Early literature from almost all civilizations includes stories of some hero who vanquished the Guardian in order to claim the Treasure. We know of Jason & the Argonauts and the Golden Fleece, and of Parsifal the Pure and the Holy Grail. We’ve also heard stories about the fierce or wise creature/person who guards this Treasure: a fearsome dragon, the Fisher King, Prester John–or even a killer rabbit. More recent episodes of this adventure bring us Dirk the Daring, The DaVinci Code or Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade. Scripture lessons for the upcoming weekend tell of God’s Treasure lost and newly appreciated. Will this increase our faith?
The Old Testament reading, Lamentations 1:1-6, needs to be set in the context of national disaster, conquest and the ruination of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The speaker–Jeremiah?–calls up the pathos of utter loss of the Treasure: national pride, economic strength and personal freedom. No hope of glory by’n’by can assuage this anguish of defeat and Divine rejection. Israel has reaped the natural result of her brokenness from God, and God has “let nature take its course”. In the midst of the pain, then and now, we proclaim in the Eucharist, “In life, in death, in life beyond death, we are not alone! Thanks be to God!”
Whoever wrote II Timothy has occasional flashes of brilliance. In 1:3-14, he (?) mentions hurts and shame with the admonition to move beyond them to a positive relationship with God, sharing in the grace accorded to Christ. “The mentor encouraged his faith-child on the journey of faith by focusing on the gifts of God in a spirit of gratitude.” (J. Peter Holmes, FEASTING on the WORD, C 4:137) Timothy is encouraged to see Grace as the greatest of God’s Treasures: “Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.”
Thus to Luke’s Gospel, 17:5-10, which seems to hang on the Disciples’ request to “increase our faith”. In a somewhat cranky manner, Jesus tells them that a little faith goes a long way; and that we servants of God are rarely commended for doing only what was expected. You may have to do some verbal acrobatics to join these two! Maybe this is a reassurance after all, in that we already have the resources to be good servants? The Reformed tradition reminds us that Faith is a human response to God’s Grace, and that faith cannot be measured, only enacted. Our faith, then, can only be “increased” as we’re touched by grace and develop in the holy life.
David M. Griebner brings us a delightful tale of “God’s Gold” in The CARPENTER and The UNBUILDER (Upper Room books, 1996): a certain man was in his great-aunt’s will, and when he received his legacy it was a pitcher and a note! “In this pitcher is the Gold of God. You may empty it once a day, and it will always be full the next. But take care, for only one vessel will hold this gold long enough for it to be of any use to you.” At home, he poured it into a glass–and a golden stream filled the glass…but immediately evaporated. The next day, and EVERY day, he tried a different cup with the same result. He even tried a church chalice–but still had the familiar evaporation. Finally, with desperation, he poured it down his own throat, drinking it into himself! Many years later, when the man died, friends remarked at his great change after this aunt’s death: he had filled their lives with a glowing joy and had made their lives sunnier. And his great-niece puzzled over the gift his will left her–a pitcher and a note…
God Bless Us, Every One Horace Brown King
My meeting with readings assigned to the upcoming weekend can be observed every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com
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