The Urge of Justice

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 -- Week of Proper 25
James Hannington, Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa,
and his Companions, Martyrs, 1885

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 991)
Psalms 119:49-72 (morning) 49, [53] (evening)
Ecclesiasticus* 28:14-26
Revelation 12:1-6
Luke 11:37-42

* found in the Apocrypha; also called the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach, or just Sirach


First a note about the passage from Revelation.

Like Toto pulling the curtain back to reveal the puny Wizard of Oz who is behind the fearful image of power, John is pulling the curtain back to belittle the claims of the Empire and reveal the power of God on behalf of God's people and the earth. John sees a portent in heaven. (It may be an astrological message from the stars.) We see a mythic woman, "clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." She is in birth pangs. Who is this woman? Mary, Eve, Sophia, Israel, Motherhood-itself, the constellation Virgo? Maybe all of these. There are similar myths of endangered births told about Isis, Leto, and Roma. The twelve stars are the number of God's people, and also the twelve constellations of the zodiac. Something new is being brought to life. The woman is to bring birth to a son who is to shepherd the nations, the beginning of the promised new age.

The second portent is the dragon, the primeval enemy. Ancient mythology of the Near East has many stories of the dragon; the Jewish equivalent is the leviathan. The astrological sign which follows Virgo is Scorpio. With his tail the dragon sweeps a third of the stars from heaven, which fall to earth like Lucifer, the fallen star of heaven. (John will describe the war in heaven in tomorrow's reading.) The dragon threatens the new birth, but God aids an escape. The child is taken to God's throne and the woman is safely nourished in the wilderness during the passing time of evil.

This is symbolic, mythological speech, intended to encourage and inspire the church to perseverance. Behind the imperial curtain, is a defeated, fallen power whose greedy and destructive term is ending.
________

In the reading from Luke we have a dramatic encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees as he dines with one of their party. (It is significant that Jesus is a guest at this Pharisee's house. To be invited implies a friendly and supportive relationship.)

But Jesus ignores the important customs that create ritual cleanliness for an observant Jew. It is an affront and a scandal to the religious sensitivities of his host. Jesus reinterprets cleanliness.

He uses the image of dishes. A cup and a dish has an outside and an inside. For them to be truly clean, both must be washed. Jesus implies that the ritual washing of hands before a meal is like cleaning only the outside of the cup. The cleanliness inside of the cup, like the cleanliness inside of the person, is more important. He tells them that inside they are "full of greed and wickedness." He tells them to "give for alms those things that are within." Generosity balances the internal evil.

But Jesus also takes issue with their scrupulous customs of tithing, giving one tenth not only of their money but also of little things like seasonings. That is like an external cleansing of the outside of the cup. What is more important is that they "practice justice and the love of God." Justice is the love of neighbor as oneself, the exercise of equality and compassion on behalf of the weak and the poor. Again we hear hints of the great commandment: Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself.

Both of these readings continue the Biblical mandate for justice. John stands up to the injustice of the empire on behalf of the birth of a new age of equality and peace. Luke reminds the religious and the fastidious of the higher claims of justice for righteousness. Once again the Bible sets before us the claims of the poor and marginalized. Whose side will we choose? The dragon of empire, the scrupulous pride of proud religion -- or the claims of peace and justice?

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