Yr. A, Wks. 23+24: Prophets, Paul, and Practical Piety

Members:  Thomas, Gene, Mariel, first year;  Erica, second year; Scharme, third year; Bill and Lynne Lovelace, fourth year; Scott and Susan, mentors. Absent: Tom.

Scott brought Chinese dishes.  Phoenix and Dragon was best. Erica wondered if anyone else had given up dragon for Lent.

Lynne brought us worship from a Lenten devotion book, with the reading of Jesus separating the goats from the sheep, to whom he said, "I was poor .. naked... in prison... and you helped me...."  The reflection had to do with becoming "holy," not so intimidating as it sounds when we think of it as meaning "becoming more like Him."  We shared how we have felt ourselves becoming more "holy" this year.

Our discussion of two weeks' readings criss-crossed some common ground.  Mariel observed that Ezekiel's prophecy built in a coherent, literary way to a detailed vision of a utopia centered on temple worship.  Erica said that's echoed in the "realized theology" suggested by assurances in Ephesians and Colossians that the kingdom of God is now, not in the far future.  Scharme reported on the communities formed around "confessions" as the Lutheran Reformation, mixed with politics, spread among more radical community leaders.  Lynne and Bill reported on Timothy Sedgwick's deriving a vision of Christian ethics in the Anglican church, grounded from early times in the "practical piety" associated with the parish church. 

When Bill and Lynne spoke of "practical piety" in contrast to piety based on strict adherence to laws or dogma, they harked back to the discussion of "holiness" in our opening worship.  Students of other years picked up on the same theme.  Mariel observed that the prophets, preaching the holiness code, were nonetheless aiming for a change of heart -- Susan remembered the prophet's line "Rend your hearts, not your clothing."

Gene started a discussion of history with a  question about individual salvation compared to the more communal focus we were seeing in tonight's reading.  When Scharme had spoken to us of "humanism" in this week's reading about Erasmus and Luther, she was referring to the time in European history when the concept of the individual first developed -- through critical readings ancient authors that took individual perspectives into account. Susan traced that development through the Enlightenment.  Scott referred to Petrarca, who addressed a "letter" to ancient orator Cicero "from the banks of a river you knew, 14 centuries after the birth of a savior you never knew."

That image of looking across water to someone on a distant shore turned up again in our TR.  Scharme laid out artifacts from her family's life on  a purple Lenten cloth beside a cross.  As a group, we were most struck by a photo from 1912 of two choir boys at St. Phillips, labeled "Bill" and "Dad."  Aware of the distance between us and them, aware that World Wars, Depressions, families, old age and death lay ahead of the boys, Erika suggested the metaphor of travelers on the deck of a ship watching people on the shore as the distance between ship and shore increases.


Collect for the Journey:
Heavenly Father, as we see both past and more distant past when we look at the stars, we know that You see us both as we were in the womb, and as we will be:  let us never forget, as we sail onward, the great cloud of witnesses on the shore behind us, and our responsibilities to those whose lives lie on a distant shore ahead of us. Amen.

Next Week:  

• Reading: See RRG week 25.  
  
• Food:  Bill and Lynne.  (The week after: Gene)
• TR:  Susan.
• Worship:  Scott.

Yr. A, Wk. 22: Theology and the Art of Elizabeth "Grandma" Layton

Members:  Thomas, Gene, Mariel, first year;  Erica, second year; Scharme, third year; Bill and Lynne Lovelace, fourth year; Scott and Susan, mentors. Absent: None.

It was a brown-bag week. 

Susan led us in a "lectio divina" considering the folk-styled tale of Elisha's following Elijah to his appointment with chariots of fire.

We discussed the common reading.  At the end of the discussion, we performed the exercise recommended at the reading's end, filling three squares of a piece of folded paper with (1) what belief or tradition we think of when we think of God's presence, (2) what cultural /  artistic examples bring us close to God's presence, (3) a deed or behavior that does the same; we went back to add into each square the feelings connected to each of those; and, in square (4), we concluded how we know God, how God reaches us.  These we saved for sharing at another time.

After the break, we considered Erica's story of an acclaimed artist in her family, Elizabeth "Grandma" Layton, who discovered late in life both love and the power of art to overcome her depression.  From samples of Layton's art, we each chose one that struck us.  After a wide-angle exploration that brought to mind images of phoenix and butterfly, and Bible stories of Abraham, Sarah, and Ezekiel , we put together a kind of word salad of hopes and insights that our reflection had raised:  Transformation ... made whole by God's call... completing... Ezekiel, desire driving us... persistence (following through)... that we may hear and heed Your call, awakened passion / desire... develop new skills, relationships, discipline, transform healing service... outward manifestation late in life, unintended.

Collect for a Change in Life
Almighty Father and Creator, You called Abraham and Sarah in their old age to start a new family, and called the priest Ezekiel to a second career as prophet: open our minds to the possibility of transformation even late in life, and grant us persistence, courage and discipline that we might develop new skills and relationships necessary to fulfill Your vision for us.  In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Next week: We'll discuss the readings for Weeks 23 and 24.  Dinner Scott; Worship Lynne; TR Scharme.

Yr. A, Wk. 21: It's so hard to say "I'm Sorry!"

Members:  Thomas, Gene, Mariel, first year;  Erika, second year; Scharme, third year; Bill and Lynne Lovelace, fourth year; Scott and Susan, mentors. Absent: Gene, Scharme.

Opening worship and "check in" question:  I was at musical rehearsal until late and missed this part.

Readings:  I arrived mid-way in the discussion of Jeremiah, Lamentation, Galatians, and "Drama of the Cosmos."

Esau embraces Jacob:  Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (d. 1872)

Collect for Atonement
Judge eternal, just and merciful: As you led Jacob back to make amends with Esau, show us our secret faults, that we, too, may repent and seek forgiveness from those we've harmed, and that we may embrace those who have trespassed against us. Amen.

Next Week:  

• Reading:  Combine readings for week 22 and 23. The common reading is listed as "week 22" in our RRG book.  
  
• Food: brown bag: Some may wish to partake of pancakes.
• TR: Erika
• Worship: Susan.

Yr. A, Wk. 20: Isaiah, Corinthians, Salvation, and an African Drinking Bowl

Members:  Thomas, Eugene, Mariel, first year;  Erica, second year; Scharme, third year; Bill and Lynne Lovelace, fourth year; Scott and Susan, mentors. Absent: Scharme.

Worship: Erica led us in prayer and paired us up for an exercise of listening, as we each explained the other's reaction to the day's reading from Hebrews.  

First year students opened the conversation.  Tom is getting used to the idea that passages of Isaiah sung in THE MESSIAH as prophecies of Christ were probably intended as more local oracles anticipating the restoration of the earthly king of Israel.   Mariel turned that around, to say that the passages are so beautiful that their imagery naturally inspires music.  Gene was impressed by the image of hot coals in the mouth of Isaiah, and the seraphs' six wings.   

Erica explained that she found humor and sarcasm in I and II Corinthians, as he dealt with numerous misconceptions and rivals.  "Corinth," she said, "was very Jerry Springer."  

Bill and Lynne highlighted McIntosh's analogy  of the selfish guest who comes to the party but scarfs down food alone in a corner, withholding himself from the host and the other guests:  that's what it's like when we, with our distorted senses of identity withhold ourselves from God's offer of life.  Lynne grows more and more aware of the importance of Trinity in her understanding of the Gospel.   Jesus was not just an example, nor, according to McIntosh, was he punished for our sins.  The crucifixion was not retribution, but God allowed it, to be fully human, and then to transform death and our human lives in the resurrection. "Did Jesus have to die?" Lynne asked.  She and Bill liked McIntosh's point about how the resurrection changed the disciples, who left Jerusalem feeling like Jesus had been wrong, had failed. 

 Mariel observed that we see in the prophets where God is, and we get a sense of the Spirit, but the Son?  She saw God's gamble in sending prophets and His son to us.

A passage from this week's lectionary reading relates to the second year reading in Hebrews and the fourth year reading in McIntosh:

...[T]hrough death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage.... Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make expiation for the sins of the people.  For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. - Hebrews 2:14ff.

TR
After the break, Tom presented us with an object saved from his late father's cabin after a tornado. From Africa, it's a water scoop hand-carved from a single piece of wood, a thirsty giraffe's body forming the handle.  When Tom found it in the wreckage, it was half full of storm water, where we still see the watermark.  

Our discussion went to objects in our own lives that acquired meaning far beyond themselves. We reached through to the insight that "things have memories."  We thought of cultural examples in movies, objects that hold spirits in Sixth Sense; veneration of objects can be very different in denominations of Christianity.  Our positions included the statement that it's never really just about the object, but our associations with and treatment of the object.

Collect for Collectors of Treasured Objects
Lord, You transformed the crucifix of shame into the cross of redemption:  By Your Spirit, help us to recognize Your transformative power at work when ordinary objects become sacred to us or to others, that we may honor You in the encouragement and inspiration we draw from objects of personal significance. Amen.

Next Week:  

• Reading: Week 21.   
• Food: Erica.
• TR: Lynne.
• Worship: Bill.

Yr. A, Wk. 19: Eucharist of the Ordinary, "Be Not Afraid," Prophets, and Icons

Members:  Thomas, Eugene, Mariel, first year;  Erica, second year; Scharme, third year; Bill and Lynne, fourth year; Scott and Susan, mentors. Absent: none.

Gene brought worship from the New Zealand prayer book, and a question about our plans for Lent.  Scharme provided pizza and cookies.  

Our discussion of the readings covered Amos, Hosea, Romans, the Incarnation, and Iconoclasm. That's a great deal of material, but the discussion really caught fire on the idea of "desire" as a holy aspect of God the Father, a desire to share and love.  Sin is a distortion of desire; fear is an aspect of that distortion.  The resurrection of Jesus frees us from our worst fear.  The story of Hosea's marriage to Gomer -- actual, not allegory! -- related to true love and distorted desire.  Amos prophesied against the offical prophets and their king, against the fear that drove the rich and powerful of Israel to ally with foreign kings and gods, to practice empty forms of worship.  The icons that Scharme read about in Year Three were popular as objects to focus the love that people felt for God.  Susan related all of this to Fr. Roger's sermon about "this little light of mine."

For the TR, Mariel brought us a poem "The Inner History of a Day" by former priest John O'Donohue.  Drawn to verses three and four, we explored the image brought to mind by O'Donohue's lines:

We seldom notice how each day is a holy place
Where the eucharist of the ordinary happens,
Transforming our broken fragments
Into an eternal continuity that keeps us.

Somewhere in us a dignity presides
That is more gracious than the smallness
That fuels us with fear and force,
A dignity that trust the form a day takes. 

                   - John O'Donohue, from "To Bless the Space Between Us"

We imagined the world of the cathedral - as - a - day, and all the "sin" that could disrupt the reverent silence and dignity of the place.  But Erica turned our perception on its head when she suggested that all our pet peeve distractions are the very "fragments" of the "ordinary" that are integrated in "eternal continuity" by the Lord.

We resolved to be more open to "silence" in our days, away from media; and to trust more in process.  We collected our insights with bits of the metaphor and oblique references to our discussion of fear and desire with this collect:


Collect for the Day as a Holy Space
 Dear Lord, You preside over Your creation: remind us that this day is your holy place, where we may walk in sacred attentiveness and partake with our neighbors in the Eucharist of the ordinary.  In Jesus' name we pray. amen.

Bill and Lynne were also reminded of Hymn 653, Repton, "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind" by John Greenleaf Whittier.  
  Next Week:  

• Reading: We do the readings for Week 20. 
  
• Food: Bill and Lynne.
• TR: Tom.
• Worship: Erica.

I referred to a novel by Wendell Berry in which a young man makes a sacred place from an ordinary plot of a land by imagining for his young wife the home that he will build for them there, and they spend the night in their "home." I've devoted a page of my blog to Berry's novels.

Snow day: We'll continue next week, as planned

Scott's birds; cat''s eye view of Susan's street

We'll meet again Tuesday night, with no additional assignments.  Amos, Hosea, and the other readings are too good to dilute with another week's readings.

We do plan to double up when we get to the common reading, weeks 22 and 23.

So, to repeat the set up for Tuesday: 

• Reading:Week 19 in the RRG - Amos and Hosea!  Romans!  New Rome! Humanity of God -- looks great!
• Food: Scharme
• TR: Mariel. 
• Worship: Gene.

Yr. A, Wk. 18: Friends, Romans, Kings, and Mystics

Members:  Thomas, Eugene, Mariel, first year;  Erica, second year; Scharme, third year; Bill and Lynne, fourth year; Scott and Susan, mentors. Absent: none.

While we dug into our brown-bag dinners, Erika asked us what we're looking forward to in 2018.  She then led us in the Noonday service.  

First year led off our discussion with some complaints about the tediousness of I and II Kings, its predictable patterns and formulaic summaries.  Gene was interested in Solomon's reputation for wisdom, since riches and power seem to have "gone to his head."

Regarding Solomon's reputation for glory and achievements (which archaeologists have doubted), Mariel wondered what it is about David that makes him the dominant figure in our scriptures and our thinking of Israel's link to Jesus?  She got a lot of answers.  "We like Bad Boys," Erica said.  His life is "a walking lesson" in the good and bad we do in relation to God and others.

Erica considered Romans, observing "rabbit holes" everywhere she looks.  We discussed the numerous ways that the Gospels, institutional church, and our theology were worked out on the job by Paul over decades.

Scharme enjoyed her chapter on 12th century monastics and mystics.  Aquinas and other Dominicans used "analogy and metaphor" to get at incomprehensible God.  She noted a tension between riches of the church and the enforced poverty of the Dominicans and Franciscans.  Their begging put them on the street and brought the church closer to the ordinary people.  Scharme relayed a story about the effect of an edict that all should have communion, and all should be prepared for it by confession, which required education of the commoners.  University education developed through monasteries, mostly alongside cathedrals (Abelard's name came up); study of Plato and Aristotle resumed, and Aristotle became ascendant.

Bill and Lynne found much to think about and enjoy in McIntosh's book.  McIntosh discusses different aspects of how God speaks to us, how we "know" God in a sense beyond the intellectual -- connoting love and enjoyment.

Lynne was struck by a new awareness of the role of Trinity in Creation, as we are all a part of that Word ("Expression") of God.  She loved the line, "God gives us the power to be ourselves."  Lynne took comfort and delight in the idea that God, outside of time, sees us in our entirety, not just who we are now, but who we've been and what we will be.

Some of the discussion turned to Descartes and modern insistence on "certainty" through reasoned propositions, but McIntosh ("and EfM," said Susan) stress a more mystical knowing through relationship.  Hans Frie, scholar of the history of interpretations of Scripture, suggested we think of Scripture as a "sacrament."

Scharme related the discussion to another element in her reading, the anonymous "Cloud of Unkowing."

TR 

Unburdened.

Scott's TR about a moment of doubt in a relationship -- followed by relief and great joy (see pictures) -- brought us to a metaphor about how beginning hikers often pack way more than they need, more than they can carry.  Our metaphor brought to mind a movie with Reese Witherspoon as a hiker; and Scriptural references to light yoke and easy burdens; to David's casting off the heavy armor of Saul to fight Goliath; and the words in our Prayer Book from confession, "the burden of them is intolerable."

Erica read a blessing on us from the last lines of Romans.

Collect for the Hike
Father, You see us, Your children, struggling with burdens of our own devising; help us to recognize and to let go of unnecessary baggage, that we may walk freely and joyfully, parts of your creation. Amen.

Next Week:  

• Reading:Week 19 in the RRG - Amos and Hosea!  Romans!  New Rome! Humanity of God -- looks great!
• Food: Scharme
• TR: Mariel. 
• Worship: Gene.