Proper 4 / Pentecost 2 / Ordinary Time 9
Devotional
Water From the Rock
Lectionary Devotional for Cycle C
Object:
Or am I still trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
-- Galatians 1:10b
When Paul spoke of the gift of Christ "who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age..." he was speaking of the mystery of our own experience in the church. When we remember that sin is an act, attitude, or condition that distorts our ability to love God fully and our neighbor as ourselves, we recognize that our faith has not shielded us from the tensions and distractions that separate us from God and neighbor even in the church. When Paul spoke of the present evil age, he was speaking of the outer conditions and inner urges that result in our acting in such a way as to cause separation from God or neighbor. Can you hear yourself saying, "I would like to pray more often but I just do not have the time"? Can you hear yourself saying, "If I knew that beggar was really in need, I would be glad to help, but there are so many people who just want to take advantage of our kindness"?
When Paul spoke of an evil world, he was speaking of more than those who intentionally set out to harm others. He was also speaking of all the ways in which we contribute to distancing ourselves from God or neighbor even in the church. There is a freedom that Paul believed Christ has offered us that can set us free from living in response to "the present evil age." To live this freedom, one must focus on being a servant or slave of Christ. The church cannot proclaim this freedom and, at the same time, direct its energies toward pleasing others. A church that is driven by the consumer mentality of our society continues to seek ways to be attractive to its "potential customers."
While it is hardly wrong to want to reach out to outsiders, the most powerful message we have is the witness of our own lives. When we, in the church, demonstrate the power to live together as servants of Christ free from the selfishness of the world, we will be proclaiming a message that speaks to the hunger of our world.
-- Galatians 1:10b
When Paul spoke of the gift of Christ "who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age..." he was speaking of the mystery of our own experience in the church. When we remember that sin is an act, attitude, or condition that distorts our ability to love God fully and our neighbor as ourselves, we recognize that our faith has not shielded us from the tensions and distractions that separate us from God and neighbor even in the church. When Paul spoke of the present evil age, he was speaking of the outer conditions and inner urges that result in our acting in such a way as to cause separation from God or neighbor. Can you hear yourself saying, "I would like to pray more often but I just do not have the time"? Can you hear yourself saying, "If I knew that beggar was really in need, I would be glad to help, but there are so many people who just want to take advantage of our kindness"?
When Paul spoke of an evil world, he was speaking of more than those who intentionally set out to harm others. He was also speaking of all the ways in which we contribute to distancing ourselves from God or neighbor even in the church. There is a freedom that Paul believed Christ has offered us that can set us free from living in response to "the present evil age." To live this freedom, one must focus on being a servant or slave of Christ. The church cannot proclaim this freedom and, at the same time, direct its energies toward pleasing others. A church that is driven by the consumer mentality of our society continues to seek ways to be attractive to its "potential customers."
While it is hardly wrong to want to reach out to outsiders, the most powerful message we have is the witness of our own lives. When we, in the church, demonstrate the power to live together as servants of Christ free from the selfishness of the world, we will be proclaiming a message that speaks to the hunger of our world.
