Isaiah 55:1-5
Proper 24 (29) - Year B
How would you feel if someone shouted at you, "Ho!"
So begins the King James and the New Revised.
You do know that on the streets today that means "Whore!," not "Hey there!"?
Either way, no matter your condition or your assigned status in the world, you are welcome.
It is not too late to pay attention to the best and finest, to the most life-giving and life-nourishing of images and actions. To do so is to participate in the waving of a flag or a sending back a report from an advance scout that you have marked a place of ever-expanding community. If we were hunting dogs we would go on point to indicate the best deal in life - free food in the midst of hunger - eternal love and loyalty, no matter what.
Ho! Come! The water's fine! Pass the word!
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2002/august2002.html
Isaiah 55:1-5 or Genesis 32:22-31
Whether we wrestle with much or with little we all come to limp a bit. Residual atrophy hangs on somewhere. While alone we are not exempt from stubbing our toe. From some direction we find the wounding of the past being clarified and healed, beyond curing, surfacing through us for ourselves and others.
Our state of being seems to have its plusses and minuses. Are we going to measure our state of mind by our physique? our resources? our emotional state? our relational base? our spiritual calm? our informational sources? our hopes? Are we going to measure satisfaction by some given combination of these or other qualities?
At some point we are thrown into mystery. Strangers come along and offer a new way of looking at things. Our own internals rise up to call us to account. From whichever direction, comes a wrestling that takes us past certainty. We can trust neither disaster or plenty to stay the same.
Give thanks for the wrestles of life. They move us along. And don't forget to bring along a tag-team partner, it makes the wrestle ever so much more enjoyable and survivable. Whether your partner is a stranger in front of you or a brother from your dim, dark past, thank them for sharing the wrestle of life (which may simply be another way of spelling "The Way").
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/july2005.html
Isaiah 55:1-5 or Genesis 32:22-31
Psalm 17:1-7, 15 or Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21
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