Today's readings: Ps 5, 147:1-11; Amos 5:6-15; Heb. 12:1-14; Luke 18:9–14
Today is the day Christians all over the world begin the annual Lenten pilgrimage. Most of us won’t travel physically but spiritually, and we hope in a direction moving us closer to God in Christ. Our modes of transportation vary: prayer, fasting, giving something up, taking something extra on – the possibilities are limitless. And like physical pilgrims, we may find we need to carefully select which belongings will travel well to a destination we may not know much about.
Today’s parable from Luke illustrates one of the things we might be better leaving behind: ego. When we read about the Pharisee who thanks God he is not the tax collector praying nearby, we aren’t surprised Jesus says the tax collector (who is humbling praying for mercy) is more justified before God. Most of us – even religious leaders – identify more with the character of the tax collector than the Pharisee. But should we? Is it truth or ego that tells us we are righteous?
The moment we thank God we are not the Pharisee, we may be guilty of his sin: pride and judgment. In Jesus’ time, the message of beloved sinners was revolutionary. People needed to hear it. Twenty centuries on, as a faith community comfortable with Jesus’ MO, we need to be careful we don’t wear the tax collector’s humility as the latest fashion of outward righteousness. Letting go of the idea that we are righteous (or sinful!) can be scary, because it erodes our comfortable, self-defined identity.
As we prepare for our Lenten journey, let’s unpack the thick cloak of ego to make room for uncertainty. And let’s not make the mistake of defining uncertainty as the lack of something; rather, let’s recognize it as necessary space for the new things God wants us to carry. If we cling too tightly to who we are, we are closed to who God would have us be.
Sometimes we are the Pharisee. Sometimes we are the tax collector. Most often we are a mix of both. God will help us find the balance.
Comfort: Letting go is sometimes the only way to hold something new.
Challenge: Meditate on today’s passage from Luke.
Prayer: God of the journey, help me know what to keep, and what to leave behind.
Evening readings: Ps 27, 51
Discussion question:
When have you had cause to question your assumptions about your identity?
Showing posts with label Pharisees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pharisees. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Mob Mentality
Today's readings: Ps 105:1-22; Hos 5:8-6:6; Acts 21:27-36; Luke 6:1-11
Poor Paul. As if his actions weren’t polarizing enough, the Asian Jews in the Jerusalem temple were ready to string him up for things he hadn’t done. They only had to say Paul had brought Greeks into the temple (he hadn’t), and the crowd dragged him outside, barred the doors, and beat him. Reaction was swift, forceful – and completely unwarranted.
Have you ever found yourself caught up in a mob mentality? It’s easy to separate ourselves from the mob by painting it as a collection of villains, but a mob isn’t always about torch-wielding villagers. In our age of instant communication, the mob may be virtual, but it is no less infectious. We condemn or canonize people over a single image or sound bite. When we are inclined to agree with a given mob’s sentiment, we are less likely to be aware of crossing the line from observer to participant. Take political campaigns: aren’t we more likely to believe and repeat negative things about the opposition? Toss in the need of politicians to “spin” a situation to manage immediate public perception, and careers – even lives – are ruined by a media-driven mob. Even seemingly positive behaviors – for example, responses to natural disasters – are made less effective by mob mentality. Charitable organizations often end up wasting donations that arrive in unmanageably large quantities at the beginning of a disaster recovery, and later run short, because people respond as a well-intentioned mob, rather than waiting to assess long-term needs.
The slow-burning mob, like the one that plotted against Jesus as his teachings began to threaten the status quo, is especially insidious. Today terms like “whisper campaign” describe an indirect attack meant to destroy a person’s reputation. Rather than appealing to a person’s sense of outrage, this type of attack appeals to the ego; we all like to feel like we are “in the know” and a whisper campaign helps us believe we are privy to insider information. We can become part of a mob without ever knowing it. The seeds planted by the Pharisees at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry help prime the mob that eventually yells “Crucify him!”
As people of faith, we must temper our reactions with love and patience. As the hands of Christ, we do not swing blindly at shadows.
Comfort: God made us capable of thoughtful action and reaction.
Challenge: Fact check even the claims you are inclined to agree with.
Prayer: Glorious Creator, thank you for the gift of discernment.
Evening readings: Ps 105:23-45
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 102; Hos 10:1-15; Acts 21:37-22:16; Luke 6:12-26
Poor Paul. As if his actions weren’t polarizing enough, the Asian Jews in the Jerusalem temple were ready to string him up for things he hadn’t done. They only had to say Paul had brought Greeks into the temple (he hadn’t), and the crowd dragged him outside, barred the doors, and beat him. Reaction was swift, forceful – and completely unwarranted.
Have you ever found yourself caught up in a mob mentality? It’s easy to separate ourselves from the mob by painting it as a collection of villains, but a mob isn’t always about torch-wielding villagers. In our age of instant communication, the mob may be virtual, but it is no less infectious. We condemn or canonize people over a single image or sound bite. When we are inclined to agree with a given mob’s sentiment, we are less likely to be aware of crossing the line from observer to participant. Take political campaigns: aren’t we more likely to believe and repeat negative things about the opposition? Toss in the need of politicians to “spin” a situation to manage immediate public perception, and careers – even lives – are ruined by a media-driven mob. Even seemingly positive behaviors – for example, responses to natural disasters – are made less effective by mob mentality. Charitable organizations often end up wasting donations that arrive in unmanageably large quantities at the beginning of a disaster recovery, and later run short, because people respond as a well-intentioned mob, rather than waiting to assess long-term needs.
The slow-burning mob, like the one that plotted against Jesus as his teachings began to threaten the status quo, is especially insidious. Today terms like “whisper campaign” describe an indirect attack meant to destroy a person’s reputation. Rather than appealing to a person’s sense of outrage, this type of attack appeals to the ego; we all like to feel like we are “in the know” and a whisper campaign helps us believe we are privy to insider information. We can become part of a mob without ever knowing it. The seeds planted by the Pharisees at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry help prime the mob that eventually yells “Crucify him!”
As people of faith, we must temper our reactions with love and patience. As the hands of Christ, we do not swing blindly at shadows.
Comfort: God made us capable of thoughtful action and reaction.
Challenge: Fact check even the claims you are inclined to agree with.
Prayer: Glorious Creator, thank you for the gift of discernment.
Evening readings: Ps 105:23-45
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 102; Hos 10:1-15; Acts 21:37-22:16; Luke 6:12-26
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tradition
Today's readings: Ps 101, 109; Hos 4:111-19; Acts 21:15-26; Luke 5:27-39
Since Jesus first challenged the Pharisees and their understanding of the law, his followers have struggled with our relationship to custom and tradition. Some, like Paul, are able to see beyond tradition to a wider ministry. Others like the church in Jerusalem have a harder time letting go. Today Christians do not observe many Jewish traditions or customs, but we have added many of our own that can make us seem as rigid as Pharisees. How do we know when to hold on, and when to let go?
Paul’s efforts to gather Gentiles under the umbrella of Christ’s grace caused many to doubt his commitment to his Jewish identity. Like many efforts at inclusiveness, Paul’s acceptance of the other was interpreted by his own community as a rejection. To assuage their concerns, Paul went through the Jewish rituals of purification, but he understood his salvation was in Christ, not in ritual. Modern churches experience this phenomenon when leaders reach out to new people with different customs. My own church struggled with adopting inclusive language, as some people interpreted it as a rejection of the masculine rather than a way to share the Gospel more effectively. From rearranging furniture to changing the structure of the liturgy, some people will resist change – and grace.
But we don’t change for the sake of change. When Jesus, using wine as a metaphor, declares “The old is good,” (Luke 5:39), he is talking about the very old – the love and purpose of God that predates even the law. We tend to think our customs and traditions have always been, and after a time we stop reflecting on the purpose they serve. In some churches, a misstep during the offertory, a bungling of the Words of Institution, or an improperly stored card table can cause great consternation. When this happens, it is time to examine whether our traditions are serving the very old, or if we – like the Pharisees – have lost sight of their true purpose. In the latter case we do not necessarily have to change our traditions, but we do need to renew our relationship to them.
As faithful followers of Christ, we should respect what he respected, and challenge what he challenged. To do this well, we must know why we do what we do.
Challenge: Learn why your church worships the way it does. If no one can really tell you, start a conversation about it.
Prayer: Glorious Creator, I seek to know your purposes.
Evening readings: Ps 119:121-144
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 105:1-22; Hos 5:8-6:6; Acts 21:27-36; Luke 6:1-11
Since Jesus first challenged the Pharisees and their understanding of the law, his followers have struggled with our relationship to custom and tradition. Some, like Paul, are able to see beyond tradition to a wider ministry. Others like the church in Jerusalem have a harder time letting go. Today Christians do not observe many Jewish traditions or customs, but we have added many of our own that can make us seem as rigid as Pharisees. How do we know when to hold on, and when to let go?
Paul’s efforts to gather Gentiles under the umbrella of Christ’s grace caused many to doubt his commitment to his Jewish identity. Like many efforts at inclusiveness, Paul’s acceptance of the other was interpreted by his own community as a rejection. To assuage their concerns, Paul went through the Jewish rituals of purification, but he understood his salvation was in Christ, not in ritual. Modern churches experience this phenomenon when leaders reach out to new people with different customs. My own church struggled with adopting inclusive language, as some people interpreted it as a rejection of the masculine rather than a way to share the Gospel more effectively. From rearranging furniture to changing the structure of the liturgy, some people will resist change – and grace.
But we don’t change for the sake of change. When Jesus, using wine as a metaphor, declares “The old is good,” (Luke 5:39), he is talking about the very old – the love and purpose of God that predates even the law. We tend to think our customs and traditions have always been, and after a time we stop reflecting on the purpose they serve. In some churches, a misstep during the offertory, a bungling of the Words of Institution, or an improperly stored card table can cause great consternation. When this happens, it is time to examine whether our traditions are serving the very old, or if we – like the Pharisees – have lost sight of their true purpose. In the latter case we do not necessarily have to change our traditions, but we do need to renew our relationship to them.
As faithful followers of Christ, we should respect what he respected, and challenge what he challenged. To do this well, we must know why we do what we do.
Challenge: Learn why your church worships the way it does. If no one can really tell you, start a conversation about it.
Prayer: Glorious Creator, I seek to know your purposes.
Evening readings: Ps 119:121-144
Tomorrow's readings: Ps 105:1-22; Hos 5:8-6:6; Acts 21:27-36; Luke 6:1-11
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