Cheesetoast is toasting in the oven. Ever since I was a little boy cheesetoast has been a favorite of mine. But since I read some of Patrick O'Brien's nautical stories I now think of the sea when I eat cheese toast. It amazes me how much a book can capture and shape the imagination.
I am at low ebb right now. Somehow I have worn myself out. Dunno how I have done it. I'll let you know as soon as I do.
Here are some thoughts about this Sunday's sermon. The lectionary gives us a curious reading from Mark's gospel. This is yet another passage that seems extreme and cruel...and in the process of getting hung up on that, we miss the basic hyperbole involved. You don't have to cut your foot off, people. But when you dig into it, you may wish you had.
I understand that there are a couple of things going on in this passage. One of them is Jesus' (Mark's) attempt to get us out of the physical purity kick. It is not that Jesus does not understand that our bodies are to be pure to some degree. Certainly. But here the priorities are set so that we are discouraged to allow physical purity to be the pinnacle of all things good. It is better to cut your foot off than to miss out on salvation. This would have been scandalous to the ears of those around him. But this is the guy who hangs out with lepers. So, you have to think that he's working though the purity thing a little differently.
What I am wondering is if there are contemporary parallels to physical purity. I mean, are there things that are salvific in your life that God may ask you to step away from because, strangely enough, they are getting in the way of full salvation? The passage suggests that what you think of as salvific (because it is often and has been for many) may not be. You may have to lose something good to move forward into God.
You may have to blind or cripple yourself in one way or another to find salvation.
And did I mention that even after you have done all that, you still won't know exactly where salvation is? Yeah. That is in the first part of the reading. People outside the community are going to claim Christ. You won't like it. And Jesus will say...well...sorry. That's just how it is.
We do not know where God is not.
Whoever is not against us is for us...Somehow this weaves its way in. I am not sure how it will weave into my sermon. There are obvious political implications in this as well. Because Jesus has specific things to say about those who are against us as well...love your enemies. Once again, salvation belongs to God. Why? Well, we are not willing to cripple ourselves or love our enemies....or people who are theologically challenging, who cast out demons in the name of Christ but don't worship with us on Sunday morning.
We want to stay pure...clean...sighted and mobile.
It's world communion Sunday. It is the first Sunday of the month so we will have communion. That fits in as well.
Posted by tripp at September 29, 2006 06:42 AMI also grew up on cheese toast. (And find myself at a low ebb too, for that matter.)
Salvation, more and more for me, deals with the here and now more than the there and then. At least the world needs some salvation here and now.
Posted by: Jan at September 29, 2006 08:04 AM"What I am wondering is if there are contemporary parallels to physical purity. I mean, are there things that are salvific in your life that God may ask you to step away from because, strangely enough, they are getting in the way of full salvation?"
I think so. I think sometimes the liturgy can get in the way. Having to say just the right words in the right order at the right time. If you don't something will not happen. Or will it? I don't know. I know i have seen starts from people in a congregation when the rigth words are not said. I know i have been totally pulled out of the moment of worship because someone stumbles of over the word they are reading. I think that is how something meant to be a a way to salvation has come to be thought of as salvific itself, and thus, it is getting in the way of full salvation. (does any of that make sense?)
now, mind you, this Baptist has come to love the liturgy over the past few years.
Posted by: justin at September 29, 2006 08:15 AMWhere's the salt?
Are you doing world communion sunday?
We are, and I am going to say much of the above, but also go with the salt, and saltiness, and few salty dogs.
Posted by: revabi at September 29, 2006 09:05 AMJustin,
I think liturgy can end up doing just that: becoming a salvific itself, instead of the way to salvation, misunderstood as grace itself instead of the means of grace which it is.
I think that in our dealings with others we do some things and refrain from others so we might be seen as faultless or guiltless. I will not cross this line, push this boundary, or go this extra mile because, in the end, it might bite me in the rear. I will play it safe. I will play it pure. Purity is a kind of safety and security. If you are pure you have nothing to worry about.
Jesus came to say that you can be pure and have a lot to worry about: the welfare of your fellow humans, for example. What good is purity if, in the end, you are no closer to God? What good is purity if, though you be saved, others are damned?
Posted by: Jorge Sanchez at September 29, 2006 11:07 AMI don't know if it helps, but I couldn't help but be reminded of one of my favorite songs from Into the Woods by Sondheim - "No One Is Alone". I pasted the whole song, but I am particularly thinking of the pentultimate verse.
No one here to guide you,
Now you're on your own.
Only me beside you . . .
Still, you're not alone.
No one is alone, truly.
No one is alone.
Sometimes people leave you
Halfway through the wood.
Others may deceive you
You decide what's good.
You decide alone,
But no one is alone.
People make mistakes,
Fathers, mothers,
People make mistakes
Holding to their own,
Thinking they're alone.
Honor their mistakes
Everybody makes
one another's terrible mistakes.
Witches can be right,
Giants can be good.
You decide what's right
You decide what's good.
Just remember . . .
Someone is on your side.
Someone else is not.
While you're seeing your side
maybe you forgot:
They are not alone.
No one is alone.
Hard to see the light now
Just don't let it go.
Things will come out right now
We can make it so.
Someone is on your side
No one is alone.
Rich, I love that song.
Revabi...We are celebrating world communion sunday...no one knows it yet. Well, they do now.
Posted by: Tripp at September 29, 2006 11:26 AMNow you've done it. It's just Friday night. I thought I had 24 hours before starting on the sermon, but you've got my mind churning. Guess I start on it now -- right after I fix myself some cheese toast.
This was my first visit to your site. Great! I'll be back.
Posted by: Questing Parson at September 29, 2006 10:05 PMWelcome, QP!
Posted by: Tripp at September 30, 2006 07:13 AM