7 February 2013 - monolith
Today we see a contrast between two kings, David, a man after the LORD's own heart, and Herod.
David's life and reign are successful because he trusts in God.
Since he called upon the Most High God,
who gave strength to his right arm
To defeat the skilled warrior
and raise up the might of his people,
Herod, on the other hand, relies on himself. He is therefore susceptible to all sorts of external influences. From this perspective he encounters John and "was very much perplexed yet he liked to listen to him." Yet this desire is just one in a person with no unifying principle. This is why he makes a promise he will quickly regret:
The king said to the girl,
“Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.”
His enjoyment of this entertainment shouldn't sway him this much. John's words could be foundational for him and offer him the path to repentance. But he allows them to be just a few among the many words he hears. He doesn't allow them to have power. His desires run in many directions, subjecting him not just to his own whims but to those of others as well.
I want you to give me at once on a platter
the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was deeply distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests
he did not wish to break his word to her.
Look what happens. He is subject to his own bad promises. He can't help but care how he looks in the eyes of others.
David, while he has his faults, still finds his strength in the LORD. The LORD is central to him. He is the principle by which the rest of life is organized, even the seasons of the year.
With his every deed he offered thanks
to God Most High, in words of praise.
With his whole being he loved his Maker
and daily had his praises sung
He set singers before the altar and by their voices
he made sweet melodies,
He added beauty to the feasts
and solemnized the seasons of each year
So that when the Holy Name was praised,
before daybreak the sanctuary would resound.
And when he fails to thus organize his life God is the source of repentance and renewed unity.
The LORD forgave him his sins
and exalted his strength forever;
This is one thing that it means to have the LORD as our "Rock".
The LORD live! And blessed be my Rock!
He is solid, a unity, not subject to the dissipation of meaningless desires. He is our alternative to the spending our inheritence on dissipation as does the prodigal son. God is the only source of life. The world has nothing to offer.
You who gave great victories to your king
and showed kindness to your anointed,
to David and his posterity forever.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Thursday, February 6, 2014
6 February 2014 - throne off the mission
6 February 2014 - throne off the mission
Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty;
you are exalted as head over all.
The LORD is the King of kings. Yet he allows others to participate in the authority of his kingdom.
Solomon was seated on the throne of his father David,
with his sovereignty firmly established.
Solomon shares in the blessings and authority of the Old Testament kingdom. The Twelve show us what it is like to share in the authority of the Kingdom of Jesus.
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
The Son of Man brings a "new teaching, with authority" (cf. Mar 1:27). He has the authority to tell the paralytic to "Get up, take your mat and go home." He even has authority to forgive sins (cf. Mat. 9:6). His commission to us stems from this authority. He says "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (cf. Mat. 28:18) before sending us out on mission. He starts with these words because we too share in his authority. We too share in the authority which even the wind and the waves obey (cf. Mat 8:27). We even share in the authority of Jesus to lay his own life down freely for others (cf. Joh. 10:18) and in turn to receive it again.
This seems over the top. It doesn't match our experience. When we look beyond our learned contentedness we see only our impotence and inadequacy before the task of building the kingdom. Our learned contentedness is false contentedness and because of it the Church languishes in our day. But haven't we set our expectations low because we have been let down in the past. What else can we do?
We need to "shake the dust" from all of our disappointments. We need to learn that it is all about God and not our efforts. That is why we don't need our own resources, food, sack, or money bags. We need to learn to be like King David who is able to see beyond his own reign to the prosperity of his kingdom. He knows that the kingdom isn't about him. The kingdom is about God's promise and his love for his people:
“I am going the way of all flesh.
Take courage and be a man.
Keep the mandate of the LORD, your God, following his ways
and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees
as they are written in the law of Moses,
that you may succeed in whatever you do,
wherever you turn, and the LORD may fulfill
the promise he made on my behalf when he said,
‘If your sons so conduct themselves
that they remain faithful to me with their whole heart
and with their whole soul,
you shall always have someone of your line
on the throne of Israel.’”
So, then, are the disappointments of our past really because we are too focused on ourselves and building our own thrones? Yes. That is not to say that miracles always happen. But the absence of miracles is only a disappointment to us when we are expecting them contrary to God's plan. If we trust in him we are open to miracles. We expect to see his power at work. We are indefatigable even in the absence of miracles because we trust in God's plan. We never cease to hope. When we place our hope wrongly we shake the dust off and keep moving. He tells us, "Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven." Even in the presence of miracles our priorities are laser-focused. They never shift from the kingdom to our own thrones. We seek first the kingdom, and the rest is added on.
“In your hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.”
Yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty;
you are exalted as head over all.
The LORD is the King of kings. Yet he allows others to participate in the authority of his kingdom.
Solomon was seated on the throne of his father David,
with his sovereignty firmly established.
Solomon shares in the blessings and authority of the Old Testament kingdom. The Twelve show us what it is like to share in the authority of the Kingdom of Jesus.
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
The Son of Man brings a "new teaching, with authority" (cf. Mar 1:27). He has the authority to tell the paralytic to "Get up, take your mat and go home." He even has authority to forgive sins (cf. Mat. 9:6). His commission to us stems from this authority. He says "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (cf. Mat. 28:18) before sending us out on mission. He starts with these words because we too share in his authority. We too share in the authority which even the wind and the waves obey (cf. Mat 8:27). We even share in the authority of Jesus to lay his own life down freely for others (cf. Joh. 10:18) and in turn to receive it again.
This seems over the top. It doesn't match our experience. When we look beyond our learned contentedness we see only our impotence and inadequacy before the task of building the kingdom. Our learned contentedness is false contentedness and because of it the Church languishes in our day. But haven't we set our expectations low because we have been let down in the past. What else can we do?
We need to "shake the dust" from all of our disappointments. We need to learn that it is all about God and not our efforts. That is why we don't need our own resources, food, sack, or money bags. We need to learn to be like King David who is able to see beyond his own reign to the prosperity of his kingdom. He knows that the kingdom isn't about him. The kingdom is about God's promise and his love for his people:
“I am going the way of all flesh.
Take courage and be a man.
Keep the mandate of the LORD, your God, following his ways
and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees
as they are written in the law of Moses,
that you may succeed in whatever you do,
wherever you turn, and the LORD may fulfill
the promise he made on my behalf when he said,
‘If your sons so conduct themselves
that they remain faithful to me with their whole heart
and with their whole soul,
you shall always have someone of your line
on the throne of Israel.’”
So, then, are the disappointments of our past really because we are too focused on ourselves and building our own thrones? Yes. That is not to say that miracles always happen. But the absence of miracles is only a disappointment to us when we are expecting them contrary to God's plan. If we trust in him we are open to miracles. We expect to see his power at work. We are indefatigable even in the absence of miracles because we trust in God's plan. We never cease to hope. When we place our hope wrongly we shake the dust off and keep moving. He tells us, "Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven." Even in the presence of miracles our priorities are laser-focused. They never shift from the kingdom to our own thrones. We seek first the kingdom, and the rest is added on.
“In your hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.”
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
5 February 2014 - not inconsequential
5 February 2014 - not inconsequential
David disobeys the LORD by counting the number of people fit for military service. But David is quick to regret this. He wastes no time in repenting.
“I have sinned grievously in what I have done.
But now, LORD, forgive the guilt of your servant,
for I have been very foolish.”
He knows that the man is blessed "whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered." He wants to be one "to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile." This is why he is quick to say, "I confess my faults to the LORD".
Yet he must still deal with consequences of his sin. He is able to place this in the hands of the LORD. He trusts in God's mercy even when facing this punishment.
David answered Gad: “I am in very serious difficulty.
Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful;
but let me not fall by the hand of man.”
David's heart won't let him run away from these consequences. Even in their midst he doesn't cease to trust. But he can't bear to see the consequences of his own sin affecting others.
When David saw the angel who was striking the people,
he said to the LORD: “It is I who have sinned;
it is I, the shepherd, who have done wrong.
But these are sheep; what have they done?
Yet this is the nature of sin. It is not a private affair even when it seems like it is. Even something like counting the men suitable for the army has much more far reaching consequences than David can guess. Seventy-thousand people die. When we sin, we may be causing others to die spiritual due to the scandal of our behavior.
And before Jesus steps unto the scene this is the end of the story. And Jesus, while he brings forgiveness, does not immediately eliminate all consequences of sin. But even in the midst of such consequences our union with him sets us free from fear. It makes us ultimately untouchable. Our deepest identity is grounded in the resurrected life of Jesus. No temporal sufferings can cut off that life. As long as we say, "I confess my faults to the LORD" the words of the psalmist will be true of us:
Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him.
The world is used to things working in a certain way. It tries to categorize Jesus according to this old paradigm. It's lie says that he is powerless, a carpenter, a regular person with a mother and relatives. And if we buy in to this lie we limit the freedom of Jesus to work.
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
Faith recognizes in Jesus the one who has the wisdom from on high, who can work mighty deeds. It honors Jesus and trusts in his power. By accepting the testimony of Jesus about who he is we thereby invite him to unleash the full power of the Son of God in our world. America and Europe have become a "native place" of Jesus where everyone thinks they know who Jesus is. But of course they often have no idea what he says about himself and what his Church says about him. Let us follow the footsteps of Pope Francis and shake things up.
Jesus is the only one who can break the cycle of sin that we see even in great hearts like those of David. He is the only one that can free us from the slavery to fear at the consequences sin inflicts on the world.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
David disobeys the LORD by counting the number of people fit for military service. But David is quick to regret this. He wastes no time in repenting.
“I have sinned grievously in what I have done.
But now, LORD, forgive the guilt of your servant,
for I have been very foolish.”
He knows that the man is blessed "whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered." He wants to be one "to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile." This is why he is quick to say, "I confess my faults to the LORD".
Yet he must still deal with consequences of his sin. He is able to place this in the hands of the LORD. He trusts in God's mercy even when facing this punishment.
David answered Gad: “I am in very serious difficulty.
Let us fall by the hand of God, for he is most merciful;
but let me not fall by the hand of man.”
David's heart won't let him run away from these consequences. Even in their midst he doesn't cease to trust. But he can't bear to see the consequences of his own sin affecting others.
When David saw the angel who was striking the people,
he said to the LORD: “It is I who have sinned;
it is I, the shepherd, who have done wrong.
But these are sheep; what have they done?
Yet this is the nature of sin. It is not a private affair even when it seems like it is. Even something like counting the men suitable for the army has much more far reaching consequences than David can guess. Seventy-thousand people die. When we sin, we may be causing others to die spiritual due to the scandal of our behavior.
And before Jesus steps unto the scene this is the end of the story. And Jesus, while he brings forgiveness, does not immediately eliminate all consequences of sin. But even in the midst of such consequences our union with him sets us free from fear. It makes us ultimately untouchable. Our deepest identity is grounded in the resurrected life of Jesus. No temporal sufferings can cut off that life. As long as we say, "I confess my faults to the LORD" the words of the psalmist will be true of us:
Though deep waters overflow,
they shall not reach him.
The world is used to things working in a certain way. It tries to categorize Jesus according to this old paradigm. It's lie says that he is powerless, a carpenter, a regular person with a mother and relatives. And if we buy in to this lie we limit the freedom of Jesus to work.
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
Faith recognizes in Jesus the one who has the wisdom from on high, who can work mighty deeds. It honors Jesus and trusts in his power. By accepting the testimony of Jesus about who he is we thereby invite him to unleash the full power of the Son of God in our world. America and Europe have become a "native place" of Jesus where everyone thinks they know who Jesus is. But of course they often have no idea what he says about himself and what his Church says about him. Let us follow the footsteps of Pope Francis and shake things up.
Jesus is the only one who can break the cycle of sin that we see even in great hearts like those of David. He is the only one that can free us from the slavery to fear at the consequences sin inflicts on the world.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me;
with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
4 February 2014 - family reunion
4 February 2014 - family reunion
What could be more painful than the loss of a child? David's son Absalom is killed. It is due entirely to his own sinful rebellion but the hurt is not thereby lessened.
He said as he wept,
“My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom!
If only I had died instead of you,
Absalom, my son, my son!”
Yet this is the story not just of Absalom but also of all of humanity. We rebel against the King of kings and LORD of lords collectively and in our own hearts. Because of this, sin death enter the world. We opt out of God's protection and his just rule. Because of this, there are no fathers and sons who will not one day be separated in death.
Jesus comes to show us that, in spite of all this suffering, God is "good and forgiving, abounding in kindness to all who call". David's son "hung between heaven and earth" from a tree as the due punishment for his own rebellion. Jesus chooses to hang on the tree of the cross as the punishment due to all of humanity for our rebellion. He lays it down of his own accord for our sake (cf. Joh. 10:18). Absalom does deserve death but does not, indeed cannot, accept it freely. Only Jesus, free from all sin, has the obedience necessary to fully accept the cross. He brings in his humanity all of our sin, including the sin of Absalom, to the cross. Normally this death would destroy the sinner. Sin has no claim on Jesus. In Jesus the death of the righteous one destroys the power of sin.
Because Jesus does this, death is no longer the end. All the deceased of the ages are "not dead but asleep." And the world tends to ridicule this idea. But on the last day he will say to us, "arise" and all of the graves of the earth will be opened. The little girl is renewed to life only to experience death again, eventually. Lazarus too experiences a temporary resurrection, as do "many of God's people" that rise from their graves when Jesus dies (cf. Mat. 27:51). But when we hear the Jesus speak the word of command, when we hear the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God (cf. 1 Thes 4:16) on the last day we will rise to meet our eternal destiny. "Thus we shall always be with the Lord" (cf. 1 Thes 4:17). After all unlike the aforementioned resurrections, which are but preludes and foreshadowing, we feed on "the bread that came down from heaven" and "whoever eats this bread will live forever"
Jesus has profound compassion when he sees parents parted from their children. "God did not make death, and he does not delight in the death of the living" (cf. Wis 1:13). Perhaps in his final moments Absalom's heart is penitent. If so, on the last day Jesus will even be able to say to David, "The child is not dead but asleep." He pays the cost that we cannot because he loves us too much to let death have the last word. Wouldn't the worlds of our modern TV shows be quite different if this reality was understood?
We need to trust in the healing power of Jesus as does the hemorrhaging woman. We need to reach out to him confident that healing flows from his presence. We do this by giving him priority of attention, of mind, and of action. We do this with prayer, Scripture, and the Sacraments. Choosing to pray even amidst business and crowds is one example of reaching out beyond ourselves to the healing power of Jesus.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”
We touch Jesus more intimately than the woman does here. Even Simeon's great privilege is only to hold the baby Jesus. We receive all that he is into ourselves. Let our trust in his healing power fill our minds and hearts when we do so.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
What could be more painful than the loss of a child? David's son Absalom is killed. It is due entirely to his own sinful rebellion but the hurt is not thereby lessened.
He said as he wept,
“My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom!
If only I had died instead of you,
Absalom, my son, my son!”
Yet this is the story not just of Absalom but also of all of humanity. We rebel against the King of kings and LORD of lords collectively and in our own hearts. Because of this, sin death enter the world. We opt out of God's protection and his just rule. Because of this, there are no fathers and sons who will not one day be separated in death.
Jesus comes to show us that, in spite of all this suffering, God is "good and forgiving, abounding in kindness to all who call". David's son "hung between heaven and earth" from a tree as the due punishment for his own rebellion. Jesus chooses to hang on the tree of the cross as the punishment due to all of humanity for our rebellion. He lays it down of his own accord for our sake (cf. Joh. 10:18). Absalom does deserve death but does not, indeed cannot, accept it freely. Only Jesus, free from all sin, has the obedience necessary to fully accept the cross. He brings in his humanity all of our sin, including the sin of Absalom, to the cross. Normally this death would destroy the sinner. Sin has no claim on Jesus. In Jesus the death of the righteous one destroys the power of sin.
Because Jesus does this, death is no longer the end. All the deceased of the ages are "not dead but asleep." And the world tends to ridicule this idea. But on the last day he will say to us, "arise" and all of the graves of the earth will be opened. The little girl is renewed to life only to experience death again, eventually. Lazarus too experiences a temporary resurrection, as do "many of God's people" that rise from their graves when Jesus dies (cf. Mat. 27:51). But when we hear the Jesus speak the word of command, when we hear the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God (cf. 1 Thes 4:16) on the last day we will rise to meet our eternal destiny. "Thus we shall always be with the Lord" (cf. 1 Thes 4:17). After all unlike the aforementioned resurrections, which are but preludes and foreshadowing, we feed on "the bread that came down from heaven" and "whoever eats this bread will live forever"
Jesus has profound compassion when he sees parents parted from their children. "God did not make death, and he does not delight in the death of the living" (cf. Wis 1:13). Perhaps in his final moments Absalom's heart is penitent. If so, on the last day Jesus will even be able to say to David, "The child is not dead but asleep." He pays the cost that we cannot because he loves us too much to let death have the last word. Wouldn't the worlds of our modern TV shows be quite different if this reality was understood?
We need to trust in the healing power of Jesus as does the hemorrhaging woman. We need to reach out to him confident that healing flows from his presence. We do this by giving him priority of attention, of mind, and of action. We do this with prayer, Scripture, and the Sacraments. Choosing to pray even amidst business and crowds is one example of reaching out beyond ourselves to the healing power of Jesus.
She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd
and touched his cloak.
She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.”
We touch Jesus more intimately than the woman does here. Even Simeon's great privilege is only to hold the baby Jesus. We receive all that he is into ourselves. Let our trust in his healing power fill our minds and hearts when we do so.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
Monday, February 3, 2014
3 February 2014 - joy to balance our affliction
3 February 2014 - joy to balance our affliction
David is dealing with a very difficult situation this morning. His son Absalom is in open rebellion against him. He is trying to take the kingdom of Israel by force. Even David's very life is not safe from his own rebellious son. He says:
“Up! Let us take flight, or none of us will escape from Absalom.
David shows us something of what it means to have a contrite heart. He doesn't assert that he deserves better than this. He refuses to take matters into his own hands. He does not surrender his life to his enemy. He knows that he can cling to God's covenant promise. He knows that this affair with Absalom isn't how things are going to end. But he doesn't try to resolve it on his own. He won't even shut the mouth of Shinmei as he curses him. He waits for the LORD. His heart accepts suffering which the LORD permits. But he holds on to the hope that this will all give way to blessings.
Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.
Perhaps the LORD will look upon my affliction
and make it up to me with benefits
for the curses he is uttering this day.”
The situation is certainly stacked against him.
O LORD, how many are my adversaries!
Many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
But he does not believe those who tell him there is no hope. He clings to hope even as he waits on the LORD amidst his own pain and suffering. This is the lesson David teaches us today. God has been faithful to David before and he will be again.
When I lie down in sleep,
I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
I fear not the myriads of people
arrayed against me on every side.
When we are afflicted we need to ensure that we are not like the man with the unclean spirit. We throw aside the shackles and chains meant for our safety. We run ahead of the LORD's plan to heal us. We display remarkable strength. No one can subdue us. But we end up bruising ourselves with stones and constantly crying out. This kind of strength won't help us to reach freedom. We must trust in Jesus. Before him the demons of our affliction shrink back. The demons we our powerless to confront fall prostrate before Jesus.
Catching sight of Jesus from a distance,
he ran up and prostrated himself before him,
They cannot help but obey him. God is the one who is strong enough to defend David. David knows that God is his strength.
But you, O LORD, are my shield;
my glory, you lift up my head!
When I call out to the LORD,
he answers me from his holy mountain.
We must abandon our efforts to engineer our own deliverance. We too must learn to trust in Jesus to deliver us. Once he does we must not try to hold on to this particular experience. In this sense we must let him continue on his way.
As he was getting into the boat,
the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him.
And as he goes we must proclaim his salvation to all who will listen.
But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead,
“Go home to your family and announce to them
all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.”
David is dealing with a very difficult situation this morning. His son Absalom is in open rebellion against him. He is trying to take the kingdom of Israel by force. Even David's very life is not safe from his own rebellious son. He says:
“Up! Let us take flight, or none of us will escape from Absalom.
David shows us something of what it means to have a contrite heart. He doesn't assert that he deserves better than this. He refuses to take matters into his own hands. He does not surrender his life to his enemy. He knows that he can cling to God's covenant promise. He knows that this affair with Absalom isn't how things are going to end. But he doesn't try to resolve it on his own. He won't even shut the mouth of Shinmei as he curses him. He waits for the LORD. His heart accepts suffering which the LORD permits. But he holds on to the hope that this will all give way to blessings.
Let him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.
Perhaps the LORD will look upon my affliction
and make it up to me with benefits
for the curses he is uttering this day.”
The situation is certainly stacked against him.
O LORD, how many are my adversaries!
Many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
But he does not believe those who tell him there is no hope. He clings to hope even as he waits on the LORD amidst his own pain and suffering. This is the lesson David teaches us today. God has been faithful to David before and he will be again.
When I lie down in sleep,
I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.
I fear not the myriads of people
arrayed against me on every side.
When we are afflicted we need to ensure that we are not like the man with the unclean spirit. We throw aside the shackles and chains meant for our safety. We run ahead of the LORD's plan to heal us. We display remarkable strength. No one can subdue us. But we end up bruising ourselves with stones and constantly crying out. This kind of strength won't help us to reach freedom. We must trust in Jesus. Before him the demons of our affliction shrink back. The demons we our powerless to confront fall prostrate before Jesus.
Catching sight of Jesus from a distance,
he ran up and prostrated himself before him,
They cannot help but obey him. God is the one who is strong enough to defend David. David knows that God is his strength.
But you, O LORD, are my shield;
my glory, you lift up my head!
When I call out to the LORD,
he answers me from his holy mountain.
We must abandon our efforts to engineer our own deliverance. We too must learn to trust in Jesus to deliver us. Once he does we must not try to hold on to this particular experience. In this sense we must let him continue on his way.
As he was getting into the boat,
the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him.
And as he goes we must proclaim his salvation to all who will listen.
But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead,
“Go home to your family and announce to them
all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.”
Sunday, February 2, 2014
2 February 2014 - at that very moment
2 February 2014 - at that very moment
And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
Who will endure the LORD's coming? Only those who can reconcile this infant child with the king of glory will endure it. Only those who see the "LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle." in this apparently helpless babe.
In this act of humility and love Jesus chooses to "share in blood and flesh". It is step one of his battle plan to "destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life." But who can see such things in a helpless babe?
We hear the question, "Who is the king of glory?" Can we see his divinity at work even (or especially) in the humility he shows? 'Sure we can', we imagine. If we were trade places with Simeon or Anna we imagine that we will be just as receptive to this Divine Child. Yet God visits us in our own lives a million humble situations which we overlook because they seem too mundane. After all it isn't unusual to bring a "male that opens the womb" to be "consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice." Can we see God enter into the routine of life? Can we appreciate the vast humility he shows when he does so?
Simeon and Anna are therefore models for us. How do they recognize the LORD whom they seek when he comes to the temple? First, they are waiting.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
Second, they are spending time with God so that when God comes in a new and more profound way they can recognize him.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
Third, they are open to the Holy Spirit. He is able to speak to them because he is not a stranger. The child comes, the Holy Spirit speaks, and they recognize his voice. Just look how obedient Simeon is to the Spirit:
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
This is the closeness to the Holy Spirit we need. It isn't just for special occasions. Simeon didn't say to himself, 'It's Epiphany today so I better focus on what the Spirit is saying' It is only because this is the day to day fidelity of Simeon and Anna that they recognize Jesus for who he is.
Anna's worship is filled with the Holy Spirit. She is therefore attentive enough not to miss the time or her visitation. Because she does not miss the moment she gives thanks. She can't keep it to herself. She tells anyone who will listen about this amazing and unexpected king of glory.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
Jesus comes to free us from the fear of death. He does this mainly by his resurrection. But he also does it by sanctifying every moment by the life he lives. This bond brings him close to all who wait and watch for him.
therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters
in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
And suddenly there will come to the temple
the LORD whom you seek,
And the messenger of the covenant whom you desire.
Yes, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.
But who will endure the day of his coming?
Who will endure the LORD's coming? Only those who can reconcile this infant child with the king of glory will endure it. Only those who see the "LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle." in this apparently helpless babe.
In this act of humility and love Jesus chooses to "share in blood and flesh". It is step one of his battle plan to "destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life." But who can see such things in a helpless babe?
We hear the question, "Who is the king of glory?" Can we see his divinity at work even (or especially) in the humility he shows? 'Sure we can', we imagine. If we were trade places with Simeon or Anna we imagine that we will be just as receptive to this Divine Child. Yet God visits us in our own lives a million humble situations which we overlook because they seem too mundane. After all it isn't unusual to bring a "male that opens the womb" to be "consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice." Can we see God enter into the routine of life? Can we appreciate the vast humility he shows when he does so?
Simeon and Anna are therefore models for us. How do they recognize the LORD whom they seek when he comes to the temple? First, they are waiting.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
Second, they are spending time with God so that when God comes in a new and more profound way they can recognize him.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
Third, they are open to the Holy Spirit. He is able to speak to them because he is not a stranger. The child comes, the Holy Spirit speaks, and they recognize his voice. Just look how obedient Simeon is to the Spirit:
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
This is the closeness to the Holy Spirit we need. It isn't just for special occasions. Simeon didn't say to himself, 'It's Epiphany today so I better focus on what the Spirit is saying' It is only because this is the day to day fidelity of Simeon and Anna that they recognize Jesus for who he is.
Anna's worship is filled with the Holy Spirit. She is therefore attentive enough not to miss the time or her visitation. Because she does not miss the moment she gives thanks. She can't keep it to herself. She tells anyone who will listen about this amazing and unexpected king of glory.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
Jesus comes to free us from the fear of death. He does this mainly by his resurrection. But he also does it by sanctifying every moment by the life he lives. This bond brings him close to all who wait and watch for him.
therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters
in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
1 February 2014 - perish school
1 February 2014 - perish school
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
We face many storms in our lives, some of them of our own making. The first problem we struggle to understand is that there are storms at all. We feel that once we are walking with Jesus everything should be hugs and puppies. If God is God shouldn't he fix these external circumstances? He is near us but seems to be asleep in our boat.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
We just barely understand why there is pain in the world at all. But we really can't see how there can still be all these waves, how there can still be this violent squall, and how our boats seem on the verge on sinking even in the presence of the God Man.
We try to resolve this difficulty the wrong way. We become fatalists. We think, 'if God is allowing this now he will allow it forever.' But this is often not the case. He brings us to trials in order to bring us through them. All he wants from us is faith.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
The disciples' response is not the worst possible response. They cry out to Jesus for salvation. Jesus honors this response by calming the storm. This is so profound for the disciples that it becomes a theophany, a revelation of the divinity of Jesus. Here is Psalm 107 which it must bring to mind:
For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
The storm is not wasted. They perceive in Jesus the one who makes the storm be still and hushes the waves. They cannot help but say, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” Hopefully the next time Jesus is asleep in the boat they won't be terrified. Hopefully they can realize with Therese of Lisieux that only "rarely souls let Him sleep peacefully within them." Therese faces storms and yet she can let Jesus sleep. She does this without becoming a fatalist. She does not ask herself if Jesus cares that she is perishing amidst the aridity and dryness of her live. She knows he does care. She knows he is the one whom the wind and sea obey. She is able to trust him even in the storm. She is able to believe that Jesus will stop this storm at the very moment it should be stopped, whether he seems asleep or not. She is like Peter when he briefly walks on water. Her eyes are fixed on Jesus and she does not sink even amidst the waves.
David, for his part, creates a storm of his own when he brings about Uriah's death and takes Bethsheba for himself. Nathan puts what he has done in context for him. When he looks at the situation objectively he is quick to say that "the man who has done this merits death" and that he must "restore the ewe lamb fourfold". He hears Nathan say, "You are the man!" He knows he is guilty. But when David finds himself in a storm, even one which he himself causes, he knows enough to turn back to God.
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
The temptation is to expect what we deserve from God. Especially when recovery is gradual we can come to see the sufferings that don't disappear as things which we need. We are again tempted to think, 'It will always be thus.' So David is forgiven and might be tempted to think that the loss of a child is simply what he deserves.
Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.
But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed,
the child born to you must surely die.”
But David does not give in. He "besought God for the child." He does not become a fatalist, accepting the consequences of his sin because he knows something about the heart of God. He knows that no blessings he receives are deserved. Therefore forgiveness and healing are always possible.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
There are no doubt things in our lives about which we believe the LORD does not care. Let us beseech him, "Create a clean heart in me, O God." Let him teach us to trust him enough to believe that he does care even when he seems asleep.
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
We face many storms in our lives, some of them of our own making. The first problem we struggle to understand is that there are storms at all. We feel that once we are walking with Jesus everything should be hugs and puppies. If God is God shouldn't he fix these external circumstances? He is near us but seems to be asleep in our boat.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
We just barely understand why there is pain in the world at all. But we really can't see how there can still be all these waves, how there can still be this violent squall, and how our boats seem on the verge on sinking even in the presence of the God Man.
We try to resolve this difficulty the wrong way. We become fatalists. We think, 'if God is allowing this now he will allow it forever.' But this is often not the case. He brings us to trials in order to bring us through them. All he wants from us is faith.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
The disciples' response is not the worst possible response. They cry out to Jesus for salvation. Jesus honors this response by calming the storm. This is so profound for the disciples that it becomes a theophany, a revelation of the divinity of Jesus. Here is Psalm 107 which it must bring to mind:
For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits’ end.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
The storm is not wasted. They perceive in Jesus the one who makes the storm be still and hushes the waves. They cannot help but say, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” Hopefully the next time Jesus is asleep in the boat they won't be terrified. Hopefully they can realize with Therese of Lisieux that only "rarely souls let Him sleep peacefully within them." Therese faces storms and yet she can let Jesus sleep. She does this without becoming a fatalist. She does not ask herself if Jesus cares that she is perishing amidst the aridity and dryness of her live. She knows he does care. She knows he is the one whom the wind and sea obey. She is able to trust him even in the storm. She is able to believe that Jesus will stop this storm at the very moment it should be stopped, whether he seems asleep or not. She is like Peter when he briefly walks on water. Her eyes are fixed on Jesus and she does not sink even amidst the waves.
David, for his part, creates a storm of his own when he brings about Uriah's death and takes Bethsheba for himself. Nathan puts what he has done in context for him. When he looks at the situation objectively he is quick to say that "the man who has done this merits death" and that he must "restore the ewe lamb fourfold". He hears Nathan say, "You are the man!" He knows he is guilty. But when David finds himself in a storm, even one which he himself causes, he knows enough to turn back to God.
Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
The temptation is to expect what we deserve from God. Especially when recovery is gradual we can come to see the sufferings that don't disappear as things which we need. We are again tempted to think, 'It will always be thus.' So David is forgiven and might be tempted to think that the loss of a child is simply what he deserves.
Nathan answered David: “The LORD on his part has forgiven your sin:
you shall not die.
But since you have utterly spurned the LORD by this deed,
the child born to you must surely die.”
But David does not give in. He "besought God for the child." He does not become a fatalist, accepting the consequences of his sin because he knows something about the heart of God. He knows that no blessings he receives are deserved. Therefore forgiveness and healing are always possible.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
There are no doubt things in our lives about which we believe the LORD does not care. Let us beseech him, "Create a clean heart in me, O God." Let him teach us to trust him enough to believe that he does care even when he seems asleep.
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