IDK, dammitall
"So, what now?" wonders the big man, who is actually an idiot, "What next?"
IDK, I know nothing, so I'll just wait and watch with everyone else. I was tired of war - - WW2, Korea. Especially Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, big mistakes of know-everything arrogance. My inclination, rather than precipitous action, is more toward stretching relative Peace out as long as possible. But IDK, this is not a war about political idealogy, this is a religious and racial war where in Time we Americans could have been friends with the Persians. But IDK, an attack like last night's engages a state of war, and this makes us enemies.
Was it wise, a good idea? IDK, history will decide. I do know that I am not a proud American this morning. Coming up on my 90th birthday, which seems to have become an obsession with me anyway, I'm not afraid either, I'm not scared of war, ninety is a long life; but war is no longer soldiers marching out on a field and kneeling to shoot at each other and the winner is whoever kills most of their enemies, these days, war is personal, people against people, as WW2 eventually became. "They" are all targets now; now, every one of us is a legitimate target, so, I'm concerned about my loved ones.
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Oh, what the hell.
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It's Sunday again, Second Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 7 Year C. Having no idea what our OT lesson will be, Track 1 or Track 2, I've only commented on the gospel and the NT reading. Maybe I'll comment on the remaining Proper: the Collect for today.
For the unknowing, "Collect" is our epsikopal word for a short prayer that's meant to "collect" our minds for common worship:
O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Hatchett (page 187) informs us that it's a Gelasian, Gregorian, Sarum collect that Cranmer rendered, "Lord, make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name - - from Latin, "Make us perpetually to have fear, and no less, love of your holy Name." Modern "correction" reverses the order and puts "love" before "fear," which is corrected to "reverence." IDK about that.
It's notable that, in this case, instead of being part of the address, the theological assertion, "for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness" follows the petition "make us perpetually to have," IDK why; but many for whom "never fail to help" does not describe their life experience with the Holy might choke on those words.
But it's a medieval prayer that dates to the Dark Ages. Mox Nix though, eh?, as nobody notices what we say in the Collect, it's just a routine step into sitting down for the lessons.
A better Collect, also authorized by General Convention, would have been
Lord, you trouble our peace,
you step upon our guarded shore
and confront our chaos:
may we who are divided and colonized
by the forces of death
learn from you to speak our own name
and proclaim your works of life;
through Jesus Christ, Tamer of Legions.
Amen.
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Source: "Prayers for an Inclusive Church" Year C Proper 7, p.99
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and let the people say Amen.
RSF&PTL
T89&c
pic: looking east from 7H porch after the storms last evening just before sunset