Jonah could be my patron saint. He has gone off in a
serious sulk, even while acknowledging to God that you are a gracious God
and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love... And now
that God has seen that after Jonah’s warnings to Nineveh, Nineveh changed its
ways and God chose not to bring the promised calamity on them. Ya know, like,
wow, God is relenting from punishment! And Jonah is angry because God
didn’t punish them even though, after Jonah spoke to them, they did repent and
stopped doing what they had been doing.
I love Jonah. He’s
cranky, irritable, and eventually does what he’s told to do after all he went
through trying hard to get out of it. Once he did what he was told to do with
positive results he throws up his hands in anger. I can just hear him thinking:
but drat and dag-nab-bit you let those people escape Your
wrath, God so I’ll just sit here and sulk in the heat and hope to die!
Gee, I never felt like that ever, no, never, well mostly not, ok ~ rarely-ish.
DO read the book of Jonah. It runs 10th in the list of shortest
books in the Bible ~ 4 short chapters for just over 1300 words. About an 8-minute
read.
The Psalmist is
most effusive in his praise for God in Psalm 145. While we are only given the
first 8 verses, each of the 21 verses of the psalm are brimming with the praise,
the greatness, and the goodness of God. When all is going well for us in life, this
is the psalm to sing, or at least speak, loudly. Yet when things in life aren’t
very good or are downright terrible, it’s a difficult one to hear if we are
attempting to give God total credit or blame for all the trials in each moment
of human living, as if our free will, or the free will of others, or other natural causes have no impact. We are to remember that the psalms give us a broad context for
communal prayer rather than a personal application. That said, the
collection of psalms reflect all human moods and circumstances and the joys, the
faith, and the anger among them are often great cathartic vehicles for self-expression.
The late Walter Bruggemann has several books on the psalms that bring a deeper
understanding of their meaning and intent of the community of its time when
written and for each of us today.
Next, Paul is writing
to the Philippians expressing his own personal reality. He wants to die to be united
with Christ as that is the ultimate goal of Christian life, yet living is how
he can make Christ known to more people. His goals are rigorous and challenging
and envelopes the entirety of his daily life. He is unrelenting in his writing and
travels, gathering disciples and developing the leadership to spread the Word. Paul
wants to be that leader for them and sets his life as an example to follow. He
knows that people will lapse in their faith and commitments unless their
leaders keep them on track. He expresses a human truth that he understands
their struggles with living a life in a manner worthy of the gospel of
Christ for he has struggled, too. He pledges to be with them through it in
person or in absence. And with all his human foibles like us, he is still an influential
faith leader through his Letters.
In this except of Matthew’s Gospel, he
tells us that the vineyard laborers in this parable of Jesus aren't happy that
the Landowner is simply using his prerogative to be generous. Same pay for one
hour's work as for a full day ~ who wouldn't get upset about that? Don't those
who worked longer and did more work deserve more? How many of
us Good Christian People would grumble and self-righteously sulk about that
Landowner in the parking lot? If only we could
feel ~ and stop ~ the creeping envy, greed, and judgment filling us. If only we
could freely accept someone’s generosity to another without feeling as if we
were somehow betrayed. Do we ever learn?
It's a difficult balance to fight for equity and fairness for ourselves
and others in our temporal life, while relinquishing jealousy and anger at not
getting what we perceive is deserved by and even owed to us. God
isn't leading us by clouds and pillars of fire these days, but by the Word of
Christ. Am I seeking that first? Am I hearing? Am I listening?
Am I following? Am I trusting? Or am I sulking
in the heat of my perceived-as-unfair mistreatment? My prayer is to try to find
that balance, to not leave the releasing of envy and grumbling to my last
conscious thought; and, oh yes: Dear Lord, please, I
pray that You will save me from all that I
justly deserve...you know, like, that relenting from punishment thing…
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE,
PRAY
Leader: ~ Most
Generous God, if only we could remember that Your love for us
is limitless as we grumble and complain about fairness in this brief
life. Relieve us of envy and guide us to stand firm with one spirit, to strive
together with one mind, and to live in and for our faith in Christ’s Gospel now,
with every conscious breath and every waking thought.
Gracious Lord
RESPONSE: May our lives be Gospel worthy
~ Most Generous God,
grant us the voice to move the hearts and minds of political leaders locally,
nationally, and globally to act justly and always on behalf of humanity, with
mercy, compassion, and kindness. We pray especially for: add your
own petitions
Gracious Lord
May
our lives be Gospel worthy
~ Most Generous
God, enfold all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit into Your loving embrace,
and lift the spirits of those who give them care. We now join our
hearts to pray for those in need… add your own petitions
Gracious Lord
May our lives be Gospel worthy
~ Most Generous
God, we commend to Your eternal Heart all still loved in this life, who now
live again and forever with Christ. We pray especially for… add
your own petitions
Gracious Lord
May our lives be Gospel worthy
~ Most Generous
God, we pause in this moment to offer You our other personal
thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions
Gracious Lord
May our lives be Gospel worthy
~ Most Generous God,
grant renewable supplies of wisdom, vitality, and pizzazz to all who have been
chosen to elevate Your Church into a vibrant community of faith, in every
circumstance of human living. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Gracious Lord
May
our lives be Gospel worthy
The Celebrant adds: Eternal
God, compel our souls to desire life with Christ first in
every decision and action, and to release us from carrying judgment, greed, and
envy within us to the last. We ask this grace through Jesus,
our Hope and our Salvation; and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Sanctifier;
who live and reign together with You, One God, now and forever. Amen.
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