Barking Dogs and Holding Rudders
Tuesday, June 5, 2012 -- Week of Proper 4, Year Two
Boniface, Archbishop of Mainz, Missionary to Germany, and Maryr, 754
Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 969)
Psalms 45 (morning) // 47, 48 (evening)
Ecclesiastes 2:16-26
Galatians 1:18 - 2:10
Matthew 13:53-58
[Go to http://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html for an online version of the Daily Office including today's scripture readings.]
"All is vanity and a chasing after wind" we read today as the Teacher is finishing his prologue of Ecclesiastes. The wise and the foolish alike die, he says. Maybe I am wise and industrious. So what! I may leave it all to a fool. "There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil." Enjoy life as much as you can, remembering the nearness of death. One doesn't work to become rich -- you can't take it with you and a fool may get it when you die. One doesn't work to create something great or become powerful. You'll die like anyone else. But as you can, find enjoyment in the work you do for its own sake. That's enough.
Eat and drink. And find enjoyment in your toil. Be wise. Die. That's about as good as it gets. Be satisfied with that, he says.
Today is the feast of St. Boniface, who built on the foundation of St. Willibrord in Frisia, areas along the coast of the North Sea now parts of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. Willibrord had labored for around 50 years to plant the church in that area, but virtually nothing had survived from his labors.
Here's a portion of a letter that Boniface wrote to Cuthbert, Archbishop of Canterbury, as Boniface was trying to succeed where Willibrord had seemed to fail.
My dear brother, I fear we have undertaken to steer a ship through the waves of an angry sea, and we can neither succeed in our task, nor without sin abandon it... In the Church of which I have oversight, I have dug the ground over, manured the soil, but I am conscious that I have failed to guard it. Alas, all my labor seems to me like a dog barking at the approach of thieves and robbers, but because he has no one to help him in his defense, he can only sit there, whining and complaining... I take refuge in the words of Solomon: 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insights. In all your ways, think on the Lord and he will guide your steps...'
Let us never be dogs that do not bark, nor silent bystanders, or hired servants who flee at the approach of the wolf. Instead let us be watchful shepherds, guarding the flock of Christ. And as God gives us strength, in season and out of season, let us preach to the powerful and powerless alike, to rich and poor alike, to all people of every rank and of whatever age, the saving purposes of God. (quoted in Celebrating the Saints, Robert Atwell, Canterbury, 2004, p. 303-4)
Mother Teresa said, "God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try." The Teacher of Ecclesiastes would add to that an invitation to enjoy the work as you can. Sometimes we get into situations where success does not seem to be an option, only faithfulness. We can only hold on, we cannot steer. In his letter to Cuthbert, Bonface amplifies his situation of trying to steer in an angry sea, saying, "it is our duty not to abandon ship, but to control the rudder."
We are reading Paul's letter to Galatia, a fierce and at times furious defense of his gospel which is under attack. Paul is trying to hold on to the rudder, asserting that the Gentile converts in his congregation will not submit to circumcision or follow the Jewish law no matter what.
Today we read also of Jesus' teaching in his hometown synagogue, where the locals refuse to let him grow up. Jesus fails there.
"All is vanity and a chasing after wind." (Ecclesiastes) "We did not submit to them even for a moment." (Paul) "And [Jesus] did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief." (Matthew)
Life is hard. Life is mysterious. Eat and drink. Be wise. Enjoy your work as you can. Accept death. That's enough, says the Teacher of Ecclesiastes. Hold on to the rudder, says Boniface. Persevere, says Paul. Sometimes even Jesus can't succeed, says Matthew.
Boniface, Archbishop of Mainz, Missionary to Germany, and Maryr, 754
Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 969)
Psalms 45 (morning) // 47, 48 (evening)
Ecclesiastes 2:16-26
Galatians 1:18 - 2:10
Matthew 13:53-58
[Go to http://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html for an online version of the Daily Office including today's scripture readings.]
"All is vanity and a chasing after wind" we read today as the Teacher is finishing his prologue of Ecclesiastes. The wise and the foolish alike die, he says. Maybe I am wise and industrious. So what! I may leave it all to a fool. "There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil." Enjoy life as much as you can, remembering the nearness of death. One doesn't work to become rich -- you can't take it with you and a fool may get it when you die. One doesn't work to create something great or become powerful. You'll die like anyone else. But as you can, find enjoyment in the work you do for its own sake. That's enough.
Eat and drink. And find enjoyment in your toil. Be wise. Die. That's about as good as it gets. Be satisfied with that, he says.
Today is the feast of St. Boniface, who built on the foundation of St. Willibrord in Frisia, areas along the coast of the North Sea now parts of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. Willibrord had labored for around 50 years to plant the church in that area, but virtually nothing had survived from his labors.
Here's a portion of a letter that Boniface wrote to Cuthbert, Archbishop of Canterbury, as Boniface was trying to succeed where Willibrord had seemed to fail.
My dear brother, I fear we have undertaken to steer a ship through the waves of an angry sea, and we can neither succeed in our task, nor without sin abandon it... In the Church of which I have oversight, I have dug the ground over, manured the soil, but I am conscious that I have failed to guard it. Alas, all my labor seems to me like a dog barking at the approach of thieves and robbers, but because he has no one to help him in his defense, he can only sit there, whining and complaining... I take refuge in the words of Solomon: 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insights. In all your ways, think on the Lord and he will guide your steps...'
Let us never be dogs that do not bark, nor silent bystanders, or hired servants who flee at the approach of the wolf. Instead let us be watchful shepherds, guarding the flock of Christ. And as God gives us strength, in season and out of season, let us preach to the powerful and powerless alike, to rich and poor alike, to all people of every rank and of whatever age, the saving purposes of God. (quoted in Celebrating the Saints, Robert Atwell, Canterbury, 2004, p. 303-4)
Mother Teresa said, "God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try." The Teacher of Ecclesiastes would add to that an invitation to enjoy the work as you can. Sometimes we get into situations where success does not seem to be an option, only faithfulness. We can only hold on, we cannot steer. In his letter to Cuthbert, Bonface amplifies his situation of trying to steer in an angry sea, saying, "it is our duty not to abandon ship, but to control the rudder."
We are reading Paul's letter to Galatia, a fierce and at times furious defense of his gospel which is under attack. Paul is trying to hold on to the rudder, asserting that the Gentile converts in his congregation will not submit to circumcision or follow the Jewish law no matter what.
Today we read also of Jesus' teaching in his hometown synagogue, where the locals refuse to let him grow up. Jesus fails there.
"All is vanity and a chasing after wind." (Ecclesiastes) "We did not submit to them even for a moment." (Paul) "And [Jesus] did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief." (Matthew)
Life is hard. Life is mysterious. Eat and drink. Be wise. Enjoy your work as you can. Accept death. That's enough, says the Teacher of Ecclesiastes. Hold on to the rudder, says Boniface. Persevere, says Paul. Sometimes even Jesus can't succeed, says Matthew.
Lowell
________Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Go to: http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id244.html
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 http://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html
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.
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 @ 7:24 AM
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