Abundant Life

Monday, January 26, 2009 -- Week of 3 Epiphany, Year One
Timothy and Titus, Companions of Saint Paul

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 944)
Psalms 41, 52 (morning) 44 (evening)
Isaiah 48:1-11
Galatians 1:1-17
Mark 5:21-43

Note: Due to sickness and subsequent back pain, I've been unable to write my Morning Reflections for the better part of two weeks. It's good to be back. I feel a bit like the child in today's gospel. It's good to get up and begin to walk about.

In John's gospel there is a short verse that reads something like a mission statement for Jesus: "I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly." God's desire for us is abundant life. God is working constantly to bring us abundant life.

All of today's readings seem to be variations on that theme.

Psalm 41 begins with the affirmation, "Happy are they who consider the poor and needy! God will deliver them in the time of trouble." The Psalmist then asks confidently that God deliver him in a time of trouble. Psalm 52 seeks deliverance from a tyrant, who trusts great wealth to sustain his wickedness. The Psalmist trusts in the mercy of God and gives God thanks for the coming deliverance. Out of the time of trouble and tyranny, God acts to bring abundant life.

The prophet Isaiah has declared that God has raised up a new leader to deliver God's people. God is doing "new things, hidden things that you have not known" before. It is God's doing. God acts for God's own sake. Suddenly, something new happens! It is God's act, to bring abundant life.

Paul opens his letter to the Galatians, and he is furious. He knows where his gospel comes from. It was given to him as a revelation, directly from God. And it freed him from the legalism of his former life, from the anxiety of trying to live up to some kind of standard of perfection that always seemed out of reach. God called him through grace, even while he was an enemy of Christ, and gave him the gift of unqualified love -- freedom. It is God's act that frees us from guilt or performance anxiety -- the gift of abundant life.

And Mark tells two related stories of restoration to life and fecundity. As Jesus walks to the house of Jairus to attend to his critically ill twelve-year old daughter, a woman who has suffered from vaginal or uterine bleeding for twelve years secretly touches Jesus' cloak and is healed. By the time they reach the house, the little girl has died. Jesus raises her. Both of these women move from death to life, from unclean to whole. Significantly, each is now able to bear new life. The child will soon begin her menstruating and be able to conceive; the woman's hemorrhage is healed and she can now bear children. The gift of abundant life that multiplies abundant life.

What is God up to? God is creating abundant life for all. That is what God does. How can we cooperate with God?

First, by embracing and claiming the abundant life that God is accomplishing for us and in us. We can claim deliverance from trouble, as the Psalmist did. We can look for God's new action, as Isaiah did. We can accept God's gift of acceptance, as Paul did. We can be restored to life giving productivity, as the Gospel narrates.

We can also cooperate with God by helping God's work of promoting abundant life. We can deliver the poor and needy, and we can oppose the tyrants. We can be part of the new work when God inspires new leadership. We can join in the liberating work of freeing people from guilt and legalism. We can promote the health and strength of others so that everyone can contribute productively to making life more full.

We can embrace the abundant life given to us. We can cooperate with God's work to bring abundant life to all. That's a good way to start the week.

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