Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16

Proper 21 (26) - Year A


We tell old, old stories for a variety of reasons. One of them is that of reclaiming the joy of an overwhelming experience that it might inform the darkness of a present confusion.

Who knows how close to the experience came a first interpretation? Well, no one. But, as time has progressed we have found ourselves circling back to the stories until we can just tick them off. We put our fingertips together and intone, “True.” In some sense we have become as trapped by our archetypes as we are set free by them.



in Zoan’s land and in the sea
with cloud and fiery pillar
through rocks that weep
we rehearse limits and leap horizons
         –WW


Our old stories are made new with each experience and our new stories morph into old. From every direction wonder abounds for those ready to hear and tell stories old and new, ready to chew on parables and pictures beyond words. May these old chestnuts not trap us in reverie, but set us free to wonder, “Why not” and proceed to find out.

What experiences are equivalent touchstones in your life? As you tick off moments of life shifting, what stands out? If you were to pick 5 to carry on one hand, what they would be?

That’s pretty easy. How about just 4 or 3? For extra credit, can you cut it to 2 key experiences that would reflect your journey?

Now the tough one—1?

I expect it will have something to do with what you have done, not believed. Yes, actions are shaped by thoughts. They can even hem in what we are willing to do. But, bottom line, it is the doing that best describes what we mean by the space we take up and the energy we expend over time. Blessings on redeeming this trinity of es2=d where energy times space squared equals doing, and vice versa.

 

As found in Wrestling Year A: Connecting Sunday Readings with Lived Experience

 


 

There is so much one-sided talk these days about the inevitability of American aggression on Iraq. I was just at a town hall meeting held by our congressperson. A strong 90% of the speakers counseled "no" on invading Iraq. This runs so counter to what is in the media. So where does truth lie when the administration has a "bully" (literally) pulpit and so dominates the public air?

In the Psalm we hear only that which fits the Exodus passage - how wonderful is G*D to provide water for us. The very next verse (17) reminds us that trying to put the best possible spin on things is only half the story. "All they did was sin even more."

It is important to remember the joys of coming through. It is also important to acknowledge the limits of that - why it was so wonderful (because things weren't so great) and then what happened in response (repeating the not so great).

Having pooh-poohed the spin of the lection selectors it is tempting to say that the most important part of the story is disappointment, two-to-one - before and after. However, it is still of the utmost importance to affirm blessings and to participate in more blessings. May we soon find the blessing of the larger community of the U.N. in the face of fear and ignorance masquerading as ultra-patriotism and go-it-alone-bravado.

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2002/september2002.html

 


 

Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 or Psalm 25:1-9

To continue the human / divine intersection for yet another moment. Does one lift up one's own soul, or is one's own soul made to be lifted up by G*D? Where do you put your trust, your authority?

This debate has bedeviled us from the beginning. We are free partners authorized to lift up our soul. We are mere creatures under a tight leash.

Different folks have different reasons for their orientation -- from being hardwired one way or the other to having formative experiences which have nurtured or pruned their arc of life.

I expect most folks here to have some understanding of the both/and approach to living and loving. With identified leanings in one direction or the other we yet affirm the mystery of soul lifting. May you find your soul lifted (howsome'er such occurs)  and may you be found lifting the souls of others (by what means are available).

Can you see this as an Olympic event and yourself taking the bronze medal in soul-lifting? Bronze because you're so humble. What would a congregation look like that endeavored to take part in mutual soul-lifting?

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2005/september2005.html

 


 

Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 or Psalm 25:1-9
Exodus 17:1-7 or Ezekiel 18:1-4, 24-32
Philippians 2:1-13
Matthew 21:23-32

An intriguing image of G*D is presented in Philippians -- an emptying G*D [?in distinction to a creating G*D, or are these integrally bound?] If you substitute Moses for Jesus Christ and then look back at Exodus you can catch a glimpse of this emptying G*D.

See again where G*D is - in front of Moses - where Moses will strike (unless he swats at a rock behind him). Can you see G*D facing Moses (no backside here) and saying, "Strike through me." Would you have the courage and humility of Moses to strike G*D to strike water for the people? Whether anyone else could be witness to this or not, Moses understood he was to strike G*D that the waters from beyond (that had been pent up at Creation and again in Noah's time) might surface through G*D, through Horeb, through a suffering and emptying of G*D.

Where are you called to strike that life-giving water might flow? Does it feel like you would have to muster more strength and humility than you have, to do so? Does not G*D always need to be bruised for life to flow? Do we always need to work through our own resistance to striking G*D that we might grow the next stage of our journey?

- - -

obey this why don't you
here it comes our difficulty
work out your own salvation
not someone else's
work it out in the absence of G*D
not for G*D's good pleasure
for your own
this is G*D's pleasure too

obey this past pleasure
again a difficulty
work with your fear and trembling
not someone else's
work in the presence of G*D
enabling with pleasure
a willingness to face fear
our pleasure too

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html


 

We tell old, old stories for a variety of reasons. One of them is that of reclaiming the joy of an overwhelming experience that it might inform the darkness of a present confusion.

Who knows how close to the experience came the first interpretation? Well, no one. But, as time has progressed we have found ourselves circling back to the stories until we can just tick them off. We put our fingertips together and intone, "True." In some sense we have become as trapped by our archetypes as we are set free by them.

in Zoanland and in the sea
with cloud and fiery pillar
through rocks that weep
we rehearse limits and leap horizons

Our old stories are made new with each experience and our new stories morph into old. From every direction wonder abounds for those ready to hear and tell stories old and new, ready to chew on parables and pictures beyond words. May these old chestnuts not trap us in reverie, but set us free to wonder, "Why not" and proceed to find out.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html

 


 

What experiences are equivalent touchstones in your life? As you tick off moments of life shifting, what stands out? If you were to pick 5 to carry on one hand, they would be?

That’s pretty easy. How about just 4 or 3? For extra credit, can you cut it to 2 key experiences that would reflect your journey?

Now the tough one - 1.

I expect it will have something to do with what you have done, not believed. Yes, your actions are influenced by our thoughts. They can even hem in what we are willing to do. But, bottom line, it is the doing that best describes what we mean by the space we take up and the energy we expend over time. Blessings on redeeming this trinity.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2011/09/psalm-781-4-12-16.html

 


 

I receive the posting of Jim Taylor every Sunday and Wednesday. I thought his paraphrase was one that leads us to continue connecting various parts of the scriptures together, along with our own lives.

How would you bring this psalm into a world so bound by political rhetoric and advertising slogans?

Where does a central story or two from our past still inform us?

Anyway, here’s Jim’s comment and paraphrase:

We all need family histories. No one is so poor as the person with no roots. I’m sure that’s why Deuteronomy stresses that when children ask about laws and statutes, you should tell them a story. I worked that idea into the Psalm 78 reading for this coming Sunday.


1 If I say, "Once upon a time," everyone knows a story is starting.
2 I do not know the meanings of my stories; 
    I merely pass them on as they were passed to me.
3 Only you can decide what they mean to you.
4 This is our story. This is where we came from.
    When you hear this story, you must also tell it,
    so that others may also know where they came from.
12 Once upon a time, we were slaves.
      We were exploited for economic growth, and held captive by capital.
13 But God freed us from the prisons of our past.
      God flung open our minds, and let us see new possibilities.
14 By signs and symbols, God led us to new life.
15 In arid canyons of crisis, God showed us how to drink deeply of life.
16 In barren wastelands of despair, God gave us joy.

For paraphrases of most of the psalms used by the Revised Common Lectionary, you can order my book Everyday Psalms from Wood Lake Publishing, info@woodlake.com.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2014/09/psalm-781-4-12-16.html