questions with no answers – a reflection on Job 23:1-9, 16-17

October 3, 2012
by rick
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Job / Lectionary / Old Testament / Religion / Wisdom Literature / Year B

The following is a reflection on Job 23:1-9, 16-17, the Hebrew Bible lesson appointed for Proper 23B, according to the Revised Common Lectionary.

Mississippi House

A home on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, post-Katrina. Photo by Rick Morley.

By the time we get to the twenty-third chapter of Job, a lot of water has gone under the bridge. The broken, but altogether devout, man we left in the early narrative section has met his prosperity-gospel friends.

They’ve tried to convince him that God is just, and therefore his own egregious sins are the cause of his calamitous misfortunes.

There can be no other explanation: God is a just God.

But, the more they’ve pressed that point, the more Job comes to his own conclusion: Since he knows that he’s innocent, it is clear that God has mistreated him.

For Job, there can be no other explanation: he has done nothing wrong.

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everyman – a reflection on Job 1:1; 2:1-10

September 26, 2012
by rick
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Lectionary / Religion / Wisdom Literature / Year B

The following is a reflection on Job 1:1; 2:1-10, the Hebrew Bible Lesson appointed for Proper 22B, according to the Revised Common Lectionary.

Mississippi Gulf House Post-Katrina

Mississippi Gulf House Post-Katrina. Photo by Rick Morley.

There once was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job.

Job opens with a certain “once upon a time” quality to it, in a make-believe land that no one has ever heard of.

In this half verse Job is introduced as “everyman.” Attached to no time and to no place in particular, he represents us all.

Here we are all Uzzians. We are all Job.

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on doing and being – a reflection on James 5:13-20

September 20, 2012
by rick
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Epistles / Gospels / Lectionary / Year B

The following is a reflection on James 5:13-20, the epistle lesson appointed for Proper 21B, according to the revised common lectionary.

The High Line

Photo by Rick Morley. Taken on The High Line in NYC.

I think it’s helpful to read the conclusion of the Epistle of James in its full context. James was writing to a community engaged in conflict over class discrimination. It was apparently a vicious and heated inter-church argument.

In the beginning of the Epistle, James urges the people in the church to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. He tells them that anger doesn’t bring forth righteousness. Later in the letter he tells them to watch their language and how they speak to one another. Because, as we all know, words can do lots of damage. And, he admonishes the people to act with gentleness at all times.

Really, it’s a good recipe for church unity, no matter the level of internal conflict, if any exists at all. Read More

less “ui”, more “os” – a reflection on James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a

September 12, 2012
by rick
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Epistles / Lectionary / New Testament / Year B

The following is a reflection on James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a, the epistle lesson appointed for Proper 20 B according to the Revised Common Lectionary.

gentleness

gentleness in the epistle of straw. Taken on a farm in West Virginia. Photo by Rick Morley.

One day Steve Jobs was walking through the Xerox corporation, and he saw something that helped him change the world as we know it: a computer with a graphic interface. Xerox was experimenting with how people interact with their computer, what we now call “user interface,” or “UI.” Graphic interface was revolutionary. No longer did people have to interact with their computer with code or numbers. Read More

flame thrower – a reflection on James 3:1-12

September 4, 2012
by rick
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Epistles / Lectionary / New Testament / Religion / Year B

The following is a reflection on James 3:1-12, the epistle lesson for proper 19B, according to the Revised Common Lectionary.

epistle of straw

“bales of hay,” for the “epistle of straw” Photo by Rick Morley.

As we saw in the first chapter of James’s epistle, James is writing to a community in conflict. People are fighting, people are arguing, and things are not going well. As we saw in the second chapter of the epistle, the argument is over the bigotry of class distinction.

What becomes clear very early on in the third chapter is that the fighting is intense. Read More

prayers of the people, inspired by the epistle of James

August 28, 2012
by rick
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Epistles / Lectionary / Prayers of the People

The following version of the prayers of the people is inspired by the Epistle of James, and might be used when a reading from the letter is preached on or highlighted in the service in some other way.

Father of Lights, from whom comes every perfect gift, hear our prayers which we offer fervently to you, and in the name of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray for the church, that we might show forth our faith in action, regard all with impartiality, and be quick to listen and slow to anger.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for our nation, that whenever trials may befall us, that God may grant us endurance and wisdom.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the world, that the lowly may be raised up, and that mercy may fall on us all.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for the sick, the injured, the vulnerable, and those undergoing all forms of adversity, that they might all be raised up; especially ______.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for those celebrating this week, especially ____.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

We pray for those who have died (especially ____), that they would draw near to God, and that God would draw near to them.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Gracious God, let our prayers be offered to you with the gentleness that is born from your wisdom from above, that is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, and full of mercy. Amen.

cool it – a reflection on James 1:17-27

August 21, 2012
by rick
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Epistles / Lectionary / Year B

The following is a reflection on James 1:17-27, the epistle lesson appointed for Proper 17B in the Revised Common Lectionary. This is also the first in a series of five reflections on the Letter of James.

Epistle of Straw

“Epistle of Straw” Photo by Rick Morley.

Luther called the Epistle of James the “Epistle of Straw.” In other words, he didn’t care for it too much. Mostly, of course, because it is so very different from the epistles of Paul.

It’s not as theologically “deep” as Romans or Galatians, for sure. But, obviously, theological depth wasn’t what James was going for.

At least not here. Who knows, James could have waxed poetic every bit as much as Paul—but we just lost that letter somewhere.

But, when James composed this epistle, he composed it to be preeminently practical. Read More

the bloody truth – a reflection on John 6:56-69

August 13, 2012
by rick
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Christology / Exodus / Gospels / New Testament / Old Testament / Pentateuch / Soteriology / Theology / Year B

The following is a reflection on John 6:56-69, the Gospel lesson appointed for Proper 16B, according to the Revised Common Lectionary. This post is from the tenth chapter of my book, “Going to Hell, Getting Saved.”

line in the floor

“line in the floor” A view from within the Chapel of the Good Shepherd, General Seminary, NYC. Photo by Rick Morley.

Jesus told the people that his flesh was real food and that his blood was true drink—and to eat his flesh and drink his blood meant eternal life.

And people stopped following him.

The disciples grumbled about how hard a teaching this was. Jesus had to ask the disciples if they wanted to walk away too.

So, what was the big deal? Read More