Lectionary Reflections for October 30, 2011

Lectionary Reflections for October 30, 2011

Today’s readings differ among the Revised Common Lectionary, the Church of England and Roman Catholic.  I’m going with the Church of England because I think that is what Lindisfarne usually follows.  Someone please correct me if this is not right.

Micah 3: 5 - 12 

Mica 3:5 (NRSV) Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets

who lead my people astray,

who cry "Peace"

when they have something to eat,

but declare war against those

who put nothing into their mouths.

6 Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision,

and darkness to you, without revelation.

 …

Psalm 43

1 Thessalonians 2: 9 - 13  

Matthew 24: 1 - 14  

Matt 24:1 (NRSV) {The Destruction of the Temple Foretold} As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 Then he asked them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."

3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" 4 Jesus answered them, "Beware that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, "I am the Messiah!' and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: 8 all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

9 "Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10 Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.

These readings warn about false prophets and raise questions about forecasting the future. 

These readings warn about false prophets and raise questions about forecasting the future.  They remind me of the problem today facing those who want to prepare for the future.

Environmentalists like me have a credibility problem.  In the 1972 I eagerly read the “Limits to Growth”, which remains the best-selling environmental book (12 million copies, 30 languages).  It made predictions about future conditions based on a model with 200 variables that took into account earth’s finite resources and demands of a world population growing exponentially.  The predictions were dire, and the oil crisis of 1974 seemed to confirm the fear that we would all soon “freeze, hungry, in the dark”.  But a few years later it was clear that the predictions were way off and a follow up report was required “Mankind at the Turning Point”, using 2000 variables in the model.   When predictions were shown to be off again, further revisions were made, but by this time, much of the public had dismissed the “environmental prophets” as doomsayers and naysayers who were just plain against industry, progress and the American Way, false prophets.  Since that time about half of the US public has pretty much discounted all such predictions.  Political leaders stay far away from taking much action based on such predictions, fearing they might “end up like Jimmy Carter”.

So who do we believe?  It seems obvious that we still live on a finite planet. Though we don’t like to think about it, the global financial system is based on the assumption that the future will be more productive than the past, with human innovation always trumping the limits to growth.  Both our farming and food transportation systems depend upon cheap oil for their existence.  Human beings are by far the most populous mammal on the planet, and the headlines say we are just about at 8 billion, and quickly rising.  What is a faithful response?  The readings today would warn us against following false prophets.  Certainly that would apply to any of the continuing line of folks who claim to set an exact date for the end of the world, or I guess an exact date for peak oil.  It’s just not like that.  But on the other hand, we are called to be aware of the signs of the times, and to care for creation and each other, to be as Christ to our neighbor, including our future neighbor in the next generation.

Blessings,

John+

Lectionary Reflections October 2, 2011

Lectionary Reflections October 2, 2011

Exodus 20:1-20, Psalm 19, Philippians 3:4-14, Matthew 21:33-46
I spent yesterday afternoon with members of Living Hope Fellowship ripping out the wet wallboards of a stranger’s house in Owego, New York.  A month ago Hurricane Lee had caused the streets of Owego to be submerged in six feet of water.  Entire neighborhoods were flooded and hundreds of families are living in shelters or with relatives.  Those with flood insurance and resources have cleared out their basements and first floors and are getting the repairs done and moving back in.  Those without insurance (the floodwaters were so high that many did not have it) and were just barely making their monthly bills have had to wait for volunteer efforts to get organized.  The waters rose so quickly that most people were not able to move furniture upstairs and have lost almost everything.  As we approached the neighborhood where we would work, I saw what used to be insulation and kids toys and sofas and crushed wallboards in piles of rubbish along the streets.
The small house we were working on is owned by an elderly woman who is now living with her sister several miles away. As I yanked the end of my crowbar to twist out more plaster wall in what used to be her living room, I wondered how she was dealing with this loss.  It is not at all certain that her house will be rebuilt. I wondered how I would respond to “losing everything”.

⁷Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. ⁸More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ…

This witness of the Paul in the letter to Philippians begs the same question and gives Paul’s answer  --Christ. The Lindisfarne Community’s first understanding is that we seek above all else to be Christlike, as our prayer “to be as Christ to those we meet; to find Christ within them.”  “We seek these understandings in the life of Jesus; shining, precious gems, winsome, lovely, drawing us out of ourselves and towards Christ”.   In the midst of losses, great and small, we are called to encourage each other so that as a community, together we experience the “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus”.

Blessings,

John+