its high morality and monotheism, but who were not Jews themselves. Paul aimed his message especially toward Gentiles who attended the synagogue, inviting them into the Christian movement which offered a similarly high morality but without the need for undergoing circumcision and some of the other more awkward features of Jewish practice. Paul's strategy for church building was to rob synagogues of their Gentiles. He was bound to provoke Jewish resistance. And, there was money involved. Many of these Gentile Godfearers were wealthy and contributed significantly to the synagogue. Some were important, and their influence was of protective value for a minority religion.

The other part of Paul's work that was offensive to the synagogue was his message. Although he was a Jew, he attacked the Hebrew Law. He accused the Jerusalem Jewish leaders of apostasy for collaborating with Rome to crucify the one he said God sent as the promised Jewish Messiah. And he claimed the Jesus movement was the true Israel and that established Judaism was false to its own heritage. He wasn't going to have many friends in the synagogues.

Paul's message was also a subversive one from the perspective of Rome. Rome allowed various religious expressions as long as those religions also did their patriotic duty. Patriotic duty included expressions of praise and loyalty to the divine Caesar. Since all of the other religions were polytheistic, except Judaism, that wasn't a problem. Rome made a unique provision for Jewish monotheism because it was an ancient faith. Christians were new. They didn't have standing for such tolerance.

The expressions of Christian worship and piety were in-your-face challenges to the Roman cult. Phrases like "Jesus is Lord" mimicked the acclamation "Caesar is Lord." If Jesus is Lord, Caesar isn't. John Dominic Crossan's book "In Search of Paul" makes a meticulous case that Paul's gospel was a direct attack on the emperor cult which defined political and cultural standing in the Roman world. The Jesus movement was both subversive and revolutionary from the perspective of Roman political, economic, and familial traditions. Whenever his preaching hit the radar of Rome, it was bound to provoke a severe reaction. From an official perspective, it was treason.

How comfortable, conventional and conforming our religion is by comparison. It is worth asking what energy we may have lost with our comforts.

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.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

A Model for Right Action

Tuesday, June 12, 2007 -- Week of Proper 5
Enmegahbowh, Priest and Missionary, 1902

"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 61, 62 (morning) 68:1-20 (21-23) 24-36 (evening)
Deuteronomy 30:11-20
2 Corinthians 11:1-21a
Luke 19:1-10

There is something wonderful about how Zacchaeus responds to Jesus. Maybe he is a good model for all of us.

Let's set the stage. First -- Zacchaeus knows his "short-comings." (Bad pun.) He is a tax-collector. He knows that he is a sinner. He is outside the circle of acceptance. But he is drawn to Jesus. There is something wonderfully attractive that compels him to climb a tree in order to get a glimpse of Jesus passing by among the crowd.

We are all like Zacchaeus. We know our own short-comings. We know our failures and self-centeredness. But we are drawn to goodness and to God. We would like to be in that circle of those who know themselves to be comfortable with God, at peace with themselves and the world.

Jesus responds to Zacchaeus with an unqualified acceptance and an offer of friendship. "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." That is the offer and invitation Jesus gives to each of us. Jesus wishes to be with us, to eat and visit with us today.

Zacchaeus' response is a joyful one. He is so happy that he responds with an extravagant nondefensive, free generosity. He gives half his possessions to the poor and promises to return four-fold to those he has overcharged in taxation. His actions are not reluctant or forced. This is what he wants to do to make amends. It is also what he recognizes will free him from the greed and dishonesty that has previously bound and haunted him. When Jesus loves and accepts him, Zacchaeus spontaneously responds with joyful, generous gladness.

When you know you are completely loved, completely safe and completely accepted, you are free to be who you are. You can live non-defensively -- open and generous. Zacchaeus is a great model.

In some sense, Zacchaeus fulfills what the law says today in Deuteronomy. "Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away.... No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe." Zacchaeus did not have to struggle or debate to decide what to do, what was right for him. He responded to his heart's deepest direction. He knew intuitively what was good, and he chose it.

It is like that for us too. In every given moment, we can sense deep within our heart and intuition what is called for. Jean Pierre de Caussade says that each present moment carries with it the demands and opportunities of that moment. It can only be three things: 1. to do some present duty; 2. to enjoy some present joy; 3. to suffer something that is necessary. If we know ourselves to be completely loved, safe and accepted, we can be free of guilt, fear or compulsion. We can be able to choose spontaneously and generously whatever the moment brings to us. Whenever we choose that way, we are completely within the will of God, cooperating fully with what God is doing for the healing of the world. It doesn't get any better than that.

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.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Conflicts

Monday, June 11 -- Week of Proper 5
Feast of St. Barnabas

"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 56, 57, [58] (morning) 8, 84 (evening)
Deuteronomy 30:1-10
2 Corinthians 10:1-18
Luke 18:31-43

OR the readings for St. Barnabas Day
Morning Prayer: Psalms 15, 67 // Ecclesiasticus 31:3-11 // Acts 4:32-37
Evening Prayer: Psalms 19, 146 // Job 29:1-16 // Acts 9:26-31

(I used the reading for Monday of the week of proper five)


Today we begin the section of 2 Corinthians that most scholars identify as the painful or severe letter alluded to in 2:4. (Scholars believe 2 Corinthians includes fragments of more than one letter; estimates range from two to five different letters.) This letter is probably from a time prior to the beginning of 2 Corinthians when Paul rejoices in the message that Timothy brings him that the congregation had taken his strong warnings to heart.

What was the conflict about? It's hard to say for sure. Part of it was a turf battle. Other apostles had come to the church in Corinth which Paul had founded. They challenged his authority. Maybe they accepted payment for their work and compromised Paul's project of collecting funds for the Jerusalem church.

Several fundamental conflicts characterized the early church. The first was the relationship of the followers of Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and their relationship with Judaism and the observance of the Law. Some early Christians believed that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Jewish law and that continued observance was necessary for anyone who was to be a Christian. If Gentiles converted to the faith, they would be circumcised and would be taught the Torah and statues and ordinances of Jewish observance. Some early Christians saw salvation as escape from this material life and its bodily existence. They believed that God had lived in Jesus, the Spirit's coming into him at his baptism, to teach humanity how to live the spiritual life. But Jesus and his message was rejected. So, they taught, the Spirit left Jesus' body on the cross and returned to the heavenly realms where true life is. Early Christian belief and practice was widely varied and diverse.

Several of these conflicts and questions were part of the dynamics of the Greek church in Corinth. Thanks to their energy and disputes, we have many of the letters of Paul that eventually became part of our foundational documents of the New Testament and which shed light on the earliest interpretations of the person and work of Jesus.

Disputes and conflicts continue in the Church to this day. As in Paul's day, they seem to include disputes about authority, turf and property as well as challenges to interpretation of right belief and practice. Each generation faces its own version of these debates. Each generation works to resolve its conflicts as best it can -- the creeds represent attempts at such resolution. But new interpretations, questions and disputes arise.

I thought Bishop Steven Charleston did a wonderful job of tracing this heritage of conflict and inviting us to a willingness to recognize that full resolution of problems and differences is an unrealistic goal. Neither Paul nor the creeds completely resolved the conflicts of the Christian Church. Charleston invited us to embrace the spirit of reconciliation rather than resolution. We can be reconciled to one another even within our differences. We can respect the dignity of every human being as we struggle to follow our consciences and enlarge our understanding.

As his severe letter will show, there are some things that Paul is unwilling to be reconciled about. Yet after this particular conflict is over and his position has been solidified, Paul asked for the restoration of those whom he had punished.

What can we live with in Christ, and what can't we live with in Christ? It has been a perpetual question for the Church.

Lowell
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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.

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worship weekly
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learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.