He preached that when we use the word blessed many often associate a gift God has given, material comfort, health, perhaps security in life. Pastor Ray pointed out that Jesus is not using blessed with this association in today's Gospel Matthew 5:1-12. According to Pastor Ray in this gospel Jesus blesses people prone to be overlooked in this world.
Which brings us to the question, is Jesus giving blessings to the overlooked or is he drawing attention to blessings they already have?
The overlooked, the true and the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, peacemakers and the persecuted are all involved in relationship to a larger community. Perhaps Jesus is also acknowledging the blessing of the ties we share. The kingdom of God dwells in those ties.
Pastor Ray referenced Ralph Fiennes as Amon Göth in Schindler's List and Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler in the plot of the film. He laid out the story of how Schindler tries to persuade the SS second Lieutenant how true power is the ability to show mercy rather than in killing someone but, as Pastor Ray explained, it did not "take". This is not surprising. Oskar Schindler develops deep human relationship with his Jewish workforce. The ring they give him has the Talmudic quotation: "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire.". This attests to that relationship in a special way. There is the recognition that the fact other lives may be lost does not alter what can be done saving the world life by life.
Pastor Ray preached about how easy it is to read Matthew 5:1-12 as a set of moral targets - what a good person should be - meek, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers but that reading doesn't quite work for mourning and being persecuted. Even more dangerously, read this way in can become a way to excuse ourselves. We will not be perfect. God does not ask us to make a utopia of this world. Again, the ring in Schindler's List focuses on this directly. It pulls Schindler from excuses and roots him back in relationship, as is shown in his reaction. The kingdom of God can and does exist now.
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| Photo by Ron Houser |
We offered a prayer of remembrance and lit candles for all the saints we remembered and of every age. As I watched the faces of those who went up to light a candle I could see the solemn honor they felt for those they were memorializing in the simple act. It felt like a great witnessing. and I remembered many of the saints in my life.
Creator has don many things in the past but simply lighting candles provided a beautiful expression of what many of us felt at that moment.
Commentary on the Beatitudes in verse:
ReplyDelete'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come 'round right.
Joseph Brackett
In music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMaAe2aH6pw
Simple Gifts is definitely a touchstone praise hymn. I particularly find Judy Collins version draws me in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWTDgc96bg8
DeleteIt was good to hear Appalachian Spring and not only the Simple Gifts highlight.
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ReplyDeleteindividual identity (modernism) deferring to group identity (post-modernism)
ReplyDeleteIt's the bittersweet reality of today.
Commentary:
ok...
but, Arrgh.
November 12, 2017 at 12:01 PM
Being part of the gang, or finding the "we of me" as Carson McCullers put it, feels essential or even utopian. In practice, however, no individual ever feels that they are a true or quintessential member of the group they are considered part of.
DeletePost moderns embrace just such a contradiction. "yes" & "yes", they would say. But they can't answer "what then must we do?". So they talk & talk and spin their wheels getting nowhere. Or briefly support the group of the moment.
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DeleteAs you know, Carson McCullers words are given a showcase in a powerful song by Suzanne Vega. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4RtzFs4YTo
DeleteSocial (tribal) and individual identity is central to what some Christian theologians are now exploring. Viewing those who are "others" as either strangers or aliens becomes increasingly troublesome in our multicultural environment. Yet our notion that everyone should be like us remains strong.
Your observation that "no individual ever feels that they are a true or quintessential member of the group they are considered part of" points to other issues springing from how identity was previously viewed and our current perceptions.
Yes, certain embraced contradictions will lead to spinning our collective wheels. The "what then must we do" question is no longer is an answer given to us through authority. This is more an answer we understand is found within. Maybe this is simply a logical extension of a belief that collective salvation is not about doing good works, but rather comes from God's grace and who we are.
Perhaps ephemeral support for a group of the moment is all that is possible today but perhaps, in time, it will become something more.
I would say "in relationship with" rather than "deferring to" if I were to make this statement.
DeleteFrom my readings individual identity does have strong, post-modern support.