Ephesians 2:1-10
Lent 4 - Year B
The context of this section is about the church. Read this in plural form regarding the work of the congregation and not in singular as only the response of an individual.
To rephrase: "The congregation is what G*D has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which G*D prepared beforehand to be our way of life."
What a vision/mission statement. Would it make a difference where you are to consider the good works G*D has prepared you to do? Are you already doing this. If this were applied to a nation, how would it change war policies? Would it do away with pre-emptive strikes based on paranoia or fear or inflated ego? Would it increase foreign aid because it would be seen as an extension of a general welfare policy?
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2003/march2003.html
It's a wonder God didn't lose [God's] temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, [God] embraced us. [The Message]
As the snake was raised in the desert, so Jesus, so the Church - what mercy and love in the face of poison, hate, indifference.
We have been embraced in many ways. Now it comes to you and to me to live these experiences and be, ourselves, a sign of mercy and love? A snake, a cross, a community have all be raised for the world to see amazing grace. There is some equally strange or weak sign out of your life that functions in this same way of sign and to not hold it high is an avoidance of investing in life (bearing your cross). The same is true for my life and that of our sisters and brothers in the faith. What a wonder it would be for such a multitude of signs to be raised in the midst of any circumstance (including our current one of war). What will you raise above the crowd that will bring healing and hope?
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2003/march2003.html
If we look at this passage through the eyes of folks in the snake-pit of Numbers 21, the issue of being saved through faith in Jesus can be connected to being healed through looking at a bronze serpent.
Now how do you do your parallelism? Is "being saved" connected with looking (activity) or bronze serpent (object)? Which connects with "faith"?
When it comes to Jesus, do you primarily pair him with salvation or with faith?
I am aware these are intertwined issues, but my experience is that I weight things differently according to my current state of being and active stage of spiritual maturity. I simply find my language changing and, accordingly, my sensibilities, perceived connections, and engagements.
For now I appreciate faith being an action (looking toward) not a settled doctrine (bronze serpent). In the same way I acknowledge the way in which Jesus has been turned into hardened forms where we tell Jesus how it is to be Jesus and what he is to do for us. Jesus has become a magical catalyst for having our wants met and a shield against having to change.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2006/march2006.html
To be raised up with Christ Jesus in the heavenly places sounds good. It will, at the least, show a portion of immeasurable grace by G*D. Whew! We're in.
The important addition to this perspective based on a G*D of all time, is a showing of immeasurable grace in present times. To be raised with Christ Jesus in earthly places is of more immediate concern for ourselves (remember the James doctrine, "Faith/Heaven without works/earth is dead!") and for others not included in a limited heaven (remember the Trix doctrine of "Silly Church, Heaven's for everyone!") This present focus is of particular importance if you are one who sees deeds as evidence of spirit.
It is all to easy to stop with the heaven talk and never get around to good works which are to be our way of life in this present age.
May you be raised to life in this life and trust that whatever life is next will bring its own life.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2006/march2006.html
The poisonous language of complaint usually ends up in a community that bites each other. Any way one turns there is complaint ready to strike. Everyone is a heel to be struck and a heel who strikes.
In a poisonous context, working from the inside is no longer an option for healing. It has to come from the outside. A discipline or methodology needs to be designed and followed for, left to one's own devices, the poison is too strong to fight against and poison breeds poison - that which we abhor, we do; that which we intend, we don't.
Look clearly at the result - complaint becomes a snake. Look clearly at this connection. Perhaps by turning it around and seeing the snake on its way (still on a pole, but ready to descend to bite again) we might yet change our complaining ways.
Wherein such clarity that can stop a consequence by seeing it? Here it is prayer. Prayer for a larger context. Prayer of thanks. Prayer for mercy. Prayer for deeds of light.
In this Lenten season prayer is not just duty, but a lens through which we might yet see more clearly. Or, as St. Richard of Chichester prayed in the 13th century and the Shrine of St. Jude modified for use as a midday prayer in the 21st:
Merciful Friend, Brother and Redeemer
May I know you more clearly
Love you more dearly
And follow you more nearly
Day by day.
[may this prayer be more, this day, than a pious covering of crusade preaching (complaint) against another faith - Richard did have his limits and blind-spots, as do we all]
- - -
a serpent is raised as a question mark
"is this what you want to become"
that question twines itself around our lives
a messiah is raised an exclamation mark
"come on in life is fine"
that call echoes within and through our lives
a singular you is raised to take them both
and demonstrate that steadfast love endures
that good works are - our way of life
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html
To be rich in mercy is to look around, see what's down, and raise it up.
Mercy has been shown to us and we have grown.
Mercy has been shown by us and we have grown.
I believe this is something to be boasted about. Seeing ourselves as worthy of mercy and able to do works of mercy is no small thing.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html
How we interpret meta-meanings affects our engagement with others (people and systems).
Has there been a radical shift from being children of wrath (posited as who we naturally are) to now being saved through faith in Christ Jesus (proposed as a gift from G*D)? In an either/or world, this is possible. In a both/and environment, this is not so clear.
A part of the difficulty is locating the action. If there is only creature and creator the logical reduction is to either/or, one or the other is the cause of our experienced reality. If there is also a partnership available between the two, a desired outcome of good works will take all the best of both.
If this movement from being dead to being alive is not on-going, we end up being more than “mostly dead”.
May your interpretation of who you are and where you look for energy, be blessed with insight and discernment. May you not stop too soon in your analysis.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2012/03/ephesians-21-10.html