Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 11: Year 2
Psalms 55; 138, 139:1-17(18-23); Joshua 23:1-16; Romans15:25-33; Matthew 27:11-23
“While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.’” (Matthew 27:19)
We don’t have the name of the wife of Pontius Pilot but she was definitely spiritually connected with God. Many people, prophets and leaders of Israel were contacted by God via a divine dream. Jacob, Daniel, and even Joseph the earthly father of our Lord Jesus are just three. Pilot’s wife is in good company but she is not listened to. I ponder dreams. Scripture has shown that dreams are often used as conduits of communication by God for the purpose of doing God’s work. Dreams are places of revelation. Pilot did not listen to his wife, perhaps it was destined to be that way, who knows? For this Matthew Gospel it may be surprising that we today, even get to hear her voice. But we do, and so I ponder that all of us should look deeper into our dreams of revelation.
Dreams are very slippery. If we wait too long we forget the details of our dreams. It could be an important message lost. I have personally witnessed one person share a dream and another person at the table interpret what the dream could have meant. It made so much sense. I think to prepare to download dreams we have to prepare in advance of sleep. We could have paper and pen at the ready near the bed, or perhaps a phone or recording device with which we could quickly capture the experience. And there should be some caution in doing this. As we read from the experience of Pilot’s wife, “I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.” However, for the most part, I believe God’s message for us will move us closer to the will of God in good ways. I believe the Spirit of God connects with us in some of our dreams (not all) because we stay too busy with worldly things to hear God during our waking hours.
Today we also remember St. James the apostle:
“James, the brother of John, is often known as James the Greater, to distinguish him from the other Apostle of the same name, commemorated in the calendar with Philip, and also from James “the brother of our Lord.” He was the son of a Galilean fisherman, Zebedee, and with his brother John left his home and his trade in obedience to the call of Christ. With Peter and John, he seems to have belonged to an especially privileged group, whom Jesus chose to be witnesses to the Transfiguration, to the raising of Jairus’ daughter, and to his agony in the garden. (From Lesser Feast and Fasts at https://extranet.generalconvention.org/staff/files/download/21034)
I often think that while we like to hold up twelve apostles, Jesus specifically chose about seven, as recorded in the Gospels. Of the seven, three were particularly invited to witness very special events like those mentioned from the Lesser Feast and Fast above. Yes, James was special.
Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 