The Lone Ranger (a Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

One of my favorite television shows as a child was "The Lone Ranger." Each week I made certain I could be in front of the TV at just the right time to catch the most recent adventure of that masked champion. This could be a challenging enterprise, on occasion. We had only one black & white television, located in our small living room, and there were four us competing for its use; plus there were the usual noises and interruptions of house-cleaning, meal prep, and the general activities of life to serve as distractions. And it was a very small house.

Still, each week I found a way to watch and listen as he and his trusty sidekick, Tonto, thwarted the nefarious plans of bad guys all across the west; saving towns from ruffians, banks from robbers, and widows from those who attempted to swindle them out of their hard-scrabble farms.

One of my favorite parts of each show was at the very end, after he and Tonto had ridden away. Invariably, one of the townspeople, or maybe a ranch hand, or, even more poignantly, a child of that week's widow, would raise the question: "Who WAS that masked man?"

I loved that moment.

Because I knew.

I knew what the answer was going to be. I was on the inside. I had special knowledge these folks were lacking. And even though the answer was the same every time, I loved hearing it: "Why, THAT was the Lone Ranger!"

Which brings me to the reading from Luke in this week's Lectionary selections. On the first reading, it may seem a little odd; talk of people having died in horrible ways, followed by a parable about a fig tree. And it's owner. And the gardener.

Still, if you read through it a few times, I think you will understand this: Jesus is telling the crowd "Don't be distracted by the news. What is important is NOT what Herod is doing and it is NOT whatever horrible thing has happened to other people. Stay focused on what IS important: repentance.

And then He underscores this message with the parable about the unfruitful fruit tree. The message? Produce what you are supposed to produce (for example: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself) or face the possibility of being removed from to grove. Permanently.

For me, I especially like the Gardner stepping in to intercede on behalf of the fruit tree; asking for one last chance. I picture some of those disciples sitting around, possibly over the evening meal, discussing events of the day and especially the words of Jesus, and quite possibly agreeing it was a wonderful thing for the Gardner to step in and advocate on behalf of saving that tree; staving off, even if only for a while, the consequence of not bearing its fruit. But then one of them suddenly says, "I'm pretty sure I know who the "owner" is in that parable, and I think WE are the fruit trees, but who is the gardener?!"

It seems so clear from our perspective of two millennia later. But they seemed to have had a recurring problem with understanding who Jesus really was. It is likely that most people could not "connect the dots" until after the resurrection. Scripture supports that conclusion.

The take away here, for us, is that we have an advocate, one who asks God to give us just one more chance so we can be spared. And, unlike many who actually heard the words of Jesus as He spoke them, we know the answer to the question:

"Who was that masked man?"

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Third Sunday in Lent (March 3, 2013)
First reading: Isaiah 55:1-9
Psalm: Psalm 63:1-8
Second reading: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Gospel: Luke 13:1-9

It would be so great if you could join us for breakfast at "The Egg and I." If you are in Waco on Friday morning, you will find us there at 8:00, chowing down of some good victuals and kicking around this week's scripture selections.

No one will be required to whistle or hum the relevant part of the "William Tell Overture" . . . however, those that do will receive free admission ;-)

Enjoy the week!
Steve

The Friendly Home (a Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

I had my first lesson on orphans in the Third Grade; when I struck up a conversation with Bill. We stood around on the playground of Andrew Jackson Elementary, sensing that recess was coming to a close. We knew we would soon be told to line up, so most of us gathered near the big wood and glass doors that led back into the building.

Bill had carroty red hair, cut in a burr, and more freckles on his face than I had ever seen in my brief life. He was shorter than most of the people in our class, girls included, and that was made obvious by the expanse of blue jean double-rolled into a huge cuff where his stubby legs met his feet.

I don't recall what conversational path brought me to the question that day, but I clearly remember what happened when I asked Bill, "And where is YOUR house?"

Everyone stopped talking.

And Bill looked stricken.

Is it just me or did anyone else feel that you were woefully uninformed as you made your way through school? I often had this feeling that OTHER children's parents must tell them things. It seemed I was always the one to ask the awkward question or speak the unspeakable. I sometimes felt as if I had been dressed in oversized rubber boots and sent to walk through delicate flowers.

So, while Bill walk away, Becky turned to me and, with as much exasperation as a Third Grade girl can muster, whisper-hissed, "He lives at The Friendly Home."

"The Friendly Home" meant nothing to me, but I had the sense to wait until I got home to ask about it. It was at supper that I learned we had an orphanage there in my hometown of Paducah, Kentucky, and that some of the children who lived there attended our school.

Based on my reading of "Little Orphan Annie" stories, I thought orphans were children who did not have parents. It was some years before I learned the term could have a much broader meaning than I had gleaned from reading the Sunday funnies. Quite by accident I later learned that children living at The Friendly Home might, in fact, actually HAVE one or more parents. This was much more difficult for my parents to explain to me.

In time, of course, I did come to understand that circumstances arise from which the best solution is to separate parents and their children, as horrible as that sounds. But the circumstance that struck me as the saddest was when parents voluntarily abandoned their children. I just could not grasp how someone could "give up" their child. Still later in life, I came to understand that sometimes parents "give up" their children without ever physically separating for them; that "abandonment" can happen when parents stop caring about their children even though they continue to live in the same home.

With all of this as background, I was a bit shocked to read in one of this week's Lectionary passages that, "Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close." (Psalms 27:10 NLT).

But, that's great news, right? It is wonderfully comforting to know that God wants us even when others don't. So, where is the shock?

It is in the phrase at the very beginning of the Psalm: "Of David."

David? Shepherd David? Songwriter David? Giant-killer David? KING David?! Why would David write about being abandoned by his parents? There is nothing in scripture to suggest David was an orphan or that he ever lived in an orphanage. Quite the opposite; father, mother, and several siblings. So where does he get the basis for verse 10?

I think I know. David was the least in his family, in more ways than one; he was the youngest, and, based on his father's response when the prophet Samuel asked Jesse to present his sons, the last thing on his father's mind. His brothers also treated David as someone of little value in the "real" world. Yes, I think that, even though he lived at home in his youth, David understood abandonment.

You can be an orphan without living at The Friendly Home.

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Second Sunday in Lent (February 24, 2013)
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
Psalm 27
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Luke 13:31-35 or Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

We're just starting into the season of Lent. Join us one of these Friday mornings (8:00 a.m.) at "The Egg and I" in Waco for some delicious breakfast and some equally tasty conversation about the scriptures.

Enjoy the week!
Steve

A [well, sort of] LECTIO DIVINA FOR LENT

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 ]

Shade Number 14 Welder's Glass

(a brief Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

Looking directly into the sun, even for a few seconds, will destroy your retina. You would not immediately notice that damage. Your retina has no pain receptors. But the damage occurs. And it is permanent.

Sadly, many people discover this truth after trying to watch a solar eclipse through inadequate filters; sun glasses, photographic film, smoked glass, etc. In fact, the safest way to watch a solar eclipse is through reflection; not look directly at it, at all. The irony here is that it is perfectly safe to view a TOTAL ECLIPSE with the naked eye. It is the minutes before totality and those immediately after that hold the greatest threat to vision. In those minutes, many of us feel safe to look directly at the sun presuming enough of the harmful rays are blocked because the moon "covers" much of the sun.

One filter that DOES provide adequate protection for direct viewing of the eclipse before and after totality is "shade number 14 welder's glass." Have you ever looked at the glass in a Welder's helmet? At SN 14, the glass only transmits about 3 millionths of the visible light striking its surface. It is designed to protect the eyes of the wearer by keeping out all but the very brightest of lights, and it only allows a small amount of that through.

So, what do you see when you look at a Welder's helmet fitted with SN 14 glass? You see yourself. Yes, under certain circumstances you can see THROUGH it, but mostly you just see a very dark reflection of yourself and whatever is around you.

It makes me think of 1st Corinthians 13:12. I have always liked the rendering in the King James Version "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Corinthians 13:12 KJV)

Still, whether it is THROUGH a dark glass or into a dim mirror that we see, the effect is the same: an imperfect vision of reality.

The point of the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians is this: we are to love, and we are not to allow ourselves to be distracted from that charge by ANYTHING. We all are curious to one degree or other about the great mysteries. What does the future hold? What follows death? Is there another age to come, and if so, what will it be like (and will I be there)? But we are not to know those answers just yet. And until that time, we are to be very actively engaged in faith, hope, and love.

As for me, I am happy to "see through a glass, darkly" as I sojourn here. Because, what's on the other side of that glass is very, very, very bright.


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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany (February 3, 2013)

Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm 71:1-6
1st Corinthians 13:1-13
Luke 4:21-30

Strong is the New Spiritual (a brief Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

I guess you would call it a church youth gathering. It was night and there was a small bonfire; really small, more for seeing than for warmth. There were well over a hundred of us there. We were young, excited, and joyful to just be in the same place with so many others who shared our beliefs. Tomorrow there would be papers due, classes to attend, laundry to wash; but tonight was to be a break from all of that.

You can't really have that much youth and joy without some noise. Young people chat and laugh. And we were doing both in the minutes before the official start of the program. Finally, the young man who had invited us all, a peer, stood and sought our attention.

Put it down to youth: we didn't immediately quiet down. So, with a pained look on his face, he called out loudly, his voice full with scolding, "All right, now. Let's get spiritual!"

Uh. Oh.

I was young, so there was a lot I didn't know at that point in my life. But I knew one thing for certain: THAT was not right. Whatever it was HE meant by "spiritual" could not be the correct understanding. I stood up and walked away. And I was not alone.

Decades have rolled by while I have sought to understand just what spiritual REALLY means. And I think I may now have some better understanding than just "not what he said."

Recently, I've been reading a Facebook page and related website called "Strong is the New Skinny" (http://www.strongisnewskinny.blogspot.com/2012_09_01_archive.html). Despite being aimed mostly at young women, I find I can relate to a lot of of the philosophy underpinning it. The messages include a lot of straight talk about body image, encouragement, positive self-worth, and finishing (not "first," but rather "what you start"). Apologies if I get this wrong; to me it can be summed up like this: if you have the choice, strong is better than weak, and it is worth your time and energy to pursue strength.

And that brings me to one of this week's Lectionary passages. In Nehemiah, chapter 8, there are a lot of people experiencing the shock of discovering they are far weaker than they had ever realized. Here are people who have been away; away from Jerusalem and away from God. As they listen to Ezra read from the Torah, as their spiritual leaders explain the meaning of what they are hearing (some for the first time . . . it has been a very long time since God's word has been read aloud in Jerusalem), they begin to weep. They weep for their condition and they weep for the realization of what has been lost and now may be restored.

"So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law." (Nehemiah 8:8-9 NRSV)

But that's not the end of it. Because, as any trainer can tell you, it's not enough to just stop doing something that you should stop doing. You need to START doing something else, replace the negative with a positive something. And that is what their leaders do; they tell the people to replace their sadness with joy.

"Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10 NRSV)

So now, based on this peek into the lives of God's people at one of their weakest points, I think I have the other side of the answer. I have long known the negative side: "spiritual" has nothing to do with what unhappy people think is acceptable behavior. Now I know the positive side: spiritual is being strong in The Lord. And that is achieved by having joy in The Lord.

Strong is the new spiritual.

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK

Third Sunday after the Epiphany (January 27, 2013)
Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10
Psalm 19
1 Corinthians 12:12-31a
Luke 4:14-21

We're still having fun at "THE EGG AND I" for Lectionary breakfast! Join us at 8:00 Friday morning if you're in Waco. The restaurant is located in a shopping center at the corner of New Road and Franklin (just behind Outback).

The heaviest thing you'll have to lift is your fork. And no push-ups required :-)

Enjoy!
Steve

A Little Epiphany Of My Own

(a reflection for Epiphany by Steve Orr)

What I'm trying to figure out is what brought about the change. I know there was a change, but when and why are not clear. Somehow, though, it seems to be tied in with the Magi.

You all know the story, I think, from Matthew 2: the Magi (wise men) show up and throw fear into the whole of Jerusalem with all their talk about the birth of the King of the Jews (Messiah). Everyone's interested to know who and where this new King is, especially the CURRENT King, Herod.

There's another, more subtle concern here, as well. Rome rules much of the known world, including Israel. The idea that the long desired Messiah may actually have arrived is both exciting and frightening. And one big question on the minds of those in leadership? What actions would Rome take if their puppet king were replaced with an ACTUAL king, one chosen by God?

The word is that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. King Herod decides he may need to take some action, but he can't afford to look weak, so he secretly asks the Magi to report back after they check out Bethlehem.

I love this next part.

But not for the reasons you may think.

"They (the Magi), having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:9-11 WEB)

Did you see it?

When the Magi arrived in Bethlehem, they followed the star to where it stopped, and they went "into the house" to encounter Mary and Jesus.

Wait. What happened to the stable?

At some point, someone made a decision to move Jesus, Joseph, and Mary out of the barn and into the house! I can't help but wonder why. The birth-night invasion of rowdy shepherds? All the subsequent talk in the village? Or did decency assert itself and someone finally realize what a petty (ugly?) thing it was to force a new mother and baby to stay in a cave with the animals?

I don't suppose we'll ever know. All we really know is that at some point after Jesus was born--days? weeks?--wise men came on pilgrimage from the east based on what they saw in the heavens and they worshiped Jesus in Bethlehem.

In a house.

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Epiphany of the Lord (January 6, 2013)

Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12

Wedding Planning

(a Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

I freely admit I come from a time when girls gave considerable thought to their weddings, starting at about the age of three.

Boys? Not so much.

While I had thought (and prayed)ti a great deal about the woman I would marry, I had thought very little about what came next. Oh, I had worked out some employment so we would be able to eat and have a place to live. But I had not given even one thought to our wedding.

And suddenly, I found my bride-to-be wanted us to write our own wedding vows. A lot must be said in praise of her patience with me during those sessions. For me, it was a strange time. I was dumbstruck; and immediately developed writer's block. Each time we finalized something, she introduced something else for us to decide upon. It was very difficult for me, but I think doubly so for her.

Our struggle was partly due to the fact that she understood just how important that day was to be; while I was much more focused on the days, weeks, months, and (hopefully) years to follow. Still, she kept us moving forward in an effort to jointly craft one of the most important days in our lives.

Then, as we neared the end of our planning, she asked a question I COULD answer on the first try: "Have you given any thought to the scripture you want to have inscribed in my ring?" Now, I admit I had given no forethought to this; I hadn't known that was something people did. But as soon as she voiced the question, I knew the scripture. And you do, too (and why), if you've been reading these reflections for a while.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5, 6 NKJV)

I could not think of better words I would want her to reflect on when thinking of me. She knew how important those words were to me, and agreed they were perfect. When I asked which she wanted to inscribe on the inside of my ring, she quoted from Philippians, chapter 1. In that moment, I got it. I finally understood why she had been working so hard to include me in all of the plans for our wedding day. This was how she saw US.

"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."(Philippians 1:3-6 ESV)


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READINGS FOR THIS WEEK
http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu

Second Sunday of Advent (December 9, 2012)
Malachi 3:1-4
Luke 1:68-79
Philippians 1:3-11
Luke 3:1-6

We're extending our tryout of "THE EGG AND I" for Lectionary Breakfast. Join us at 8:00 Friday morning if you're in Waco. The food is excellent(!), and we have a separate room in which to meet. [The restaurant is located in a shopping center at the corner of New Road and Franklin, just behind Outback.]

Got an idea for a Lex Break meeting place? Suggestions welcome! Either write me or just bring it up at Lectionary Breakfast. Requirements: good food, table configurations that allow us to be together, and the ability to hear each other :-)

Enjoy the week!

Steve

P.S. If you want to know more about why Proverbs 3:5-6 was the perfect choice for my Bride's ring inscription, read "A Two-Edged Sword" elsewhere on this blog.