Psalm 132:1-12, (13-18)
"Reign of Christ" - Year B
Translation is such a fun game. If there were one thing the church has always needed, it is translators of tongues. In today's world we experience that those who speak in the tongue of the religioius right renewal groups are not heard as telling the wonders of G*D by those on the religious right progressive groups. And, vice versa.
Wouldn't it be loverly to have someone who can do a simultaneous translation of right to left and left to right. This is not a moderate or middle position but a very active translation ministry.
Observe these differences between the NRSV and The Message.
NRSV The Message
Rise up, O Lord Up, God
go to your enjoy your
resting place. new place of quiet repose.
Let your priests Get your priests
be clothed with all dressed up in
righteousness, justice,
and let your prompt your
faithful worshipers
shout for joy. to sing this prayer,
Do you find yourself mostly using one language system - righteousness, for instance - and not understanding those who use the justice language? Are you oriented to the use of these terms the other way around. How about the "faithful" and "worshiper" pairing?
Do you find the trinity of "faithful shouting righteousness" to hold together? How about "worshipers singing justice"? How would you mix and match these six words and how would you respond in a group that only used the other set?
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2003/november2003.html
G*D needs a rest. Too much wandering around outside of Eden and coming up with new responses to these very creative humans packed to overflowing with cosmic energy.
G*D needs a rest. Too many promises to too many people. Too many expectations. Too many covenant revisions and new creations.
G*D needs a rest. Perhaps a Temple will be restful (until rousted by warriors from the outside and curtains ripped from the inside). Perhaps setting up a bloodline will be restful (until squabbles arise between potential heirs and those who prevail set up unstable conditions to suit only themselves).
G*D needs a rest. For such a time as this you have a lullaby to sing and a task to pick up. In due time you will need a rest. Then both G*D and you can rise refreshed to welcome one another and all others to health and wholeness.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2009_11_01_archive.html
Psalm 132:1-18 or Psalm 93
2 Samuel 23:1-7 or Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14
Revelation 1:4b-8
John 18:33-37
So, who are you? We need to listen to other's perception of us. There will be some truth there. It will give us a clue about who we have been, are, or might yet become.
For this to be most helpful it is good to have some idea that we are fulfilling a meaningful interaction with the other and with a community larger than our immediate community. With this larger perspective we can take other perceptions and not battle them. Sometimes we can even claim them (probably to the consternation of those who were trying to get our goat).
I am who I was born to be. This is a deep truth each of us have access to. When we do connect with it, it is amazing what power is set free within and through us.
Here is an empowering exercise. Stand in front of a proverbial mirror and say aloud, until it is firmly stated, "For this I was born – to testify to wholeness." Stating this truth continues our completion and emboldens us to assist others to arrive at a similar spot for themselves. This is leadership.
- - -
where did I come from
alpha
where am I going
omega
right now I'm between
mu and nu
I am glad to be here
me and you
for this I was born
for this I will die
in the meantime
we enjoy between times
we are and were
and are yet were-ing
to a new witness
all are loved free
look up and down
jump and kneel
remember and anticipate
amen and amen
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html
The last Sunday of a church year might be thought to be a resting place. We’ve worked on peace for generations now. Surely one more year would have seen us arrive at a time for sabbath.
The Psalm anticipates an eternal monarchy, the best governance available for eons. At some point, though, recognition was bound to happen that the end-all and be-all of our relationship with G*D is not keeping current classes going in perpetuity, albeit with the poor getting enough bread to subsist on, which isn’t always the case.
If the best we can do is to have “The Lord rise up and go to a resting place” we have missed much in the way of growing into G*D ourselves. This is a static image that time cannot abide. And so in our end is our beginning — G*D is loose. Get a head start on Advent, begin your yearly game of hide-and-seek with G*D, Neighb*r, and Y*ourself today.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2012/11/psalm-1321-12-13-18.html