Moderation
Thursday, October 28, 2010 -- -- Week of Proper 25, Year Two
Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles
To read about our daily commemorations, go to our Holy Women, Holy Men blog:
http://liturgyandmusic.wordpress.com/category/holy-women-holy-men/
Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer)
EITHER the readings for Thursday of Proper 25, p. 991
Psalms 50 (morning) [50, 60] or 103 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus* 31:12-18, 25-32:2
Revelation 12:7-17
Luke 11:53 - 12:12
* found in the Apocrypha; also known as the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach
OR the readings for Saint Simon and Saint Jude, p. 1000
Morning Prayer: Psalm 66; Isaiah 28:9-16; Ephesians 4:1-16
Evening Prayer: Psalms 116, 117; Isaiah 4:2-6; John 14:15-31
I chose the readings for Thursday of Proper 25
I'm off today, and I slept late. Feels good to do so.
The reading from Ben Sira advises moderation in all things. Today he takes up behavior at banquets.
I particularly like one verse that is not included in our lections, but sure seems true in my life. "Healthy sleep depends on moderate eating; he rises early, and feels fit. The distress of sleeplessness and of nausea and colic are with the glutton." Sometimes when I'm tired I crave comfort food -- usually carbohydrates. I remember one night not long ago when I sat in front of the television at a fairly late hour and finished off a bag of chips and dip. Later that night -- misery. Discomfort and burping; interrupted sleep.
Ben Sira offers some more good wisdom: "Wine is very life to human beings if taken in moderation. What is life to one who is without wine? It has been created to make people happy. Wine drunk at the proper time and in moderation is rejoicing of heart and gladness of soul. Wine drunk to excess leads to bitterness of spirit, to quarrels and stumbling." He reminds us: "wine has destroyed many."
Moderation and balance. Great themes from Aristotle and Ben Sira and St. Benedict. So many of the great wisdom teachers encourage us to be zealous in the pursuit of virtue by practicing moderation. Aristotle encouraged the mean between extremes: Courage in excess is recklessness; its deficit is cowardice. Benedict's great Rule structures the day with moderate time for work, rest, recreation, food, prayer, and study.
Ours seems like an immoderate culture. I've looked at shocking presentations recently about the growth of obesity in the U.S. Imagine a map charting what percentage of people are 30 pounds overweight (based on a 5 ft. 4 in. person). In 1991, only four states have as many as 15-19% of their population overweight. By 2000, all states have at least 15-19% overweight, and more than half of the states have more than 20% of their population overweight. By 2006, five states are over 30%, and more than half over 25%. Obesity may be our country's greatest health threat, and it appears epidemic.
Okay, I'm hungry. Time for breakfast.
Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles
To read about our daily commemorations, go to our Holy Women, Holy Men blog:
http://liturgyandmusic.wordpress.com/category/holy-women-holy-men/
Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer)
EITHER the readings for Thursday of Proper 25, p. 991
Psalms 50 (morning) [50, 60] or 103 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus* 31:12-18, 25-32:2
Revelation 12:7-17
Luke 11:53 - 12:12
* found in the Apocrypha; also known as the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach
OR the readings for Saint Simon and Saint Jude, p. 1000
Morning Prayer: Psalm 66; Isaiah 28:9-16; Ephesians 4:1-16
Evening Prayer: Psalms 116, 117; Isaiah 4:2-6; John 14:15-31
I chose the readings for Thursday of Proper 25
I'm off today, and I slept late. Feels good to do so.
The reading from Ben Sira advises moderation in all things. Today he takes up behavior at banquets.
I particularly like one verse that is not included in our lections, but sure seems true in my life. "Healthy sleep depends on moderate eating; he rises early, and feels fit. The distress of sleeplessness and of nausea and colic are with the glutton." Sometimes when I'm tired I crave comfort food -- usually carbohydrates. I remember one night not long ago when I sat in front of the television at a fairly late hour and finished off a bag of chips and dip. Later that night -- misery. Discomfort and burping; interrupted sleep.
Ben Sira offers some more good wisdom: "Wine is very life to human beings if taken in moderation. What is life to one who is without wine? It has been created to make people happy. Wine drunk at the proper time and in moderation is rejoicing of heart and gladness of soul. Wine drunk to excess leads to bitterness of spirit, to quarrels and stumbling." He reminds us: "wine has destroyed many."
Moderation and balance. Great themes from Aristotle and Ben Sira and St. Benedict. So many of the great wisdom teachers encourage us to be zealous in the pursuit of virtue by practicing moderation. Aristotle encouraged the mean between extremes: Courage in excess is recklessness; its deficit is cowardice. Benedict's great Rule structures the day with moderate time for work, rest, recreation, food, prayer, and study.
Ours seems like an immoderate culture. I've looked at shocking presentations recently about the growth of obesity in the U.S. Imagine a map charting what percentage of people are 30 pounds overweight (based on a 5 ft. 4 in. person). In 1991, only four states have as many as 15-19% of their population overweight. By 2000, all states have at least 15-19% overweight, and more than half of the states have more than 20% of their population overweight. By 2006, five states are over 30%, and more than half over 25%. Obesity may be our country's greatest health threat, and it appears epidemic.
Okay, I'm hungry. Time for breakfast.
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 missionstclare.com -- Click for online Daily Office 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 -- Click for Divine Hours Discussion Blog: To comment on today's reflection or readings, go to http://lowellsblog.blogspot.com, or click here for Lowell's blog find today's reading, click "comment" at the bottom of the reading, and post your thoughts. |
| The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church is to explore and celebrate God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love. See 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 |
posted by Lowell @ 9:19 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I offer some words, not related to moderation, but one of the most beautiful healing meditations I have ever come across. I now take on a discipline of a time set aside for a daily healing meditation..
Through the great pain of stretching beyond all that pain has taught me, the soft well at the base has opened, and life touching me there has turned me into a flower that prays for rain. Now I understand: to blossom is to pray, to wilt and shed is to pray, to turn to mulch is to pray, to stretch in the dark is to pray, to break the surface after great months of ice is to pray, and to squeeze love up the stalky center toward the sky with only dreams of color is to pray, and finally to unfold again as if never before is to be the prayer.
Exquisite, Janet.
Thank you.
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