Psalm 145:8-9,14-21
Proper 13 (18) - Year A
G*D is more wonderful than can be understood.
Mercy, kindness, tenderness, and pity for all - for all!
Why is it that verse 20, about guarding us here good guys and destroying them there bad guys, tends to outweigh the image of G*D being "generous to a fault" [Peterson]? What is there about us that draws us to the division of community (with us coming out on top, of course) instead of living out of G*D's trademark love?
What would happen to this psalm if verse 20 were deleted? How would you evaluate such a change? Is this the key verse for understanding it or an extraneous verse?
Does your evaluation change if you think about this in terms of one person, yourself - G*D caring for your praiseful parts and destructive of your other parts - or is this really class oriented with some folks being in and others out?
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2002/august2002.html
Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 or Psalm 17:1-7, 15
Are you afraid of making a misstep and having that be the end-all and be-all of your existence? By such-and-such a mistake will you be known? By such will judgment be made upon you?
That is pretty scary. Having lived a pretty good life, can we be sure we have not transgressed some boundary unconscious to ourselves? Have our feet really held fast to our ideals and not slipped?
Perhaps we have it backwards. It is not that if we do everything according to Hoyle the game and meaning of life will reveal a satisfactory ending of at least being in the presence, seeing the likeness, of our G*D-partner. But, it is that seeing ourselves in G*D's likeness we travel a path we know to be guarded, never will we get so far away from G*D that we can't return, and so we are free to cry to be seen under light.
Having seen that G*D is gracious and merciful we are free to be gracious and merciful, to be a source of upholding all who are falling around us and to lift those currently bowed down.
We are called to risk our satisfaction in order to find satisfaction. What an interesting place is life. Enjoy and participate.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/july2005.html
Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21 or Psalm 17:1-7, 15
Genesis 32:22-31 or Isaiah 55:1-5
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21
Jacob wrestles with an angel; disciples wrestle with a crowd. In both instances they learn something very important.
For Wrestling Jacob (in the Wesleyan Tradition) G*D is identified as Love. The disciples learn their perceived limits are not so - an ordered method allows folks to sit together and look at one blessing and see within it an abundance not previously glimpsed.
In the midst of everyone looking every which way (searching for their own best advantage), two loaves (loves) and five fish seem mighty puny. When, together we look (and see them identified as a blessing) - things change.
- - -
when we awake
we shall see righteousness
and be satisfied
when will that be
that steadfast love
will be recognized
how do we help one another
perceive grace and mercy
as ever present
so often there is such need
hungers are so high
we can't spare the time
we anticipate a zero-sum game
driven by competition
and miss compassion's presence
attend to our night cry
wrestle with us
til day breaks
love dawns
blessing abounds
we go on together
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html