(Blogging from the West Coast, Pacific time until Tuesday, 17 November)
Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 27: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 88; Evening, Psalms 91and 92;
Joel 2:28to3:8; James 1:16to27; Luke 16:1to9
“You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.” (James 1: 19 to 21)
I love reading the letter of James. This James was the brother of our Lord Jesus and later Bishop of Jerusalem. We don’t hear much about him in the Gospel accounts but here he is now sharing his insights and ponderings. The above verses remind me of the words of the prophet Jeremiah as it pertains to the “implanted word.” Jeremiah writes, “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”(Jeremiah 31:33)
My beloved in the Lord, we, (you and I), already have this implanted word written in our hearts. When Jeremiah says, “after those days,” he is speaking of the days after our Lord Jesus comes to be with us (this generation) and shows us just how to live by that same word implanted in us. All we have to do is welcome it with meekness as James says. We must be quick to listen and slow to speak, in person or on social media. And when we do speak, do so from inclusive love. And this inclusive love often brings with it a little amount of discomfort. But we can overcome it.
The inclusive person professes to be receptive to all persons, even those with whom they often disagree. Therein, is the discomfort. The “exclusive” person has no such tolerance. The exclusive person makes it clear that only like-minded people are welcome. That is not who Christ wants Christians to be. Jesus ate at the home of Pharisees and healed people of the household of a centurion. Jesus received those who were his own and reached out to those who were of a different perspective, like Nicodemus. “Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls,” the word that is already written on your heart.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1 and 2). So, for this evening, and tomorrow day my friends, Shabbat Shalom.
What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
Let us pray: (BCP p. 839)
O God, who created all peoples in your image, we thank you for the wonderful diversity of races and cultures in this world. Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship, and show us your presence in those who differ most from us, until our knowledge of your love is made perfect in our love for all your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
