Dark Angels

Friday, August 22, 2008 -- Week of Proper 15

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 981)
Psalms 140, 142 (morning) 141, 143:1-11(12) (evening)
Job 2:1-13
Acts 9:1-9
John 6:27-40

I was visiting with a friend the other day who talked about the frequent theme of what he called the visitation of dark angels. We talked about movements in life, when something apparently catastrophic or overwhelming happens that becomes the cauldron out of which something wonderful emerges. Death and resurrection; light out of the darkness; brokenness and healing; lost and found.

We are entering into one of our tradition's most expansive considerations of this mystery, the story of Job. Job explores the problem of human suffering and the question of God's justice in the face of great tragedy. As the story opens, horrible catastrophe falls upon Job as a result of a wager in the heavenly court over his integrity. His goodness brings him calamity. We will witness the anemic responses of those who attempt to defend the conventional view of God's justice -- that God rewards the good and punishes the wicked. We will descend into the belly of suffering, anguish and alienation with Job. Eventually, whether it is satisfying to us or not, we will hear Job's witness of a mystical encounter with God that dissolves him into silence. Is it a full or an empty silence? Readers have argued for centuries.

Today we hear Luke's version of Saul dramatic encounter with God. Saul has participated in the stoning of Stephen. He is vigorously prosecuting the followers of Jesus. He is defending his traditional faith. He is cleansing and purifying his people. But something has cracked inside him. Maybe it was the purity and faith of Stephen as he spoke of a heavenly vision while being killed. Maybe it is the conviction with which these people hold to their faith in Jesus.

Saul is stopped in his tracks. He is blinded by the light. The actor become the acted upon. Passively he is led by the hand and told what to do. He is entering into a new life. Saul, the enemy of the Way will become Paul, the greatest evangelist of the early church.

Jesus says in John's gospel that it is God's will that he should lose nothing of all that he has given him. And that God has given all into the Son's hands. Jesus gives the gift of eternal life rather than judgment, the bread which gives life to the world.

God will go to extraordinary lengths to bring us to ourselves and to give us this eternal life. God is darkly, mysteriously present, especially in the catastrophic and tragic. Christians point to Jesus on the cross as the fulcrum of God's Being absorbing all of our evil and suffering. God turns death into resurrection.

Job will curse and wish he were dead. Saul will walk blindly into an unknown future. Jesus will feed others with the bread from heaven until he is sacrificed and becomes the bread from heaven. Out of the cauldron emerges something wonderful. Death and resurrection; light out of the darkness; the broken healed; the lost found.

Lowell

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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