Words Twice a Week 11.19
and I’m afraid for a couple more weeks, [qm] is ‘question mark’ and [ep] is ‘exclamation point’. Sorry about that – my computer should be sent off to hopefully get fixed in a couple of days.
Let’s start this week with this thought from Henri Nouwen and let it swirl around in our hearts and minds as we look at the lessons for this Sunday – Reign of Christ/Christ the King.
God’s question is: “Are you reading the signs of your time as signs asking you to repent and be converted?” What really counts is our willingness to let the immense sufferings of our brothers and sisters free us from all arrogance and from all judgments and condemnations and give us a heart as gentle and humble as the heart of Jesus. -Henri Nouwen
Some thoughts about some of the lessons -
Ps 100 Make a Joyful Noise
- it’s a familiar psalm, not too difficult to memorize if you spend an hour at it. One issue is that it is dominated by male pronouns [he, his] for God. A while back I tried coming up with a ‘re-statement’ that either cut out the pronouns or that alternated he/she, his/hers. Neither one was completely successful.
- Be joyful and sing ‘as you come in to worship.’ Once again, worship is communal. In Methodist tradition, the individual had a responsibility to be at church, but the church also had a responsibility to be involved in the life of the individual. Early congregations were broken up into small groups, classes, that met weekly for instruction, encouragement, examination, and correction. Hard to do that in this ‘distancing’ time.
- the NRSV says ‘Know that the Lord is God’, the CEV has ‘You know that the Lord is God.’ Is there a difference[qm] One writer suggests that with either one, the thrust is ‘to confess/witness/testify.’
- God made us and we belong to God, as either people or sheep. It calls again to mind this line from Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary [PRCL] that we mentioned a few weeks ago - “God will not let death destroy the creatures God made and loves.” I just like that.
- God, love, and faithfulness last forever.
Ez 34.11-16, 20-24 God is [will be] the Good Shepherd
- note the context. The whole of chapter 34 is really one piece. In verses 1-10, God or Ezekiel have condemned past kings of Israel who have not taken good care of the people, possibly with an eye to them ending up in the Babylonian Exile.
- Now, God will shepherd the people, gathering them from where they have been scattered, feeding them, making sure they had water enough to drink [and wash with[qm]].
- but God will also ‘feed them with justice’. As vs 17-19 point out, there are sheep and then there are sheep[ep] The stronger sheep have pushed the weaker sheep away from the food and the watering hole. I especially like the image when the prophet says ‘some of you drink clean water and then tromp around in it muddying it so the others can’t drink it.’ It used to be common to say that we all live downstream from some and upstream from others. Where do you think you spend most of your time[qm] So, it is not just some enemy that the sheep need to be protected from, it’s also other sheep.
- There is persistent evil in the world. A couple of months ago we watched No Country for Old Men – talk about persistent evil. As the movie ended, evil was injured but still walking on.
- the word from Ez 34 on hierarchical power [and this really hits home in light of the election and the aftermath, and then a piece on the news this evening about the rise of the extreme right in Germany, even in the police and military – it’s troubling] so, Ezeliek on hierarchical power - 1] it is inevitable, 2] it is easily abused by humans [no shortage of examples there, unfortunately], 3] a proper understanding of power is not innate to us but requires God’s demonstration, 4] once God shows us, we can claim authentic leadership when we see it [Ezekiel points to David], and 5] this all has cosmic implications.
Eph 1.15-23
- ‘I do not cease to give thanks for you’ – did you check that box on the Stewardship form[qm]
- being grateful vs being critical - where do you more often come down[qm]
- then I just like the sound of this -
with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know
what is the hope to which he has called you,
what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe…
I suppose we could pause then and ask – what hope do you have, what riches are you
inheriting, where do you see God’s power at work[qm]
Mt 25.31-46 The Sheep and the Goats
- ‘when the Son of Man comes’ – this is Jesus coming back. How do you think about that[qm] Note that for Matthew’s readers that was clearly a future expectation. Could we say for our time it suggests God is and will be active in the world[qm] That God makes a difference[qm] Do you see that happening, or is it a matter of just believing it[qm]
- ‘Child of Humanity’ doesn’t have the same ring to it, but should we try to get used to it[qm]
- ‘all nations will be gathered’ – this could either mean ‘all nations’ or ‘all non-Israelites’ I go with the former, in part because the basis for the separating that the Son/Child initiates does not have anything to do with any profession of faith, but simply with behaviors. Note that amazingly, there is no mention of professing faith in Jesus or even loving God, but simply ‘loving your neighbor as yourself.’
- ‘the seven acts of mercy’ – giving food to the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger, visiting the sick, visiting the prisoner – and burying the dead. Have you been on the receiving end of any of those[qm] Which is easiest for you to be on the giving end[qm]
- PRCL sums it up – ‘the sheep have served Jesus without knowing him, the goats have known him without serving him.’ Nice. It then goes on to say that surprisingly, Jesus does not deal with those who have known him and served him. Where are they[qm]
- Then here’s an intriguing thought – for Matthew’s readers, ‘the nations’ would be the world and world leaders, ‘the least of these’ would be Jesus’ followers – so what Jesus is really talking about here is not how the church should treat the world, but how the world should be treating the church[ep] The church is to be ‘the least of these’, not the United Way. Well – it’s a pretty big stretch to think of the church as ‘the least of these’ in our day. One writer notes that to be involved with ‘the least of these’ means to be implicated, linked, guilty by association.
- then I like this from Richard Swanson – ‘moments of random encounter with people in need are moments illuminated by eternity.’ Does that include the guy or gal with the sign standing at the exit from Starbucks and Papa Murphy’s[qm]
- then he goes on ‘what would it take for a person to make a division like this, sending the goats off to eternal fire[qm] Would you trust a person like that[qm] Would you trust them with your children[qm]
- and finally he suggests doing an exercise where you divide a group up by clearly recognizable characteristics – young/old, white/’of color’, Dem/Rep, rich/poor, etc. How do you think that would go[qm]
Here’s a prayer -
God of mercy, love, and justice,
I confess that I do not often think of myself
or the people I spend my time among
as ‘the least of these.’
Gather me back from the places to which I’ve been scattered;
help me see with the eyes of my heart;
lead me toward the seven acts of mercy
that I might be by your side this day and in all that follow.
I ask it in the name of your Son, Jesus.
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