Advice for Bad Times
Monday, November 1, 2010 -- -- Week of Proper 26, Year Two
All Saints Day
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 Monday of Proper 26, p. 991
Psalms 56, 57, [58] (morning) 64, 65 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus* 38:24-34
Revelation 14:1-13
Luke 12:49-59
* found in the Apocrypha; also known as the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach
OR the readings for All Saints (p. 1000)
Morning Prayer: Psalms 111, 112; 2 Esdras 2:42-47; Hebrews 11:32 - 12:2
Evening Prayer: Psalms 148, 150; Wisdom 6:1-5, 14-16; Revelation 21:1-4, 22 - 22:5
I chose the readings for Proper 26
Ben Sira offers a lovely poem in praise of laborers in today's reading from Ecclesiasticus. He speaks of the conscious work of the farmer, the signet artisan, the blacksmith, and the potter. "All these rely on their hands, and all are skillful in their own work. Without them no city can be inhabited, and wherever they live, they will not go hungry." It is these who maintain the fabric of the world, he says.
However generous Ben Sira is with his praise of the laborers, he intends to speak with even more praise of his own calling as a scribe -- one whose trade is wisdom. It is the scholar who should be "sought out for the council of the people" to "attain eminence in the public assembly" and to "sit in the judge's seat." It is the purveyors of wisdom who are called to be the rulers of the people, according to Ben Sira.
Our nation would give Ben Sira pause. We seem to be in a phase of anti-intellectualism. We also seem to be in a period when labor has less authority than the high place Ben Sira gives it. Wages and employment have not kept pace and unions have fallen in power and esteem. Our working class has not participated in many of the economic gains of the last fifty years, and our scientists have many of their conclusions discounted when they seem inconvenient to business and to some religious views. When someone like Ben Sira's scribe gains political office, he will be attacked as an elite. Undoubtedly, these are times that Ben Sira would call foolish.
_________
Today in Revelation we read of the victory of the Lamb. There is no battle; only an announcement from heaven. John imagines the spiritual conflict between the people of the Lamb and the people of the Beast to be symbolized by the right hand -- human work and activity, and by the forehead -- human spirit and worship. Those whose work and spirit are centered on the Beast, worship its image -- the image of Empire and Emperor, especially upon money and public buildings. The pursuit of wealth and power -- the work of the Beast -- is incomplete, the number is 666, an incomplete and imperfect number. The human Beast (six) claims to be perfect (seven). That is the blasphemy of empire. It claims full attention, power and allegiance. Recall Jesus' words, you cannot worship both God and wealth.
The victory of the Lamb, however, is complete and perfect -- 144,000 -- a symbolic number built on 12 (God's people) and 10 (all). God's name is written on their foreheads -- God is the center of their spirit and worship. They are spiritually pure, and have not been defiled by the materialistic culture of empire.
Those who pursue extravagance, wealth and power -- the products of the Beast of the Empire -- will ultimately find no rest, and live miserable lives without the peace and rest that comes only from God. John urges his readers -- persevere. Resist the temptations of wealth and power. God's victory is already announced. Its fruition is certain.
So many of the passages of scripture are written for troubled times, when people follow folly and material excess. Trust God, be faithful and persevere, the Biblical writers tell us. God's intention will triumph in the end. Do not be afraid. True happiness comes from living with the values and spirit of God -- love, compassion, justice. Hold on to those truths. They are already established and will come to fullness in time.
All Saints Day
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 Monday of Proper 26, p. 991
Psalms 56, 57, [58] (morning) 64, 65 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus* 38:24-34
Revelation 14:1-13
Luke 12:49-59
* found in the Apocrypha; also known as the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach
OR the readings for All Saints (p. 1000)
Morning Prayer: Psalms 111, 112; 2 Esdras 2:42-47; Hebrews 11:32 - 12:2
Evening Prayer: Psalms 148, 150; Wisdom 6:1-5, 14-16; Revelation 21:1-4, 22 - 22:5
I chose the readings for Proper 26
Ben Sira offers a lovely poem in praise of laborers in today's reading from Ecclesiasticus. He speaks of the conscious work of the farmer, the signet artisan, the blacksmith, and the potter. "All these rely on their hands, and all are skillful in their own work. Without them no city can be inhabited, and wherever they live, they will not go hungry." It is these who maintain the fabric of the world, he says.
However generous Ben Sira is with his praise of the laborers, he intends to speak with even more praise of his own calling as a scribe -- one whose trade is wisdom. It is the scholar who should be "sought out for the council of the people" to "attain eminence in the public assembly" and to "sit in the judge's seat." It is the purveyors of wisdom who are called to be the rulers of the people, according to Ben Sira.
Our nation would give Ben Sira pause. We seem to be in a phase of anti-intellectualism. We also seem to be in a period when labor has less authority than the high place Ben Sira gives it. Wages and employment have not kept pace and unions have fallen in power and esteem. Our working class has not participated in many of the economic gains of the last fifty years, and our scientists have many of their conclusions discounted when they seem inconvenient to business and to some religious views. When someone like Ben Sira's scribe gains political office, he will be attacked as an elite. Undoubtedly, these are times that Ben Sira would call foolish.
_________
Today in Revelation we read of the victory of the Lamb. There is no battle; only an announcement from heaven. John imagines the spiritual conflict between the people of the Lamb and the people of the Beast to be symbolized by the right hand -- human work and activity, and by the forehead -- human spirit and worship. Those whose work and spirit are centered on the Beast, worship its image -- the image of Empire and Emperor, especially upon money and public buildings. The pursuit of wealth and power -- the work of the Beast -- is incomplete, the number is 666, an incomplete and imperfect number. The human Beast (six) claims to be perfect (seven). That is the blasphemy of empire. It claims full attention, power and allegiance. Recall Jesus' words, you cannot worship both God and wealth.
The victory of the Lamb, however, is complete and perfect -- 144,000 -- a symbolic number built on 12 (God's people) and 10 (all). God's name is written on their foreheads -- God is the center of their spirit and worship. They are spiritually pure, and have not been defiled by the materialistic culture of empire.
Those who pursue extravagance, wealth and power -- the products of the Beast of the Empire -- will ultimately find no rest, and live miserable lives without the peace and rest that comes only from God. John urges his readers -- persevere. Resist the temptations of wealth and power. God's victory is already announced. Its fruition is certain.
So many of the passages of scripture are written for troubled times, when people follow folly and material excess. Trust God, be faithful and persevere, the Biblical writers tell us. God's intention will triumph in the end. Do not be afraid. True happiness comes from living with the values and spirit of God -- love, compassion, justice. Hold on to those truths. They are already established and will come to fullness in time.
__________________
| 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 |
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