Today's Scripture Readings
Amos 8:4-7 (NRSV)
1 Timothy 2:1-7 (NRSV)
Luke 16:1-13 (NRSV)
Blog Reflection
St. Hildegard of Bingen in her Book of Life's Merits wrote:
Christians can write all the smear they want to suggest that abortion, sex outside marriage, and gay marriage are a danger to to the moral welfare of society. Greed however, is far worse than they all are. No social disease destroys communities in the way that the desire for millions of dollars and all the power that comes with it Consumerism and it's drive on technology, fashion, transportation, luxury, more speed, and the suggestion that these deliver social and personal popularity is among the greatest of lies that are taken as truth.
The Bible readings this weekend are calling us to be more responsible for the good things God gives us. We are challenged to look beyond ourselves to see the needs of others beyond us. The Scriptures are trying to tell us that having what we need is one thing. When we take more than our share, and deprive others of the basic necessities of life we allow ourselves to worship another god, who is not our God.
We have been so blessed in our time, yet we never have enough. We seem to be in an endless desire for more and more.
Benedictines do not have an issue with using the things we are given for the purpose of nourishment, shelter and even comfort. However, Benedict makes the case that what we use, we do not own. Everything, including our bodies are on loan to us. We are responsible for using what we are given out of reverence and respect for God who gives us what we need. In addition, God places on us the responsibility to share what we have with those who are in need. We share not out of fear, but out of love. Love for God, our neighbor and ourselves.
This past week, we saw our U.S. House of Representatives vote to decrease funding for food stamps, and to defund health care for political gain. These issues are no longer about those who are unemployed receiving help with food, and the sick receiving health care without becoming homeless. It is about power to control things for the benefit of the wealthy few, at the expense of the many struggling for hope and prosperity. As Christians, it is our moral obligation to be concerned when the needy, especially when they are already on the ground wounded from life's brutality, getting kicked in the stomach by those who should be doing all they can to help them. God is giving us the opportunity to speak up and become active on their behalf. We have the chance to live out the meaning of our Baptismal vows.
We have had too many incidents of mass shootings. The US Navy yard in Washington, D.C. The shooting of 28 people, 20 of them children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, CT. High School shootings. A mass shooting at Virginia Tech. Yet, the NRA and those frightening people into believing false conspiracy theories about the Government are able to convince our Congressional leaders that there is no need for universal background checks and stricter laws regulating dangerous weapons.
We have laws being passed that make it more difficult for African Americans, Immigrants, low income people to vote for their elected officials. Four States have refused to process benefits for legally married same-sex couples, and others have asked the National Guard in their States to not process them. We are seeing more laws pushed that violate a woman's right to reproductive health care. All pushed for by individuals using their billion dollars to affect the laws that benefit them, but are so destructive to others.
What God are we serving? What God do we wish to serve?
Jesus is telling us in this parable that those who have been given responsibility for much, are accountable for what we do with what we are given. Do we hold ourselves accountable?
We have been gathered together as the Body of Christ to worship Him and celebrate the new life given us by His death and resurrection. We have been given God's gift of the Holy Spirit to share the good news of Jesus Christ to all the ends of the earth. We have been united to Christ and one another through the Eucharist with a sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ. We have every reason to serve God in the people and with those things that are given to us, so as to give God the glory that God so rightly deserves.
Perhaps we should remember today the words we read at Vespers on Friday: "let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
Amen.
Prayers
Amos 8:4-7 (NRSV)
Psalm 113 (BCP., p.756)
- Hear this, you that trample on the needy,
- and bring to ruin the poor of the land,
- saying, "When will the new moon be over
- so that we may sell grain;
- and the sabbath,
- so that we may offer wheat for sale?
- We will make the ephah small and the shekel great,
- and practice deceit with false balances,
- buying the poor for silver
- and the needy for a pair of sandals,
- and selling the sweepings of the wheat."
- The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:
- Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.
1 Timothy 2:1-7 (NRSV)
First of all, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For
-- this was attested at the right time. For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
- there is one God;
- there is also one mediator between God and humankind,
- Christ Jesus, himself human,
- who gave himself a ransom for all
Luke 16:1-13 (NRSV)
Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.' Then the manager said to himself, `What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.' So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, `How much do you owe my master?' He answered, `A hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, `Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.' Then he asked another, `And how much do you owe?' He replied, `A hundred containers of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill and make it eighty.' And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.
"Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
Blog Reflection
Greed says: "I snatch all things to myself. I hug all things to my breast; the more i have gathered the more I have...... When I have whatever I need, I have no worries about needing anything from someone else." Simple sufficiency replies: "You are harsh and devoid of mercy because you do not care for the advancement of others. Nothing is sufficient to satisfy you. I, however, sit above the stars, for all of God's good things are sufficient for me..... What should I desire more than I need?"
Christians can write all the smear they want to suggest that abortion, sex outside marriage, and gay marriage are a danger to to the moral welfare of society. Greed however, is far worse than they all are. No social disease destroys communities in the way that the desire for millions of dollars and all the power that comes with it Consumerism and it's drive on technology, fashion, transportation, luxury, more speed, and the suggestion that these deliver social and personal popularity is among the greatest of lies that are taken as truth.
The Bible readings this weekend are calling us to be more responsible for the good things God gives us. We are challenged to look beyond ourselves to see the needs of others beyond us. The Scriptures are trying to tell us that having what we need is one thing. When we take more than our share, and deprive others of the basic necessities of life we allow ourselves to worship another god, who is not our God.
We have been so blessed in our time, yet we never have enough. We seem to be in an endless desire for more and more.
Benedictines do not have an issue with using the things we are given for the purpose of nourishment, shelter and even comfort. However, Benedict makes the case that what we use, we do not own. Everything, including our bodies are on loan to us. We are responsible for using what we are given out of reverence and respect for God who gives us what we need. In addition, God places on us the responsibility to share what we have with those who are in need. We share not out of fear, but out of love. Love for God, our neighbor and ourselves.
This past week, we saw our U.S. House of Representatives vote to decrease funding for food stamps, and to defund health care for political gain. These issues are no longer about those who are unemployed receiving help with food, and the sick receiving health care without becoming homeless. It is about power to control things for the benefit of the wealthy few, at the expense of the many struggling for hope and prosperity. As Christians, it is our moral obligation to be concerned when the needy, especially when they are already on the ground wounded from life's brutality, getting kicked in the stomach by those who should be doing all they can to help them. God is giving us the opportunity to speak up and become active on their behalf. We have the chance to live out the meaning of our Baptismal vows.
We have had too many incidents of mass shootings. The US Navy yard in Washington, D.C. The shooting of 28 people, 20 of them children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, CT. High School shootings. A mass shooting at Virginia Tech. Yet, the NRA and those frightening people into believing false conspiracy theories about the Government are able to convince our Congressional leaders that there is no need for universal background checks and stricter laws regulating dangerous weapons.
We have laws being passed that make it more difficult for African Americans, Immigrants, low income people to vote for their elected officials. Four States have refused to process benefits for legally married same-sex couples, and others have asked the National Guard in their States to not process them. We are seeing more laws pushed that violate a woman's right to reproductive health care. All pushed for by individuals using their billion dollars to affect the laws that benefit them, but are so destructive to others.
What God are we serving? What God do we wish to serve?
Jesus is telling us in this parable that those who have been given responsibility for much, are accountable for what we do with what we are given. Do we hold ourselves accountable?
We have been gathered together as the Body of Christ to worship Him and celebrate the new life given us by His death and resurrection. We have been given God's gift of the Holy Spirit to share the good news of Jesus Christ to all the ends of the earth. We have been united to Christ and one another through the Eucharist with a sharing in the Body and Blood of Christ. We have every reason to serve God in the people and with those things that are given to us, so as to give God the glory that God so rightly deserves.
Perhaps we should remember today the words we read at Vespers on Friday: "let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
Amen.
Prayers
Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to
love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among
things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall
endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 20, Book of Common Prayer, p. 233).
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the
earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those
who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people
everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the
nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh;
and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Mission, Book of Common Prayer, p.100).
Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you
all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us
to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick,
and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those
who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow
into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for
our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Poor and Neglected, Book of Common Prayer, p.826).
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