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Archive for August, 2023

Sirach 8: 1-14: Perplexity

Posted in Favorite, tagged , on August 31, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Sirach 8: 1-14: Perplexity

Thursday, August 31, 2023perplexity-20301609

Last year we took a look at Sirach 18 and 19 to focus on the idea of living within our spiritual means much like we strive to stay with our financial means or our physical limitations. We reflected on the idea of having high expectations of ourselves without stressing ourselves beyond our capacity. As the ancient Eastern proverb says, All things in moderation. As my Dad used to say, All things, even if they are good things, become bad things when we take them too far. And that brings us to today, when we ponder this: When human beings have finished they are just beginning, and when they stop, they are still perplexed. The writer Jesus ben Sirach also gives us this to think about: What are human beings, and of what use are they? What is good in them, and what is evil?  We are also told: The Lord has patience with us because he sees that we are miserable. 

We may or may not agree with these ideas. We may or may not like the idea that we spend much of our human existence being perplexed. In communion with our God, we may wish to have more answers, to be more prepared, to receive more information, but this is not what our maker expects. God expects that we go to God when we are in difficult places in our lives – as small children go to their parents – to place their trust in God’s providence.

I have spent my prayer time this weekend with Sirach and today I open scripture to arrive again at a seminal idea in this book: That we are created to love and to be loved, and that God asks us to walk with him, trusting that he knows how and where we are in every moment of our existence.

Being perplexed is not bad when we take our confusion to God before anyone else. We can remind ourselves of this each time we feel at sea, each moment we experience negative feelings, each hour we spend in grief.

Being perplexed is not bad when we remember that we are children of God, and that God wishes us every good.

A Favorite from August 31, 2009.

Image from: https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/perplexity.html

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John 11: The Death of Lazarus

Posted in Favorite, tagged , , , , , , on August 30, 2023| Leave a Comment »


John 11: The Death of Lazarus

Lazarus

The Raising of Lazarus

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

A Favorite from August 28, 2009.

This is a bittersweet story if we believe in the resurrection. Each time I read it, I linger over verse 35: Jesus wept. As a child I believed that the Christ wept because his good friend had died. As I grew older I believed he mourned the fact that he knew he was calling this friend back from a beatific place. Now when I read this verse it seems to me that Christ cries out of his humanity; he cries at the tragedy of our human fragility. As I continue to grow I am guessing that I will have other perspectives, other reasons for Jesus’ tears. This is what is so wonderful about the message of the Messiah: each time we read it, we come away with something new, something surprising, something healing. This is why, I believe, God came to walk among us, so that we might number our sorrows with the Lord’s. When we cry out to God, God can honestly tell us that God experiences our pain.

There is another point which always intrigues me about this story. Hard on its heels arrives the story of the plot to kill Jesus. I am always struck with the vigor of the jealousy and venom of his enemies. Some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council and said,“What are we to do? This man is performing miracles, many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy the holy place and our nation.”  This narrative continues to verses 53 and 54: So from that day on they planned to put him to death. Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews. And this chapter ends with . . . Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him. 

When I put myself into this story, I wonder where I would fall. Am I among the Pharisees, the priests, the followers who report Jesus? Am I one who succumbs to jealousy and revenge? Am I one who believes and follows? Do I understand that the “death” of Lazarus is really the initiation rite of his new life? Am I willing to enter into the hope God offers us when God frees us in the person of Jesus? Do I comprehend the joy I might experience when I unite with the Holy Spirit to carry the message of freedom to others? Am I willing to accept surprise in my life? Am I willing to hand myself over to a belief in something I cannot see? Am I ready to accept a new way of living?

There is much newness to think about as we read this old story. What appears to be death might actually be life. What seems to the end of a story, may actually be the beginning. What is apparently a handing over of self in obedience can be a surprising release into a full liberty of expression. We will only know when we choose to follow.

Image from: http://fathermarkcollins.blogspot.com/2012/11/but-for-grace-of-god-sermon-for-year-b_4.html

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Sirach 32: 1 -13: At the Table

Posted in Favorite, tagged , , , , on August 29, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Sirach 32: 1 -13: At the Table

Tuesday, August 29, 2023heavenly banquet

I continue to love the words of this writer – they are so to the point and true! Knowing that the table where meals are shared is an important part of both ancient and modern life, the images here of people sharing food are as apt today as they were when they were written. Food, one of the most basic of life’s necessities, is such an essential part of living that we put down our animosities regarding one another in order to bring in the harvest, and to share space and time in one another’s company. Today’s Noontime gives us the opportunity to reflect on the most sacred of all meals – the Eucharist. What a great and wonderful gift is this that Christ comes to us to share his physical presence with us and to sustain us in our journey here on earth. Jesus Ben Sirach tells us how we are to come to the table, how we are to behave, what we might expect.

Take care of guests before sitting down yourself . . .

Temper your wisdom when you speak, do not be too puffed up and self-important . . .

Be aware of how much wine you are drinking and its effects upon you . . .

Be brief and be concise when speaking; observe and listen more than you speak . . .

Leave when it is time to go being certain to not out-stay your welcome . . .

As I reflect on all of this I realize that this is how we ought to come to every gathering. We need to take ourselves seriously – but not overly so. We need to enjoy ourselves – but not overly so. We need to recognize ourselves in one other without losing our own identity. We must remember always that just as we are temples of the living God, so is everyone else around the table.

communionEarly humans must have always been on the hunt for food; mealtimes where memories, songs, jokes and profound ideas might be shared were surely a luxury. How blessed are we to have the gift of leisure that we can spend an hour or two each day with family, friends and colleagues to bare our souls, share concerns, to laugh, to question, even to cry, as we share a meal. How blessed are we to have a God who wishes to share a banquet with us daily as God delivers the gift of himself for us to use as we will.

I have always cherished the time spent at the table with those I love. What is more difficult is to sit at the table with those who have announced that they are our enemies and yet when we truly believe that Christ is present when we come together, what is there to fear? If we can come together to celebrate the Eucharist – the gift of Christ himself to us – then let us also come together in amity to journey through our days together helping, abiding, remaining in Christ before all else. When Christ is seated at the table, no weapons or defense or offense are needed. We only need bring ourselves and our own humble gifts.

A Favorite from August 25, 2009. 

Images from: http://insearchofthinplaces.blogspot.com/2013/11/resurrection-and-heavenly-banquet.html and http://feastssaintsmedievalchurch.blogspot.com/2013/02/anglican-eucharistic-theology.html

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Isaiah 57:14-21: The Restless Sea

Posted in Comparing Scripture, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 28, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Isaiah 57:14-21: The Restless Sea

Monday, August 28, 2023restless seas

In days when political and civic leaders grapple with the realities of our common world, Isaiah reminds us that the wicked are always with us, obscuring truth, engendering deceit.

The wicked are storm-battered seas that can’t quiet down. The waves stir up garbage and mud. (THE MESSAGE)

In times when religious and community leaders struggle to bring light to a present darkness, Isaiah reminds us that evil relies on chaotic upheaval and unpredictable alliances.

Evil people are like the restless sea, whose waves never stop rolling in, bringing filth and muck. (GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION)

In the hour of darkness when friends and family clash over how to move forward for the good of all, Isaiah tells us that God’s promise of healing and restoration is authentic.

But the wicked are like the tossing sea that cannot keep still; its waters toss up mire and mud. (NRSV)

In the moment of fear and division when anxiety and confusion threaten our relationship with God, Isaiah tells us that there is one person, one person, one bond that calms all fear and quiets all anxiety. Isaiah reminds us that there is a voice that persists as it calls out: Let my people return to me. Remove every obstacle from their path! Build the road and make it ready!

Help and healing, humility and repentance, confidence and hope, eternal promise and love. Isaiah comforts us as he has done for millennia. Isaiah reminds us that God waits eternally for those who look to move from mourning to joy.

Tomorrow, at the table . . . 

When we use the scripture link and the drop-down menus to explore various translations of these verses, we discover how we might all survive the restless seas.

Image from: http://www.spiritualwarbiblestudies.com/index.php?topic=112.0

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Sirach 33:7-15: Differences

Posted in Comparing Scripture, tagged , , , on August 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Sirach 33:7-15: Differences

Sunday, August 27, 2023Birds

If we ever wonder about the diversity of God’s creation, we might look at this chapter of Sirach.

Why is one day more important than another, when all the daylight in the year is from the sun?

When we believe that some of us are better than others of us, we might remember these words.

By the Lord’s wisdom they were distinguished, and he appointed the different seasons and festivals. Some days God exalted and hallowed, and some God made ordinary days.

meadow2When we use our ears and eyes, we understand God’s desire for variety.

All human beings come from the ground, and humankind was created out of the dust. In the fullness of his knowledge the Lord distinguished them and appointed their different ways.

When we open our hearts and minds, we see God’s great gift of diversity.

Like clay in the hand of the potter, to be molded as God pleases, so all are in the hand of their Maker, to be given whatever God decides.

When we observe humankind and nature honestly, we discover God’s marvelous inclusivity of many formed into one.

crowdLook at all the works of the Most High; they come in pairs, one the opposite of the other.

When we enter into the mystery of God’s creation, we witness to the marvelous differences found in God’s love.

When we compare differing translations of these verses, we open ourselves to the wisdom of God’s marvelous differences.

Click on the image of the birds above to learn more about the importance of diversity in nature. https://www.nature.com/articles/513305a

Click on the crowd image to learn about the broad diversity found in the Mexican genome. https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2014.15403

Image of flowers from: https://heroesnotzombies.com/2013/07/20/nature-loves-diversity/

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Job 40: Fear

Posted in Favorite, Prayer, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 26, 2023| Leave a Comment »


behemoth

A depiction of the mythical Behemoth

Job 40: Fear

Saturday, August 26, 2023

Chapter 40 of Job is sandwiched between the threat of Satan and the promise of restoration, bringing home to us the marvel of God’s immense love for us.

When we focus on 40:15 we see the Behemoth who sneezes, sending forth light flashes. Sparks fly from his mouth, his breath lights fires, his heart is hard as stone, the mighty fear him, nothing frightens him.  This monster – who later appears in Revelation – is drawn so vividly that we tremble before him.  What does he represent?  Perhaps he signifies all the fear we have ever felt about all things, both little and large.

We know that we must fight back the fear but the task is daunting.  When we spend time with Job we understand that when we allow God to be God, we enter into God’s love.

The Gospels tell us that when the Sea of Galilee is whipped by a storm, endangering the apostles in their tiny boat, we find Jesus walking on the water to calm both the turbulent waves and his followers.  Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid! (Matthew 14:22-36, Mark 6:45-56, John 6:16-24) Just as the apostles follow Christ, so must we.

In the New Testament letters, John writes eloquently in his soaring verses to tell of the awesome enormity of the love God brings to us, the same love to which God calls us. We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy! (1 John 1:1-4) Just as John encourages us to believe, so must we encourage one another.

When the behemoth of fear stalks us, waits at the next corner, rides home with us in the back seat of the car, springs from under the bed . . . we must turn to Christ and to his colossal, freely-given love.

So let us perfect this love which God plants in each of us.  Let us revel in it.  Let us share it, speak of it, spend time with it.

And let us pray: Let us put fear aside.

When loved ones betray or disappoint us . . . Let us put fear aside.

When we find the day too arduous and the night too long . . . Let us put fear aside.

When the behemoth springs from nowhere to instill us with foreboding . . . Let us put fear aside.

When we are anxious and tired and do not have the strength to summons the courage we so desperately seek . . . Let us put fear aside.

When we find ourselves separate from you . . . Let us put fear aside.

When we seek punishment instead of love . . . Let us put fear aside.

Amen. 

I there is time today, spend time with John’s letters, and let God’s awesome love chase away the behemoth of fear.

Image from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/521784306804713716/

Adapted from a Favorite written on January 7, 2009.

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Ezekiel 12: Ridicule

Posted in Comparing Scripture, Favorite, tagged , , , , , , , on August 25, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Ezekiel 12: Ridicule

Friday, August 25, 2023

Fake Dictionary, definition of the word bullying.

In Acts 26 we see that the people of Caesarea listening to Paul think him mad from too much learning!  Today we see that the prophet wars exacted a toll on those who spoke on God’s behalf.  The HARPER COLLINS COMMENTARY tells us that in chaotic times such as those in the days of the exile, prophets often gave “conflicting messages concerning the way people should react and by predicting different courses for future events. In times of prophetic conflict, people are likely to question prophetic authority, and prophets often respond to this situation by undergirding their own authority in various ways and by undermining the authority of their prophetic rivals.” We see the conflict in Ezekiel 12 with false visions or deceitful divinations within the house of Israel. This calls us to think about the false prophesies or divinations we may have witnessed or passed on. How do we know a false prophet when we see one?

If we have never placed our faith in those who betray our trust, we might thank God. If we have suffered betrayal, we may become more circumspect in our interactions with others, and we may even discover that our actions become too cautious, too prudent. We must guard against giving in to any temptation to strike back, or to submitting to fear or paranoia. We must be willing to move forward in hope, ignoring any ridicule we suffer, doing the work we are meant to do.

Ridicule is a weapon used expertly by mean girls and bullies.  A recent survey gave us an interesting statistic: upwards of 68% of people who dislike their work do not dislike the actual task they have chosen or been given, they dislike the work place, because of bullying. We may naïvely believe that most people in most work places have equipped themselves with the necessary tools to defend themselves from haranguing and harassment.

In the U.S. we have seen bold examples of rude behavior and name-calling used to overpower others. This meanness is often described later as “a joke gone bad,” sarcasm or frank speech that is meant to counteract political correctness.

We might look for solutions to bullying but no matter the action we decide to take it is always good to remember to communicate our fears to God. If we do not know where to begin, we might find Psalm 42 helpful: Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God.  My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life; when can I enter and see the face of my God? . . . Deep is calling on deep, in the roar of the waters: your torrents and all your waves swept over me . . . With cries that pierce me to the heart, my enemies revile me, saying to me all day long “Where is your God?”  Why are you cast down, my soul, why groan within me?  Hope in God: I will praise him still, my savior and my God.

Where is your God?  Hope in God. We will praise God still.

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?  Whom are you looking for?  . . .  Go to my brothers and your brothers and tell them, “I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God”.  (John 20:15)

Where is your God?  Hope in God. We will praise God still.

When bullies approach, as they surely will, we must hope in God to defend us from ridicule. We must rely on God to show us the way to go. And we must praise God still.

Mays, James L., ed.  HARPERCOLLINS BIBLE COMMENTARY. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1988. Print.

To learn about cyber bullying, click on the image or visit: https://cyberbullying.org/what-is-bullying Adapted from a reflection written on March 25, 2008.

When we compare varying translations of these verses, we open our eyes and ears to God’s wisdom as God shows us how we might confront the ridicule we meet.

For a guide to combat bullying, click on the image above or visit: https://www.stopbullying.gov/

For an interesting article on workplace bullying, visit the Society for Human Resource Management at: https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/pages/1014-viewpoint-workplace-bullying.aspx

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Ezekiel 12:1-12: Eyes and Ears

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on August 24, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Ezekiel 12:1-12: Eyes and Ears

Thursday, August 24, 2023listen

More than once in scripture we are counseled to keep eyes and ears open. The prophets encourage us, Wisdom Books advise us, and Jesus recommends to us that transformation begins with listening and watching. How then, can we go wrong by keeping our eyes and ears open?

Today’s reading also describes a symbolic preparation for exile. We are advised to do as the prophet has done – dig a hole in the wall so that we might escape under cover of darkness. All of this leads us to an examination of self.

What is in our baggage?

Our modern psychology has given us vocabulary we might use to describe the worries and anxieties we bundle and carry with us each day. Perhaps when we escape we might leave much of this behind and take instead our hopes and dreams.

Escape from what?

We become pigeon-holed by the world just as we pigeon-hole others. Perhaps we might escape this stunting habit and take up instead the loving behavior Jesus teaches us.

Why in the dark?

As small children we may fear the dark as we ask patient elders to turn on lights to ward off monsters. The darkness is the place where we decide to submit to fear or trust. As adults, we asked to step into the darkness of the future, knowing that the light of Christ is all we need to light our way. Perhaps we might allow the light of our discipleship to pierce the darkness for others.

Where are we to go and what are we to do?

The ancient patriarchs and their families placed all trust in God. Perhaps we too might step into radical trust and join in solidarity with others as we join Christ in his Way.

Who is the prince among us?

The prophet Ezekiel tells us that there is a prince among us who will shoulder his burden and set out in the darkness, going through a hole that he has dug in the wall, and covering his face lest he be seen by anyone. Perhaps we might open our ears and eyes to the words of Ezekiel as he foretells the kingdom of Christ. Perhaps we might hear and see the goodness of God amidst the darkness of the world. Perhaps.

Tomorrow, our rebelliousness.

Image from: 

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Psalm 112:7: Evil Reports

Posted in Social Justice, tagged , , , , on August 23, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Psalm 112:7: Evil Reports

JimCrowInDurhamNC-1024x687

Bus station in Durham, North Carolina in 1940.          JACK DELANO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Wednesday, August 23, 2023

We receive many reports of evil in a world that is increasingly interconnected, and too often it is difficult to sort reality from illusion. Public Radio host Diane Rehm featured “Two perspectives on life in the Jim Crow South: how white children learned to believe that black Americans were inferior and the crushing conditions that motivated millions of African Americans to move from the South in search of a better life”.

Racism, tribalism, discrimination and bigotry distort our perception of who we are and who we might be. For the just one, the psalmist tells us, conducts affairs with justice, is firm of heart and steadfast in the Lord. The just one does not fear an evil report. Might we say that we have such confidence? Might we say that we have no fear of evil reports?

When we listen to the podcast of Rehm’s show, Two Views of the Jim Crow South and its Legacy Today, we might determine how fear moves us into or out of the world of bigotry. And we might consider the legacy we pass on to our children. And we might determine to take some action – either small or great – to show that in the face of evil reports, we will refuse to teach hatred of the other to future generations.

For the Rehm podcast, click on the image above, or go to: https://dianerehm.org/shows/2016-11-25/two-views-on-the-jim-crow-south-and-its-legacy-today-rebroadcast-rebroadcast 

For a Noontime reflection on Psalm 112, enter the word and number Psalm 122 into the blog search bar and reflect.

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