We live in a politically challenging times and today’s reflection may help us to focus on how to use the lens of the Gospel to move through our lives.
When we worry that God does not hear us, we must remember John’s words.
We have courage in God’s presence, because we are sure that God hears us if we ask for anything that is according to God’s will. (GNT)
When we become anxious that our world makes less sense and feels more dangerous, we must return to John’s words.
And this is the boldness we have in God, that if we ask anything according to God’s will, God hears us. (NRSV)
When we are confronted with injustice in our homes and in our world, we must recall John’s words.
This is the confidence we have in God’s presence: if we ask anything that accords with God’s will, God hears us. (CJB)
When we believe that our world is moving away from God’s plan, we must rely on John’s words.
My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in God’s presence, freely asking according to God’s will, sure that God is listening. (MSG)
When we compare varying versions of these verses, we have less fear and we become less anxious. We also find the strength to remain in God’s presence rather than be drawn into the darkness of the world. And we will know quite well that are God’s beloved.
Jesus proposes that we set aside the accolades of life as we know it on earth; and this will be difficult to do because our desire for honor and fame, pleasure, power and wealth too often outweighs our willingness to surrender to God’s plan, to forego the hunger for control and celebrity. Today we remember a message from Paul that we have contemplated a number of times during our Noontime journey. We might wonder how we are to invert our lives. We might question how we are to give up all the world offers to take on the qualities of steadfastness, fidelity, meekness, willingness to mourn and to undergo hardship while we follow Christ Jesus on his Way.
Let the same mind be in you that wasin Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God,did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross. (NSRV)
This picture of the world is the inversion of the one we usually hold dear.
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion. This vision of the world sees persecution for Jesus’ sake as a sign of our fidelity. (MSG)
This view of the world is one we will want to explore.
In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus. Christ himself was like God in everything. He was equal with God. But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be held on to. He gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born as a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God. He obeyed even when that caused his death—death on a cross.(ICB)
This view of the world shows us a leader who serves with humility and care.
The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had: He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God. Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness. He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death – his death on the cross. (GNT)
This picture of the world invites us to newness through service and love.
When we compare varying versions of these verses, we better understand the call to live an inverted life.
We are familiar with the conversation between Abram and “I AM” in which God promises not only a kingship and land but a son and as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. Do not fear, Abram, I ama shield to you; your reward shall be very great (Genesis 15:1) God’s fidelity is echoed in Abram’s.
Later in this story, Hagar bears Abraham a son and her attitude toward Abraham’s wife Sarah changes. When Hagar and her child Ishmael are sent away to wander in the desert, the same God who promises so much sends a messenger to bring them tidings of peace. The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Donotfear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. (Genesis 21:17) Ishmael’s cry is heard by God.
Millennia later God perseveres in watching over the marginalized and invites shepherds as the first witnesses to the arrival of the Messiah in the world. Today we reflect on the gift of fidelity that Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and Ismael teach us. We reflect on the humility and joy of the shepherds who visit the child Jesus. And we reflect on the permanence of God’s love.
Jesus persists in serving as our shield. Today let us consider the fidelity we echo back to God.
Throughout Christmastide, we continue to explore the number of ways the Creator tells us that we need not be afraid.
As a child, I was fascinated by the story of Noah. It presented images that both frightened and inspired; and I remember the fear I felt contrasted with my mother’s voice as she calmly read out the story to me. She sat on the side of my bed. I huddled under the blankets, grateful for her presence, dreading the outcome for those who scoffed at the idea of a great flood, knowing that I too, ignored many warnings sent to me.
As an adult, I am washed by love-dread emotions when reading the story. Perhaps the vivid pictures in my story book of drowning people banging against the side of the ark, pleading to be let in, still haunt me. As an adult, Jesus’ words today recall all the times I have thought I know the future better, all the times I thought I understood the past more deeply, and all the times I have lived my present without fully understanding myself and my surroundings. I think of our recent election in the U.S. and I wonder: who among us has taken heed of the prophecies, and who has not? Am I riding in the ark of Christ wondering if I have made the right decision? Or am I hammering at the side of the ship?
Jesus says: As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Where am I in this story? Who has built the ark and how large is it? What other life does it carry? Does my name appear on the manifest?
Jesus says: Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it.
What does this inversion mean for me today? How am I to enact this teaching in my life? How do I best demonstrate my love for God? Do I accurately reflect God’s image in a troubled world?
Jesus says: On that night, there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left.
Those who read scripture from a fundamental perspective preach the rapture, a time when the chosen are taken into heaven while the condemned are left behind. There are days and nights when I almost believe this notion, but then I remember how Jesus leaves the ninety-nine to find the one who is lost. I remember the stories of the prodigal son and his forgiving father, the woman at the well and the compassionate Jesus. I remember my mother sitting on my bed to read out the dreadful but lovely words of Noah and his family shutting themselves and the animal kingdom – two by two – into the ark to wait for another beginning.
Jesus says: As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
What are we to make of this story? How does it play out in our lives today? How different are we in 2016 from those who peopled the planet in the days of Noah? And how does this knowledge change the way we act as we go out into the world for a new beginning each day?
We have spent time with this psalm before and today we take a deeper look.
Do not touch my anointed ones. Do my prophets no harm.
How do we define faithfulness? Do we admire our ability to hang on no matter what? Are we stubborn to a fault in our persistence to see something through? Do we waver and zigzag in order to gain ground? Or do we model ourselves after Yahweh who is eternally faithful to his sheep?
Longevity. Perseverance. Constancy.
Do not touch my anointed ones. Do my prophets no harm.
Do we duplicate as much as possible God’s fidelity in our own relationships? Are we dedicated to truth and openness? Are we predictable? Do our relationships create a safe harbor?
Dedication. Predictability. Safety.
Do not touch my anointed ones. Do my prophets no harm.
What is it that stands in stark contrast with God’s fidelity? The pursuit of petty agendas? Egocentrism? Meanness of spirit?
Do not touch my anointed ones. Do my prophets no harm.
What do we need to jettison in our lives in order to create serenity and peace in our relationships?
Do not touch my anointed ones. Do my prophets no harm.
How do we imitate God’s bringing forth of unity out of schism?
Do not touch my anointed ones. Do my prophets no harm.
Can we see ourselves as prophets and anointed ones? If not, what do we want to change? How do we become one with such a one who loves so well?
Longevity. Perseverance. Constancy.
Dedication. Predictability. Safety.
For God all things are possible. In Christ all wounds are healed. Together with the Holy Spirit we are become one. We are invited to enter into holy communion with one another. We are invited to prophesy the Word of God. We are anointed in God. We are one in God. We are blessed in God. We are saved in God.
Do not touch my anointed ones. Do my prophets no harm.
Adapted from a reflection written on October 9, 2009.
Clive Lawton presents off-beat portraits of some of the Bible’s greatest prophets. Click on the image from BBC Radio 4 at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0383kxs
Quentin Metsys: John the Evangelist and the Three Women at the Tomb of Christ
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. (John 19:25)
The courage to do what others will not do. We might all, women and men, have the courage to minister to one another.
The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee went with Joseph and saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was placed in it. (Luke 23:55)
The persistence to follow once we hear God’s call. We might all, women and men, find the tenacity to remain with one another in Christ.
“Woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who is it that you are looking for?” She thought he was the gardener, so she said to him, “If you took him away, sir, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” (John 20:15)
The fidelity to follow when there seems to be no hope. We might all, women and men, find faithfulness in the Holy Spirit.
We sat down and talked to the women who gathered there.One of those who heard us was Lydia from Thyatira, who was a dealer in purple cloth. She was a woman who worshiped God, and the Lord opened her mind to pay attention to what Paul was saying.After she and the people of her house had been baptized, she invited us, “Come and stay in my house if you have decided that I am a true believer in the Lord.” And she persuaded us to go. (Acts 16:12-15)
The women we find in scripture struggle against the norms of the times. They remain faithful to Christ and his promise of resurrection. They remain hopeful in good times and bad. They love endlessly with the love of the divine.
We might all, women and men, like the ministering women we see today, be willing to give voice to the voiceless, to persist where others weaken, and to share the startling good news that Christ has redeemed the world.
For more on Lydia, go to: https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/all-women-bible/Lydia
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.
He’s done it all and done it well. He gives hearing to the deaf, speech to the speechless.
God has gifted us with the gift of words. Today we reflect on the purpose of this gift and the use of our own words in our daily lives.
“Watch your words diligently. Words have such great power to bless or to wound. When you speak carelessly or negatively, you damage others as well as yourself. This ability to verbalize is an awesome privilege, granted only to those I created in my image. You need help in wielding this mighty power responsibly.
“Though the world applauds quick-witted retorts, My instructions about communication are quite different: Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.Ask My Spirit to help you whenever you speak . . . If [people around you] are silent, pray before speaking to them. If they are talking, pray before responding. These are split-second prayers, but they put you in touch with My Presence. In this way, your speaking comes under the control of My Spirit. As positive speech patterns replace your negative ones, the increase in your joy will amaze you”. (Young 126)
In her wonderful devotional, JESUS CALLING, Sarah Young bases daily reflections on scripture. She brings us wisdom that we might want to use in a modern climate of insults and one-liner sound bites are meant for broadcast news. Jesus comes to as THE WORD of the loving presence that created us in an image of goodness and compassion. When we take in the words that flood around us it is so frequently difficult to distinguish truth from lie; but what is easier to distinguish is ego versus selflessness, greed versus generosity, false fruit versus abundant fruit. When we are confused about whose words we are to believe or reject, Young presents us with a distillation of God’s message: we must rely on the Spirit for guidance, we must depend on Jesus as an example, and we must trust in the Creator who has created us in God’s image in and for love alone.
Tomorrow, healing the paralyzed man.
Young, Sarah. Jesus Calling. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004. Print.
The Noontimes 