Honor for the Little Ones

Thursday, November 6, 2008 -- Week of Proper 26
William Temple, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1944

Today's Reading for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 991)
Psalms [70], 71 (morning) 74 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus* 44:1-15
Revelation 16:12-21
Luke 13:18-30

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

Where is the honor?

Ben Sira begins his famous list today. But as he begins, he mentions "others (of whom) there is no memory; they have perished as though they had never existed... But these also were godly men, whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten... Their offspring will continue forever, and their glory will never be blotted out... (T)heir name lives on generation after generation."

Though Ben Sira will mention by name only those leaders who hold religious and political office, he recognizes the honor and praises accorded to those anonymous lesser ones who were good people.

Jesus speaks often of these "little ones." Today his images of God's reign are images of the hidden and small things that have great effect -- the mustard seed and the yeast. The latter image is of particular interest. Yeast is a symbol of corruption and uncleanness. ("Beware of the yeast of the the Pharisees.") And three measures of flour is a huge amount -- 50 or 60 pounds of flour. It is the recipe for the Temple bread. A peasant woman in her little kitchen puts a bit of yeast into 50 pounds of flour!? Remarkable. Yet out of this corruption spreading through excess, a multitude might be fed and a Temple prerogative broken open for the little ones.

Jesus frequently turns things around. He often reverses the expected world order and makes things upside down. There was a contemporary argument raging among the rabbis of his day. Will many be saved or will few? Someone asks his opinion. "Strive to enter through the narrow door," Jesus replies. Sounds like he's taking a stand with the party of the few. But then after he has scolded the ones who asked him the question (these questions always get asked by people who are pretty certain that they are among the righteous few), he pictures a kingdom feast where "people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God." The whole world gets in. "Indeed, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last." The honor gets reversed. These confident ones may get shoved to the back of the line as the yeasty multitudes of unclean folks get pushed up to the front, but even these last get into the feast.
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Just a note about Revelation. We're back to the Ghost of Christmas Future. John gives us an exaggerated vision of the ancient plagues of Egypt, now visited upon the Roman Empire. "It is what they deserve!" cries the angel. The consequences of empire are disease, death, demonic darkness, and environmental degradation -- plagues. They assemble for battle at a place called Harmagedon. (Hebrew for Mount Magedon.) It is a place that doesn't exist on any map; this is spiritual geography. (Some have tried to connect it with Megiddo, but that is a plain, not a mountain.)

When the seventh and last angel pours the bowl into the air, we hear the voice from the cross: "It is done!" ("It is finished.") There will be no war. There is never a war in the book of Revelation. It is already over. The victory is the cross of Christ. The only blood is his. The weapons are the sword of the mouth of the Lamb and the testimony/witness of the martyrs.

These are heightened spiritual images calling Christians away from the lures of Empire -- the excess of luxury and consumption; the violence and oppression of great power. Like Dickens writing to the Victorian age through the vivid dreams of Scrooge, John writes to the Church in the age of Empire through vivid images with connections to the old stories of Moses and Egypt.

Once again, it is the little ones against the powers. God is on the side of the little ones, John tells us.

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

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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