Musings for September 23

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Lectionary 25
Proper 20
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Joshua Brown

INTRODUCTION
Today we hear James warn against selfish ambition, while the disciples quarrel over which one of them is the greatest. Jesus tells them the way to be great is to serve. Then, to make it concrete, he puts in front of them an actual flesh-and-blood child. We are called to welcome the particular children God puts in front of us, to make room for them in daily interaction, and to give them a place of honor in the assembly.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

O God, our teacher and guide, you draw us to yourself and welcome us as beloved children. Help us to lay aside all envy and selfish ambition, that we may walk in your ways of wisdom and understanding as servants of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

First Reading

Jeremiah 11:18–20

Today’s reading tells of the suffering of the prophet Jeremiah, who announced God’s word to Judah but was met with intense opposition and persecution. Jeremiah continues to trust in God in the midst of his suffering.

¹⁸It was the LORD who made it known to me, and I knew;
then you showed me their evil deeds.
¹⁹But I was like a gentle lamb
led to the slaughter.
And I did not know it was against me
that they devised schemes, saying,
"Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,
let us cut him off from the land of the living,
so that his name will no longer be remembered!"
²⁰But you, O LORD of hosts, who judge righteously,
who try the heart and the mind,
let me see your retribution upon them,
for to you I have committed my cause.

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 54

God is my helper; it is the LORD who sustains my life. (Ps. 54:4)

¹Save me, O God, ^| by your name;

     in your might, de- ^| fend my cause.

²Hear my ^| prayer, O God;

     give ear to the words ^| of my mouth.

³For strangers have risen up against me,

and the ruthless have ^| sought my life,

     those who have no re- ^| gard for God.

⁴Behold, God ^| is my helper;

     it is the Lord who sus- ^| tains my life.   

⁵Render evil to those who ^| spy on me;

     in your faithful- ^| ness, destroy them.

⁶I will offer you a ^| freewill sacrifice

     and praise your name, O LORD, for ^| it is good.

⁷For you have rescued me from ^| every trouble,

     and my eye looks down ^| on my enemies.   

Second Reading

James 3:13—4:3; 4:7–8a

The wisdom God gives unites our hearts and minds. Instead of living to satisfy our own wants and desires, we manifest this wisdom in peace, gentleness, mercy, and impartiality toward others.

Chapter 3

¹³Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom.¹⁴But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. ¹⁵Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. ¹⁶For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. ¹⁷But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. ¹⁸And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Chapter 4

Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? ²You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask. ³You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures. ⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Gospel

Mark 9:30–37

Jesus’ teaching and action in this text are directed to the church whenever it is seduced by the world’s definition of greatness: prestige, power, influence, and money. The antidote to such a concern for greatness is servanthood.

³⁰They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; ³¹for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." ³²But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
³³Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the way?"³⁴But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. ³⁵He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all." ³⁶Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.

Reflection

(From the Message translation of James 3: “It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts.”

     When it comes to raising my children, too often I forget this fundamental morsel of wisdom from James’ letter to the scattered tribes of Christians. I will talk about raising an independent, persistent and resilient daughter but I often choose to do things for her when I know it will take her more time to do it herself, or I tell her to stop bugging me after the 20^th time she asked for something.  Often I feel as if I can talk a good game but my actions don’t reflect that talk. James also proclaims that God’s wisdom “is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced” (The Message Bible). This aptly describes my ideal approach to parenting though it also reminds me of the moments I have fallen far short of that ideal.

     While I wrestled with James’ text and tried to glean the wisdom it contains without fretting over the many ways I fall short of that wisdom, I took a moment to read the Gospel and found a moment of grace in the midst of my doubt. “He put a child in the middle of the room. Then, cradling the little one in his arms, he said, “Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me—God who sent me.” (Mark 9: 36-37, The Message) When my children were born I embraced them and welcomed them into this world Then I brought them to the baptismal font to welcome them into God’s family and the loving embrace of Jesus Christ. Through this seemingly simple act I have embraced and welcomed God. I know I can never fully embody the full wisdom of God and I fall short of living according to the wisdom God has parsed out through prophets like James. Yet even I have embraced God and have been embraced by God. I can ignore the talk and simply live embracing others as God has first embraced me. Thanks be to God for the embrace and welcome of family. Thanks be to God for God’s embrace and welcome

We pray, O lord

            For those who grieve, particularly John Condemi as he mourns his sister’s death

and the Howe family as the mourn the death of Brian’s father Robert

            For peace in your world, for tolerance among all religions and that we may all treat one another with respect and dignity

            For the continual renewal of your earth, may we always seek ways to protect and replenish your marvelous creation

            For all that you have given to your people, O God, may we live in a spirit of thanksgiving the blessings you have     

            bestowed on us

Quote

Don't listen to their words, fix your attention on their deeds.

-          Albert Einstein

What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?

-          Jean-Jacques Rousseau,

Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.

-Henry Ward Beecher

Musings for September 16

Sunday, September 16, 2012
Lectionary 24
Proper 19
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Reflection by Gary Lazenby

INTRODUCTION
Three weeks ago we heard John's gospel's version of Peter's confession of faith. This week we hear Mark's version, when Peter says, "You are the Messiah." In John, the stumbling block is Jesus' invitation to eat his flesh, given for the life of the world. In Mark too the scandal has to do with Jesus' words about his own coming death, and here Peter himself stumbles over Jesus' words. But Jesus is anointed (the meaning of "messiah") in Mark only on the way to the cross (14:3); so we are anointed in baptism with the sign of the cross.

Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, martyr, died around 258
Cyprian served as a bishop during a time of great persecution of Christians. He insisted on receiving back those who had left the faith under duress. He also provided medical care during a severe epidemic.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

O God, through suffering and rejection you bring forth our salvation, and by the glory of the cross you transform our lives. Grant that for the sake of the gospel we may turn from the lure of evil, take up our cross, and follow your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

First Reading

Isaiah 50:4–9a

The image of the servant of the Lord is one of the notable motifs in the book of Isaiah. Today’s reading describes the mission of the servant, whom early Christians associated with Jesus. Like Jesus, the servant does not strike back at his detractors but trusts in God’s steadfast love.

⁴The Lord GOD has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens —
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.
⁵The Lord GOD has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backward.
⁶I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.
⁷The Lord GOD helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
⁸he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
⁹It is the Lord GOD who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 116:1–9

I will walk in the presence of the LORD. (Ps. 116:9)

¹I love the LORD, who has ^| heard my voice,

and listened to my ^| supplication,

²for the LORD has given ^| ear to me

whenev- ^| er I called.

³The cords of death entangled me;

the anguish of the grave ^| came upon me;

I came to ^| grief and sorrow.

⁴Then I called upon the name ^| of the LORD:

"O LORD, I pray you, ^| save my life." R

⁵Gracious is the ^| LORD and righteous;

our God is full ^| of compassion.

⁶The LORD watches o- ^| ver the innocent;

I was brought low, ^| and God saved me.

⁷Turn again to your rest, ^| O my soul.

for the LORD has dealt ^| well with you.

⁸For you have rescued my ^| life from death,

my eyes from tears, and my ^| feet from stumbling;

⁹I will walk in the presence ^| of the LORD

in the land ^| of the living. R

Second Reading

James 3:1–12

This text uses various images to illustrate how damaging and hurtful the way we speak to and about others can be. Not only are we to control our speech, but what we say and how we say it is to reflect our faith.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. ²For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. ³If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. ⁴Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! ⁶And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. ⁷For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸but no one can tame the tongue — a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. ¹¹Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? ¹²Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

Gospel

Mark 8:27–38

This story provides the turning point in Mark’s gospel. Peter is the first human being in the narrative to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, but he cannot accept that as the Messiah Jesus will have to suffer. Moreover, Jesus issues a strong challenge to all by connecting discipleship and the cross.

²⁷Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" ²⁸And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." ²⁹He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." ³⁰And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
³¹Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."
³⁴He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. ³⁶For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? ³⁷Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? ³⁸Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

Reflection

In this part of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus seeks confirmation from his inner group of disciples of what the gossip is about him – “Who do people say that I am?” And then of their opinions – “What do you all say that I am?” When Peter says, “You are the Messiah,” he confirms the authority, the status, the honor of Jesus – as seen by his closest followers. The right answer at the right time. But, I do feel sorry for Peter. Sometimes he is bold and “right on”. But sometimes he seems to have “no clue”. In verse 30, he calls Jesus the Messiah. Three short verses later, Jesus is calling Peter “Satan.” I think that Jesus’ “Satan-naming” of Peter resulted from his closest friends still misunderstand and/or unwilling to follow the logic of what Jesus has been teaching them. Even though Peter believes that Jesus is the Messiah, Peter still can’t focus on things other than human. Peter tries his best to advocate for his friend, but does not want to lose him in the process. There are times when I am a lot like Peter. My beliefs and actions seem to be “right on”. The faith questions seem to be answered with good understanding and a strong willingness to grow. But there are times when I seem to be muddled in confusion, not knowing where this faith journey is leading me. There are some significant challenges that are presented in this Gospel text. Do we really need to be completely willing to lose in order to save? That’s what Jesus says. And Jesus will be there helping me take up the cross and follow Him.

Quote

“But who prays for Satan? Who, in eighteen centuries, has had the common humanity to pray for the one sinner that needed it most?” Mark Twain

Let us Pray

…for all who are willing to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow

…for all who are unwilling to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow

…for those of us who continue to dwell on human things rather than on the divine

…for Connor, Livia, Rebecca, Kevin, and Megan as they begin their two year confirmation journey

---for those in the world who experience suffering and rejection