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Pentecost 7
18 July 2004
Amos 8:1-12. Ps. 52 Col 1:15-28 Lk. 10:38-42
In Mark Link’s book “Breakaway” there’s a story about a monk who had prayed all his life for a vision from God. After he’d almost given up hope it came. The monk’s heart soared with peace and joy. Suddenly, the monastery bell rang to say that it was time to feed the poor at the monastery gate. It was the old monk’s turn to share with them whatever food was on hand that day. He was torn between his vision and his earthly occupation; but before the bell had stopped ringing in his ears he’d made his decision. He left the vision to feed the poor. Nearly an hour later he came back to his room. As he opened the door he fell to his knees. There in the room was the same vision. As he bowed his head the vision spoke: “Had you not gone, I would not have stayed.”
Amos 8:1-12
A companion piece with last week’s vision; but this time there is a message of unrelieved judgment.
“God opened my eyes and I saw him at work: there was a basket of autumn fruit in the street, ready for the autumn festival at the end of the year. ‘What are you looking at, Amos?’ he asked me. ‘A basket of autumn fruit,’ I said.
‘It’s autumn for the North, too,’ he said ‘Autumn — and the end. I cannot go on overlooking things!
Temple songs will turn to temple laments --
wars and many deaths
streets choked with dead soldiers
and silence!”
(Winding Quest - Alan T. Dale)
And the reason? Immoral activity, even in the form of a business enterprise, brings its own consequence: noting other than alienation from God, the most dreadful judgment of all.
I am writing these notes in Budget week. I wonder what response a careful look at this year’s budget would draw from the likes of Amos? Or this week’s congregation.
Psalm 52
Who on earth is “Mighty One/you hero/Big Man”? Commentators suggest that the title of the psalm which says it was from a time when Doeg told Saul where to find David should be taken “illustratively rather than historically”. James L. Mays suggests that “the portrait is that of a person who turns human capacities and possession into the basis of his existence.” It seems that, whoever he was, the big shot is one who works out of self-rule — pleases himself. In the context of the psalm, gender probably isn’t in question, but it may well be today. The self-rulers are those who threaten people who seek a life-style of justice and compassion. See Amos and Jesus. We can live for ourselves or we can live for God. We can be people who are pulled up by their roots, or people who are like olive trees “growing green in God’s house.” (The Message)
Col 1:15-28
A hymn of exalted language. I wonder if it went to a tune like Laudate Dominum, or even Tantum Ergo Sacramentum. Commentators use words like “exalted and cosmic language”. So it is and so it ought to be. “He is supreme in the beginning and supreme in the end”.
Interestingly, from one who has been criticised at times for editing the language, usually to tidy up the gender, this hymn has also been edited. There are at least two additions: “the church” in v.18 and “through the blood of his cross” in v. 20. Both have the effect of linking the Christ to his and our earthly existence. Peterson has a marvelous understanding of what that means for us. “You yourselves are a case study of what he does” The rest of that section is worth a read.
Luke 10:38-42
I find this a difficult story. Certainly, it’s too easy to come to an obvious conclusion and say that it’s better to be like Mary than like Martha. I think that’s rubbish, and I don’t think it’s what Jesus was on about. And I also think that those romantic pictures which show a beautiful Mary kneeling directly in front of Jesus with him smiling down at her as he speaks only to her, are even more rubbishy. Mary was probably at the back of the room somewhere, where women of her time would have been, listening at a distance as Jesus spoke to whoever else was with him in Martha’s house.
It’s a story about Martha. Talking with Muriel about this story, she said “It’s what a lot of church people are on about.” Like “why don’t more people come and help us!” “What we need are more young people.” “Why don’t more women join the APW?” “If only more people would be prepared to come to working bees.........”
But there’s a balance that people like Martha (and me) need to discover. It’s the balance between doing and listening; between praying and helping. It’s about knowing when to say “no” because so-called ‘good deeds’ are getting in the way of contemplation. Read the story at the beginning of these notes again.
God,
you are always ready to listen to us
as we come seeking you.
Teach us the wisdom of taking time
to listen
so that we may find energy
to work for justice and compassion.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.O Christ, the Master Carpenter
Who, at the last, through wood and nails,
purchased our whole salvation,
wield well your tools
in the workshop of your world
so that we,
who come rough-hewn to your bench,
may here be fashioned
to a truer beauty of your hand.
We ask it for your name’s sake.
(The Wee Worship Book)