RSF&PTL anyway

 

That's the view from 7H, my home, from my porch. I feel lucky, fortunate, luck of the draw, to live here, and all the more so at this stage of my life. Indeed even to BE at this stage of life. 

Yes, fortunate, some would say "blessed", but I do not believe a good deity would "bless" one, including me, in such ways when so many others live in want, pain, need. My life is blessed (well, there I go) in so many ways: I am a Have. I am, undeservedly compared to others, a healthy human free white American male who is living peacefully and semi-productively into old age in a Time and place that, for safety, comfort, wealth, education, convenience of the Haves, is unequaled in human history. To say that I am "blessed" in any sense of being singled out to be favored because I deserve it, would blaspheme the God of me, who I believe expects much of me simply because I have much that others do not. Perhaps the blessings are meant as a challenge to test my character.

Luke 12:48. 

Yep, I could sell all that I have and give the proceeds to the poor? Who would that help? Nobody all that much. And anyway how about "The poor you will have with you always"? Life is a quandary, isn't it. I find it so; how am I to avoid, evade, the guilt and shame of being a Have when the world is filled with Have Nots, knowing full well that I'm not doing, and've not done, the best I can to make a difference: 

• I could say Black Lives Matter every morning instead of relaxing.
• I could share more of all that I studied and learned at theological seminary.  
• I could light into evil every day instead of hiding behind that this is not a political blog.
• I could have been an astronomer or meteorologist instead of the three or four vocations I chased. Maybe next time. But no, it's been too much fun this way.

So I quietly abide, making ripples not waves, and generating no backwash. Is there to be a reckoning? Am I to face Judgment for all that I didn't do? Have I worked for freedom, peace and especially JUSTICE among all people? Have I respected the dignity of EVERY human being? I think how I live, not what I believe, is what will matter, but is a C+ in life salvific?! 

Keeping my promise for Mondays, below are the Propers for Sunday, August 16. 

Of the Collect, Marion Hatchett says it was written for the 1549 BCP. Maybe it needs tweaking? Its theological assertion, "you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life". 

Yes, an example (the old BCP said ensample) of godly life. But a sacrifice for sin? the theology that God gave Jesus to suffer an agonizing death as an atonement for human sin so that God could forgive and save us may suit Paul and Anselm, but does not mirror Jesus who meets me in the gospels. In our age that seems more hopefully to grasp the Love of God than the righteous, punishing, unwavering justice of God, atonement theology wants examination. We love the ancient and medieval in our holy history. But liturgy need not cling sentimentally and nostalgically to the ancient and medieval just because it's expressed so lyrically and beautifully. It's Time to contemplate and refresh, if not entire theologies, an impossible undertaking, at least liturgical words in collects and other prayers, because "lex orandi lex credendi", what we pray reflects what we believe, our theology is in our liturgy.

It's a beautiful day.

T+ 

 

The Collect

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Old Testament

Genesis 45:1-15

Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’ And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

The Response

Psalm 133

Ecce, quam bonum!

1 Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *

when brethren live together in unity!

2 It is like fine oil upon the head *

that runs down upon the beard,

3 Upon the beard of Aaron, *

and runs down upon the collar of his robe.

4 It is like the dew of Hermon *

that falls upon the hills of Zion.

5 For there the Lord has ordained the blessing: *

life for evermore.

The Epistle

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

The Gospel

Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28

[Jesus called the crowd to him and said to them, “Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” Then the disciples approached and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?” He answered, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” But Peter said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” Then he said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile.”]

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.