Today's Scripture Readings
Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23 (NRSV)
Psalm 125 (BCP., p.781)
James 2: 1-17 (NRSV)
Mark 7:24-37 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
Today's Gospel is a difficult one to read and hear. None of us likes to think about Jesus as having to confront a prejudice of His own, of which He would have gained from the culture He was in. Through out the Gospel accounts of Jesus, we read of His amazing compassion for the sick, lame, hungry, lonely, women and the marginalized. This Gospel reading from Mark knocks the wind out of our sails if you will. How could Jesus be so insensitive?
There are a variety of interpretations of this Gospel text, all of which have their merit. One is that the the interaction between Jesus and this woman was not so much about prejudice of any kind on the part of Jesus, but about the faith of the woman who challenged Him. Indeed, this interpretation is exactly the kind of thing that fits into what we are talking about when we bring up the matter of prejudice. A woman would have had very little standing in her society to address a Rabbi in the way she did. The fact that she was a Gentile woman in this time and culture and made her appeal and defended herself to Jesus, was that much more of a counter-cultural action on her part. She would have become that much more of a social outcast than she already was.
Perhaps Jesus was not so much as dismissing her or even being biased towards her. Maybe Jesus said what He said, so that the marginalization of the woman would be made so visible, that He was able to meet that prejudice of His culture and eradicate it from Himself and His culture. I think what I am aiming for is some reverse psychology. His appearance of rejecting her would have been good use of His adversaries to use against Him. However, when Jesus recognizes her faith and her daughter is cured, the cultural bias is uncovered, as is God's mercy and grace that transforms her life and the culture around them. The captive who is dehumanized is reclaimed as being God's own community and fellowship.
Jesus wants more than just the appearance of religion and its various requirements. He wants the grace of God to move us beyond where we currently are. Jesus wants to move us into a culture and faith that surpasses appearances, and brings the holiness of God to a living experience in our personal interactions with others. A society and Church in which the message of the Gospel does not stop at our biases, but becomes a welcoming and healing place where God is present and moving among all of God's people with dignity and integrity.
This past week, the social media has been focusing on Kim Davis and her refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-gender couples. Her case has been presented before judges and even the Supreme Court, and refused asking her to obey the law. She is making the claim that she is acting on "God's authority" and her rights are protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution regarding "Religious Freedom." Kim Davis was put in prison on a contempt of court charge.
I was both supportive of the pro-LGBT media that covered what was going on, yet, I also have a real concern. I agree with those who are deeply disturbed by this County Clerk who under an oath, chose to ignore her duties to the people of the county and break the law because of a religious based bias. I was also concerned that she chose to use her insubordination as a means of proselytizing others on the basis of her religious beliefs. In addition, I am offended that she would be so arrogant as to suggest that she is acting on "God's authority" that is based on her understanding of the Bible. Her actions suggest that no one who believes as she does has a right to receive what is lawfully and rightfully theirs, and she decides that as if she is the lone interpreter of God's will in that office. Our magnificent Christian Faith is hijacked and Jesus Christ gets a bad Name once again.
I am also deeply concerned and disappointed however, that many progressive and pro-LGBT blog authors made their case for equality by using Davis' divorces and children as leverage to support their opposition. While working to uphold the dignity and integrity of marriage equality for same-sex couples, Davis' dignity as a divorced woman who has multiple children was unjustly used to smear her. In the effort to support equality, Mrs. Davis' and consequently others who married and divorced, with multiple children became a new chapter in sexism and degradation unnecessarily. A most unfortunate example of favoritism by Mrs. Davis, the news media, and the political agenda of many.
Jesus desires even more than we do to heal our deafness to the needs of others. Jesus' healing of the man who could not hear is symbolic of God's wish for us to be able to listen more attentively to the Holy Spirit within our hearts. Jesus asks us to make room for others who are different from ourselves. This is difficult for us to do because of our pride and our being so self-centered. Jesus comes to call on us to confront the biases we all carry inside of us. God's unconditional love and transforming grace wants to help us soften our hearts, and open our ears to the presence of Jesus in others around us. It is God's opportunity for us to make our faith something we live, from the inside out and from the outside back inside of us in a continual relationship of community. The breath of God can breathe new and refreshing air that brings with it healing and reconciliation to the hurting and broken world we live in.
Amen.
Prayers
Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23 (NRSV)
- A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
- and favor is better than silver or gold.
- The rich and the poor have this in common:
- the LORD is the maker of them all.
- Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,
- and the rod of anger will fail.
- Those who are generous are blessed,
- for they share their bread with the poor.
- Do not rob the poor because they are poor,
- or crush the afflicted at the gate;
- for the LORD pleads their cause
- and despoils of life those who despoil them.
Psalm 125 (BCP., p.781)
James 2: 1-17 (NRSV)
My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Have a seat here, please," while to the one who is poor you say, "Stand there," or, "Sit at my feet," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it. For the one who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
Mark 7:24-37 (NRSV)
Jesus set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go-- the demon has left your daughter." So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."
Blog Reflection
Today's Gospel is a difficult one to read and hear. None of us likes to think about Jesus as having to confront a prejudice of His own, of which He would have gained from the culture He was in. Through out the Gospel accounts of Jesus, we read of His amazing compassion for the sick, lame, hungry, lonely, women and the marginalized. This Gospel reading from Mark knocks the wind out of our sails if you will. How could Jesus be so insensitive?
There are a variety of interpretations of this Gospel text, all of which have their merit. One is that the the interaction between Jesus and this woman was not so much about prejudice of any kind on the part of Jesus, but about the faith of the woman who challenged Him. Indeed, this interpretation is exactly the kind of thing that fits into what we are talking about when we bring up the matter of prejudice. A woman would have had very little standing in her society to address a Rabbi in the way she did. The fact that she was a Gentile woman in this time and culture and made her appeal and defended herself to Jesus, was that much more of a counter-cultural action on her part. She would have become that much more of a social outcast than she already was.
Perhaps Jesus was not so much as dismissing her or even being biased towards her. Maybe Jesus said what He said, so that the marginalization of the woman would be made so visible, that He was able to meet that prejudice of His culture and eradicate it from Himself and His culture. I think what I am aiming for is some reverse psychology. His appearance of rejecting her would have been good use of His adversaries to use against Him. However, when Jesus recognizes her faith and her daughter is cured, the cultural bias is uncovered, as is God's mercy and grace that transforms her life and the culture around them. The captive who is dehumanized is reclaimed as being God's own community and fellowship.
Jesus wants more than just the appearance of religion and its various requirements. He wants the grace of God to move us beyond where we currently are. Jesus wants to move us into a culture and faith that surpasses appearances, and brings the holiness of God to a living experience in our personal interactions with others. A society and Church in which the message of the Gospel does not stop at our biases, but becomes a welcoming and healing place where God is present and moving among all of God's people with dignity and integrity.
This past week, the social media has been focusing on Kim Davis and her refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-gender couples. Her case has been presented before judges and even the Supreme Court, and refused asking her to obey the law. She is making the claim that she is acting on "God's authority" and her rights are protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution regarding "Religious Freedom." Kim Davis was put in prison on a contempt of court charge.
I was both supportive of the pro-LGBT media that covered what was going on, yet, I also have a real concern. I agree with those who are deeply disturbed by this County Clerk who under an oath, chose to ignore her duties to the people of the county and break the law because of a religious based bias. I was also concerned that she chose to use her insubordination as a means of proselytizing others on the basis of her religious beliefs. In addition, I am offended that she would be so arrogant as to suggest that she is acting on "God's authority" that is based on her understanding of the Bible. Her actions suggest that no one who believes as she does has a right to receive what is lawfully and rightfully theirs, and she decides that as if she is the lone interpreter of God's will in that office. Our magnificent Christian Faith is hijacked and Jesus Christ gets a bad Name once again.
I am also deeply concerned and disappointed however, that many progressive and pro-LGBT blog authors made their case for equality by using Davis' divorces and children as leverage to support their opposition. While working to uphold the dignity and integrity of marriage equality for same-sex couples, Davis' dignity as a divorced woman who has multiple children was unjustly used to smear her. In the effort to support equality, Mrs. Davis' and consequently others who married and divorced, with multiple children became a new chapter in sexism and degradation unnecessarily. A most unfortunate example of favoritism by Mrs. Davis, the news media, and the political agenda of many.
Jesus desires even more than we do to heal our deafness to the needs of others. Jesus' healing of the man who could not hear is symbolic of God's wish for us to be able to listen more attentively to the Holy Spirit within our hearts. Jesus asks us to make room for others who are different from ourselves. This is difficult for us to do because of our pride and our being so self-centered. Jesus comes to call on us to confront the biases we all carry inside of us. God's unconditional love and transforming grace wants to help us soften our hearts, and open our ears to the presence of Jesus in others around us. It is God's opportunity for us to make our faith something we live, from the inside out and from the outside back inside of us in a continual relationship of community. The breath of God can breathe new and refreshing air that brings with it healing and reconciliation to the hurting and broken world we live in.
Breathe on me, Breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what thou doest love,
And do what thou wouldst do.
(Hymnal 1982, #508).
Amen.
Prayers
Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as
you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength,
so you never forsake those who make their boast of your
mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 18, The Book of Common Prayer, p. 233).
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family. The Book of Common Prayer, p.815).
Almighty God, you have so linked our lives one with another
that all we do affects, for good or ill, all other lives: So guide
us in the work we do, that we may do it not for self alone, but
for the common good; and, as we seek a proper return for
our own labor, make us mindful of the rightful aspirations of
other workers, and arouse our concern for those who are out
of work; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for Labor Day. The Book of Common Prayer, p. 261).
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