Luke 21:5-19
Proper 28 (33)- Year C
What in today's world seems to be an Irresistible Force or an Immovable Object?
The beauty of such power will tumble of its own internal attempts at consistency or be thrown down by the erosion of guerillas or the rising up of revolution.
It turns out that G*D does not exert an irresistible force upon us, so we become puppets, or defend some immovable object as eternal truth. In our attempts to do so we show how far we have strayed from issues of living change - keeping faith alive in the midst of changing times by adapting changing ways.
Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose. Freedom's just another word for enduring, for the sake of soul-living. Freedom's just another word for listening for and speaking wisdom at an auspicious time.
G*D's freedom to create and recreate, to live and forgive, slips out of the grasp of Irresistible Forces and slides around the blocks of Immovable Objects? Those same qualities are available to all who see beyond the surface beauty of power. Let us be creative truth-tellers in the midst of our trials (you did recognize you are the accused in today's world, didn't you?).
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/november2004.html
"By your endurance you will gain your souls." Sometimes it sounds as if soul-gaining were still in doubt and dependent upon our decision to endure. Is that your understanding of gaining your soul? If so, what is this "endurance" you are to participate in? Is it more than simply a passage of time.
In light of other parts of this passage and a focus upon thanksgiving, it might be that we can retranslate "endurance" as "persistent in present thanksgiving."
There are supposedly many dangers yet ahead, perhaps more than we have already passed through. Each difficulty brings an opportunity to witness, to testify. Our testimony regards our endurance. What is it that keeps you keeping on in the face of travail and betrayal?
Listening to words not heard by others that see beyond a dim horizon to a new dawn breaking – this is what we testify to. We witness to a thanksgiving that permeates us from nose to toes and flows through us and surrounds us.
When all about is falling down, we see beyond the falling to a new rising – a rising of soul. [Listen to Walela sing Bright Morning Stars.]
- - -
all beautiful gifts
all gifts to God
rise up tall
to fall below
carefully constructed
carelessly thrown together
all rise up
all fall down
soul attempt
after soul try
rise awhile
fall forever
leaving trails
of thanks behind
the rise
the fall
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html
The end of the church year is fast approaching. It doesn't appear that there is any change to arc of history that we have been on. In America, as analyzed from afar (Canada) by Jim Taylor's "Sharp Edge" column on Election anger, grief resulting from a fall from a tall pedestal is manifesting itself in a nation banging back and forth between poles, not knowing what has happened nor how to change our larger circumstance. And the same is happening to churches within said nation.
The same confusion was evident in the disciples - what's going on? what's the sign of getting back to business as usual or utter collapse? when is something going to come clear?
In Jesus' usual way he says, "Its going to get worse. The only thing you have going for you is deciding where you are going to hitch your star and hang on for dear life."
We are nearly through another Church Year. Has it made a difference for you or anyone else? Now there is something worth grieving over!
We don't have much to say for ourselves as we've been co-opted for so long. Our voice is but a whisper. Issues of individual greed and aspirations to more and more and bigger and bigger have stolen our power of testifying to a better way of living together.
No matter which way you turn, it's not going to be pretty. Remember, love G*D with everything you have, even unto becoming G*D, and love your Neighbor as you would have your Neighbor love you after walking a mile in each other's realities. This remembrance is all you will have until we move through this latest falling apart.
The end of turning last year's advent expectation into ordinary living has again mostly gone bust. There is not much expectation of being able to turn that around in two weeks. Gird your loins. Culpa mea. Endure anyway.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2010/11/luke-215-19.html