TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Readings:
Key Verses (using the World English Bible):
Php. 3:18, 19: “For many walk… as the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.”
Matt. 22:21: Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Reflection
The encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees in today’s Gospel reading has always been one of my favorites. It’s witty, short and to the point—very likely how the historical Jesus might’ve actually spoken. The Pharisees try to trap Jesus with a false dichotomy, choosing loyalty either to God or to the Roman emperor. Jesus doesn’t fall for it, but says simply that we need to give to the emperor and to God the things that belong to both of them. Yes, his answer reminds me of the ambiguous answers politicians often give, but Jesus correctly perceives that life is not either/or, black-or-white. While we live in this world, we’re called to live in the gray area, to figure out for ourselves what belongs to whom, and to give each no more, no less.
What does that example have to say for this last Sunday of uniting the passions to ourselves, specifically to the union of lust, which we explore today? Again, remember that “lust” here is not restricted to sexual passion, but to all kinds of impulsive desires. If our goal has been to re-align our passions with God’s will and free flow of life, then the answer becomes clear. While we live in this world, we need to give in to some desires, but we give them no more, no less than is necessary. We give in to the lust for food, not to become gluttonous, but to survive. We give in to the lust for sex, not to become lost in pleasure, but to enjoy the gifts of partnership and love. We give in to the lust for power, not to wield authority or control, but for the benefit of others.
Of course, living in the gray area is far from easy. Jesus ultimately found himself on the cross when he decided what he would, and would not, give to this world. I think this is what Paul refers to in the selected Epistle reading for the day. He mentions—tearfully—“enemies of the cross of Christ.” I don’t think that phrase is just a passing reference to persecutors of Christians. I think it’s a warning to anyone who thinks life should be easy, comfortable, and pain-free, because that’s the exact opposite of the Christian message. We know that to cross over into new life, we have to bear our cross in this life. For most of us, our burdens won’t be as heavy as Jesus’, but it doesn’t mean they won’t weigh on us any less.
We are more than just human. We were made for more than this life. That’s the truth that runs behind every spiritual tradition we’ve ever known as a human race. But when we try to seek only what satisfies our impulses—serving the god of our belly, as Paul puts it—we run the risk of forgetting this spiritual truth. We remain bound to “earthly things” because we begin to give more to the world than we should, instead of trying to do the hard work of self-monitoring that living in the gray calls us to. Paul reminds us of our true home and our true Master—and next week, that’s precisely where we’re headed. But for right now, in this present life, that realization is what we have to hold on to, so that, in times of trial, we don’t lose sight of who we really are.
So what happens now? We’ve spent 23 Sundays living in the gray, purging ourselves of the wrongful use of our passions, seeking the light of Holy Spirit upon them, and finally becoming at one with ourselves and with God. Where does this journey take us and what awaits us there? What does it look like to step into the Presence of God as whole persons? Paul writes that our mortal bodies of humiliation will be transformed to conform to Christ’s body of glory, by the same power that Christ uses to subject all things to himself. That’s the hope we need to stand on; that’s the faith we need to take with us to the end of our journey.
Prayer of the Day
Grant, we pray you, merciful Lord, to your faithful people
pardon and peace,
that they may be cleansed from all their sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
—Original Collect for Trinity 23 from the 6th-century Gregorian Sacramentary
Banish our crimes, O Lord,
for we are in the dominion of adversity,
and keep us everywhere in your compassion;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
—Collect #2 from the 5th-century Gelasian Sacramentary.
Hymn: “Eternal light, shine in my heart”
(Words: Christopher Idle, born 1938, from a prayer by Alcuin, eighth century; adapted by Joseph A. Soltero
Tune: ‘Jacob’ by Jane Manton Marshall, born 1924)
Eternal light, shine in my heart.
Eternal hope, lift up my eyes.
Eternal pow’r, be my support.
Eternal wisdom, make me wise.
Eternal life, raise me from death.
Eternal brightness, help me see.
Eternal Spirit, give me breath.
Eternal Savior, come to me;
Until by your most costly grace,
Invited by your holy word,
At last I come before your face
To know you, my eternal Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment