For a Day

Psalm 112 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Praise the Lord!
Happy are those who fear the Lord,
who greatly delight in his commandments.
Their descendants will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
and their righteousness endures forever.
They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright;
they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with those who deal generously and lend,
who conduct their affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
they will be remembered forever.
They are not afraid of evil tidings;
their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.
Their hearts are steady; they will not be afraid;
in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
They have distributed freely; they have given to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn is exalted in honor.
The wicked see it and are angry;
they gnash their teeth and melt away;
the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.

Reflection

I know it isn't in this text, precisely, but this trend of Gospel readings and a news story I heard this morning on WITF/NPR got me inspired to write about the day laborer and the denarius coin. "It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice" and "they have given freely to the poor" were surely the inspiration for this line of thought. Then I heard about the plight of those who wait at a day laborer center around 7am hoping for work for a day. I remembered the Bible stories and parables that referred to the Denarius coin. A bit strange for us, but that one coin was worth the typical day wage. Day laborers were so important that they had their own coinage. Same then as now, though, they would get paid at the end of the shift however much or little the rich landowner/boss wanted to. Their is little recourse against the wealthy and powerful.

This Psalm as a whole celebrates a harmonious and glorious life, where care is extended and justice is served. Only the wicked don't want to see this happen! The beauty of the song giving honor to God is that we participate fully in the expansion of God's Way. God blesses us and we share it. Generosity is the sign that we are on the "right side" of history. For, God will win the day and all days. Those who labor without pay are fully paid up in the goodness of God. Let us not just imagine these days, but work to make it happen!

Great God,

Guide us to better caretakers of our neighbors, lead us to advocate and to lead change. Show us ways to be careful in all our affairs so that fairness and goodness are clear as day. Teach us to do more with less and to care for this Creation better than the day before. Kindle in us the passion to stay on the path where justice and peace kiss. We pray this in the Name of Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

To go deeper:

https://anglicanfocus.org.au/2020/06/01/the-denarius-in-mark-12-15/

https://www.raydowning.com/blog/2016/4/26/coins-used-by-jesus-the-denarius

https://coinsweekly.com/the-four-coins-jesus-knew/

The Pattern

Acts 17:1-9  New English Translation

After they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed them from the scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying, “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large group of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. But the Jews became jealous, and gathering together some worthless men from the rabble in the marketplace, they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar. They attacked Jason’s house, trying to find Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly. When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, screaming, “These people who have stirred up trouble throughout the world have come here too, and Jason has welcomed them as guests! They are all acting against Caesar’s decrees, saying there is another king named Jesus!” They caused confusion among the crowd and the city officials who heard these things. After the city officials had received bail from Jason and the others, they released them.

Reflection

     The memory match game is a classic. It can be easy for a smart little one, given plenty of time and only a few options. Or, it can be quite challenging for adults with several rows of tiles and a short amount of time to memorize where the matches are. I think part of its allure is that we pay attention to patterns and notice repeats. Our daily habits help us to mark the time or remember what day it is!

     The story of Jason in Acts encourages us to look deeper and notice the deceitful patterns, all the while proclaiming the Good News and doing what is right. Some may be falsely persuaded, but followers of Christ pay attention to the patterns of fakers, posers, wannabes and sneaky tricksters. We speak up and help each other out. We work for justice and the rights of the oppressed or falsely imprisoned.

Lord Christ, be with us when times seem troubling. Remind us of just who you are and whose we are. Guide us to love and care for others, friends and enemies alike. Only through your Name and by your Spirit will we be faithful and fruitful. Amen.

That Horse is Ready for a Fight!

Psalm 33:12-22  New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.

The Lord looks down from heaven;
he sees all humankind.
From where he sits enthroned he watches
all the inhabitants of the earth—
he who fashions the hearts of them all
and observes all their deeds.
A king is not saved by his great army;
a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
The war horse is a vain hope for victory,
and by its great might it cannot save.

Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
to deliver their soul from death
and to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and shield.
Our heart is glad in him
because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.

Recreation of an Egyptian war chariot from the Early New Kingdom. Based on historical wall paintings, the armor and chariot from Tutankhamun's (r. c.1336-c.1327 BCE) tomb, and illustrations by artist Angus McBride.

Reflection

     Our only hope is in God. It is easier said than followed through with. We do trust in our might.

 Deep down we really do think many times that "might makes right." Individual, community, corporate, national and international sins form a mountain in this category! 

     It also strikes me to the core that the desire to have a military messiah, a powerful leader in strategic or political strength is clearly proclaimed to be the wrong path here in the Psalms. We should have known better when Jesus became flesh and dwelled among us. We need to still remember that "the war horse is a vain hope for victory."

Dear Lord, guide us to trust only in you. Help us to turn aside from our accomplishments or the accolades about any one regular mortal. You alone are worthy of hope and victory in all circumstances. All praise and thanks to you! Amen.