Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
Advent 4 - Year B
"Love is built to last forever." [New Jerusalem Bible, Psalm 89:2)
This is a grand affirmation. Later God says of David, "My constancy and faithful love will be with him."
Can you hear that being said of you?
We begin to hear it coming out of our own mouths toward (1) G*D, (2) our neighbors, (3) our self, (4) one another, and even toward (5) enemies. While we are yet shaping the words there is something holding us back from meaning it. It is almost as though we recognize that love is built to last forever and we are not ready to live out the consequences of that reality.
For G*D so loved the world that G*D participated in its frailty (birth).
May we so love in all these five different directions at the same time, thus giving birth to a new heaven and a new earth. What else will get us to that glorious newness than living as though love were indeed built to last and last it will so dive deep into love and live anew.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2002/december2002.html
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 or Luke 1:47-55
David sees what G*D is going to do through him to make him mightier.
Mary sees what G*D is going to do, beyond the blessing she has received, to make all more whole.
Both of these are appropriate, from time to time, as we find ourselves intimately engaged in the experience of G*D . There is a call for us to be at the center of the action and to be able to gaze wonderingly and unattached upon it that self-same center.
These understandings can swap on a moments notice and also find one or the other as a predominant organizing principle for long seasons of life. So, where is your engagement level during the hour in which this note is read? Is this a new position for you or have you been responding thusly for days and weeks and months and years and decades? Do you sense a shift coming as new experiences bring new perspectives.
Last night's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart noted that South Africa's highest court has instructed the legislature there to get on with legalizing marriage between two folks of the same "sex" and this puts America in the position of being less progressive than South Africa. Another way to put that is that we are now more apartheid, using gender as the category of division instead of color/race, than South Africa, who was once the poster-child for apartheid theology.
How do you see the issues of gender inclusiveness or diversity playing out in the visions of David and Mary? Are you engaged in helping them come to pass or watching and waiting (expecting) for G*D to care for it?
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Anonymous (Reader)
What exactly do you mean by God needs a helpmeet?
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Wesley (Blogger)
When dealing with evocative mythology the category of "exact" is slippery. The imagery here is taken from Genesis 1:26 - "Then God said, 'Let us make humankind [adam] in our image, according to our likeness: and let them have dominion [here "rule" as differentiated in the next creation story of "cultivate"]...." and Genesis 2:18 - "Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner...."
Do these passages speak of the same desire for relationship or partnership or helpmeet status? Is partnership innate to G*D and G*D can see this same need in us as we are made in G*D's "image"? Clarence Jordan is explicit in his translations about this partnership with G*D. In other translations it takes a bit more to tweeze it out from covering language.
All through the Hebrew scriptures we hear images of G*D and Israel as husband and wife. In the scriptures about Jesus we hear about the Bride of Christ. These are all helpmeet images.
Time is short as the snow comes and the day's schedule presses on. Hope this points some directions about what stood behind the helpmeet imagery. I'd be glad for your further reflections on the scriptures for the week as I do think we are partners of one another, as well, and working on our differences can be pleasurable, edifying, and unifying (unlike in our culture's yelling heads who are ostensibly imparting information but are simply parroting propaganda in its worst sense and turning differences into danger and distance from one another).
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/december2005.html
Ps. 89:1-4, 19-26
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38
or
2 Sam. 7:1-11, 16
Luke 1:47-55
Perplexity can be left alone or challenged. Our confusion points come from inside and out. David and a Temple raises questions from a prophet. Mary and a pregnant question rise to challenge an angel.
David's going ahead meets reversal and he holds back. Mary's holding back meets reversal and she goes ahead. Both are promised good fruit - descendants for ever and for good.
In the midst of a king's word being his bond and a young girl's fear raising deep questions we find prophets and angels - catalysts for reversal and renewal. In the midst of a world not knowing how to back off from misused power and individual fears arrayed against creative peace, we are still in need of prophets and angels.
Priests would urge us to build a bigger box in which to praise and communal mores would belittle the slightest change in acceptable perspective or behavior. Prophets and angels are where the breaks in our power and fear can welcome an outsider (Gentile Alien) without first shunning or reconstructing them.
What will it take for us to listen to the questions, inside and out? Can we hear the Nathan's currently speaking? Can we listen to a Child within?
What will it take for us to speak truth to power and hope to fear?
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my spirit rejoices
I have been blessed enough
to back down from my word
to forge a new word
blessed enough
mercied enough
steadfastly loved enough
a mysterious revelation
a questing proclamation
release blessing enough
to rejoice my spirit
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html