So here’s what happened with this -
I got to camp, spent an hour or two writing this up, went to transfer it to my phone so I could post it using the cell data, and discovered I had brought our home phone (which doesn’t have the Blogger stuff on it) with me and left my phone (which does have the Blogger stuff on it) at home. So that took another day to straighten out -
Some thoughts on some of the Lectionary Lessons for Sunday -
Exodus 3.1-15 Moses meets God in the burning bush, take off your shoes, the ground is holy, I AM WHO I AM
- This is a “call narrative”, a distinctive literary form. Looking at how God called Moses, we can perhaps think more clearly about how God might call us. Several things to notice – 1) Moses was just going about his daily routine, not off looking for a spiritual or meaningful or holy experience. 2) a call begins by establishing a relationship with God. 3) a call is specific. 4) objecting to a call is orthodox. Humans are inadequate, and a call involves risk. 5) the objection is met with divine reassurance, and 6) often there is a sign involved. (What is the sign here? It might be that all the people worshipping on the mountain will be the sign that it has all worked out. Or, it might be that the burning bush is a sign that will be in Moses’ heart and mind even though nobody else sees it. What seems most likely to you? And, how do you tend to think about signs from God in general?)
- “Take off your shoes, you are standing on holy ground.” I am intrigued by cultures where you take off your shoes (and perhaps are offered slippers or house-shoes) before entering a home. Mr Rogers! Is all ground holy? And there is that poem about “earth’s aflame with heaven, only those who see take off their shoes, the rest pluck blackberries” or something like that. I don’t have the internet at hand! Where would you expect to meet God, where would you be surprised to encounter God?
- here’s an idea: write a haiku with the last line “this ground is holy” or “this ground holy, too” or something like that!
- It never struck me before that Moses was a shepherd. God called him from tending the flock to tending God’s people.
- Buechner has a classic piece about the power of knowing another’s name – he says God told Moses his name and hasn’t had a moment’s peace since. Remember that Jacob wrestled with God and prevailed, but still did not learn God’s name. In our day it might be a little like having or not having someone’s cell phone number.
- Of course, what kind of a name is I AM or I AM WHO I AM anyway? How do you think about it? One writer notes that the bush which burns but doesn’t burn up is symbolic of the God who creates but does not deteriorate.
- After all that, have you ever felt a call from God? Where were you and what were you doing? What was/is the risk involved? Was there a sign? My call into the ministry was somehow wrapped up with the dinner bell at church camp – I don’t remember exactly how anymore, but that was a part of it.
Psalm 105.1-6, 23-26, 45b The Lord can be trusted
- once again, praying to and praising God is linked with telling others, it’s not just a private experience.
- you belong, yes, you!
All of us are members, all of us are members, all of us are members of the family
And I bid you to remember as you carry out your plan
All of us are members of the family of woman and man.
- vs 25 “God made the Egyptians plan hateful things against them.” Well, that’s the psalmist’s understanding. Is it yours?
Alternate track
Jer 15.15-21 Jeremiah complains (again!) and God replies
- vs 17 “I don’t go to parties and have a good time.” How does “having a good time” fit into the life of faith?
- “I will be there to rescue you” God says. Reminds me of the hymn How Firm a Foundation. Or of the joke about the guy in the flood who turns down 3 or 4 rescue attempts because he is waiting for God to rescue him. Or about the guy who complains that God doesn’t let him win the lottery, even though he promised to give a percentage to the church, and God replies “Give me a break – you have to at least buy a ticket.”
- But how about us – does the life of faith feel like a good time, or like a heavy responsibility? If it is just one or the other, does that maybe suggest we are not “all in”?
Mt 16.21-28 First Passion Prediction, those who save their lives will lose them…...
- Peter’s big turn around from being “The Rock” to “Satan. Why? Well, Jesus’ words - suffering, dying, being raised – are pretty hard to accept and process. Peter is “Satan” in that he tempts Jesus away from this path.
- “Get behind me” is not “Get lost”, but rather “Fall in as a faithful disciple.” Jesus used the same word to call Peter and Andrew in Mt 4.19.
- Jesus identifies Peter’s thoughts as “thinking like a human.” The call of God is to something “beyond human”?
- Picking up your cross, giving up your life...what would you give to get back your soul? These are hard statements, easy to give lip service to, but when it really comes down to it….?
- vs 27 The “Son of Man” will come and reward people for what they have done. Not meant as a call to work-righteousness, but simply the realization that how we live makes a difference.
Here’s a prayer for today from Pope Benedict XVI - (apparently it was for some particular day)
God grant that violence be overcome by the power of love,
that opposition give way to reconciliation
and that the desire to oppress be transformed
into the desire for forgiveness, justice and peace…
May peace be in our hearts
so that they are open to the action of God’s grace…
May all members of the family community,
especially children, the elderly, the weakest,
feel the warmth of this feast,
and may it extend subsequently to all the days in the year.
There was a piece on the radio about some Native American tribe in the hurricane’s path, and the spokesperson said “We evacuated all the elders to a safe place.” It kind of had a different ring to it from “We emptied out the nursing homes.”
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