My Blog

The greatest mystery of life is that of death.  Theology and folklore have been melded through the years to accommodate our terrors and superstition:  caricatures of lost and damned souls have adorned medieval cathedrals and modern theatrical productions.  We sophisticates don’t believe in this, of course–but why do we run past graveyards?   New Orleans has made a bundle of money on tours of Cities of the Dead, and zombies have been in style for several years now…  Sunday is All Saints’, the day after the spooks disappear, and the readings most of us will hear help us to be more comfortable with death.

From “between the Testaments” come words from The Wisdom of Solomon (3:1-9).  The author encourages the faith-community to look beyond appearances:  “But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them….because grace and mercy are upon [God’s] holy ones, and [God] watches over [the] elect.”  We’re invited here to probe the truth and purpose of the Creator, who has allowed the mortality of humans.  The reading “also encourages wise and courageous daily living for individual believers and the community of faith.”  (Gary W. Charles, in FEASTING ON THE WORD, Year B, No.4:222)

The book of the Revelation to St. John has been used to promote all sorts of superstitions and tawdry practices.  But this selection, Chapter 21:1-6, is an assurance of God’s steadfast coming among us:  “I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God….See, the home of God is among mortals…and God will be with them.”  Evidently the Author of All There Is isn’t stuck on a cloud somewhere far away!  Roger A. Ferlo writes, “Revelation is at its heart a book of consolation, a vision of comfort for a people persecuted and in distress….To hear this reading on All Saints’ Day is to hear a summons to solidarity with all those who have suffered in their witness to Christ.”  (FEASTING etc,. page 232, 234)

Why read the “Lenten” story of Lazarus’ resurrection (John 11:32-44) on All Saints’?  Probably because it looks beyond the grave to God’s immediacy in Jesus to those who’re confused and terrorized by the cessation of earthly “life”.  The raising of Lazarus becomes a symbol of Grace and Divine Direction for latter-day saints.  What then can separate us from the love of Christ?, asks St. Paul.  “Neither death nor life…”  The renewed Lazarus has become unbound from the terrors of death; thus shall all friends of Jesus find a manifestation of Life.

I’m not afraid of being dead.  What DOES paralyze me with fear (especially in the dark hours of the night) is the process of dying!  I once remarked to my friend Bill Reid that I was dying of a THOUSAND things–to which he replied, “But you’ll only die of ONE of them, so don’t worry about the rest!”  Well, yeah.  In the unity of Creation, death is only one more adventure in life.  “In life, in death, in life beyond death, we are not alone.  Thanks be to God!”

God Bless Us, Every One         Horace Brown King

“What do you get when you play a country song backward?”, asks the old joke.  You remember the answer:  your best friend brings back your wife and your 18-wheel rig, your bass boat gets fixed and resurfaces on the lake, and your old dog comes back to life.  Happy ending!  The scriptures we’ll hear this weekend remind us that a gracious Deity offers a second chance–and more–at finding fulfillment.

We close out  several weeks of considering Job by hearing the moral at the ending (chapter 42).  Job finally acknowledges that God is God, and that he is not:  “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted….therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (vv.2, 6)  No matter how long it takes to finally see the light, God waits:  “And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before!”  Or at least Job appreciated it twice as much… (v.10)   “And Job died, old and full of days.”  THE END

The unknown writer of the Letter to the Hebrews is determined to assimilate the Christ into the Jewish tradition and theology.  In Chapter 7, s/he speaks at length about Jesus as the Eternal manifestation of the High Priest.  But here’s the contrast:  human high priests need to offer sacrifices for their own sin, whereas the Christ does not!  In Jesus, God presents the Perfect as an indication that human foibles will not persist in the new regime.  “For the law appoints as high priests those who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.” (v.28)

Mark’s Gospel recalls the healing of the blind beggar, Bartimaeus. (10:46-52)  Ol’ Bart evidently hadn’t always been blind: he answered Jesus, “My teacher, let me see again.”  I have no trouble in believing that this occasion really happened; but is the blind beggar an archetype of the human awareness that there’s “more to see”?  Blinded by all kind of distractions and lusts, our field of holy sight grows more ‘n’ more narrow–’til we sit by the side of the road, dependent upon the largess of those who still travel there.  Bottom line:  there IS restoration and perfection to be received when Jesus comes near!

All in all, these are “happier” readings than we’ve had of late.  The Season of Kingdomtide has swung in a great arc:  the first snow-shower of the year presages putting the gardens to bed and closing the deck.  This has always been a time of introspection for me:  early darkness urges our souls to  a new appreciation of participating in eternal and marvelous cycles.  May these words of worship   restore and perfect our trip toward harvest-time….

God Bless  Us,  Every One                Horace Brown KIng

This weekly commentary may be found every Tuesday on Facebook.

Somewhere along the rail-line The Little Engine That Could morphed into Thomas the Tank Engine.  Both are pretty positive, as far as locomotives go, about cheerfully taking on hard or next to impossible tasks.  As an Old Curmudgeon, I’ve become disillusioned with Positive Thinking: despite my happiest thoughts, the weather never seems to clear up; neither do my friends win the lottery.  Clicking my heels three times hasn’t brought me a bit nearer My heart’s Desire:  I’ve long since given up on the idea of “Home”.  This weekend’s scriptures address our ambitions and shed truthful light on our limitations.

Job has been complaining that God’s unfair, and says that if HE (Job) were In Charge, things wouldn’t be so topsy-turvy…especially for the self-righteous.  Finally, God has had enough, and calls Job out:  “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?….Where were YOU when I laid the foundation of the earth?….Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,…send forth lightnings….tilt the waterskins of the heavens?” (38:2,4,34ff)  No, Job, you’re really not cut out to be God –so be as good a human as you can…and kwitcherbellyachin!

High priests of Judaism are sterling people, says the writer of the Book of the Hebrews. (5:1-4)  They’re chosen to offer gifts & sacrifices, honored by God’s Calling.  And yet they’re human, with all the attendant errors and doubts.  Jesus, however, was begotten to be a priest forever, obediently bearing human prayers and supplications.  The writer contrasts our human imperfections with Jesus’ being made perfect:  although the high priests were (mostly) honorable, the coming of Christ calls them out, as well.  “So You Think You Can?”

The story Mark tells (10:35-45) is evidently central, because Matthew & Luke also refer to it.  James & John, “sons of thunder”, speak their ambitions about seeking the best seats in Jesus’ “glory”.  Considering that Jesus’ “glory” is the Cross, they didn’t know what they were asking!  Jesus asked, “Are you able to drink the cup that I drink…?”  He went on to remind them that the Kingdom of God isn’t based on human procedures:  “whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.”  So, do you still think you can?

Some of our discomfort with these passages is because we all have some Zebedee DNA in our genes.  Job-like, I tend to advise God how things could be done better.  My priestly vocation is a sense of pride, despite my moral pratfalls.  And yes, thank you, I’d prefer the richness of the Heavenly Banquet without going through the pain of discipleship.  Knowing this, you’d think that I would welcome humility!  No; like Whack-a-Mole, arrogance & pride pop up again and again…  Alas, it is to ME that God poses the question, “So You Think You Can?”

God Bless Us, Every One                 Horace Brown King

(Weekly blogs appear each Tuesday, and can be accessed at FaceBook)

The Munchkins showed Dorothy the yellow brick road which led to the Emerald City, the house of the Great and Magnificent Oz.  The road led through all sorts of critical places, each one yielding a traveling companion when the danger had passed.  Despite the heroics of outsmarting the flying monkeys and baptizing the witch, her Heart’s Desire was found beyond the all-too-human Wizard: in her post-dream life which she had all along!  “Oz never gave nuthin’ to the Tin Man that he didn’t already have!”   But, oh, the quest for the Emerald City…!

“Oh, that I knew where I might find [God],” said Job, “that I might come even to [God’s] dwelling!” (23:3)  Job knew that his case would be heard, and felt deep down that he would be vindicated.  Amidst shallow advice from friends & family, Job searched as we do for the high place where  Justice would be served.  “Job wants his hearing because, for all of the invective he hurls into the chasm of divine silence, he cannot let go of the conviction that God is ultimately just, and that God ultimately will hear him.” (J. S. Randolph Harris, FEASTING ON THE WORD, B 4:147)

The Jewish community was into the idea of “High Priest” more than we are.  But the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews acknowledges that some believers will initially need an intercessor to open the door to the holy place.  This writer confesses that this is Jesus,  who has encountered and passed through the dangers, toils & snares on his own (yellow brick?) road to the Eternal City.   This gives us confidence to move ahead:  “Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (4:16)   Or does grace find US?

The Righteous Rich Guy came to Jesus and said, “I’ve done all the requirements…yet there must be Something More.” (Mark 10:20)  You know that Jesus told him to give away his Stuff and become a disciple.  Alas, this was too much of a change: he couldn’t do it.  “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” (v.25)   The fellow wasn’t particularly sinful–but his weakness was in being held captive by possessions, thus being prevented from enjoying the full life of the Kingdom.  What baggage must I lose on that winding road?

So what’s the message of Grace for this week’s worship?  Is it that Job’s God will sit with the suffering to hear out our angst?  Is it that through Jesus we have access to the Face of Glory?  Maybe it’s the opportunity to throw out our accumulated griefs & superstitions, and start clean with the Master?  The way through the labyrinth tries our patience and our sense of direction–and treasure is found at every twist.

God Bless Us, Every One                   Horace Brown KIng