Piety and Poverty

Wednesday, December 2, 2009 -- Week of 1 Advent, Year Two
Charles de Faucauld, Hermit and Martyr in the Sahara, 1916

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 937)
Psalms 119:21-31 (morning) 12, 13, 14 (evening)
Amos 3:12 - 4:5
2 Peter 3:1-10
Matthew 21:23-32

The preaching of John the Baptist did not appeal to the mainstream religious establishment. John challenged the settled religious norms of the day. He told those who were religiously observant, who lived lives regarded as upright and pious, that their propriety was hypocritical and meaningless in God's eyes. John spoke to those who were outside the circles of acceptance and invited them into God's embrace through baptism. The tax collectors and the prostitutes responded to him. The peasants who were regarded as dirty and religiously unclean responded to him. The proper and observant resented him. Jesus tells the latter group that their status will be reversed in God's reign. When the proper and observant eventually make it into God's kingdom, the others they have looked down upon will already have reached there. (I am reminded of Flannery O'Conner's short story "Revelation." I preached a sermon on that story three years ago -- http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id185.html)

Amos also takes aim at those who are established and comfortable. Amos prophesies to a wealthy nation. He speaks to Israel during a period when it has military influence and significant economic clout. But not all share in the economic opportunities. Amos condemns the wealthy, who are comfortable with their luxuries while others suffer want and need. Today he speaks to those who have winter houses in the Jordan valley to escape the cold of the Samaritan mountains and summer houses in the cooler urban setting of the great city. "The houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall come to an end."

He describes the elite women as "cows of Bashan." They live in luxury, telling their husbands, "Bring me something to drink!" while the economy that supports their excess oppresses the poor and crushes the needy. Amos speaks judgment and disaster to this divided economy that condones a wide and unjust gap between the wealthy and the poor. Many commentators have said that Amos speaks to the conditions of our nation more than any other of the prophets.

It's not hard to imagine what Amos would say to our leaders as they begin to debate a bill to extend health benefits to all. Woe to you who enjoy your company paid perks and benefits while others lack access to basic care. Woe to you who vacation in your cabins, who travel to beach or mountain while hunger and unemployment grows. Amos can see only judgment and disaster for a society that promotes the interests of the wealthy and powerful while allowing the poor to live without basic securities.

One of the major themes of scripture is that God is unimpressed with religious performance -- expressions of faith and doctrine, practices of prayer and worship -- whenever they coexist in a culture and economy that condones poverty or the oppression of the weak.
_____

A note about today's observance in the new trial calendar Holy Women, Holy Men:
Foucauld, Charles de [1858-Dec. 1, 1916] An experience of Muslim piety in Morocco helped him recover his Catholic faith. He served as a Trappist in Syria, then as a priest in Algeria where he revived the tradition of desert spirituality where he converted others with an evangelism of presence. He was martyred by Tuareg rebels. (Dec 1)


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