Each morning for many years, now, the quarterly publication Forward Day by Day has let me know where we are in the endless cycle of Scripture readings assigned by the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, and has offered short responses by a different author each month. As I read, I often check mark insights that make me go "Ah!" or "Hmm." I distill those checked passages in my blog.
Episcopal priest Jeffrey Queen wrote for November 2018. Rachel Jones, associate editor of Forward DxD wrote in December. January's author has been Linda Buskirk, consultant for the Episcopal Church Foundation.
Ruth 1.16 Where you go, I will go. This promise of a young widow, a foreigner, to her bereft Hebrew mother - in - law, makes a sweet personal story. But Queen asserts, "In these words, Ruth is the voice of God" speaking to us. God's big "P" Promise of faithfulness to us feels more intimate and personal when I think of it in the context of Ruth's story.
Joel 2.21-22 Do not fear, O soil; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things! Do not fear, you animals of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green; the tree bears its fruit.... We don't often think of Joel, nor of God's attention to creatures aside from ourselves. "Joel helps us expand [our] vision to consider the implications of God's salvation upon all creation." The author reminds us of saints Francis and Seraphim (19th century Russian orthodox saint), famous for their care of God's other creatures.
James 1.19-20 Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger... The passage is familiar; Queen applies it to our instant connectivity world - wide. In January, Linda Buskirk finds other parallels between ancient scripture and modern technology: the great cloud of witnesses that surrounds us now includes "the Cloud". She sees a modern phenomenon in the "deluded" idol - worshiper of Isaiah 44.20, who cannot save himself or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a fraud?"
Here we are, millennia later, with churches closing for lack of attendance while crowds keep all night vigil for the newest smart phone. Ancient and modern idol worshipers share a common yearning, planted deep within each of us by our Creator. We yearn because the Holy Spirit whispers in our hearts, "There is more."The authors sometimes offer aesthetic appreciations of Scripture. Jeremiah, in his fiery laments and enthusiastic hopes, speaks directly to the hearts of young adults, writes Jones. She compares the range of human emotions to a piano keyboard and says that Psalm 22 "hits all 88 keys." She never gets tired of seeing stars in the night sky as a "canopy" stretched above us by the Creator in Isaiah 4.5.
"Our life's work is just to walk each other home." That simple image packs a lot of content. Jones takes it from Ram Dass, author of Here and Now (1971), brought to Jones's mind for the New Year's Eve reading from John's gospel about Jesus knowing where he's from and where he's going.
"A believer who lives 'unreflectively' is like a person with a well - stocked wine cellar who has never uncorked a bottle." That's from Meister Eckhart by way of Buskirk's response to Psalm 119.66, Teach me discernment and knowledge. She remembers the Episcopal Church when she joined in 1978, two years after the ordination of women, a time when the current prayer book was in its test run. She couldn't understand why there was so much upheaval. She seems to ask, What's discernment for, if you're afraid to explore your wine cellar?
Perhaps because Buskirk is involved with capital fundraising, she draws helpful analogies between concepts in Scripture and current law. When Jesus tells his disciples that they can achieve whatever they attempt in His name, Buskirk explains how her aging mother bestowed on her the power of attorney. "She relied on me to choose what was best. I had to rely on what I knew about her, what she valued and needed, to make those choices on her behalf." She continues:
Jesus grants us similar responsibility over our own lives. We can have a good chat with Jesus about our options, but honestly, an answer is not likely to float down on a dove. We must rely on our understanding of God's nature to know what to ask for and make decisions that will build up a safe, loving, peaceful kingdom that glorifies its Creator.How Episcopalian of her that she imagines asking God for answers to prayer, not for individual matters, but for building up the kingdom on earth.
On the Feast of the Epiphany, Buskirk reminds us of "reading of the will" scenes, usually revealing dysfunction in a family. But she reminds us that we are heirs to Jesus, and I'm reminded how the assurance of my investments and Mom's Living Trust bolster my confidence even in rough times. (See another angle on that blessing in my blogpost of 12/30/2017, The Privilege is Mine).
To Paul's exhortation to "know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge" (Ephesians 3.19), Buskirk confesses that she'd always thought the key to spiritual growth was to gain more knowledge. But she learned from Franciscan Sister Norma Rocklage, "To be really who we are, we need to subtract from ourselves, not add.... Our true self is to get rid of whatever we have piled on ourselves that gets in the way."
Finally, I take away from Buskirk's month of meditations a bit of advice for these fractious times, perhaps learned in business negotiations.
Consider an issue about which you are passionate. Invite someone with an opposing view to respectful, experimental conversation about this topic. Pose this question to each other: If laws and/or hearts in society were in agreement with your position, what would the desired outcomes be? Listen to each other's answers. Can you find common ground in the answers?I imagine so. She writes this in response to Ephesians 4.7, But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift.
Every page of the issue ends with an action item, something related to the meditation or Scripture to try or to ask. As a mentor in our church's chapter of EfM (see our class page), I'm often looking for ideas along those lines. Here are a few that strike me.
- The Jews' story, central to their whole lives as a community, is the Exodus. What's yours?
- What gamble have you taken?
- How does where you're from influence where you're going?
- Add a gratitude list to your prayer list.
- Tonight, even if it's cold, take a walk to appreciate the "canopy" of stars.
- Think what "gifts" you can share with your community (1 Cor. 12.4-6)
- Recall the last time you were changed or challenged by something in Scripture.
- Are there some treasures in your spiritual attic that you haven't opened and shared?
No comments:
Post a Comment