Monday, January 09, 2012

Beginnings

Monday, January 9, 2012 -- Week of 1 Epiphany, Year Two
Julia Chester Emery, Missionary, 1922

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p 943)
Psalms 1, 2, 3 (morning)        4, 7 (evening)
Genesis 2:4-9(10-15)16-25
Hebrews 1:1-14
John 1:1-18

Beginnings.  Today's readings initiate our next few weeks of successive readings in Genesis, Hebrews, and the gospel of John.  All three open with words of beginnings.

The Genesis reading begins our great myth of creation and fall.  God takes up "dust from the ground" (adamah in Hebrew), breaths the "breath" (ruach, spirit) of life into it, and it becomes a man (adam in Hebrew).  Or, trying to retain the Hebrew linguistics in the English -- God forms from the Earth, "Earthling" and breathes the life of spirit into his being; or God forms from Humus, and breathes "Human" into being.

The gospel of John and the epistle to the Hebrews are concerned to proclaim that we are in relationship with this beginning through our life in Christ (who elsewhere will be called the second Adam, the second "Earthling.")  John says, "In the beginning was the Word," (the Logos), the actualization of God's activity within creation.  Hebrews is eager to connect this originating work with the "Son, ...the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word."

Through the Word, God's Spirit breathes into Mother Earth and creates a new life that can be conscious of God.  The rest of history is the dance of the love story between God and humanity, a story of unrequited love and betrayal from the creatures, and steadfast love and compassion from the Creator.

Today, I want to live in that creative Trinity.  I want be conscious of God, breathing me and the whole of Earth into being.  I want to be awake to the never ending activity of the Word whom we name Jesus, constantly forming being from the dust of the ground.  Today may my words, my breath, and my being be one with the divine consciousness for which I was breathed into life.  May I be fully Human; a Spirit-breathing Earthling, awake to the ever-present Son which dwells within me, "the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, [sustaining] all things by his powerful word."

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

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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