Matthew 5:13-20
Epiphany 5 - Year A
Time and again we come to ask the question of - what’s in it for me? And time and again we come to be asked – what’s in it for others?
An awareness of the distinction between whether we are asking or being asked focuses us on whether or not we sense our sense or common sense or human wisdom is the chief measuring rod of life. If it is, we have seen evidence of our following prescribed rituals such as fasting and finding their limit in justifying what we are currently doing.
If our sense is that these ritual righteousnesses have their place but there is a mystery of more-life that takes place beyond them, then we may find another level of fasting and living. If this is the case, we have evidence that our actions can have a positive effect in the lives of others that echo in our own.
If fasting from anger doesn’t loosen bonds we wrap around another, our fasting only makes us look tolerant.
If fasting from greed doesn’t loosen a yoke we place around others to provide our well-being, our fasting only makes us look philanthropic.
If fasting from food doesn’t loosen our hold on our bread, our fasting only makes us look sleek.
If fasting from sloth doesn’t loosen our regard for privacy, our fasting only makes us look kingly in our castle.
If fasting from comfort doesn’t loosen our closet locks, our fasting only makes us look the emperor in new clothes.
If fasting from jealousy doesn’t loosen our remembrance of injuries done to us by those who love us, our fasting only makes us look justified.
Fasting for our benefit is one thing. Fasting for the benefit of another is another.
= = = = = = =
a cosmic aarrgghh
rumbles forth
I write of fasting
and take a break
for cheese and crackersfor but a bit of
lovely Wensleydale
how Wallace and Wesley
could go on and on
oblivious to anything but
honey-tinged Wensleydalehopefully with the help of
a faithful friend
we will muddle through
steady of heart
triumphant in the endpray all cosmic aarrgghhs
will come ‘round right
to comic har-har-hars
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html
Good old Popeye, "I 'yams whats I ams, and dats all that I 'yams". Quite a salty guy and light unto a thimble of a world. Popeye takes a lot, but as he sinks into the lowland, lowland, low he has his spinach resurrection that returns him to "all that I 'yams".
How salty are you? Will you allow yourself to be yourself?
Now that a trial date is set, I would speak to you of a friend of mine, a United Methodist clergyperson who will be tried on April 11 for not allowing the church to dilute her saltiness by reining in her celebration of Holy Unions and for letting her lesbian light shine. Amy has come to do what she can to complete a vision of Expansive Love. There is still a long way to go until all is accomplished and Grace is revealed in fullness.
Think for a moment what Jesus says is the basis of all the Law and Prophets. Is it not to love G*D with all one is and has (an expansive love) and to love Neighbors, Self, One Another, and Enemies with that same Expansive Love? If so, this is the law that will not be put aside. If we can still remember the Belovednesses from last week, we might say they are the "grace in-law" which cannot be avoided.
If you would like to learn more about Amy and be in support of her, I invite you to go to LoveOnTrial.org. In reading some of her material, may you find your saltiness restored (yes, it can be restored through healthy relationships) and your courage to be yourself strengthened unto light.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2011/01/matthew-513-20.html
Prophets are salty and enlightening. Priests and Ordinary Folk also carry saltiness and enlightenment with them—it is just not as focused, public, and consistent. This is an import of verse 20 asking for exceeding care for creation and all its fiddly bits.
These edgy qualities need nurture for them to fulfill their potential in us. There are many traditional, cultural, and political boundaries to prophetic living and so it is important to have a continuing vision that salt and light are critical to the life of the world. It is all too easy to let this vision be worn away by the cares of the day.
Please don’t get hung up with the fundamental mistake that keeping rules keeps us safe. This is about attending to the gift given us to clearly look at the way we are doing business with one another and making those eternal adjustments that continue our connection with the good-doing that reveals present glory to and in all.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2014/02/matthew-513-20.html