Judgment and Justice

Tuesday, December 2, 2008 -- Week of 1 Advent; Year One
Channing Moore Williams, Missionary Bishop in China and Japan, 1910

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 936)
Psalms 5, 6 (morning) 10, 11 (evening)
Isaiah 1:21-31
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Luke 20:9-18

"How the faithful city has become a whore! ...Your silver has become dross, your wine is mixed with water. Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not defend the orphan, and the widow's cause does not come before them. Therefore says the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts: ...I will turn my hand against you; I will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy."

As more and more articles analyze what went wrong with the American financial system, it seems that the blame is ubiquitous. At every level there has been greed, mismanagement, foolishness, and perfidy. The wise and skilled used their knowledge for corrupt gain. Those who were charged with oversight for the common good turned away their gaze. The free enterprise system that we believed would produce self-regulated prosperity failed.

Now we are living like fifth century BCE Jerusalem, broken and chastised. "For you shall be ashamed of the oaks in which you delighted; and you shall blush for the gardens that you have chosen. For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water. The strong shall become like tinder, and their work like a spark; they and their work shall burn together, with no one to quench them."

Isaiah spoke both judgment and promise to that generation. He offered a divine process for reform and restoration:

"I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness."

Paul offers another model of leadership and service in his first letter to the Thessalonians. He gives us some of the elements of his style of work. First, he says he works "not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts." He abandons words of flattery and motivations of greed. He acts gently, "like a nurse caring for her own children." He gives himself. He was conscientious not to burden others. He can say in good conscience "how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you..."

I have known bankers and financial officers who approached their work in that manner. How different might our institutions be -- both commercial and governmental -- if their leaders adopted Paul's model of servant leadership.

As in centuries past, our cities and institutions "shall be redeemed by justice." The economic depression of 2008 is an opportunity for us to learn, to repent and to be restored to a more Godly path. Isaiah's message can be our prayer; Paul's example can be our model.

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