Not looking forward to fasting? Isaiah has some alternatives for you.
"HERE is the way I want you to fast.
Set free those who are held by chains without any reason. Untie the ropes that hold people as slaves. Set free those who are crushed. Break every evil chain.
Share your food with hungry people. Provide homeless people with a place to stay. Give naked people clothes to wear. Provide for the needs of your own family.
THEN the light of my blessing will shine on you like the rising sun. I will heal you quickly. I will march out ahead of you. And my glory will follow behind you and guard you. That is because I always do what is right. You will call out to me for help. And I will answer you. You will cry out. And I will say, 'Here I am.'
Get rid of the chains you use to hold others down. Stop pointing your finger at others as if they had done something wrong. Stop saying harmful things about them.
Work hard to feed hungry people. Satisfy the needs of those who are crushed. THEN my blessing will light up your darkness. And the night of your suffering will become as bright as the noonday sun." (Isaiah 58:6-10 NIRV - New International Readers Version)
"THIS is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The God of glory will secure your passage. THEN when you pray, God will answer. You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.' If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people's sins, If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.
(Isaiah 58:6-10 MSG - The Message)
“I will tell you THE KIND OF FAST I WANT:
>Free the people you have put in prison unfairly and undo their chains. Free those to whom you are unfair and stop their hard labor.
>Share your food with the hungry and bring poor, homeless people into your own homes. When you see someone who has no clothes, give him yours, and don’t refuse to help your own relatives.
>THEN your light will shine like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your God will walk before you, and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind. THEN you will call out, and the Lord will answer. You will cry out, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’
>If you stop making trouble for others, if you stop using cruel words and pointing your finger at others, if you feed those who are hungry and take care of the needs of those who are troubled, THEN your light will shine in the darkness, and you will be bright like sunshine at noon." (Isaiah 58:6-10 NCV - New Century Version)
[ABOUT LECTIO DIVINA: It is a practice some do to help them absorb the full meaning of scripture for their real lives. There are various approaches. It is common to read a scripture three times, pausing between each reading to meditate on the meaning, wisdom, and application . . . or, at least that's how I do it :-) --Steve ]
Showing posts with label naked. Show all posts
Showing posts with label naked. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Sheep or Goat?
Sheep or Goat?
(a brief Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)
It was one of the stranger discussions I've had. Before me was a tender-hearted woman who, more than perhaps anything, wanted to help others. Also before me was her unhappy husband. They had come seeking some counsel from a fellow pilgrim, someone they perceived as being on the same spiritual journey. And because I taught their Bible class, I was going to be that someone.
In halting English (it wasn't her first language), she slowly began to explain.
"My husband is upset with me because I give away."
I looked at her husband and he confirmed her statement with a curt nod of his head. So I asked her, "When you you say 'give away,' what do you mean, specifically?"
She thought about my question for several seconds and then said, "I give away clothes. I give away food. I give away furniture."
That was unexpected.
Thinking I may be misunderstanding, perhaps due to the difference in native languages, I again asked for an explanation.
At this point, the husband spoke up, and his English was excellent, better than mine. "Every day I come home from work and more of our things are missing".
"Do you mean she gives old stuff to Good Will?" I asked.
"No," he said. "When she sees or meets someone who has need of clothing, she gives them OUR clothes. If they need furniture, she gives them OUR furniture. If they say they are hungry, she brings them home and feeds them. And sends food with them when they leave. I had to put a lock on the closet door to keep her from giving away all of our clothes, and locks on the refrigerator and pantry. I keep the keys with me. And if she will not stop bringing strangers into our home, I will have to change those locks, as well."
He stopped, overwhelmed with the import of his own words. He then looked at me, and then, almost pleading, he said, "She gave away our BED."
Gently, I asked her, "Why do you do these things?"
Her answer was complicated, and longer because of the second language challenge, but it came down to this: scripture says we must feed those who are hungry, clothe those who are naked, visit those who are sick or in prison. She cited the Matthew 25 passage that is in this week's Lectionary readings, and she finished by saying, "Sheep or goat. I choose sheep."
The Ezekiel 34 passage and the Matthew 25 passage in this week's lectionary readings seem to say, essentially, the same thing: if you are among the "haves "and you do not help out the "have nots," you are in some serious trouble, trouble with eternal implications. But is it really that straight forward? And are there any limitations? Are we to destitute ourselves (and our families) in attempting to meet the needs of others? Was she being simplistic? Or was she right on target?
How would YOU have responded? What would be your counsel in this situation?
###########################################
READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Reign of Christ - Proper 29 (34) (November 20, 2011)
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Psalm 100
Psalm 95:1-7a
Ephesians 1:15-23
Matthew 25:31-46
(a brief Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)
It was one of the stranger discussions I've had. Before me was a tender-hearted woman who, more than perhaps anything, wanted to help others. Also before me was her unhappy husband. They had come seeking some counsel from a fellow pilgrim, someone they perceived as being on the same spiritual journey. And because I taught their Bible class, I was going to be that someone.
In halting English (it wasn't her first language), she slowly began to explain.
"My husband is upset with me because I give away."
I looked at her husband and he confirmed her statement with a curt nod of his head. So I asked her, "When you you say 'give away,' what do you mean, specifically?"
She thought about my question for several seconds and then said, "I give away clothes. I give away food. I give away furniture."
That was unexpected.
Thinking I may be misunderstanding, perhaps due to the difference in native languages, I again asked for an explanation.
At this point, the husband spoke up, and his English was excellent, better than mine. "Every day I come home from work and more of our things are missing".
"Do you mean she gives old stuff to Good Will?" I asked.
"No," he said. "When she sees or meets someone who has need of clothing, she gives them OUR clothes. If they need furniture, she gives them OUR furniture. If they say they are hungry, she brings them home and feeds them. And sends food with them when they leave. I had to put a lock on the closet door to keep her from giving away all of our clothes, and locks on the refrigerator and pantry. I keep the keys with me. And if she will not stop bringing strangers into our home, I will have to change those locks, as well."
He stopped, overwhelmed with the import of his own words. He then looked at me, and then, almost pleading, he said, "She gave away our BED."
Gently, I asked her, "Why do you do these things?"
Her answer was complicated, and longer because of the second language challenge, but it came down to this: scripture says we must feed those who are hungry, clothe those who are naked, visit those who are sick or in prison. She cited the Matthew 25 passage that is in this week's Lectionary readings, and she finished by saying, "Sheep or goat. I choose sheep."
The Ezekiel 34 passage and the Matthew 25 passage in this week's lectionary readings seem to say, essentially, the same thing: if you are among the "haves "and you do not help out the "have nots," you are in some serious trouble, trouble with eternal implications. But is it really that straight forward? And are there any limitations? Are we to destitute ourselves (and our families) in attempting to meet the needs of others? Was she being simplistic? Or was she right on target?
How would YOU have responded? What would be your counsel in this situation?
###########################################
READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Reign of Christ - Proper 29 (34) (November 20, 2011)
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Psalm 100
Psalm 95:1-7a
Ephesians 1:15-23
Matthew 25:31-46
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