Psalm 103:1-8

Proper 16 (21) - Year C

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Psalm 103:1-8 or Psalm 71:1-6

Righteousness is often thought of a right-ness, an only way to live.

Here we get some interesting contrasts with the way that righteousness is sometimes heard in the popular media as a judgment or how far short we fall from some ideal perfection.

Here righteousness first listens to the life situation it is interacting with. Without hearing there is no relationship, no growth. As we live into righteousness ourselves it brings with it a greater openness to incline our ears toward others, as G*D has been inclined toward us.

Further, righteousness is intimately connected with forgiveness, healing, redeeming, raising up, and bringing satisfaction. Righteousness without these qualities is rejection of the very image that has been created. Righteousness without any of these turns into a straitjacket of ideals and rules divorced from reality and growth.

In some sense righteousness brings us closer to the analog and to fuzzy logic than it does to the preciseness of the digital. Can we live this form of righteousness in a world that tends to push us toward one extreme or another?

This kind of righteousness will be seen as subversive to the powers that be and therefore put one on a suspect or enemies list. The good news is that it is worth the risk.

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/august2004.html

 

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Psalm 103:1-8 or Psalm 71:1-6

Preemptive refuge is a tempting appeal to make. It helps us never arrive at a spot of needing healing, we never get bent-over.

This refuge seems to be based on a requisite quality and/or quantity of praise. One measure of this is how much of ourselves we put into praise and calling G*D to the qualities of mercy, grace, slowness to anger, and steadfastness in love.

Or, if we don't quite make it to preemptive refuge, we expect our praise will at least cut down on the time between our need and our rescue.

- - -

come
come quickly
come quickly effectively

so we cry out
and are echoed by all
in the grasp of injustice and cruelty

so we hear others cry out
and we echo their refrain
refuge, pity, vindication

may our cry
involve our lives
beyond god's machinery

recognize
recognize now
recognize now presence

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html

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Psalm 103:1-13 or Psalm 114 or Exodus 15:1b-11, 20-21
Exodus 14:19-31 or Genesis 50:15-21
Romans 14:1-12
Matthew 18:21-35

Welcome those who are differently oriented in faith. Paul uses Sabbath and Eating Rituals as examples of how those who condense the week into one Sabbath and those who spread it through the week might both do so as an honor to G*D. Likewise with those who honor G*D through their choice of food.

Unfortunately these differences are described as "weaknesses" (as see through the eyes of someone making a choice they think everyone ought to hew to now). Seemingly both could be seen as sources of honor and weakness. An example of bothness gone awry is found in Jesus' story when asked about a persistence of forgiveness. Here the honoring of G*D gives way to entitlement for self.

When a servant is still received (forgiven) in respect to their weakness, this same servant does not participate in such a welcoming when faced with another in a respectively "weak" position.

How radical is my welcoming? - who is included in it?

- - -

transgressions removed ahead
a welcome road sign

hope for myself rises
to return to
an original blessing of good

disgust that it might be
for every Jane and Jack
or my favorite enemy
rises even quicker

and quick as a wink
my special welcome sign
becomes a road closed detour
onto winding rutted paths
leading 70x7 times back to this marker

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html