Peter & Paul

Monday, June 30, 2008 -- Week of Proper 8
Sts. Peter & Paul, Apostles (tr. from June 29)

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer)
EITHER Monday of Proper 8 (p. 973)
Psalms 118 (morning) 145 (evening) (p. 973)
Numbers 22:1-21
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 21:12-22

OR SS. Peter & Paul (p. 998)
Morning: Psalm 66, Ezekiel 2:1-7, Acts 11:1-18
Evening: 97, 138; Isaiah 49:1-6; Galatians 2:1-9

I read the lections for SS. Peter & Paul

Theirs was a turbulent friendship. Peter and Paul seem to be at odds with one another at some moments of early mission of the church. Paul says he called Peter a hypocrite to his face when Peter failed, in Paul's eyes, to live up to the logical conclusion of his own revelation.

Peter had opened the door for the ministry among the Gentiles. His vision of a sheet descending from heaven with unclean animals upon it, and a voice telling him to "kill and eat," became the revelation that opened his eyes to the presence of the Holy Spirit in the household of the uncircumcised Roman Centurion Cornelius. Peter realized the vision wasn't about food, but about people. "You shall not call unclean what God has made clean." So Peter baptized the first Gentiles. (Acts 10) Peter got called to task about it, and had to defend his actions before a council of the early church. (Acts 11) He told of what he had seen: "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?" The opponents were silenced.

If Peter opened the door for ministry among the Gentiles, Paul kicked it down. Paul traveled the Roman world preaching primarily to Gentile Christians who had been drawn to Jewish faith, presumably because of its high ethic and single God. Though Paul met with regular resistance from the predominately Jewish-Christian church, he fiercely defended his gospel that circumcision is nothing, but grace through faith is everything.

The reading from Galatians is Paul's description of his dramatic meeting with the church's Jerusalem leaders. It must have been a hot session. The presence of Titus among them is a test case. Titus is Paul's associate, and he is not circumcised. Must he be circumcised in order to share ministry with them? Among those present were some Paul calls "false believers" who gave unflattering reports of Paul's ministry. But the meeting concludes well for Paul. He is given the right hand of fellowship and sent to be the apostle to the Gentiles. He differentiates his mission from Peter's, who he says "had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised." One senses some potential for conflict there.

The fight seemed to continue in Antioch. When Peter visited there, Paul chastised Peter. It seems that Peter had backed away from his earlier insight. He had been dining with Gentiles, but following a visit from James, presumably the brother of our Lord who acted as the leader of the Jerusalem church, Peter "drew back and kept himself separate for fear of the circumcision faction." Paul challenged Peter for caving in to the traditionalists and not standing up for the truth he knew.

It seems interesting that the contemporary church finds itself in a similar conflict. Rather than circumcision, the issue is sexual orientation. Must gay people become straight or celebate in order to be fully included? The church is conflicted and divided. Pressure from the Anglican Communion toward the Episcopal Church feels a lot like what James' visit to Antioch must have felt like to Paul's congregation. Peter returned to kosher. Paul held the line for full inclusion. They found themselves on opposite sides of the defining conflict of that generation of Christians.

They both stood up to challenge and great conflict. Tradition links them together in this feast day in honor of the tradition that they both died in Rome as martyrs during the persecution of Nero in 64. Legend says that Peter was crucified as was Jesus, although upside down. According to the story, Peter asked to be hanged upside down because he was not worthy to die as the Lord had. His was the death of a rebel or a criminal. Paul received the courtesy of execution as a Roman citizen, and was beheaded by the sword, according to the tradition.

They are forever linked by this shared feast day. Icons often show them in an embrace or cheek-to-cheek. Theirs is a comforting image of reconciliation between Christians who find themselves on opposite sides of an important conflict. That is an image the church needs to embrace in our own generation.

Lowell

_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
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


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

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

The Consequences for Children

Tuesday, June 24, 2008 -- Week of Proper 7
The Nativity of John the Baptist

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 973)
Psalms 97, 99, [100] (morning) 94, 95 (evening)
Numbers 16:20-35
Romans 4:1-12
Matthew 19:23-30

I remember how bothered I was as a child when I first read the story of about the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. I was at my grandmother's house, reading from a children's Bible. The book had been my father's when he was a child. It told the biblical stories in a straightforward way, using vocabulary that was accessible for a younger reader. There were illustrations, mostly black and white, that were pretty literal and meant to be as historically accurate as possible. Some of the pictures were pretty scary.

The story of this rebellion in the wilderness was pretty clear. These three were challenging Moses, but more than that, by challenging Moses, they were disobeying God's intention, since Moses was God's chosen. The haunting part about it for me was the image of Korah, Dathan and Abiram standing at the entrance of their tents along with "their wives, their children, and their little ones." Moses prays for God to judge between them, and the earth opens up and swallows them all alive. Children and all.

I don't remember if there was an accompanying illustration, but I have in my mind a terrible image of their shocked and fearful faces (in black and white) as the earth disappears under their feet and they begin to fall to their living deaths. I wondered why God, who could do all things, couldn't have thought of another way -- maybe lightning -- to punish just the ones who had done the wrong, not the wives and children.

Yet children are always dragged along into the damnable consequences of their parent's activities and choices. When "insurgents" meet in a home in Iraq and our intelligence learns of the meeting, the laser guided smart bombs destroy everyone in the house, wives and children included. When the Sudanese military bombs a village in Darfur and the Janjaweed militia follow through with raids on horse or camelback, women are raped and children are killed or enslaved. When a Mexican family seeking something better finds a way into this country, their children may grow up from early childhood as Americans, yet find themselves "illegal" when they turn 18 and can't accept the college scholarship they have qualified for. When a parent drinks into addiction and creates a household of chaos and fear, the children are damaged in a profound way that usually persists into adulthood. Books and recovery groups for "Adult Children of Alcoholics" seek to help them heal the persistent injuries of their vulnerable childhood.

It is in the nature of things that the consequences of adult rebellion and pride often fall most fiercely upon their children. It is also the nature of things that children face many of the punishing consequences of our systemic injustices. A profound proportion of those who live in poverty are children.

It is the responsibility of the adults to protect the children. We must think of the consequences to them when we make choices, especially those motivated by false pride. What we might be willing to risk for ourselves, are we willing to inflict on our children?

It is also important for us to give voice to the interests of children in our political debate. They cannot vote. They have no power. If the needs and interests of children are to be represented, it must be the adults that do so. Thank God for groups like the Children's Defense Fund and the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.

I wonder again about that story of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. What if, just before the earth opened, as they stood before their tents, a group of Hebrew women ran to them, gathered the wives and children and scurried them away from the danger? Would God have been angry? Would Moses have stopped them? I don't know. But it seems to me it would have been worth the try. Every time Abraham or Moses challenged God by interceding about a justice issue, God modified the anticipated damage. (i.e. Abraham in Sodom and Moses in the next section of this reading)

It is our responsibility to try -- to intercede for justice on behalf of the innocent and vulnerable who are in harm's way because of the choices of the powerful. Every day there are children who are being swallowed alive.

Lowell

_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
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

Atonement

Monday, June 23, 2008 -- Week of Proper 7

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 973)
Psalms 89:1-18 (morning) 89:19-52 (evening)
Numbers 16:1-19
Romans 3:21-31
Matthew 19:13-22

Romans 3:28 summarizes Paul's teaching about as succinctly as and I can think of: "For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law." Paul found freedom and peace of mind when he relaxed and accepted the fact that God had given to him his justification -- his status being at peace with God -- as a pure gift. A simple gift to be accepted.

God's greatest gift is Christ Jesus, crucified and risen. Jesus' death is sin's greatest consequence; his resurrection reverses sin's effect. All who have sinned, Paul says, "are now justified by [God's] grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith." An early creedal expression of this notion was the statement, "Christ died for us."

As central as these thing are in Christian theology, the Church has never settled on one description of how Christ's death effects our salvation. The word "atonement" (used above by Paul) is the word we use to refer to the effects of Christ's death "for us." Atonement doctrine answers the question "Why?" Jesus died for us and "How?" does his death work for us. A professor in the mid-20th century surveyed the history of all of the ways the church has described atonement, and found more than forty different versions. It seems that every generation has a way of claiming the cross for their time, a way of making fresh again the proclamation of the cross.

Atonement theologies tend to fall into three major types: (1) Christ the Victor; (2) the substitutionary atonement theory; and (3) the moral influence view of atonement. All three are found in Paul's writings.

(1) "Christus Victor" -- the dominant version of atonement in the early church is a teaching in dramatic narrative. Adam and Eve's sin condemned all humanity to death ("the wages of sin is death"). Jesus becomes one with humanity through his incarnation, and does not participate in that original sin. On the cross, though, he becomes sin for us, dying the death of a criminal and blasphemer. Satan claims Jesus on behalf of death, but Satan has been tricked. Jesus is sinless; death and Satan have no claim on him. Jesus the sinless immortal pays the debt that mortal sin owed Satan. Jesus' death is his battle and victory over sin, evil and death. His spiritual battle defeats them all and redeems humanity, rescues us from death. Jesus' death is our liberation -- freedom from the "powers and principalities" and all that oppresses humanity. (Liberation Theology is a modern adaptation.)

(2) The "Satisfaction" or "Substitutionary" theory -- In this version, the debt we owe is not to Satan, but to God. Our sin has broken our relationship with God the Sovereign and insulted God's honor infinitely. God's sovereignty is so great, that there is nothing we sinful mortals can do to atone for our sin. We are condemned to be separated from God forever. What sacrifice is perfect enough to repay God's very Being for the insult our sin has caused? Only the voluntary death of a perfect being would satisfy the debt. Jesus, being both human and divine, is that offering that satisfies the debt owed to God and brings our forgiveness, redemption and salvation. His death substitutes for what we owe.

(3) The Moral Influence view says that Jesus' embrace of the cross demonstrates his (and God's) love for us. Jesus accepts into his being all of our evil, alienation, pain and even death. Jesus experiences everything terrible that humanity can experience, and through it all he returns only love. Jesus' death reveals the very nature of God as infinite love. His resurrection shows that love is more powerful than death and all its manifestations. When we see what love God has for us, what can we do but love in return? Our salvation is our healing through the power of love.

There are versions of all three of these atonement doctrines. Each has its strengths and weakness. Each is present in contemporary Christianity.

My take: The Moral Influence view is compelling, and moves my heart with deep emotion. In the face of great injustice and systemic evil, I call upon Christ the Victor. And when burdened by deep personal guilt, the Satisfaction theory can be very powerful.

Lowell

_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
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


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

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Presumption and Giants

Friday, June 20, 2008 -- Week of Proper 6

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 971)
Psalms 88 (morning) 91, 92 (evening)
Numbers 13:1-3, 21-30
Romans 2:25 - 3:8
Matthew 18:21-35

Presumption and Giants

There are two things that strike me today. They may not be related, but let's see.

First there is Paul's argument about circumcision. Circumcision is the mark of the insiders -- God's people. (Historically, he is speaking to Jews.) Paul warns the insiders not to presume upon God simply because they are Jews and have been ritually circumcised. The inclination of the heart toward God supersedes any ritual or tribal identity. Outsiders who live morally upright lives put to shame the Insiders who do not live up to their promises.

Then Paul revisits an important theme of his. It is pretty obvious, the Jews have failed to live up to the divine law. (Elsewhere Paul will speak of the futility of even trying to live up to the law.) Nevertheless, in God's mysterious mercy, the Jews' failure has opened up a new way of relationship with God for non-Jews. Everyone is in. So, he warns the insiders, do not judge.

These words apply with equal strength to the Church as "insiders." Yes we have a certain advantage, that we have been entrusted with the Gospel of God. But just like the original insiders, we too have failed to live up to our promises. Yet God is faithful. It's really all about God and only secondarily about us. God continues to look upon the heart and to draw the whole world into the divine life. The essence of our relationship with God is God's gift of grace to us. And not just to us, but to all.

We can hear Paul's words chastising the presumption of Christians, especially when we claim that we are the "found" and those outsiders are the "lost." In God's eyes we insiders are also unfaithful, liars, and unjust, yet God's grace abounds, for us and for all. "What if some (insiders) were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true... But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? ...But if through my falsehood God's truthfulness abounds to his glory..."

God's mercy and love is abundant and universal, transcending the failures and limitations of those who identify themselves as God's chosen.

What else can we do in response but live in that same Spirit? We are to love others as God has loved us. (For God already loves them completely.) And we are to show mercy as God shows mercy. Peter speaks for all of us about this daunting charge. "How often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Peter has underestimated. "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times." (or seventy times seven is the alternative translation; i.e. without limit)

Then Matthew emphasizes the point with the story of the slave who is forgiven a great debt only to imprison a fellow slave because of a small debt. Let your love and mercy be as generous as God's, for God has already been infinitely loving and merciful to you.



Now, what about the giants? In the narrative from Numbers, the Hebrew spies go into the land and discover that it is a land blessed by God, fertile and flowing with milk and honey. But there are giants there. "The people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there." (In verse 33 some from the mission will describe the Anakites as Nephilim, a semi-divine, mythological race of giants.)

What do you do about giants? Caleb says boldly, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it." (He met some resistance.)

What do you do about giants? What do you do about forgiving seventy times seven? What do you do about the charge to love your neighbor as yourself, to love as God has loved?

Be bold. And trust God. These giants look bigger than our capabilities. But nothing is impossible with God. Be bold. ...but not presumptuous. Remember that our failure only magnifies God's opportunities for grace.

Lowell

_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
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


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

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Those Others

Thursday, June 19, 2008 -- Week of Proper 6

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 971)
Psalms [83] or 34 (morning) 85, 86 (evening)
Numbers 12:1-16
Romans 2:12-24
Matthew 18:10-20

The story in Numbers 12 is a fascinating tale of racism. Moses' brother and sister, Miriam and Aaron "spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married." Usually the region of Cush refers to Ethiopia (occasionally to Midian). Moses' wife Zipporah was from Midian. Ethiopian Africans are black. The effect of the charge against Moses is not unlike someone calling another's wife a "Nigger" regardless of where she is from, simply because she is dark skinned or foreign.

God's reaction is swift and unambiguous. God reaffirms an intimate relationship with Moses and makes Miriam unclean with leprosy. In a gracious act of inclusion and forgiveness, Moses intercedes on Miriam's behalf, and the community pauses on their journey long enough for her to be restored to them.

How much of our human story is marred by racism and prejudice.

Paul also addresses some racial and cultural boundaries in the portion of his letter to the Romans that we read today. Paul insists that everyone stands naked before God. None of us is privileged by reason of our race, religion, or standing. Everybody has sinned. And many people behave rightly even though they are outside our religious boundaries. God honors their goodness regardless of their religious standing. There is no special privilege accorded to one religion over another. Especially if the behavior of the religious ones is hypocritical to the values they espouse. Paul says, "God shows no partiality."

And Matthew's Gospel tells the story of the lost sheep and announces that it is "the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should not be lost." The little, the lost and the leprous are the ones that God seeks especially. God will not let anyone out of God's net.

But for those of us who are insiders, when we sin against another, the Gospel gives us a process for truth and reconciliation. If that process fails, "let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." But of course, it is the Gentiles and tax collectors that Jesus says go first into the kingdom of heaven anyway.

So much of the Biblical witness turns our privilege and presumption on its ear. God's mercy is abundant and extraordinary. God special outreach is always directed compassionately toward the lost sheep. The only ones who tend to catch God's particular ire are the proud and those who are pretty certain of their own standing and rightness. They get jacked around for awhile. But, Moses and Jesus intercede, and the community will wait on them. As long as they are able to stand up and join the parade with the outcast and sinners; the lost and little and leprous; the black and the gay and the Moslem -- the parade will welcome them no matter how far back in line they may finally decide to join in the fun. Come along Miriam and Aaron. We'll wait on you.

Lowell

_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
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


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

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Children

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 -- Week of Proper 6
Bernard Mizeki, Catechist and Martyr in Rhodesia, 1896

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 971)
Psalms 119:97-120 (morning) 81, 82 (evening)
Numbers 11:24-33 (34-35)
Romans 1:28 - 2:11
Matthew 18:1-9

The stained glass window over our altar at St. Paul's is an image of a kind and welcoming Jesus with children gathered around him in comfort. It is a comforting image. I often see those who are receiving communion look up at that image with deep intention. I imagine many see themselves coming to the altar as children coming to Jesus with supplication and trust, thankfully receiving his life and blessing.

From our 21st century perspective, children are symbols of innocence and loveliness. We center much of our lives around children.

In Jesus' day, the image of children would have provoked some different associations. The primary characteristic of children is that they are people without power, without economic resources, dependent and without their own progeny. Life in Jesus' day was centered around the elderly. Children, as soon as they were able, were expected to contribute to the upkeep and promotion of the family of the elder. The ancient eye looked toward children in a way less romantic than we do. Children were simply powerless, little people.

Knowing this shifts how we may read this passage. "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." We may hear that word as a romantic call to the return of innocence. Jesus' hearers would have heard it as an embrace of powerlessness. "Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me." This would have been a hard and perplexing statement. To become like a child would be to live without power, without economic resources, dependent, and without heirs and descendants, without others who would be responsible to you to look after your interests.

Jesus then goes on to challenge his hearers. They are told to shift their focus and emphasis. They are to take care that their actions never harm or compromise the weak and powerless, the "little ones". Such a challenge throws social conventions upside down. What kind of business would focus entirely on the welfare of the poorest and most vulnerable in the community? What kind of politics would structure its decisions entirely on the interests of the weakest and most needy in the society? Jesus' words challenge familial patriarchy and every other form of privilege and power. It is a radical word.

Woe to you, says Jesus, if you ignore this word and put stumbling blocks before "one of these little ones." To misuse power in such a way that harms the powerless is a woeful crime.

How different might our society be if we followed Jesus' values instead of our own? What if every economic decision was made not out of the profit and market share motive but rather from the perspective of how this will serve the poorest and most vulnerable? What if every political decision were oriented toward the interests of the weakest and most needy? Woe to you, says Jesus, if your decisions are stumbling blocks toward these little ones. Unless you can become powerless like these, "you will never enter the kingdom of heaven," he says. Jesus' words challenge us every time we pray, "thy kingdom come."

Lowell

_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
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


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

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Death

Friday, June 13, 2008 -- Week of Proper 5
Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea, 379

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 971)
Psalms 69:1-23 (24-30) 31-38 (morning) 73 (evening)
Ecclesiastes 11:9 - 12:14
Galatians 5:25 - 6:10
Matthew 16:21-28

We end our readings in Ecclesiastes today as the Teacher reflects upon death. Some have suggested that the poetic images he uses are best read allegorically: "in the day when the guards of the house tremble (arms), and the strong men are bent (legs), and the women who grind cease working because they are few (teeth)..." He imagines the aging process as sight and hearing diminish, and one drags oneself along on crutches like a grasshopper. With detached acceptance, the Teacher faces all of these realities, and closes the book on every human life as "the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it." With existential courage the Teacher closes the scroll of Ecclesiastes with his consistent refrain: "Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher; all is vanity."

He has maintained his perspective. Life is difficult. Chance is beyond our control and injustice happens. God is always present, even though mysterious and unknowable. Nevertheless, enjoy life and its pleasures as much as possible, be wise, and do what good you may, knowing death approaches all inevitably.

A later editor couldn't leave the book at such an ending, and added a more pious, traditional note (verses 9-14). It's hard to face too much reality.

Because I often get to be with people through the shadow and valley of death, I have the opportunity to think about these things. I wonder how I will approach my own death.

I used to think I'd like to go quickly and unaware like my father who died in his sleep. There is something to be said for such a peaceful passage, but he was so young, and there is less chance for preparation and closure for oneself or for family and friends.

I think now that I would like to be aware of my own death. I believe that I would like to have some sense of consciousness during life's last passage, and to be able to offer my life back to God intentionally. I'm nervous about the potential pain and discomfort. I appreciate the gifts of medication that ease our suffering. Jesus' death on the cross has made human pain very holy, and we can unite our suffering with that of Jesus, offering it to God as Jesus did for the healing of the world. Part of the message of the cross is that God uses our tragedy, evil and human pain in some mysterious way to bring healing and new life to the world. Connecting our suffering with Jesus' gives meaning to much that is so difficult.

If I live a long life, I hope I can do so with the realism and modest acceptance of the Teacher. When the guards tremble and the strong men are bent and the grinders cease, I hope I can let go of my attachments to this sweet old world, and turn gently toward the dazzling darkness with quiet hope.

In today's gospel, Jesus reminds us that our life is well seen as following his way of the cross. "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." In some sense, we die into life every day -- letting go of our needs to control, opening our arms and receiving whatever God gives us with gentle, accepting hope.

Lowell

_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
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


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

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

We Don't Know Squat

Thursday, June 12, 2008 -- Week of Proper 5
Enmegahbowh, Priest and Missionary, 1902

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 971)
Psalms [70], 71 (morning) 74 (evening)
Ecclesiastes 11:1-8
Galatians 5:16-24
Matthew 16:13-20

"Just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother's womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything."

A principle theme of Ecclesiastes is that we don't know squat. Life is full of perplexity and mystery. Chance abounds and certainty is elusive. It is enough to accept this reality, do the best you can, and enjoy whatever delight may come your way. Anything more than this is silly, human pride.

I appreciate Ecclesiastes whenever I hear preachers who are full of certainties. Triumphalist Christianity is popular today. If you channel surf and listen to Christian programming, note how much is devoted to themes like living victoriously, being successful, knowing some things with certainty. I can imagine the Teacher -- the author of Ecclesiastes -- clicking the remote and muttering, "Vanity, vanity, and a chasing after wind."

It seems strange as I read the scripture day by day that so much of contemporary Christianity makes Belief primary. So many denominations and preachers equate faith with the content of some collection of beliefs. They seem to say: If you believe "X" with some degree of certainty and commitment -- if you understand and consent with your mind -- then you are in great shape (or saved). If you don't give your mental consent, you are doomed. There are a few places you can find that notion in scripture, but it is not a very prevalent theme. And Eccelsiastes intends to challenge such notions straight-on.

The more prevalent notion in scripture treats faith as a verb, not a noun. Faith is an open attitude of trust, living faithfully within the mystery. That's very different from THE Faith as a body of content that one gives intellectual assent to. Faith is living in a spirit that puts one's hope in God, especially when we don't know anything with certainty, certainly not the mysterious, free God. As Paul said yesterday, "the only thing that counts is faith working through love" (or an alternative translation, "faith made effective through loving acts").

Life in the Spirit is our willing openness to the presence and mystery of God in every time, place, person and thing. We don't know what God is up to. We don't know much of anything. Nevertheless, we trust the mystery of it all, and make that trust effective through loving acts.

Paul offers some general markers of what the fruit of this life in the Spirit looks like: "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things." He offers some contrasts to give warning when we are moving in the wrong direction: "fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these."

There are some Christians who will look at some forms of "love, joy, peace, etc." being manifest from someone who doesn't believe "right," and they will condemn the fruit of the Spirit that is right before their eyes. Too many of us engage in subtle forms of "jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions" and the like while justifying ourselves because we believe we are defending the truth.

Ecclesiastes reminds us over and over, we don't know squat. Life is difficult. Life is mysterious. We're all in this boat together. Be gentle with one another. Enjoy what you can. You don't have to know much of anything to love. Jesus said, "love one another," and "love God, self, and neighbor." Paul said, "the only thing that counts is faith working through love." That's enough. Let it be. Much more than that is vanity. "Whoever observes the wind will not sow; and whoever regards the clouds will not reap." So relax. Let go of control. Most things are beyond our control anyway. "Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie." "Eat, drink, be merry; in the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hands be idle; for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good." What do we know? Not much. Okay. So trust God, and practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty. The only thing that counts is faith working through love.

Lowell

_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
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


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

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Idealism and Realism

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 -- Week of Proper 5
St. Barnabas the Apostle

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 971)
Psalms 72 (morning) 119:73-96 (evening)
Ecclesiastes 9:11-18
Galatians 5:1-15
Matthew 16:1-12

There seems to be a back and forth as we read the lessons sequentially today.

Psalm 72 is a prayer for the ideal ruler. The good leader promotes justice, especially through advocacy on behalf of the poor and needy. The good leader creates peace. Economic prosperity and ecological health abounds. At a time in our nation's history when we have been so poorly led, it is easy to let Psalm 72 be our fervent prayer and hope.

Yet Ecclesiastes reminds us that life is not fair or just. The good person does not always prevail. Chance and disaster can befall individuals and societies regardless of merit. The writer stakes his portion with wisdom rather than might, but he knows that sometimes fools prevail. "Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one bungler destroys much good." Amen!

Paul gets to the point today. Pay no attention to the religious rule-givers. Ignore the moralists who reduce your relationship to God down to a performance sport -- do these things and you are approved; violate these things and you are lost. "The only thing that counts is faith working through love." That's a seminal statement for Paul. The word "working" could also be translated "made effective." "The only thing that counts is faith made effective through love." The meaning: trust God and only God; God has loved you completely so you are accepted; having been so loved, let your response to God be made effective through loving acts toward all others, after all, they too are equally loved by God.

Paul acknowledges that his stance is a controversial one, bound to provoke conflict. We see he stands in the tradition of the conflicts of Jesus and the early church. Jesus warns the disciples of "the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." The Pharisees sought to proscribe all of common life within a secure moral and religious boundary of purity and behavior. The Sadducees were the religion of power and control. Jesus departs from those traditions. The principle metaphor is one of feeding. All are fed. There is abundance. All are welcome; all are blessed. Even the division between Jew and Gentile is transcended -- with five loaves he fed the Jews, with seven loaves he fed the Gentiles. All are welcome; all are blessed.

The picture we have is the back and forth of being grounded in a universal idealism and hope while recognizing the inevitability of conflict and the reality that good does not always prevail. Even though "one bungler destroys much good," nevertheless the "only thing that counts is faith working through love."

Lowell

_____________________________________________

Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
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


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

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas