Friday, September 28, 2007

Issues Yesterday and Today

Friday, September 28, 2007 -- Week of Proper 20

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")


Today's Readings for the Daily Office
(p. 984)

Psalms 88 (morning) 91, 92 (evening)

2 Kings 9:17-37

1 Corinthians 7:1-9
Matthew 6:7-15

There is so much in today's readings. Psalm 88 is unique among the Psalter. It is a psalm of bleak lament that offers no word of consolation or hope, no expression of confidence in God's rescue or justice. It ends, "My friend and my neighbor you have put away from me, and darkness is my only companion." For those who experience no sense of relief from human or God, this Psalm may be a contact point, connecting one's deep suffering with the great tradition.

Jehu executes his bloody coup d etat. In a dramatic narrative, the prophet Elisha initiated the political overthrow by arranging for the military commander Jehu to be anointed king. Today we read how he assassinated both Joram, king of Israel and Ahaziah, king of Judah, as they rested after battle. Then follows the gruesome killing of the Queen-mother Jezebel. The story follows the prophecy of Elijah (1 Kings 21). Ahab's son (not Ahab) dies in the field he stole from Naboth; the dogs get Jezebel. More bloodshed tomorrow. (And who says politics and religion don't mix?)

Paul offers advice about marriage and intimacy. In a passage that is remarkable for the time, he tells husbands and wives that they have mutual ownership over each other's body. Most contemporary accounts are not so egalitarian. Paul blesses sexual love between married couples, and he advises single persons to remain single, unless they are unable to remain chaste.


Finally we have the centerpiece of Matthew's composition of the great Sermon on the Mount. At the center of the sermon is the Lord's Prayer. It is a simple prayer, but worth great study. One of my mentors made it his practice to read a different commentary or reflection on the Lord's Supper every year. Eventually, he wrote his own. The prayer is interesting in its combination of spiritual and material concerns. If God's will is to be done on earth as in heaven, all will have their daily bread, and debts will be forgiven. The norm that Jesus offers is of giving without expectation of return. For many centuries, lending with interest was prohibited in places under Christian influence.

When reading this I am struck how the ancient issues are forever contemporary. So many people live with dark depression or with unsolvable problems. Religious inspired political violence and military coup is regularly in our news. We're still trying to figure out our healthy sexual boundaries. And God's will, daily bread, debt, and times of trial are topics of vital concern.


Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.


Lowell
______________________

To Subscribe or Unsubscribe to the "Morning Reflections" email list,
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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.

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, September 26, 2007

Elisha & Nonviolence

Wednesday, September 26, 2007 -- Week of Proper 20
(Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, 1626)

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 984)
Psalms 119:97:120 (morning) 81, 82 (evening)
2 Kings 6:1-23
1 Corinthians 5:9 - 6:8
Matthew 5:38-48

The collections of Elisha legends is thoroughly delightful. Like so many folk tales, they carry wisdom through entertaining stories.

Was George Washington a truthful man of character? Yes, we answer. How do you know? Once upon a time, when he was but a boy, young George cut down a cherry tree...

Tell me about the pioneers who settled this land. Once upon a time there was a man named Paul Bunyan... And have you heard the story of Johnny Appleseed...; ...and John Henry...

Elisha is truly the prophet of the people. Many of the stories tell of his acts of common kindness and empathy toward the peasants of the land. An ax head recovered; oil for a widow; a child for the childless; protection from a pot of poisonous stew; relief from drought; barley for the hungry. He wonderfully unites power and kindness.

In today's readings we hear imaginative stories about Elisha who uses his cunning and power to avoid war and violence. He provides keen intelligence to the king of Israel so his troops may avoid the army of Aram. And in a wonderful tale he frightens the Aramean army with a vision of the hosts of heaven that drives them blindly until they are trapped within the citadel of Samaria. Seeing their vulnerability, the king of Israel asks Elisha, "Father shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?" "No! ...Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink; and let them go to their master." The king of Israel prepares a great feast for the army of Aram. "After they ate and drank, he sent them on their way, and ...the Arameans no longer came raiding into the land of Israel."

We could benefit from Elisha's counsel today if we would but listen to him. There are more creative ways to deal with violence and threat than merely to react with more violence and threat.

In our gospel reading today Jesus commands: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; ...Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that is was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..."

How far from this spirit we have come as a people. G.K. Chesterton is said to have observed, "It is not that Christianity has been tried and failed. It is that it has never been tried."

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, September 25, 2007

Present in Spirit

Tuesday, September 25, 2007 -- Week of Proper 20
(Sergius, Abbot of Holy Trinity, Moscow, 1392)

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 984)
Psalms 78:1-39 (morning) 78:40-72 (evening)
2 Kings 5:19-27
1 Corinthians 5:1-8
Matthew 5:27-37

We are not alone. We do not act alone. We are formed in community and we live in community. Everything we do affects for good or ill, all other beings.

As we continue with the legends about Elisha, we have this entertaining story of Elisha's servant Gehazi, who tries to take advantage of the situation following the healing of Naaman. Gehazi's secret is not hidden from the prophet. "Did I not go with you in spirit when someone left his chariot to meet you?" says Elisha.

In First Corinthians Paul scolds the congregation with a similar admonition. The issue is one of scandalous sexual immorality within the congregation. "For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to hand this man over..." he demands.

There is an alternative translation to one phrase that intensifies the context of the sin. The last phrase in the sentence just quoted could also be rendered, "I have already pronounced judgment on the man who has done such a thing in the name of the Lord Jesus." Whatever we do, we do it with Jesus. Jesus is present. And because we are united with Christ, whatever we do we do it in the name of Jesus.

That sense of our responsibility as people who dwell within the life of God is reinforced in Matthew's Gospel today. In a saying that ramps up responsibility beyond behavior into intent, we hear, "'You have heard that it was said, "You shall not commit adultery." But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.'" That's a verse that has planted fear in every boy raised in the Bible Belt. The proximity to the series of admonitions to cut off and throw away body parts which cause sin adds to its intensity. This frightening section concludes: "Let your word be 'Yes, Yes' or "No, no'; anything more than this comes from the evil one." I remember becoming so scrupulous as a child having read these passages, that I tried to limit my responses just so. I found myself quickly trapped into the necessity of more elaborate speech when my teacher called on me in class.

There are unhealthy ways to respond to these teachings, obviously, but a serious attention to one's intent and action is important. Thoughts matter. If we allow our minds and imaginations to fly undisciplined, we are creating the background for self-deceit. The greatest self-deception is the supposition that our acts are hidden.

There is something supportive in living in constant recollection of the presence of Christ. It can be helpful to recognize others as being with us in spirit. We can be helped and encouraged by the "angels and archangels and all the company of heaven." Sometimes the spirit of a mentor or parent can give us new strength and courage to act in a way that they have led us. Sometimes their spiritual presence can lead us away from that which would be damaging. We are not alone. We live in community. Everything we do affects, for good or ill, all others. Let us see how that realization can inspire our action 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, September 24, 2007

The Humble and Proud

Monday, September 24, 2007 -- Week of Proper 20

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 984)
Psalms 80 (morning) 77, [79] (evening)
2 Kings 5:1-19
1 Corinthians 4:8-21
Matthew 5:21-26

We have some delightful images of the reversal of standing in the first and second readings today. The story of Naaman and Elisha is a wonderful folk tale. It is a fine example of a story that a subject people might tell to reassert their dignity and respect. (Historical note: the story presumes a time when Aram/Syria was predominate over Israel. That was the case during the reign of Jehu, but not during the Omri dynasty when Elisha lived. It may be an earlier story that was attached to Elisha's collection.)

The reversals of status are entertaining. Naaman is a powerful warrior, but he is unclean and leperous. His little slave girl from Israel instructs him about his healing. He goes to the king of Israel with great money offerings for his healing, and the king despairs because he has no power to heal. The great procession arrives at Elisha's modest abode, and Elisha doesn't even go to meet him, but sends him word by a messenger. Elisha's word of instruction is laughingly modest -- go wash in the Jordan seven times. The big man is furious -- my rivers make the Jordan look like a brook! But his servants talk him into modest obedience. He's healed, and promises to worship the Lord of Israel. But he asks forgiveness when he must perform his duty at home. That duty is to help his feeble king walk into the house of their idol. He calls the idol "Rimmon, meaning "pomegranate" mocking the title Ramman, an ascription of the Syrian god Hadad. He takes dirt from Israel back to his home so he can worship YHWH there while standing on the soil of Israel. This is the kind of folk tale that would have delighted its listeners. Talking bad about the big people.

Paul scolds the Corinthians for their pride. He contrasts their wealth and power with his own poverty and low standing. "We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day." From his servant-position of humility, Paul reasserts his authority over the Corinthians as their "father through the gospel." He promises to return and address their arrogance, unless they reform their ways. He finishes strong: "Am I to come to you with a stick, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?"

It is a constant theme in scripture that honor and power are God's alone. We cooperate with God most effectively when we act as servants who humbly mediate God's works of power. In fact, humility is a required characteristic if we are to be open to God's power that can do wonderful things. Elisha and Paul are examples of humble servants who are able to mediate God's presence and power. Naaman and the arrogant Corinthians offer prideful contrasts.

Paul embraces his low state eloquently. "For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, as though sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to mortals. We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day."

As a comfortable, wealthy people in a nation that is proud and powerful, it is a challenge to receive these admonitions. Are we able to see and acknowledge God's presence and work among the humble and poor? Are we able to let go of our own privilege for the sake of the humble path where God is present?

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, September 21, 2007

Of Tax-Collectors and Scribes

Friday, September 21, 2007 -- -- Week of Proper 19
(St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist)

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")


Today's Readings for the Daily Office

EITHER the readings for Friday of Proper 19 (p. 984)
Psalms 69:1-23 (24-30) 31-38 (morning) 73 (evening)
2 Kings 1:2-17
1 Corinthians 3:16-23
Matthew 5:11-16

OR the readings for St. Matthew (p. 999)
Morning Prayer: Psalm 119:41-64 / Isaiah 8:11-20 / Romans 10:1-15
Evening Prayer: Psalms 19, 122 / Job 28:12-28 / Matthew 13:44-52

I read the readings for St. Matthew


There is something about the name "Matthew" that offers an image of the "Big Tent" of the fellowship of Jesus. Our feast day is titled "St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist." An alternative might be "St. Matthew, Tax-collector and Jewish Scribe."

Matthew, Apostle and Tax Collector
Matthew is the name of one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. In the Gospel of his name it is said that he was sitting in the custom-house in his occupation as a tax collector when Jesus called him. Matthew followed Jesus. The account is followed by a dinner in a house (possibly Matthew's) where sinners and tax-collectors share the table and fellowship with Jesus. Many observant Jews are offended and scandalized by Jesus' behavior.

Tax-collectors were despised by the people of Israel because they were collaborators with the hated Roman occupation. The taxes they collected were oppressive and excessive. The tax-collectors made their own money by charging significantly more than they turned over to the authorities, a custom referred to as "honest graft" (a socially accepted form of extortion). Because of their association with unclean persons and unclean coinage in an unclean profession, it was impossible for a tax-collector to observe the Jewish law, and so tax-collectors like shepherds and many others fell collectively into the class called "sinners." Sinners were those who couldn't or didn't try to follow the law.

A large part of Jesus' notoriety as an unorthodox rabbi was his practice of hospitality toward tax-collectors and sinners. Their presence at his table was a distinctive characteristic of his ministry. To include a tax-collector among the inner circle of his twelve disciples was amazing, scandalous, and counter-cultural. (Maybe a little like having a openly partnered homosexual as a Bishop might appear to someone from an African culture?)

That Matthew was part of the twelve is even more amazing when we note that also among them was Simon the Zealot (not to be confused with Simon Peter). Today we might call a Zealot a terrorist. Zealots were fanatic nationalists who sought to expel the Romans by violent guerrilla tactics -- ambushes, assassinations, and such. Tax-collectors as Roman collaborators were frequent targets of Zealot attack. What an amazing symbol of reconciliation to imagine Simon the Zealot and Matthew the tax-collector at the same table in the service of the same Lord.

Matthew, Evangelist and Jewish Scribe
Scholars doubt that the writer of the Gospel of Matthew is to be identified with the Matthew of the 12 apostles, although some have theorized the possibility that a collection of sayings from the earlier Matthew may have been passed down as part of the Gospel.

The book of Matthew is the most Jewish of all of our Gospels. It was written by a Jew for a Jewish audience. The author's perspective is strongly formed by the belief that Jesus is the long-expected Messiah who will reform and renew Judaism. In tomorrow's assignment for Morning Prayer, we will read a passage from Matthew that says that Jesus came not to abolish but to fulfill and to intensify the Jewish Torah, a passage unique to Matthew. For Matthew, Jesus is like Moses. Jesus is the perfect Rabbi. The 10 Beatitudes replace the 10 Commandments; his Gospel is five books, like the five books of the Torah. And it is decidedly Jewish in its content. This afternoon's reading from the Gospel sounds much like the author's self-description: "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." In this exquisite work, new and old coexist within the framework of a reformed Judaism, Jesus' teaching and the Torah complement each other in the work of a great Jewish scribe.

That the name of a tax-collector and a pious Jewish scribe are forever linked within a fellowship that includes a Zealot is a worthy symbol of the breadth and inclusiveness of the reconciliation that Jesus creates. Those who followed Jesus were no band of homogeneous think-alikes. May the Church be forever be faithful to the expansive vision of the "Big Tent" of fellowship. Matthew is a fine icon of that vision.

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, September 19, 2007

Finding Wisdom

Wednesday, September 19, 2007 -- Week of Proper 19
(Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, 690)

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 984)
Psalms 72 (morning) 119:73-96 (evening)
1 Kings 22:1-28
1 Corinthians 2:1-13
Matthew 4:18-25

We read of the prophecy of Micaiah today. In some ways it reads like a contemporary account.

The king of Judah (Jehoshaphat) comes to Samaria to visit the king of Israel (Ahab) to invite him to go to war together to reclaim the important city of Ramoth-gilead on the east side of the Jordan. The city was under the control of the nation of Aram. Ahab summons the court prophets to inquire of God whether they should initiate the war. The 400 prophets give a quick and unanimous report: "Go up; for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king." But the visiting King Jehoshaphat is suspicious of their unanimity. "Isn't there a prophet with another opinion?" There is. But Ahab hates him, "for he never prophesies anything favorable about me, but only disaster." Jehoshaphat insists they bring the other prophet, Micaiah.

In a dramatic scene, Micaiah mocks the court prophets who give the king only the intelligence he wants. Then he tells the truth. If the king goes to war, there will be disaster. The king will be killed and the army scattered. There follows a brief scuffle between Micaiah and the leader of the court prophets.

It's like 2002 all over again. The Bush-Cheney administration has determined to go to war. They listen to and promote only the intelligence that agrees with their decision. They ridicule and suppress the intelligence and the military advice that disagrees with them. Disaster ensues.

Paul also speaks of conflicting modes of wisdom. He recalls his initial visit to the people in Corinth. "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling." Yesterday Paul contrasted the way of the world: demanding signs and wisdom; and the way of God: revealed within human weakness and foolishness. "God's wisdom, secret and hidden," he says, was misunderstood by "the rulers of this age." They expected God to act in conventional demonstrations of power. They were out of touch with what God was actually up to. God acted in a life that was poured out in vulnerable love -- feeding and healing -- poured out in compassion, especially toward the poor and broken.

If you want the wisdom and presence of God, says Paul, that's the place to look. In the place of suffering, weakness and compassion. That's rarely the place where kings and presidents look for their wisdom though.

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, September 18, 2007

Foolishness and Weakness

Tuesday, September 18, 2007 -- -- Week of Proper 19
(Edward Bouverie Pusey, priest, 1882)

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 984)
Psalms 61, 62 (morning) 68:1-20 (21-23) 24-36 (evening)
1 Kings 21:17-29
1 Corinthians 1:20-31
Matthew 4:12-17

In our reading from 1 Corinthians today, Paul embraces the awkwardness of the cross. The message is one that is easy to ridicule. Our God is one who is executed as a criminal hanging on a shameful cross. Paul says this is the foolishness of God which is simultaneously God's wisdom. Paul recounts the difficulty that he and others encountered defending the cross. "Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom."

To convince Jews that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah was an uphill struggle. Jews would look for signs to confirm a Messianic claim. The signs would need to be fulfillment of the Messianic hopes that are treasured in the Hebrew scriptures. Jews could point to the scripture cursing anyone who is hung on a tree (Dt. 21:23). How could the Messiah die a death that is cursed? They could point to the many prophecies that anticipated the coming of a powerful Messiah who would restore Israel to autonomy and political power. They could point to scriptures that the Messiah would preside over a reign of universal peace, where Jerusalem will be raised as the first of all cities. None of those signs happened, they would say. A crucified Messiah? Ridiculous.

To debate with those schooled in Greek philosophy and rhetoric would also be daunting. A Socratic school of skeptics would ask devastating questions not easily countered. An Aristotelian would be hard pressed to find a deductive path from the cross to anything except foolishness. A Platonic thinker would be offended by the shameful human death of Jesus; that is no ideal, but rather the problem we are trying to escape. Classical Greek thinking would find little that was uplifting or honorable in the story of the cross.

Paul embraces the dilemma. He locates the strength and wisdom of the cross at the intersection of human foolishness and weakness. He turns to his Corinthian listeners. They know what it is to be weak, to be accounted among the illiterate. "Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful..." Paul tells them "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world..." This is "bottom-up" religion, not "top-down" religion.

In time, the Church developed apologia for those who demand signs and wisdom. The Church found non-traditional passages in the Hebrew scripture that could apply to the ministry of Jesus. (Many scholars ask how many of the stores about Jesus might have been created by the early Church as fulfillment of prophecies. Are there passages in the Gospel that are "prophecy historicized" rather than "history remembered"?) The Church also found ways to theologize in Greek traditional categories.

But there is something intuitive and powerful about the simple notion that God is at the bottom of things human. Where we find the power of God and the work of resurrection is in the lowest place -- among the poor, the cursed, the despised, the condemned, the foolish, the ignorant, the dying. That's been a hard sell to the worldly wise, comfortable and powerful. But that's not who Jesus came to primarily. God's priorities are directed toward the bottom rather than the top. "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God."

How might our evangelism, politics and economics be changed if we fully embraced what Paul is telling us about the cross?

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, September 17, 2007

Security, Power and Control

Monday, September 17, 2007 -- Week of Proper 19
(Hildegard, Abbess of Bingen and Mystic, 1179)

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 982)
Psalms 56, 57, [58] (morning) 64, 65 (evening)
1 Kings 21:1-16
1 Corinthians 1:1-19
Matthew 4:1-12

From the time I first read Thomas Keating's seminal book about centering prayer -- Open Heart, Open Mind -- I have been helped by his description of the human condition. An important part of his description of our struggle centers around the spiritual work that each of us is called to in the dismantling of the false self. His description of the false self is particularly helpful, and it is based on the story we read today about the three temptations of Jesus in the wilderness.

Keating teaches that we all experience exaggerated needs for security, esteem and control. Instead of trusting God for these essentials, we act out of our own compulsion to achieve them for ourselves. From early childhood, we discover ways to fulfill our exaggerated needs for security, esteem and control.

Jesus faced the same needs, and rather than giving in to the temptation to secure them on his own, he trusted God. God gives us perfect security, perfect esteem/love, and God is in control, God's power is sufficient.

Famished after fasting forty days in the wilderness, Jesus is tempted to use his own means to "command these stones to become loaves of bread." His answer is to trust God: "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." The temptation to security.

From the pinnacle of the temple, Jesus is tempted to a spectacular display, guaranteed to make him famous and to cement his identity, which the devil challenges -- "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down." And, the devil quotes scripture to boot. Jesus foregoes the path of winning fame with the public stunt, and does not put God's love to the test. The temptation of esteem.

Finally, the devil offers Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor... All these I will give you." The temptation to power and control.

Keating is sure that the faults and failings in our life are almost always connected with our exaggerated needs for security, esteem and control and the energy centers we build up to assure that we meet those needs out of our own resources rather than out of trust for God. We have been doing that since childhood. So much of our personality and behavior has been hijacked by our strategies for security, esteem and control that we have created a false self which dominates our attitudes and actions.

Dismantling the false self is a major part of our work in the spiritual life. Letting go of our programs for achieving our own happiness through our own means is a major part of our lifetime work.

The truth is that we don't have to earn or achieve our own security, esteem and control. They are all free gifts from God. We are ultimately and always safe and secure within God. God loves us perfectly and cherishes us as God's own children. God is in control; God's power is ultimate.

Much of the spiritual work for our lives is represented in the story of the temptations of Jesus -- letting go of our exaggerated needs to grasp what we believe we need for happiness, and trusting God for our security, esteem and control. Keating is sure that everything that gets us in trouble, separates us from God and from our true selves, and everything that makes us miserable is connected to these false energy centers we build around our projects to meet our own needs.

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, September 14, 2007

The Good Life

Friday, September 14 -- -- Week of Proper 18
(Holy Cross Day)

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 982)
Psalms 40, 54 (morning) 51 (evening)
1 Kings 18:20-40
Philippians 3:1-16
Matthew 3:1-12

"Bear fruit worthy of repentence," cries John the Baptist. "I press on toward the goal for the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus," says Paul.

This passage from Philippians is especially instructive in Paul's theology. Paul contrasts circumcision with grace. Circumcision is the sign of one's relationship with God based on performance, by following the law. Paul has been freed from that burden. Liberated by grace. He has been loved infinitely and accepted by the grace of God given through Christ Jesus. All he need do is accept the fact that he has been accepted. It's that easy. It's that free. He has accepted his relationship with God as a gift, the gift of justification. He is justified before God.

Now, what to do? Out of gratitude, live a joyful life of service. In thanksgiving, imitate Christ in his life and in his sufferings. The goal is the resurrection and the "prize of the heavenly call." Earlier he has said to the Philippians, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

Paul's notion is not unlike the baptism of John, or the sacrament of Baptism in the Church. John invites those who wish to follow a new way to receive their identity anew, being baptised -- washed with a fresh start; drowned with a fresh identity. Then, he says, go bear fruit worthy of repentence. Live in the reflection of the gift you have been given. Or, as we say in the Christian tradition, live out your baptism. In your baptism you were grafted into the Body of Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit and made a citizen ofthe Kingdom of God.

Now, what to do? Out of gratitude, live a life of joyful service.

Our baptismal covenant has a pretty good description of that kind of life:
"...continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers...
persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord...
proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ...
seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself...
strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being."
(Book of Common Prayer, from the Baptismal Covenant, p. 305f)

That's a pretty good, concise description of Christian life. It is a way of living with grateful joy, responsive to the gifts of grace.

"Bear fruits worthy of repentence." "Press on toward the goal for the heavenly call of God in Christ 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.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Refugees in Egypt

Thursday, September 13, 2007 -- Week of Proper 18
(Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr of Carthage, 258)

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 982)
Psalms 50 (morning) [59, 60] or 93, 96 (evening)
1 Kings 18:1-19
Philippians 2:12-30
Matthew 2:13-23

Whenever I hear reports of refugees, I think of the story that Matthew gives us about the flight of Joseph and Mary and the child Jesus. Because of the violence and threat of Herod, they leave their home and make their way to Egypt. There they find safety and refuge until they can return. After Herod's death, they go back to Israel, but not to Joseph's family's region of Judea. Fearing Herod's son Archelaus, the family moves into the northern reaches of Galilee, an area with a more diverse population because of its proximity to major highways and to Gentile population centers.

The plight of refugees is so vulnerable. To leave one's home and relocate to a foreign land is a desperate thing. Violence, famine and grinding poverty have caused dislocations of families like Joseph and Mary throughout human history. I read the other day that over two million souls have become refugees because of the violence in Iraq.

Mary, Joseph and Jesus survived in Egypt. We don't have any canonical accounts of their tenure there, but we can infer a few things. It is likely that they were not hounded by the Egyptian authorities and treated as criminals. It is very possible that they were able to find some community and support among other Hebrews living there, maybe some whose families did not participate in the Exodus. I'll bet Mary and Joseph weren't required to learn Egyptian as the official language of that nation. We don't know how much welcome and how much discrimination and shunning they received as refugees or as illegal aliens.

But what we are invited into with this story is an attitude of compassion. For Christians, every refugee is Christ. Every alien family is the Holy Family. That attitude of compassion, hospitality and justice is our inheritance, not only from the compelling story of Jesus' sojourn into Egypt, but also because of the repeated commandment of God in the Hebrew Scripture: "The alien among you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt." (Leviticus 19:34)

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, September 12, 2007

Faiths & Science

Wednesday, September 27, 2007 -- Week of Proper 18
(John Henry Hobart, Bishop of New York, 1830)

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")



Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 982)
Psalms 119:49-72 (morning) 49, [53] (evening)
1 Kings 17:1-24
Philippians 2:1-11
Matthew 2:1-12

It seems so odd that some expressions of Christianity are as hostile as they are toward other religions and toward science. Today we have stories that offer another spirit.

We begin our sequential reading of Matthew today starting in the second chapter. Wise men from the east come to the manger of the infant Jesus. There, they are welcome.

Who are these wise men? They are people who practice another faith. They are not Jewish. They are first century scientists. They observe the movements of the planets and stars. Their knowledge is welcome.

How small is your God? How small is your Jesus? At our best, we proclaim a God in Christ who is perfect truth, the fullness of all that is is in God. So, wherever truth is discovered, it is a manifestation of the truth of God, and wherever faith becomes real it is the manifestation of the Word of God whom we speak of as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. When scientists discover new truth by observation or experimentation, whatever they discover is consistent with the God of truth, because God is truth. There is no inconsistency between the truth of evolutionary theory and the Biblical truth that God created the heavens and the earth. Whenever someone following a different faith tradition connects with the depths of spiritual reality and lives with faith, love and compassion, that person experiences the Word of God manifest.

Following science and the practice of their own faith, these wise men come to the manger. They find welcome. They are not opposed as followers of another religion. Their gifts are not refused because they are the fruits of a scientific process. Their faith and their knowledge are welcome at the manger, because all faith and all knowledge are grounded essentially in God.

In our first reading, Elijah finds refuge in the home of a foreign woman, the widow of Zarephath, a town in Sidon. Presumably she follows the faith of her people, worshipping Baal or one of the fertility cults that was common among the non-Jewish neighbors of Israel. She and Elijah live in peace and mutual accord during the drought. She welcomes him, a foreign prophet. He raises her son from the dead. She doesn't become Jewish. The son isn't circumcised. But goodness, truth and life comes from their relationship as they treat one another with deference and honor.

Which bring us to the reading from Paul's letter to the Philippians. "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others." In an "honor culture" where people see themselves as competing against one another to gain honor as a limited commodity, this is startling language. Paul suggests that it is in emptying ourselves that Jesus is exalted. The path of humility and servanthood is the path that reveals Jesus. There is nothing coercive or prideful about this way. But this is the way that will ultimately reveal the glory of Christ, who because of his self-emptying, "God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

So the path Paul offers for glorifying Christ is to "regard others as better than yourselves," looking to their interests rather than your own. That is a context of peace, love and respect within which we can be in relationship with those of other faiths and other knowledge. We can trust that all faith and all knowledge leads to God. We don't have to challenge or compete for God to be true. We need only be humble, faithful and charitable. Like the holy family at the manger and Elijah in Zarephath. No need for arrogant attacks at science or threats of hell to Buddhists. That is very un-Christlike.

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, September 11, 2007

Interpreting History

Tuesday, September 11, 2007 -- Week of Proper 18

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 982)
Psalms 45 (morning) 47, 48 (evening)
1 Kings 16:23-34
Philippians 1:12-30
Mark 16:1-8(9-20)

Some monumental moments in scripture happen on this historic anniversary in our land.

Our narrative in 1 Kings jumps past the pitiful succession of royal intrigue and failures following the division of the kingdom. It jumps to Omri, arguably the most powerful and successful monarch in Israel's history. Like David, Omri founded a city, Samaria. Unlike David his dynasty lasted through five kings, including the long reign of Ahab. A historian might mark the reign of the "house of Omri" as the most successful period of Israel's political history. The theologian(s) writing Israel's history in the biblical books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings are merely dismissive of Omri and simply scornful of Ahab and his successors. In their interpretation, the most significant ruler in Israel's history gets eight non-descript verses.

We finish Mark's gospel with his narrative of the resurrection. The women come to the tomb. It is empty. Inside a young man tells them not to be alarmed. "He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you." The women flee in "terror and amazement." They say nothing, for they are afaid. End of Gospel.

[Some later faithful souls weren't pleased with Mark's ending and added some material they thought would be more appropriate and uplifting. So we now have the optional "shorter" and "longer" endings of Mark.]

How do you interpret significant, historic events? The Deuteronomist recast history within his theology -- that blessing comes when Israel follows God's commandments and keeps its worship pure, with Jerusalem as the only shrine, temple or holy place. Mark emphasizes the suffering of Jesus and the failure of the disciples to understand his ministry. His book probably helped comfort his Christian community under pressure or persecution.

Each of us holds an interpretation of September 11 in our hearts as Americans. There is too much in my heart to try to put it down in a Morning Reflection. But I'll borrow a poem written by J. Chester Johnson. Chester did much of the work for our Psalter of the 1978 Book of Common Prayer. (He's coming to my Sunday School class on September 30.) This poem "St. Paul's Chapel" is the title poem of his most recently published collection.

St. Paul's Chapel.

It stood. Not a window broken. Not a stone dislodged.
It stood when nothing else did.
It stood when terrorists brought September down.
It stood among the myths. It stood among ruins.

To stand was its purpose, long lines prove that.
It stands, and around it now, a shrine of letters,
poems, acrostics, litter of the heart.
It is the standing people want:
To grieve, serve and tend
celebrate the lasting stone of St. Paul's Chapel.

And deep into its thick breath, the largest banner
fittingly from Oklahoma climbs heavenward
with hands as stars, hands as stripes, hands as a flag:
and a rescuer reaches for a stuffed toy
to collect a touch;
and George Washington's pew doesn't go unused.

Charity fills a hole or two.

It stood in place of other sorts.
It stood when nothing else could.
The great had fallen, as the brute hardware came down.
It stood.
________

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, September 10, 2007

Become Who You Are

Monday, September 10, 2007 -- Week of Proper 18
(Alexander Crummell; Priest, Missionary & Educator, 1898)

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 982)
Psalms 41, 52 (morning) 44 (evening)
1 Kings 13:1-10
Philippians 1:1-11
Mark 15:40-47

Today we begin one of my favorite of Paul's letters, Philippians. He speaks with warmth to the people of his first congregation on the European continent. In Acts we have the story of Paul's meeting with Lydia, a wealthy business woman who became his first convert. The house-church of Phillipi began in her home.

Note the phrase: "I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ."

There is a paradox present in Paul's letter to the Phillipians that is a characteristic part of the church's teaching today. We like to say "live into your baptism." In baptism we celebrate the sacrament that we are God's beloved children, grafted into the Body of Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. It is the sacrament of identity and initiation. The rest of our life is the living out of the gift and truth of our baptism. You are holy, one with Christ, united to the all, divinely in-breathed. Now, live and grow, become what you are.

In this introductory section, Paul offers a prayer for our growth: "that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God."

In the church's teaching, we speak of this process of growing into our inheritance as our calling to sanctification. We are called to holiness. The practice of prayer and study, reflection and repentance, renewal and living in the loving service of God and humanity is the "good work" that leads to sanctification. Elsewhere Paul speaks of our true self. Our true self is "hid with God." At the center of our being we are eternally one with God. Fruitful living is to live from that centeredness; live as we truly are at the core of our being, live as one with Christ.

Toward the end of Graham Greene's novel "The Power and the Glory" the Whisky Priest sits in his prison cell, the gallows that will hang him on the morrow outside his widow. His has been an ambiguous life. He stayed to provide the sacrament to the people after the army arrived. He had fathered an illegitimate child and drowned much of his fear in liquor. Approaching his end, "He felt only an immense disappointment because he had to go to God empty-handed, with nothing done at all. It seemed to him at that moment that it would have been quite easy to have been a saint. It would only have needed a little self-restraint and a little courage. He felt like someone who has missed happiness by seconds at an appointed place. He knew now that there was only one thing that counted -- to be a saint."

Paul speaks to us from his prison. "I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you. ...It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in Gods grace with me... I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus 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.

Friday, September 07, 2007

Power and Love

Friday, September 7, 2007 -- Week of Proper 17

"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

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 www.stpaulsfay.org and click "Morning Reflection podcast")


Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 982)
Psalms 31 (morning) 35 (evening)
1 Kings 11:26-43
James 4:13 - 5:6
Mark 15:22-32

Today we read Mark's version of the crucifixion. On a hill that looks like a skull, Jesus is stripped and hung, brutally nailed to a cross. He has nothing, except the life that is pouring out of him. A sign announcing the cause of his execution: "The King of the Jews." This is a political killing. Rome will broke no competitors. Do not challenge the political will of the empire. It is a warning to others. Those gathered also know that this is a religious killing. He challenged the Temple, its prerogatives and monopoly. The religious authorities show what happens to self-proclaimed Messiahs. Next to him are criminals, presumably Jewish Zealots who have tried to attack the empire with force and violence. Even they also taunt him. What good is someone who will not use force to gain their way, who will not fight.

Power and dominion. Institutions of state and religion, and even those who fight against them. The people who know how to use power and use it. It's the only way they know how to solve problems. Jesus was a problem to them. So they killed him. It looked legal. They followed the appearances of the law. There was a trial. Evidence. Judgment. And now, capital punishment. That's what we do with people that we are sure are guilty and do not deserve to live.

It's a rotten system. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Money talks. The wealthy and the powerful are in cahoots, even when it doesn't make sense. The Jewish religious leaders are in bed with the Roman political leaders. Even if it doesn't make sense. The religious leaders are willing to dance to the Emperor's tune as long as they get some bones thrown their way.

Jesus has no arms, no money, no force. Only love. At the end he continues what he began. He pours out his life in the presence of darkness and brokenness. On this day, his efforts seem to be a complete failure.

From the future we hear the voice of James. He's speaking to the same powers and principalities that are nailing Jesus to the cross. He cries out against the rich, against those who are "doing business and making money." Against those who take advantage of low wages, who cheat the vulnerable and poor, and who live in luxury upon the work of others. They have their day now, says James. "You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you." The powerful oppress those who do not have power to resist them.

But we know the resistance of God. It is the resistance of love. Non-violent, non-coercive. Willing to suffer rather than to cooperate with injustice or even overcome it with force. Jesus spoke of it like a small seed that is buried in the ground. It will slowly take root, cooperate with God's creation, and bear abundant fruit. It will give up its life in order to create life. Jesus is living his teaching today on the cross.

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.

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.