Daily Office

Year Two, Advent One, Sunday

Today's Readings:

• Psalm 146, 147, 111, 112, 113
• Amos. 1:1-5,13-2:8
• 1 Thess. 5:1-11
• Luke 21:5-19

Amos lists the sins and punishments for Damascus, the Ammonites in Rabbah, Moab in Kerioth, Judah, and Israel.

...because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals, they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and push the afflicted out of the way; father and son go in to the same girl, so that my holy name is profaned; they lay themselved down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink wine bought with fines they imposed (2:6b-8)

Paul writes to Thessalonia to encourage them to stay awake, be people of the light, and encourage each other.
Jesus speaks about the coming trials for his followers, and tells them not to prepare their defenses in advance, for He will give them words and wisdom at that time.
There are two things about todays readings that strike me. The first is the list of crimes committed by Israel. Selling the righteous for silver is too good for the evangelists to pass up, and so Jesus is bought for 30 pieces of silver, paid to Judas. Okay, so the image is reversed, but the act of betrayal is the same. It isn't betrayal to Jesus Amos is talking about, that's a "prophecy" Christians will want to see, but the charge is about betraying trust of rulers to the people under their care. I've been thinking about social, political, and religious power. Having authority does not mean that those you have authority over are resources for you to play with, trade, or treat as you see fit. Having authority means you are trusted to care for those you have authority over. I see it everywhere power is to be had. The poor are tossed into financial bankrupcy and seemingly eternal debt, the elderly and sick are no longer given affordable health care, and the poor are expected to love and revere those who do this to them. This doesn't make sense, and it goes against God's commandments. "Love your neighbor as yourself". "What you do to the least of these you do to me." That's why Damascus, Moab, and the Ammonites are in trouble with God: they abused their power and trampled their neighbors.
Authority Abuse is also a sign Jesus gives to His followers and instructs them to have strength. The earthly punishment for following Jesus is severe, and they will be hated because of Jesus, but they shall earn their souls. The end of the world has gotten some good publicity lately, or at least a lot of publicity. The whole "Rapture" thing is a bit beyond my understanding, but I see elements here that could lead us to think about signs fortelling the future. Don't we all want that? Don't we want to know what is going to happen and when? We want certainty. Jesus spoke about the end times (either of Jerusalem or the World) as if it was going to happen before his followers died, which meant that it was close at hand. It didn't happen, or it did happen and what we're left with is the post apocalyptic world and haven't figured out that God has already taken His faithful away, and it happened almost 2000 years ago.
Jesus and Paul speak about the end, and how to handle it. I don't see the Biblical end of the world being possible according to physics as we know it, but I am confident that at the end of time, whether the cold death of the universe that the scientists predict, or God breaking all the laws of physics and stopping this crazy existence, all will be well. I don't look for signs of the end of time. I would rather use what little authority I have now to do good, be neighborly, and heal rather than hurt the world I consider myself a steward of.

posted by Josh English @ 4:05 PM