Sunday, February 5, 2017

On Prayer and the Poor, Light and Salt


Epiphany 5
Isaiah 58:1-12 and Matthew 5:13-20

[The book of Isaiah contains prophecies from three time periods. Chapters 1-39 is, for the most part, words of the prophet Isaiah who lived in the 700’s, at the time the Northern Kingdom was destroyed by Assyria. This was when the Northern Kingdom was destroyed and the "Lost Tribes" of Israel were dispersed. Beginning with chapter 40, the setting is in the time of the Babylonian Exile. Judah, like Israel, suffered a dispersion. The unknown "Isaiah" declared the exiles would return home, God would raise up a Messiah (the Persian ruler Cyrus) and deliver His people, The Prophetic Book ends with the time after the return to Judah (generally the Ezra and Nehemiah time frame). Isaiah 58:1-12 is from the third period. Obviously some people recorded the words and kept them, and over time new copies were made—and edited—and perhaps reworked. Many of the themes of Isaiah are reworked for the new settings hundreds of years later. One can only speculate about what type of community this was, perhaps descendants of the prophet--literal or spiritual sons and daughters?]

In the 6th Century BC, the Jew had returned from exile expecting a Golden Age, but it had not materialized. God had 'disappointed' them. They doubted God’s power to save. Today we hear one of the complaints: “Why are we fasting, Lord, and you are silent?”

The silence/deafness of God is a perplexing religious dilemma. Why do our prayers so often seem to fall on deaf ears?  Why do our religious practices not convince God to do what we ask? These are not theoretical questions; any person caught up in hard times can asks such things with tears in their eyes and a knot in their stomach. It is a very real question.

Isaiah provides us one of the many reasons why are prayers are apparently "unheard".  There are others, but this one was God's answered to them: my people are deluded. In seminary, Fr. Aurelius often said, “Human beings have a remarkable propensity for missing the point.” True, and the Jews were no exception. God says His people pursue Him enthusiastically, but are oblivious to the sad state of their souls.  God explains why their fasting does not work: Sin. Sin is not about good and bad, sin is about right and wrong. Many good things (like cleaning house) can be wrong (cleaning for hours while a three month old cries for a diaper change and a bottle). Sin means to "miss the mark" and the mark is proper relationship with God. Sin is a barrier. God’s love and mercy can be blocked by on-going, unrepentant sin. Forgiveness, without repentance, is only potentially life giving. God delivers (like Fed Ex) but we fail to answer the ringing door bell so the gift goes unreceived.

The Jews were unique in saying that God demands justice and love for others. Human religion is focused on keeping gods happy; but they understood their gods to be morally corrupt; more like super-powered humans. Pagan religious cults focused on sacrifices; YHWH wanted righteousness—personal virtue and faith, including care for the poor and needy. Jewish sacrifices were made by people who were to be generous to the needy holy, just, and righteous.

Jesus is a Jew. Remember this. Jesus really is a Jew. Like Isaiah, He told Jews that Jerusalem, "the city built on a hill," shines with the light of God for the world. God promised Abraham that he and his children were going to be a blessing on the world, so Jews are to be the salt of the earth. Jesus’ said this to the Jews of His time. Jesus was not talking to Christians, there was no such thing. Jesus was not preaching to His disciples in private. He was standing on a hill talking to Jews.

In baptism we are made one with Christ. The Jewish Messiah makes us part of the Jewish family; God's chosen ones. We share in the Jewish vocation. So, Jesus talks to us today because His words are timeless. Jesus says “I do not negate the Law, nor should you.” (a hugely important message as we try to understand Paul on the Law) God calls us to holiness and righteousness. We are light and salt to the world.

What is salt and light? It is worship and praise. It is obedience to God’s will. It is acts of mercy to the needy. Above all it is authentic love for God and others. In simplest terms, it looks like Jesus. Jesus is the only salt we have to give, Jesus is the only light that we have to shine. On our own we have little to offer, but if Jesus is in us, then sharing Him is all we have, but it is all anyone needs.

1 comment:

  1. Superb meditation. Glad to have found your blog, Father Jeff.

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