Friday, October 29, 2010

The Government of God

Friday, October 29, 2010 -- Week of Proper 25, Year Two
James Hannington, Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa, and his Companions, Martyrs, 1885
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, p. 991)
Psalms 40, 54 (morning)       51 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus* 34:1-8, 18-22
Revelation 13:1-10
Luke 12:13-31
   * found in the Apocrypha; also known as the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."  That's Jesus' conclusion to a beautiful teaching telling his followers not to be anxious.  "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear."  God feeds the ravens and clothes the fields with flowers.  If God loves these, how much more does God love us. 

Surrounding his encouragement Jesus presents contrasting ways of being in the world.  "Be on your guard against all kinds of greed," he says.  Then Jesus tells the story of one who has saved up an ample nest egg for secure retirement, and dies upon reaching his financial goal.  That's the first way of being in the world.  Jesus says it is a false path.

The other way that Jesus commends is this:  "Sell your possessions, and give alms.  Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  But note.  This phrase comes just after Jesus' promise that the Father will give the kingdom to his little flock. 

The Kingdom of God is Jesus' primary metaphor.  He says it is his mission to bring the kingdom.  In his ministry the kingdom draws near.  Everything about the kingdom is about how life is to be on earth as it is in heaven.  The kingdom is how it would be if God ruled, instead of Caesar and Herod and Pilate.  It is a very material, earthy metaphor. 

Since we are unfamiliar with kings and kingdoms, for us it might be better rendered the government of God or the politics of God.  The government of God is one that is not founded on greed and increased wealth.  In the government of God we can be unanxious and secure because everyone will be fed, everyone will be clothed.  Possessions will be less important than generosity.  The government of God searches for the lost lamb and the widow's penny, and rejoices when they are found. 

Whenever Jesus spoke of the kingdom of God, his hearers knew he was speaking political words.  He was killed by Rome as an enemy of the state.

In that tradition, John the Divine offers another metaphor.  He uses code language to speak of Empire, first as a dragon.  John uses traditional language, first describing the dragon as a beast from the sea, the ancient sea monster leviathan.  He borrows details from Daniel's beasts (Dan. 7).  In verse three, John says that one of the heads of the multi-headed beasts received a death-blow, but was healed.  Most commentators say John is probably speaking of Julius Caesar who was assassinated, but the beast of the empire continued.  Julius was the first of the emperors to claim he was divine.  Successive emperors claimed to be sons of the divine.  These are the blasphemous words the beast utters. 

Again John declares that the period of evil is limited -- forty-two months, a symbolic number meaning broken and incomplete -- half of seven, the number of wholeness. 

John advises the community not to try either escape or armed resistance, but rather perseverance  (vs. 10).  "Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints."

So it is for us.  Beware of greed and of the blasphemy of government.  Political parties are always arrogant and idolatrous.  When evil politics prevail, do not flee or use violence -- persevere.  The period of evil is limited. 

Align yourself with the government of God, the politics of God.  Let your allegiance be with generosity and compassion, especially for the poor, the weak and the vulnerable.  Seek the kind of equity Jesus preaches about so radically in his parable of the workers in the field who all received their daily wage.  Support the economy of the Lord's Prayer, where everyone has their daily bread and debts are forgiven.  Let your treasure be your persevering loyalty to the politics of God, an unfailing treasure where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.  Persevere.  Love, compassion, economic justice, and generosity are the treasures of the unanxious kingdom.  Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.  

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


Thursday, October 28, 2010

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.

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


Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Woe to you Pharisees!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010 -- Week of Proper 25, Year Two

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, p. 991)
Psalms 119:49-72 (morning)       49, [53] (evening)
Ecclesiasticus* 28:14-26
Revelation 12:1-6
Luke 11:37-52
   * found in the Apocrypha; also known as the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach

"But woe to you Pharisees!  For you tithe mine and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others."  (Luke 11:42)

Because the Pharisees became the visible opponent of the early Church, we have inherited a lot of words against them in our New Testament.  We seem to think of them as those "others."  We think of them as different from the Christians, hostile toward us.  We may even think of them a professional hypocrites, since that's the description that accompanies so many New Testament references.

But many of those who were attracted to Jesus and became his followers were Pharisees, such as Paul, the singularly most important figure of the early church.

In so many ways, the Pharisees are the kind of people that serious Christians strive to be. 

First, the Pharisees took the practice of their faith seriously.  They sought to put into practice everything that had been revealed in scripture.  They sought to observe the Biblical law in its entirety.  They were serious about obeying God and living religiously observant lives.

Second, the Pharisees had a teaching mission to make the practice of the faith accessible to all people.  Many peasants believed that it was impossible for them to follow the Torah because of their poverty, they lived in close proximity to defiling and unclean things.  The Pharisees inspired and taught peasants to observe the law despite their environment, and showed them ways to be faithful in contexts where they believed themselves to be outside the circle of blessing. 

These are good things -- being faithful to God's laws and helping others live more faithfully.  How many exemplary Christians strive to live just so.  We all know conscientious Christians who live lives of faithful observance; we all know people who try to help others live according to the wisdom and teaching of our faith.

But Jesus has some major issues with the Pharisees, including Christian Pharisees of our own day.  It doesn't matter how disciplined, pious and observant you may be or how conscientiously you may teach others in the way, if you practice your faith "and neglect justice and the love of God," you have missed the mark.

It's important to unpack that word "justice."  Justice is the social form of love.  In the Bible, justice most often means "economic justice" and "political justice."  Some theologies tend to speak of God's justice as God's punishment of our sins, and it's opposite as God's mercy.  More often, the opposite of God's justice is human injustice.  Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God -- how earth would be if God reigned.  God's reign of justice is contrasted with the realities of human systems of political oppression favoring the wealthy and powerful.  God's reign of justice is contrasted with economic exploitation that concentrates wealth among the few and abides poverty, subsistence living, malnourishment, disease and vulnerability among any. 

Woe to you Pharisees!  For you neglect justice and the love of God! 

A religious practice that emphasizes good behavior and morality, faithfulness in prayer, tithing and other religious practice, and outward witness to God's word is not enough.  We are Pharisees if we participate in systems that allow the wealthy and powerful to concentrate wealth and power; systems that allow poverty and suffering; systems that let children go hungry without feeding them; systems that do not include universal access to medical care.  Unless good Christians are actively working to promote justice, the love of God in its social form, we have cleaned the outside of the cup, but inside are full of greed and wickedness; we are "like unmarked graves."

Jesus speaks in the tradition of the great prophets who declared God's word on behalf of equity and economic justice for the poor -- Amos, Isaiah, Micah and others.  Christians who live lives of exemplary religious observance and who neglect economic and political justice on behalf of the least of these are today's Pharisees.

One more word, and it's an important one.  Love.  It is too easy for serious religious observance to slip into moralism and the practice of rules.  It is easy for the observant to judge and to look down on the unobservant -- we are doing right and they aren't.  When that happens, love has slipped out the back door.  Jesus teaches us that every law -- every belief and practice -- is summarized under the rubric of love:  Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself.  Religious practice and pious observance without the gift of extravagant love toward others and toward self is anemic moralism and ritualism. 

Woe to you Pharisees!  For you neglect justice and the love of God!

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

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Wisdom and Transcendence

Tuesday, October 26, 2010 -- Week of Proper 25, Year Two
Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, 899
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, p. 991)
Psalms 45 (morning)       47, 48 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus* 24:1-12
Revelation 11:14-19
Luke 11:27-36
   * found in the Apocrypha; also known as the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach

At the midpoint of the book of wisdom by Ben Sira, we hear the voice of Wisdom herself.  She begins in the divine realm with the heavenly hosts.  She is the Word of God -- "I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and covered the earth like a mist."  We see her first in creation and nature, in cloud, abyss and waves -- "over all the earth."  Then we see Wisdom present with authority "over every people and nation." 

Finally, Wisdom finds a resting place in Jerusalem.  Later Ben Sira will identify her with the Torah, and will speak of Wisdom's fruitfulness like the water that comes from the great rivers.  Toward the end of the poem, Ben Sira will speak of his own relationship with the waters of Wisdom.  He is like a canal from a river, channeling water into a garden, growing into a river, expanding as a sea.  His labor will refresh "all who seek wisdom."

Some of the imagery in John's Revelation has a similar theme.  An angel blows a trumpet and it is announced:  "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever."  It is done.  It is a fact.  We are close to the midpoint of John's book, but the triumph is already established.  We see rejoicing in heaven, and John has a vision of the Divine Holy of Holies -- God's temple in heaven and the ark of the covenant -- the stillpoint of the universe.  All of this is a fact and an established reality, even as we anticipate the coming struggle with those who threaten the earth and God's people. 

Jesus also speaks apocalyptic words in our reading from Luke.  Like Ben Sira, he sees Wisdom's universal effectiveness.  Foreigners -- the people of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba -- will judge the chosen people he says, because the outsiders responded enthusiastically to the word of God that was given to them.

I am reading a book that includes a brief study of virtues that are endorsed across every major religious and cultural tradition.  A group of scientists surveyed the basic writings of the major religious and philosophical traditions in order to catalog what each teaching claimed were the virtues of a good life.  They found six virtues that are endorsed in almost every one of these traditions: 
   wisdom and knowledge
   courage
   love and humanity
   justice
   temperance
   spirituality and transcendence.

The author offered a scale of wisdom and knowledge, from the most developmentally basic -- curiosity and interest in the world -- up a scale of growing maturity: 
   curiosity/interest in the world
   love of learning
   judgment/critical thinking/open-mindedness
   ingenuity/originality/practical intelligence/street smarts
   social intelligence/personal intelligence/emotional intelligence
   perspective

We feel the arc of Wisdom's blessing as we imagine ourselves growing from a budding curiosity and interest in the things of the world, to a love of learning for learning's sake, into a place of open-mindedness that enables us to sift information objectively and rationally in the service of self and others.  It continues as we mature enough to be able to create novel yet appropriate solutions with a practicality that works, and grows toward a deeper social and personal intelligence of understanding the motives and feelings of others in order to take socially skilled action.  The most mature level of wisdom in this analysis is perspective -- when others seek you out to draw on your experience to help them solve problems and gain perspective for themselves.

Just like Ben Sira connects Wisdom with Torah, and as John the Divine sees the Holy of Holies as the center of all life even while conflict occurs around us, and as Jesus centers on God's manifestation in him and in all peoples -- so this scientific study I'm reading connects wisdom and knowledge with spirituality and transcendence.  They commend emotional strengths that reach outside and beyond us to connect us to something larger and more permanent:  to other people, to the future, to evolution, to the divine, to the universe.  The categories of this sixth virtue of transcendence include qualities like appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, optimism, future-mindedness, forgiveness, mercy, playfulness, humor, zest, passion and enthusiasm.

Wisdom seeks to be incarnate -- to be manifest in creation and in us.  May Ben Sira's prayer be answered, that Wisdom may take "root in an honored people, in the portion of the Lord, his heritage."  May we be that heritage. 

(the book I am reading is "Authentic Happiness" by Martin E. P. Seligman)

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