For Sunday, March
22, 2020 ~ Readings:
Samuel 16:1-13, Psalm 23, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not
look on his appearance of on the height of his stature, because I have rejected
him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward
appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." [1 Samuel 16:7]
Surely
your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will
dwell in the house of the LORD forever. [Psalm
23:6]
Once
you were in darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of
light - for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and
true. [Ephesians 5:8-14]
"...As
long as I am in the world, I am the light o the world." When [Jesus] said
this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on
the [blind] man's eyes saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of
Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to
see. [John 9:5-6]
Did you ever
wonder why if Jesus knew he could make the blind man see, he didn’t just snap
his fingers or simply say "you can see now"? But then, symbolism -
when recognized or at least intuited - is important even if not always
understood completely. Spittle in ancient times was deemed to have medicinal
properties. The mud he made with his saliva became a healing agent, and
in turn, Jesus became a known healer. (Have you also ever wondered if any of
the Pharisees tried this mud idea later?)
Jesus explains that this man had not sinned as the Pharisees who, by tradition and their interpretation of The Law, attributed all misfortune to sin. His
eyes were opened to sight after he washed clean - perhaps as in the waters of
Baptism washing us clean of sin? We are told in the passage that the name Siloam translates as sent, as Jesus was and is sent by God to open our eyes
to see the light, to believe and follow the life to which God calls us.
None of us is perfect but we are forgiven - as is David who, as we know from
his later story, was far from perfect (and in that there is hope for us all!).
The choosing of David by God, in the passage from 1 Samuel, is merely the
beginning of the compelling story of this man. The "blind man" is
unnamed and his story is brief, yet important, but David begins his reign fresh from his
pastures as a young shepherd and has a long and chaotic life.
The Psalm appointed for this week is
attributed by some traditions to David himself, and surely, he or whoever authored
it, thoroughly understood the nature of sheep and shepherding. The symbolism
comes through the depth of each line that refers back to how to work with real-life
sheep.* For example, sheep are inherently nervous creatures and are
frightened to stampede by an apple dropping from a tree. The shepherd massages each sheep with oil to keep burrowing insects from infecting their eyes and to comfort them. They are terrified by
fast flowing water and can only drink from water that appears to be still. The psalmist asks the Lord
to lead him beside still waters and the lectionary’s timing for this could
not be any better given the turbulent times in which we live.
Paul speaks to the Ephesians, and ultimately to us, exhorting us to
awaken from the sleep of the darkness of sin to live as children of light, and to
discover what is pleasing to the Lord. Things are always easier to see in
the light though not necessarily more clearly. The Pharisees used a different
lens to "see" what Jesus what trying to tell them - they didn't seem
to get the whole picture. God tells Samuel that the Lord does not see as mortals see...the Lord looks on each heart.
This
is a good week to try to see what is in my heart, what blinders are
on my eyes, and what darkness I invite into my life. I can use this Psalm as a
personal prayer and plea as I speak the "my, and the I, and the me"
for myself, and then I can take those personal pronouns and replace them with
the name of someone else as a prayer for her or him or them any time and particularly for those currently in
fear or already infected with this terrible virus: The Lord is their shepherd; they shall not
be in want. He makes them lie down in green pastures and leads them beside
still waters…
I know that I have often been figuratively blinded
to the true Light of Christ by the temptations and distractions in this mortal
existence. I still am, at times, when it is easier to turn to the sleep of the
dark than to wake and answer Christ’s call. O Jesus, massage the blindness from my eyes, it is
past time for this Sleeper to awake again! The Light is already shining if I just sit at Your table and see.
*I commend to you a lovely little book titled, A Shepherd
Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller who once was a true contemporary
shepherd. He unpacks all that the psalm speaks of in relation to how a shepherd
cares for sheep as God cares and (tries to) lead us.
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE,
PRAY
Leader: ~ Eternal
Shepherd, Merciful and Just, You chose David in his youth and us from the womb,
knowing our full potential. Look into our hearts and lead us from the blindness
of self-pride to the clarity of eyes opened to the fullness life in You.
O God of Truth and Light
RESPONSE:
Let us awake!
~ Eternal Shepherd,
Merciful and Just, arouse and kindle the inner vision of those who lead us
in this World, this Country, and this Community, so they will see themselves as
You see them, and begin to shepherd their own flocks with integrity, principle,
and compassion. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O God of Truth and Light
Let
us awake!
~ Eternal Shepherd, Merciful and Just, comfort all who suffer with physical illness, fear of sickness,
or economic anxiety, and impart Your calming Spirit to those who give them
care. We now join our voices to pray aloud for those in need…
O God of Truth and Light
Let
us awake!
~ Eternal Shepherd,
Merciful and Just, soothe the hearts of all who grieve, as
our loved ones now live again in the delight of endless green pastures, dwelling
in Your House forever. We pray especially for…
O God of Truth and Light
Let
us awake!
~ Eternal Shepherd, Merciful
and Just, we
pause in this moment to offer You our
other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials, aloud
or silently…
O God of Truth and Light
Let
us awake!
~ Eternal Shepherd, Merciful and Just, amplify Your Spirit already
within those who are anointed to guide Your Church along right pathways, as we
walk together seeking the fruit of the light of Christ. We pray especially
for: add your own petitions
O God of Truth and Light
Let
us awake!
The Celebrant adds: O LORD our God, still
the turbulent waters of our times and release us from the darkness we make for
ourselves. Draw us to the table that You spread before us, where the cup of Your
goodness and mercy overflows in this life and anoints us for the next. We ask
this through Jesus our Christ, True Light from True Light; and the Guiding
Spirit of all that is Holy; who live and reign with You, one God, forever and
ever. Amen.
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