I Cor. 9:1-15 "Are you not my work in the Lord?"
Little reminder for today-- I am someone's (many someones') work in the Lord.
Always thinking and praying for souls in my care, I stand reminded that so many worked and prayed over me. So many persons prayed for me, preached to me, counseled me, spiritually directed me. I was a tough little cookie too, needed a lot of work. All these apostles and evangelists of my life--most of whom did not leave written evidence--taught and loved, and got so frustrated to help me grow.
Thanks, everybody.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Hard Sayings
The parts of Scripture we find uncomfortable we call hard sayings. Actually, the term might apply to Jesus only; but I find it here in Paul and the author of Genesis too. Jesus is saying he has a NEW family now, and his old family thinks he has stepped outside of himself. Paul writes that the immoral man in the community must be "handed over to Satan," to destroy the body that the spirit will live. (One shudders to think of the line from here to the Inquisition, while not exactly a straight one, does lead there.) And for Joseph ben Jacob, eating well is truly revenge, as his famished brothers come seeking food and he responds by clapping them into prison.
One help I find is: What is the ultimacy? Today's readings present snippets from certain points in the story. From hindsight we know Jesus' mother and brothers eventually converted. Later in I Corinthians we read Paul's unsurpassed hymn to love ("If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels..."). Joseph reconciled with his brothers. The hard parts can be strangely comfortable words when you're actually in the grip of rejection, anger, and failure. Joseph has been here, and the apostle, and our Lord. Suffering and evil and death--while extremely real--do not have the last word.
Ultimately, we look forward to the "happy ending," or as the scholar Walter Brueggemann expresses it: orientation -- disorientation -- reorientation. I can also use the reminder that religion isn't about "being nice" all the time.
One help I find is: What is the ultimacy? Today's readings present snippets from certain points in the story. From hindsight we know Jesus' mother and brothers eventually converted. Later in I Corinthians we read Paul's unsurpassed hymn to love ("If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels..."). Joseph reconciled with his brothers. The hard parts can be strangely comfortable words when you're actually in the grip of rejection, anger, and failure. Joseph has been here, and the apostle, and our Lord. Suffering and evil and death--while extremely real--do not have the last word.
Ultimately, we look forward to the "happy ending," or as the scholar Walter Brueggemann expresses it: orientation -- disorientation -- reorientation. I can also use the reminder that religion isn't about "being nice" all the time.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Surprised
"My times are in Your hand.." Ps 31: 15 Last Epiphany Friday
I had forgotten the part about Lent where: one is led. Lenten practice isn't just us doing and not doing; it is discovering the Living God moving in our lives. Our prayers and observances are more than a personal project that we are trying to put together oh so perfectly. We are, to put it clumsily, God's project.
Today, the Living God through His servant Paul and the mediation of Christ in community says: 'REJOICE!' Right at the beginning of the penitential season, we are to go in rejoicing.
Rejoice, as the great prayer of Jesus in John 17 declares: We're His! And oh yes, we're sent, sent into the world. We are here for a reason.
And through Ezekiel we can rejoice to hear, "You can turn and live."
Every year this surprises me, that with the Holy Spirit there is always more.
I had forgotten the part about Lent where: one is led. Lenten practice isn't just us doing and not doing; it is discovering the Living God moving in our lives. Our prayers and observances are more than a personal project that we are trying to put together oh so perfectly. We are, to put it clumsily, God's project.
Today, the Living God through His servant Paul and the mediation of Christ in community says: 'REJOICE!' Right at the beginning of the penitential season, we are to go in rejoicing.
Rejoice, as the great prayer of Jesus in John 17 declares: We're His! And oh yes, we're sent, sent into the world. We are here for a reason.
And through Ezekiel we can rejoice to hear, "You can turn and live."
Every year this surprises me, that with the Holy Spirit there is always more.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Commending The Faith that Is In Us
Ash Wednesday
This a.m., "failure to commend the faith that is in us" leapt out from the litany for Ash Wedneday.
One pastor comments, "We have not fully understood [faith], entrusted ourselves to it, or practiced it." [www.pubtheo.com/page.asp?pid=1446].
Bad inadequate us, to be sure. That's why I love Psalm 32, which begins and ends with joy, even as remembering the withering and groaning of unconfessed sin. How trusting vv. 7 and 8 are, picturing "all the faithful making their prayers to you in time of trouble," concluding v. 8, "you surround me with shouts of deliverance."
The shouts brought to mind last night's pancake supper, when the Associate Rector went around to the many round tables "collecting" Alleluias for "burial" in Lent. Each table shouted "ALLELUIA" as she came by, so that all around the room you heard the Alleuias erupting. We were literally sitting in a surround-sound of deliverance.
So when I woke up today I understood that deliverance-surrounding community to be the way into Lent. There is safety there "hiding place," (v. 8) and mercy embraces those who trust (v. 11). Holding back from there would be my failure to commend the faith that is in us. The mercies come from changing our practice of withholding the things we need God's help with. Yipe.
This a.m., "failure to commend the faith that is in us" leapt out from the litany for Ash Wedneday.
One pastor comments, "We have not fully understood [faith], entrusted ourselves to it, or practiced it." [www.pubtheo.com/page.asp?pid=1446].
Bad inadequate us, to be sure. That's why I love Psalm 32, which begins and ends with joy, even as remembering the withering and groaning of unconfessed sin. How trusting vv. 7 and 8 are, picturing "all the faithful making their prayers to you in time of trouble," concluding v. 8, "you surround me with shouts of deliverance."
The shouts brought to mind last night's pancake supper, when the Associate Rector went around to the many round tables "collecting" Alleluias for "burial" in Lent. Each table shouted "ALLELUIA" as she came by, so that all around the room you heard the Alleuias erupting. We were literally sitting in a surround-sound of deliverance.
So when I woke up today I understood that deliverance-surrounding community to be the way into Lent. There is safety there "hiding place," (v. 8) and mercy embraces those who trust (v. 11). Holding back from there would be my failure to commend the faith that is in us. The mercies come from changing our practice of withholding the things we need God's help with. Yipe.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Hebrew of Hebrews
Philippians 3:1-11 Shrove Tuesday, Year 2
The race... of Israel. The tribe... of Benjamin... Of law... a Pharisee. Of zeal... a persecutor of Christians. Of Torah righteousness... perfect. He doesn't add his Roman citizenship here but Paul was definitely the right sort... IF one were to put confidence in flesh.
Today's scholars agree that Paul didn't write all the letters attributed to him. To me that says, look at how many he DID write, including this one. Our Paul was a real man, who had everything in the way of credentials and counted it all refuse ("skewbalon" = "dung") for Jesus. For the Gospel he suffered shipwreck, mockery, and he even fought with wild beasts in Ephesus. Here he writes from prison, debating rival missionaries who claimed that conversion to Christianity meant you had to become a circumcized Jew first.
Circumcision represented holiness; that's why Paul says "WE are the circumcision." The carnal kinships (for "sarx" in Greek means sinful human nature; flesh; kinships) won't save you. What matters is to know Christ... to "be found in him" ... to have the righteousness from God that depends on faith... not his own following the law so perfectly ... to suffer with him (!)
Does Paul's passion put us off maybe? Oh, great, give up my reliance on privilege, a big carbon footprint, and an Ivy League education to fling myself into suffering with Christ? To pursue a death like Christ's as my goal? Or even give up sweets for Lent?
The good news is that we have already gone through that death in the waters of baptism. That is the holiness/circumcision that Paul teaches. We have already been laid hold of (as Paul says of himself in v. 12). It was when I realized the day of my baptism was the most important day of my life that I began to really live. As I increasingly realize the surpassing worth of God's blessings to me, I start thinking that despite all my carnal fear and sloth I somehow have to find a way to share it.
I know Paul is right; entering Lent I pray for his courage.
The race... of Israel. The tribe... of Benjamin... Of law... a Pharisee. Of zeal... a persecutor of Christians. Of Torah righteousness... perfect. He doesn't add his Roman citizenship here but Paul was definitely the right sort... IF one were to put confidence in flesh.
Today's scholars agree that Paul didn't write all the letters attributed to him. To me that says, look at how many he DID write, including this one. Our Paul was a real man, who had everything in the way of credentials and counted it all refuse ("skewbalon" = "dung") for Jesus. For the Gospel he suffered shipwreck, mockery, and he even fought with wild beasts in Ephesus. Here he writes from prison, debating rival missionaries who claimed that conversion to Christianity meant you had to become a circumcized Jew first.
Circumcision represented holiness; that's why Paul says "WE are the circumcision." The carnal kinships (for "sarx" in Greek means sinful human nature; flesh; kinships) won't save you. What matters is to know Christ... to "be found in him" ... to have the righteousness from God that depends on faith... not his own following the law so perfectly ... to suffer with him (!)
Does Paul's passion put us off maybe? Oh, great, give up my reliance on privilege, a big carbon footprint, and an Ivy League education to fling myself into suffering with Christ? To pursue a death like Christ's as my goal? Or even give up sweets for Lent?
The good news is that we have already gone through that death in the waters of baptism. That is the holiness/circumcision that Paul teaches. We have already been laid hold of (as Paul says of himself in v. 12). It was when I realized the day of my baptism was the most important day of my life that I began to really live. As I increasingly realize the surpassing worth of God's blessings to me, I start thinking that despite all my carnal fear and sloth I somehow have to find a way to share it.
I know Paul is right; entering Lent I pray for his courage.
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