It’s a word which often makes us uncomfortable. Earthly understandings of “holiness” come often in derogatory terms about prissy behavior and putting on airs. This week’s scriptures explore Holiness as an attribute of God–and, by association, God’s People. Main-line traditions include Holiness in their descriptions of God’s Presence: John Wesley often spoke about “going on to perfection (holiness)”; St. Bonaventure–and later Richard Rohr–have much to say about Benedictine spirituality which includes a sense of a Godly Presence within. As opaque as the term seems, worship aims to develop such a sense within each participant.
I’m always averse to the Book of Leviticus, with its dietary restrictions about pork and ostrich, and its instructions to stone your sassy children. But this week’s reading (19:1-2, 15-18) leads us to a co-behavior with God: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy…” Created in Divine Image, human beings are expected to reflect Godly interactions with all Creation! Incorrect conduct is injurious to society, therefore the Creator is wounded. Other ancient law codes emanated from the king, a human; Leviticus claims Divine authority. “Loving your neighbor” is unique in that it is a Godly expectation.
We continue to explore St. Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians, in a passage where he lifts himself as an example of Godly living even through tribulation (2:1-8). “Even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts.” As we wait to see what the Emerging Church looks like, human watchers are constrained to keep an allegiance to the Glory of God Alone while various inquisitors hold their feet to the fire to extract confessions of loyalty to the several gods of materialism…
So which of the Rules should we concentrate on before the others? There’re only TWO, says Jesus (Matthew 22:34-46): “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself”. All goodness is covered by these, whatever the footnotes may indicate. ‘Course, we’ve been debating for centuries what “love” implies; and we’re not gonna solve that now! But how can we imagine Holiness? What will our congregation, our whole town, look like if everyone who hears this makes a sincere effort to love God AND our neighbors?
This question arose (again) in our adult Sunday School discussion–and a fella wiser than I said that this can be done only with prayer and example. He’s right: our attempts at ethics & morality can bear fruit only by an infilling by God. Please pray with me that God’s Love may yet help me re-value the unsavory around me and include Holiness within my imagination…
God Bless Us, Every One Horace Brown King
My angst about scripture readings for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com
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