Speaking Words of Judgment

Thursday, December 18, 2008 -- Week of 3 Advent; Year One

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 938)
Psalms 50 (morning) [59, 60] or 33 (evening)
Isaiah 9:18 - 10:4
2 Peter 2:10b-16
Matthew 3:1-12

There are so many ways to speak words of judgment.

John the Baptist speaks renewal from the wilderness. He invites people into a new Exodus, taking lifelong Jews through waters of baptism as though they were Gentile converts. But he looks at those who are there not for conversion and transformation, he looks at the religious authorities who are certain of and confident of their faith and their standing before God, and John speaks judgment to them. "You brood of vipers!" The one thing a religious bully can't take is another religious bully. "Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance."

Then John attacks their presumptions. Don't think you've got a monopoly on truth. Don't think God endorses your exclusive brand of religion. God can raise faithful followers from these stones. It's a rocky place.

Then John calls down the prophecy of wrath. The ax of righteousness will cut down every tree that fails to bear good fruit; the one coming after John will clear the harvest, gather the wheat and burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. John knows how to give 'em hell.

But that's not what happened. Jesus came. Instead of dishing out hell he absorbed it with love and conquered it with life. He didn't ax down anyone or burn them with hell fire. His fire was the uniting fire of Pentecost that overcame barriers of language and culture. The only ones Jesus spoke harshly to were those who were, like this audience, certain of their rightness and claiming a monopoly on God. His judgment was the judgment of love. That's not hellfire, but it's very hot stuff.

Isaiah speaks judgment to Judah. He points out the destruction that their neighbors in Ephraim (Israel) have experienced. What makes you think you are better than they are? he asks Judah. The wealthy and powerful bend the system toward their advantage. "Ah, you who make iniquitous decrees, who write oppressive statutes, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be your spoil, and that you may make the orphans your prey!" He could be writing an opinion column for today's newspaper. Isaiah could be a talking head on cable TV. He says that God has a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable. That's who the prophets speak for. Usually that's the opposite of who the profits speak for.

And then we get to 2 Peter. My goodness, what language! He is after somebody, big time. He accuses them of slandering the angels; they are "like irrational animals, mere creatures of instinct, born to be caught and killed... They are blots and blemishes... They have eyes full of adultery insatiable for sin. ...They have hearts trained for greed. Accursed children!" This is heavy blogging. (and there's more to come)

What's he so angry about? It's hard to know. It seems to be a fight about the coming of Jesus and the apocalyptic expectations of the Church. We're around 100 years after Jesus. Some people, maybe pagan converts, question about the "when" or the "if" of Jesus' return. One interpretation says that Jesus has already returned in the coming of the Holy Spirit. Others minimize the energy around the "end time." They are only interested in living faithfully in the present. Some scoff and are skeptical of the whole idea of the second coming. The writer of 2nd Peter screams, "These people are wrong and horrible. Jesus is returning with judgment! His delay is a gift of mercy, but you'd better be ready. It could be today. If you don't think so, you are (fill in the polemic here)."

Sounds a bit like John the Baptist, doesn't he. "You brood of vipers!" You "irrational animals..."

The energy of 2 Peter remains with the church. There are preachers and congregations that can fill you with the fear of the immanent judgment of the end of The Late Great Planet Earth, when so many of "those others" will be Left Behind.

But what if they're wrong? John the Baptist was wrong. What if 2 Peter is wrong? What if the Jesus who returns is the same Jesus who was with us 2000 years ago, and he doesn't plan to lay the ax to the roots and he doesn't want to burn the chaff with unquenchable fire? What if Jesus plans to continue to be who he is and to do what he did during the incarnation? What if Jesus intends to overcome evil with good; to offer love, healing and compassion; to absorb violence and injustice returning only the words of grace: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."?

What if Jesus doesn't ever return, or doesn't plan to return? How do you want to live? Do you still want to call down hellfire and judgment on the ones who don't believe the right things about the second coming? Or do you want to promote love, compassion and justice, which is the real agenda of God in Christ?

How do you want to speak words of judgment?

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