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 for ever. [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 of 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. The man’s eyes were opened to sight after he
washed clean ~ perhaps as in the waters of Baptism washing us spiritually clean? 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 simply dropping from a tree. The shepherd massages ~ anoints ~
each and every 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, or want 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, desperately ill, or grieving: The Lord is their shepherd; they
shall not be in want. He makes her lie down in green pastures and leads him
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!
I will sit at the table You set before me, be anointed by Your Presence within
me, and be un-blinded by Your Radiant Light.
*I commend
to you a 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. As You look into our hearts, lead us from
the blindness of pride and earthly temptation, to the clarity of eyes opened to
the fullness of 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… add your own petitions
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… add your own petitions
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… add your own petitions
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.
