The Adventurous Lectionary – Ascension Sunday – May 24, 2020 Bruce G. Epperly Acts 1:6-14; Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35; I Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11; John 17:1-11 These days, many of us would like an Ascension. The world is too much with us. We are inundated with news of death tolls, the possible spread of COVID 19 to children, uncertainty about church openings, and concerns about going out freely in public again. We would like to flee the daily reports of incompetence and... Read more
LX. IN GOD’S HOUSE FOREVER (5/15) I shall dwell in the house of God all my whole life long…(Psalm 23:6) Translators wrestle with getting the right word, and this passage is no exception. The traditional King James proclaims “forever” while the New Revised affirms “my whole life long.” Both translations are important. “Forever” reminds me of “infinity and beyond,” the exclamation of Buzz Lightyear from “Toy Story.” There is no end to God’s love: the One who loved us into... Read more
LIX. ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE (5/14) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…(Psalm 23:6) I joke that I’m in midlife provided I live to be 135! The brevity of life is more apparent as I push toward seventy. I am healthy and have never been more creative, or happier and fulfilled, but the pandemic has reminded me daily of my mortality, especially since I have a few of the risk factors identified... Read more
Why I wear a mask? I don’t like masks. They are sweaty and uncomfortable and impede communication. You can’t show your emotions when you wear a mask. As a child I had asthma, and when I wore a Halloween mask, I felt like I was suffocating. I didn’t like masks then, and I don’t like them now! But regardless of my feelings, I choose to wear a mask these days. I choose to wear a mask even when I’m the... Read more
LVIII. MY CUP OVERFLOWS (5/13) My cup overflows…(Psalm 23:5) Whenever I reflect on the line “my cup overflows,” my mind turns to the song “My Cup Overfloweth with Love” from the musical “I Do, I Do,” which portrays fifty years of a marriage. When Agnes asks Michael if he’s disappointed, he sings “My Cup Runneth Over with Love.” In all the ups and downs of a long term relationship, he can honestly say “thank you, for the life we’ve had... Read more
LVII. ANOINTED AND BLESSED (5/12) You anoint my head with oil…(Psalm 23:5) In the Biblical tradition, anointing with oil is a sign of divine favor. To be anointed is to be chosen and to have a special relationship with God and your community. In times of illness, anointing with oil mediates God’s healing touch. Anointing not only soothes our skin, it also calms our spirits. Anointing transforms our cells; it also heals our souls. These days, we all need divine... Read more
LVI BOUNTY AMID THREAT (5/11) You prepare a table before me in the midst of my enemies…(Psalm 23:5) Long before the Coronavirus, people sought to live abundant lives despite adversity and threat. In the Middle East, meals with guests were not perfunctory, they were an opportunity to show your hospitality. A host would kill the fatted calf, bring out the best fruit and bread, play music, and entertain for hours. The meal described in Psalm 23 describes two contrasting experiences:... Read more
LV COMFORT AND GUIDANCE (5/10) Your rod and your staff they comfort me…(Psalm 23:4) We have experienced a lot of affliction lately. Our lives are smaller and we are concerned about the wellbeing of ourselves and our loved ones. We are concerned about the economic wellbeing of our nation, most especially hourly workers and people who have to go to work regardless of the conditions. While God doesn’t want us to be sheep, following any authority figure without question. We... Read more
LIV IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH (5/9) Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me…(Psalm 23:4) Psalm 23 is not for the faint-hearted. The Psalmist describes a dark valley, with threats all around. In ancient times, these threats might have been wolves or wild dogs. Denying their existence would lead to destruction of the flock. It might have robbers or enemy troops. Crying peace with enemies all around... Read more
LIII. PATHS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (5/8) He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake…Psalm 23:3 A pandemic does not excuse us from faithfulness. A pandemic does not excuse us from playing our role as God’s agents in the moral and spiritual arc of history. Friedrich Nietzsche counseled us to be worthy of our sufferings. From the vantage point of surviving Auschwitz, Viktor Frankl claimed that “Everything can be taken from a person but one thing: the last of the... Read more
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