EarthWords - connecting Scripture
and Creation
"Creation flavored" thoughts on the lectionary texts
One thing to do (this week!) -
Find a copy of St Francis of Assisi's canticle "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" and enjoy it through the week.
("His" day is October 4th.) See if you can find a "Blessing of the Animals" service to participate in.
Date: October 15
Text: Psalm 22.1-15 My God,
why have you deserted me?
Thoughts
The psalmist is completely alone. The human community has become an offense (vs
6). Even at his/her mother's breast, it was God that protected the psalmist. The "non-human natural
world" appears as threats in vs 12 and 13 in the form of wild bulls and lions. In the second half of the psalm, wild
dogs threaten in vs 16 and the wild bulls and lions reappear in vs 21. Not much comfort or reassurance apart from God.
(Interesting - the subtitle says it should be sung to the tune "A deer at dawn". The words and the music must have been
in conflict!)
Text: Job 23.1-9,16-17 Job's complaining again!
Thoughts
"If I knew where to find God..." (vs 3). Where do you go to find God? In the Creation ("outdoors")?
In the church? Among the congregation? In the written texts? Sometimes no matter where you go, God just
doesn't seem to be there today.
"Would God overwhelm me with his greatness? No!" (vs 6) Job does have a surprise coming! Where does
God overwhelm you with greatness? Yellowstone? Shores of Lake Superior? Camp? Or "when" - at the sunrise?
In the thunderstorm? The blizzard?
vs 13 (I know the lectionary leaves it out, but why?) - God (and Mother Nature?) do as they please. We can
build all the retaining walls and paved parking lots we want, sooner or later "Mother Nature" is going to have her way.
In the third week of January, 1915, The Endurance, Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic exploration vessel, was caught in
the pack ice. It drifted with the pack for the 6 months of Antarctic winter. On July 13, Shackleton said to Frank
Worsley, the ship's captain, "The ship can't live in this, Skipper. You had better make up you mind that it is only
a matter of time. It may be a few months, and it may be only a question of weeks, or even days...but what the ice gets,
the ice keeps." (It was three months - and on October 26 they abandoned the ship.)
Apparently the creation is not necessarily nicely ordered after all (again, vs13 - God does as he/she pleases).
This is a source of terror for Job (vs 16). How reassuring it is for us when the sun comes up each morning, and the
seasons follow in rough approximation of past patterns. How afraid should the threat of global warming and
climate change make us?
Text: Mark 10.17-31 The rich man who had
trouble following Jesus
Thoughts
Jesus was walking down the road. Is that just the way Jesus got around, or was it intentional?
The Celtic brothers in Ireland walked on purpose so they would have a chance to talk with other people - and perhaps "to smell
the roses"! How would Jesus get around? Why?
Jesus tells the man to "radically divest". Although the man has kept the commandments,
apparently his possessions have kept him separate from God. Is the poverty Jesus envisions a radical identification
with the creation? It sounds almost like this guy was a Winnebago camper and Jesus was pushing ultralight backpacking!
How do you enjoy nature - from the trail? From the car? Does our accumulation of things keep us separated from
God? From the creation? How big and damaging is our environmental footprint?
Prayer
Eternal God,
thank you for the dependability of your world.
Thank you even more for the dependability of your mercy and grace
when the times of storm and terror come.
We are reassured by your presence. Amen.
