Readings For Lent 2, 2010 February 2010

Texts for Second Sunday in Lent, February 28, 2010 Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 * Psalm 27 * Philippians 3:17-4:1 * Luke 13:31-35

Prayer:

Jesus Christ:like a mother hen,you gather up our doubts and transform them into confidence;you surround our fearsand transform them into faithfulness;you pick up our brokenness and make us strong together.
Gather us together into your warm and inviting presence and hear us as we pray as Jesus teaches,Our Father . . .








Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18



Background: God has called on Abram to leave Ur (now in Iraq) and to “Go ... to the land I will show you” . God has blessed him, and he, his wife Sarah and his brother Lot have migrated to Canaan. Famine has struck the land, causing Abram and his family to seek food in Egypt. Pharaoh has been attracted to Sarah, thinking that she is Abram’s sister, taking her into the royal household. When he has discovered that she is Abram’s wife, he has ordered them to leave the country.



Our reading is two stories of gifts from God:
· a son and many descendants;
· the Land.



The formula “the word of the LORD came to ...” read in verse 1 and 4 is later used of prophets; so the text suggests that Abram is a prophet. God makes Abram his favorite; he will protect (“shield”), him. Abram’s “reward” is really a free gift. Custom was that if a man’s wife did not bear him a son, his chief servant (“Eliezer”) might inherit. God promises Abram a son (“your very own issue") and he will have countless descendants (“stars” ). Abram puts his trust in God’s promise; in this way, he establishes a right relationship.



From Jeremiah we know that the ceremony in verses 9, 10 and 17 are of ancient origin. Going between the two halves of sacrificial victims signified that if a party broke the agreement, he could expect to be dismembered (!). Abram has a vision : the descent of the sun, “deep sleep”, terror and great “darkness” express the awesomeness of supernatural intervention. God’s presence is symbolized by fire .Only he has obligations under the pact, so only he passes between the “pieces”. The deal is cut : David’s empire later stretched almost from the Nile to near the upper reaches of the “Euphrates” (verse 18)

Reflection:

• "Do not be afraid, Abram." How many times does the phrase "do not be afraid" occur in the Bible? In a recent radio interview Rabbi Harold Kushner said that the phrase uttered by god more often than any other in the hebrew Scriptures is; "Do not be afraid". God is always telling us not to be afraid. Why is that? What does God suspect, know, that we are so afraid of anyway? Are we afraid of God? Afraid of being alone? Afraid of finding out that our lives don't have meaning, or that they do? Whatever it is, God promises to be there in it with us, and to calm our fears.
• In this passage, God promises Abram that it will not be a slave, but a child of Abram's own that will carry on Abram's line, one of his descendents which will be as numerous as the stars, and that they will live in the land that God is promising them. I think about what it means to "carry on the family name", what we understand and feel about childbearing and barrenness today, etc. Why is it so important to have a child to carry on a family's line? WHat do we fear will happen if wee cannot havbe a child?
• What does it mean to place so much importance on carrying on of a family line? I'm sure its one of the few ways we humans can convince ourselves that we will at least in that measure have some sense of immortality - someone with our own blood will live on. But where are the stories in the Bible where the family is never blessed with the child? Where there is no Isaac, or Samuel, or John the Baptist that lifts the parents out of despair? Where is the good news for those who cannot bear a child?
• The promise to Abraham is made against competing claims. The land of promise is valued by others too. The land of this covenant is still fought over today.
• What do we do to secure a covenant? We no longer walk between halved animals. What do we do to seal a promise?

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Philippians 3:17-4:1
Background: Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, a prosperous Roman colony in northern Greece, from prison. We do not know whether this imprisonment was in Ephesus or in Rome. It appears that he was held under house arrest. It is possible that the epistle is actually made up of three letters. It contains many personal references, exhorts members of the Philippian church to live the Christian life and to good ethical conduct, introduces Timothy and Epaphroditus as his representatives, and warns against legalists and libertines. Lastly, he thanks the Philippian community for their material support.



Paul has written in Chapter 3, verse 10: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death” . He states that he has not yet fully understood Christ, but he presses on towards the goal of being with Christ when he comes again. This is how “mature” Christians should think: they have not yet achieved full understanding.


Now Paul offers himself as an example of centering oneself in Christ, in his sufferings. (At the time, Paul was in prison.) Observe those who follow his (our) example! He warns against “many”who centre on other things. Who are they? Perhaps self-centred people, but more likely Christians who insist on keeping Jewish dietary laws and on circumcision: to boast in this is to glory in an organ which should be modestly covered .These are “earthly things”, made obsolete by Christ’s coming. Society looks to Rome for citizenship but we look to “heaven” .Our bodies, now mortal, will enter eternal life in a changed form, to achieve union with Christ . As in Psalm 8, the Messiah will be sovereign over all (“subject to himself”); Christ is the Messiah and so, Paul exhorts, do not deviate from the true faith!



Reflection:

• Paul speaks about our human physical bodies and our spiritual, transformed bodies, with our 'citizenship in heaven.' What is liberatring about the idea of having our bodies transformed at the end of things? What is alienating about this idea?
• In Christian history people have sometimes ignored the physical in lifting up the spiritual. Do we sometimes forget that ours is an incarnational faith; the Word became flesh and not the other way around?
• Do we not have to be careful not to enter into a heaven/hell, spirit/body dichotomy that may lead us to prematurely abandon this world as we anticiapte the next? We're part of God's good creation, which includes this world in all its imperfections. We are to seek to 'transform' this world with God's grace.

Luke 13:31-35

Someone had asked earlier: “Will only a few be saved?” .Jesus has warned that few who have eaten with him will enter the Kingdom; many apparently pious people will be excluded. Many others, from across the world, will eat with him.

Now “some Pharisees” , in perhaps the only favourable mention of them in the gospels, advise him to leave Herod Antipas’ territory (“here”, i.e. Galilee and Perea). (Herod the Great died soon after Jesus was born.) To Jesus, Herod is “that fox” : destructive, tricky, sly, politically motivated. Herod will not cut short Jesus’ earthly ministry. His journey to Jerusalem “must”, in accord with the Father’s will, continue day-by-day; in and at his resurrection (“third day”) he will complete, consummate, his mission of restoring mankind to the relationship God intended at creation.

Jerusalem, not Herod, has first claim on God’s messengers! .This city is to be the place of, and the agent of, his murder. Jesus laments over the city and (probably) its religious leaders (“house”). The city’s residents, rejecting him now, will not see him again until they shout “Blessed ...” as he rides triumphantly into the city on the first Palm Sunday.

• "How often I have desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" What a verse! What emotion! Some potent feminine imagery too.
• Hear Jesus' extreme sorrow that he can't make us understand his message
• Jesus wants to protect and save
• Note the imagery of a hen. We user animal images to describe countries: the American eagle, the Canadian beaver... We use them to decribe people: Herod is a fox...Can you think of zoological images found in scripture, used to speak of God...The Lion of Judah...the mother Eagle of Isaiah carrying her young to safety...
• In tradition too we find more images from Creation used to speak of God, like the wild goose of the Celts, which was a symbol of the Holy Spirit...
• What kind of animal are you?
• What image do you like to use when you think of God...?

Readings for Lent 1C, February 21, 2010

Take a moment to centre your heart and thoughts on the image of a journey:

a rocky path...

a steep climb...

a positive or negative destination...

a companion by your side...

Prayer:
Journey with us, O God, through this day, through this season. When we find ourselves in a wilderness of questions or doubts, you are there to walk with us. When we find ourselves self-righteous and full of knowledge, you are there to unsettle us. When we feel ourselves alone and isolated, you are there to offer strength and peace. Ever our companion, ever our compassion, we pray to you in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Lent: The word comes from the old English “lencten” which refers to the lengthening days of spring. Most church seasons are not tied to a physical season, but this one really fits for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, where we long for more light and see the promise fulfilled, day by day, in the unfolding of our spring.

The colour of Lent is purple, symbolizing repentence and royalty.
For Mardi Gras, the colour purple symbolizes justice!

Lenten symbolism includes wilderness or desert imagery, ie. rocks, footprints, sand. In many churches no flowers are found in the sanctuary during Lent, and anything ornamented is draped with simple cloths. In Lent, we also use some of the Passion story imagery: tenebrae candles are snuffed out a week at a time, to symbolize the growing shadows as we grow closer to the cross, a rope or bag of coins, the crown of thorns.

Shrove (or Pancake)Tuesday tradition comes from using up butter and eggs before the time of restraint, also Mardi Gras or Carnaval (Quebec).

Traditionally, the restraint of Lent was not observed on Sundays – its 40 days are based on a 6 day week, Monday to Saturday. Every Sunday is considered a little Easter.

The gospel readings on Lent 1 tell the story of Jesus’ temptation:

READ Luke 4:1-13

What Luke is emphasizing in particular, compared to the other synoptic gospels –
Jesus is “full of the Spirit” – the Spirit is within, not external. We see this in both the beginning (v1) and the end (v14) of the passage.

Luke reverses the order found in Matthew of the 2 last temptations, so that the final temptation will take place in Jerusalem, and Jesus will “choose” to return to Galilee to begin his ministry.

For Luke this is the final stage of Jesus’ preparation for ministry: he had an “ordinary human” childhood and early adulthood – he was proclaimed by John the Baptist – he was baptized and heard God’s voice– and Luke affirms his heritage through his version of the begats – then Jesus is tested for readiness in the temptation story.


He began in the wilderness – like Moses (who represents the law) and Elijah (who represents the prophets) this is where Jesus’ active ministry begins, as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.

Luke uses the greek word peirasmos meaning “testing” more than “tempting” – a more neutral word, less laden with judgements about right and wrong. Can he be lured into a more comfortable vision of messiah-hood? Will he choose to do what is good for him but not God?

Satan’s Challenge: “if you really are the son of God…”
Jesus demonstrates that his identity does not have to be proven, it can only be believed.

Question for reflection: Are there times when people ask us to “prove” our faith? Do we fall into that temptation to prove ourselves right?

Who is Satan?

Mark uses the legal term the satan, tou satana, which in secular terms means an adversary or prosecutor. Satan is not a personal first-name, but a descriptive noun.
Matthew and Luke use diabolos, which literally means “to tear apart” (ie. the force that makes our choices absolutely clear – you cannot have both, you have to give something up.)

A similar name is found in the Hebrew book of Job, where “ha-Satan”(in Hebrew meaning the accuser) is actually an angel, one whose role is to point out to God all the contradictions and weaknesses of human nature.

First temptation: Feed yourself!
Jesus’response: Bread is good but I did not come to fill people’s physical hunger…

Second temptation: Rule the world better than Caesar IF you will worship me, not God.
Jesus response: There is only one God.

Third temptation: (in the Jerusalem temple – why?) Make God prove LOVE
Jesus response: I don’t need to.

In the end, Jesus did feed the hungry, he does “reign” from God’s kingdom, he did trust that God would redeem him from death – but he would not let the tempter be the one to set the timeline.

Question for reflection: All three temptations are about trusting God to fulfil a promise. Do we trust God and work with God, or do we try to do things on our own, because we’ve given up on God actually having power in our lives?

READ Deuteronomy 26:1-11

This passage is set in the time when the Israelites are ready to come out of the wilderness, after wandering there for forty years. They are being instructed the appropriate attitude to take towards the promised land – to understand to whom their loyalty belongs and how to show their thanks.

Verses 5-9 contain a re-telling of their history, set in the kind of poetic language that it indicates a creedal statement shared in the community over many years. In this passage the creedal statement is paired with two sets of instructions for offering first-fruits, one before and one after the creedal affirmation – ie. “if you believe this, then you should do this!”

The passage continues (v 12ff) to describe the offering of the tithe, every three years, giving a tenth of one’s income/produce to support the religious personnel (Levites), the poor, the widows, the aliens. This chapter is actually the conclusion of a very long section of the Law on worship (chs 12-26).

Question for Reflection: The Israelites believed that God rescued them from oppression in Egypt because God had compassion for their suffering. THEREFORE the only suitable thanksgiving was one that would offer compassion to those who were suffering in their midst. Do you/we have the same kind of understanding for our offerings or charitable givings?

READ Psalm 91

I know my impression of this psalm is coloured by the beautiful hymn: “On Eagles’ wings”, which paraphrases much of the psalm in its verses. The chorus, however, is based on Isaiah 40, which has the eagles’ wings and hollow of God’s hand imagery.

Don’t be disappointed! There is still lots of interesting imagery to explore in the psalm. It also mentions God’s wings (v.4) and pinion feathers.

The main theme is safety – possibly sung on entering the temple as an expression of thanks for getting there safely, or on leaving the temple, expressing the hope to make the journey home the same way. It is also an expression of trust in God that runs much deeper – throughout all of life’s journey, not just our comings and goings from worship.

The first 13 verses are directed by a leader to the worshipper/s; the last verses by God to the people God loves. The psalm contains elements of wisdom theology – where those who are faithful to God prosper in life and those who are evil are punished in life (v.9-10.)

Question for Reflection: The use of God’s voice in the final verses poses an interesting question: Do we trust God first, then because of our trust, God protects us? Or does God protect us or offer us compassion in times of suffering, and then we learn to trust God?

READ Romans 10:8-13

Marcus Borg suggests in The Heart of Christianity (Harper Books, 2003) that there are different ways to understand the word “believe”. Given Western post-Enlightenment attitudes to science as the basis of truth, we are inclined to hear the word “believe” and think of something that has been proven to be true to our intellect. We give intellectual assent to a statement because we are convinced it is correct or true – ie. I believe that… However, Borg points out that it can also mean I believe in…, which is a statement of trust or relationship.

When Paul says: “if you confess with your lips/if you believe with your heart” it sounds more like the relational, trusting definition of believing in Jesus, rather than the one that finds its truth in intellectual proof.

It defies logic to suggest that salvation should be based entirely on faith – what about all those good works? What about paying the tithe, observing the Sabbath, maintaining celibacy? Paul suggests to the Christians of Jewish and non-Jewish origins who were living in Rome that what unifies them is not what they do, but the one thing they really have in common – a deep and loving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Question for Reflection: Have you ever worshipped with a different faith community or cultural group, where the practice of faith seemed very distinct from your own? Were you able to find an underlying unity in spite of the many external differences?

Closing Prayer:
O God, eternal presence, we never journey alone. Even in the wilderness, the place made sacred by Jesus’ faithful choices, we know that you will be with us. In the silence we encounter your Spirit deep within. In the clamour we absorb your energy and diversity. In voices of suffering we hear your call to serve. Guide our Lenten steps in love, O God, as we change our lives and lift our hearts to you, Amen

Texts for Transfiguration Sunday, February 14, 2010
Exodus 34:29-35 * Psalm 99 * 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 * Luke 9:28-36, (37-43)








Prayer:

O God, as your Child Jesus drew apart
to be in prayer with you,
help us to be apart for a time with you.
W offer our prayers
for the transformation of the world and of our own lives. Amen

Exodus 34:29-35

While Moses was on Mount Sinai the first time, the people of Israel, under Aaron’s leadership, made a golden image of a calf as a symbol of God. So irate was Moses when he discovered the revelry around the Calf that he smashed the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written . God was angry that the people had broken the commandment against casting idols of the deity, but in time has forgiven them; he has invited Moses to ascend the mountain again to receive a replacement set of tablets. While there, he has conversed with God. Vv. 10-26 are the “covenant” (agreement) God has made with the Israelites. In exchange for

being their god ;

acting among them so that the indigenous peoples of the land will recognize Israel’s uniqueness; and

giving them victory over these peoples

the Israelites must, as well as obeying the Ten Commandments:

not enter into any pact with these peoples

destroy their religious symbols

not worship with them

not intermarry;

dedicate their first-born to him

keep the feasts of Passover (Weeks, Shavuot, ) and “ingathering” (Tabernacles, Sukkot);

observe the Sabbath

make pilgrimages three times a year, and

offer the first of the harvest to God

Now Moses descends the mountain again. His face is radiant: an expression of his privileged place as servant close to God: he reflects God’s glory. Perhaps “returned”s an echo of the Golden Calf incident. Moses dons a “veil” to avoid overwhelming his hearers with God’s reflected glory. Again Moses speaks with God. One account says that “the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face” but another (from a different source) says that God only allowed Moses to see his back ). A final point: the word translated “shining” karan, can be written out as keren, meaning horn. Thus Jerome translated it, and so Michelangelo sculpted Moses with horns (seebelow)!

Reflections

• 
  

• Moses has been on the mountain receiving the ten commandments. His face is shining because of talking with God. I picture someone who is glowing with being newly in love, or the glow of a woman who is pregnant, or the glow of a parent proud of her or his child...

• "Mountaintop experiences" - a phrase we often use to describe those experiences where we feel close to God. We describe it as 'mountaintop' because we always know we can't stay up there - we always come walking, running, stumbling, trudging, or crashing back to earth again. What's your mountaintop experience(s)?
  
• Diminishing Returns - the example of eating too much ice-cream. The first cone is great, and you want another. The second is good too - you're almost full. By the end of the third though, you're getting diminishing returns. The cone is good, but you are starting to feel sick. You ate too much, and now the joy of the first cone has decreased because you're stuffed. Can God-experiences have diminishing returns? Why would it be bad to be on the mountaintop with God all the time?
  
• Chris Haslam writes that Moses' face being "radiant" meant that God's glory was reflected in Moses' face. I really like that description. If we are made in God's image, then can we reflect God in our whole being.
• Have you ever met someone who radiates the peace or love of God...?
  

2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2


2 Corinthians is a letter, written in the style common in the first century AD. From the text, we know that Paul wrote it in Macedonia after leaving Ephesus, probably in the autumn of 57 AD. It gives us a picture of Paul the person: an affectionate man, hurt by misunderstandings and the wrongs of his beloved fellow Christians, yet happy when he can praise them. The letter's prime intent is to combat errors which have arisen in the Christian communities in the Achaian peninsula of Greece.

Paul contrasts his ministry with that of Moses. In 3:3, he says that his readers, supported and enabled by the Holy Spirit, are “a letter of Christ”, prepared by him and his colleagues: a letter written on “tablets of human hearts”, not on “tablets of stone”. This is the “confidence that we have through Christ”

(3:4). The dead letter of the Law has been replaced by the living letter of the Spirit. Moses wore a veil lest the radiance of God’s glory, shown in his face, be too much for his hearers. The new covenant in Christ sets aside the old. The thinking of Israelites was frozen in time (“hardened”, 3:14), and it still is: when they hear the Law read (“old covenant”, 3:14; “Moses”, 3:15), they only see God’s plan for saving people dimly, i.e. through a “veil”, but when one is converted (“turns to the Lord”, 3:16), one sees the plan clearly. In Judaism and Christianity, the motive force is the spirit, but for us Christ and the Holy Spirit are one (“the Lord is the Spirit”, 3:17), and in Christ we have “freedom” from the Law: as we become more and more Christ-like, we are more and more able to render to God the honour (“glory”, 3:18) he is due, with the Spirit’s help. In 10:9-11, Paul’s accusers claim that he is strong on words but weak on action. He now retorts: “by God’s mercy” (4:1) he has turned from persecuting Christians to “this ministry” which he does with “great boldness” (3:12), not losing heart. Unlike his accusers, he has cast aside his horrible hidden deeds of the past, namely unscrupulous acts and misrepresentations of the gospel (4:2). He speaks openly, appealing to all to authentically discern the truth.




Reflections

• 
  

• Paul tells us that in Christ, the veil is set aside between us and God. Christ brings us right up to God, face to face. The ancient Celts spoke of thin places, places where the spiritual realm and the mundane world are very close. Where are your thin places? Where do you get a sense of something behind the veil...?
  
• Paul uses reflection/mirror imagery. We are being transformed more and more into God's image, reflecting God's glory in us, since we, "with unveiled faces" can see and experience God's glory. Where do you see God's image reflected?Have you changed over the years as you walk the way with God? Where do you better reflect the image of God?
  
• Paul plays with the veiled/unveiled imagery - in Chapter 4:2, Paul talks about renouncing the things that "one hides" - we uncover the truth, uncover our sinful selves, and move on in Christ's forgiveness when we remove, with Christ, the veil that keeps us from God. Reflect on that image, of Christ pulling back the veila

Luke 9:28-36,(37-43a)
Jesus has predicted his suffering, death and resurrection to his disciples; he has called on them to “take up their cross” (v. 23), has warned that those who hear the gospel but fail to trust in it will be condemned, and has promised that some present will see the kingdom of God. Now he and the inner circle of disciples ascend “the mountain” (v. 28). In Luke, Jesus always prays before an important event. An aura of unnatural brightness is linked with mystical appearances in Exodus and Acts; “dazzling white” (v. 29) is a symbol of transcendence. In Jewish tradition, both “Moses and Elijah” (v. 30) were taken into heaven without dying. Jesus’ agenda is in accord with the Law and the prophets; he is doing God’s will. “Two men” also appear at the resurrection and at the ascension. Jesus’ “departure” (v. 31, exodos in Greek) is his journey to Jerusalem and his passage from this world. Peter clearly doesn’t understand; perhaps he thinks he is witnessing a super Feast of Tabernacles (“dwellings”, v. 33) – a time when the whole city was brightly illuminated. The “cloud” (v. 34) is a symbol of God’s presence; the words from it recall Jesus’ baptism, and add “listen to him!” (v. 35). Vv. 37-43a, the healing of an epileptic child, present three contrasts: from the mountain to the needy world; Jesus’ great power over evil (vs. the disciples’); and Jesus’ fidelity to God vs. general human infidelity. The child is in miserable condition. In healing him, Jesus shows God’s “greatness” to “all” (v. 43).

Reflections

• "The appearance of his face changed." Obviously, this passage ties neatly with our Exodus reading. How are we changed after experiencing the presence of God?Is it significant that it is the face in both passages that is described as changing? The face is the window, perhaps, into our soul - the place on our selves where one can read what is really going on.
• Peter wants to prolong this joyful, awesome experience. Who can blame him? Things change so quickly in our world, and we face so many struggles, that we really want to hang on when things are clicking into place. Is there a time, moment or season that you would have liked to extend indefinitely?
  
• Likewise, Peter and Jesus and company couldn't get to the joy of Easter if they wouldn't leave this Holy Retreat. What if Jesus decided to stay up on the mountain?
• From the mountaintop Jesus goes down to teach and heal. Is this the pattern for Christian life? Spending time with God and then going out to help others?

• The disciples' response to what they see is fear. Has an experience of God and who God is ever caused a response of fear in you? We often fear what our relationship with God might require of us. Seeing God and God's glory face to face in such an undeniable way would leave us with an undeniable responsibility to act, wouldn't it?