A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings

Ecclesiastes 7:1-14

As an important step in becoming a doctor, medical students must take the Hippocratic Oath. And one of the promises within that oath is "first, do no harm" (or "primum non nocere," the Latin translation from the original Greek.) In this passage we are told simply yet profoundly - ‘Do no harm.’ Harm comes about when we disobey God and become divided amongst ourselves. This is the reality of sin, and it has existed from the beginning of creation. The Bible teaches us that sin always leads to division and death. Adam and Eve experienced division when Adam blamed Eve for giving him the fruit of the tree that God had specifically told them not to eat. God had warned them that “in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” Adam and Eve’s son Cain sinned in his heart and then murdered his brother Abel. The marital dysfunction between Isaac and Rebecca led to a division between their children Jacob and Esau and eventually killed their relationship as brothers for years. This passage makes it very clear that death is the result of division; division is the result of disobedience; disobedience is the result of a blatant disregard for God and our neighbor. Throughout this passage the phrase “do not” is repeated over and over (more than 10 times). While it is important that we “do no harm”, we must not stop there. In a world where division and death are unfortunately all too commonplace, Christ calls to love God and love our neighbor. “Do no harm” must transition into “do good.” Doing love must be the vision that guides our thoughts, words and deeds. Love will heal the world. Who can you love today? How might you express this love in a practical way to someone in your life circle?

 

Galatians 4:12-20

The truth hurts. Truth hurts network ratings; truth hurts the pocket book of those who seek to profit off of lies; and truth hurts the number of likes we get on social media. This is why we often resort to lies and non-truths in hopes of avoiding the hurt. Let’s be real for a moment. Is what we see on social media and in the mass media the truth or is it a lie? Such platforms often show a very limited picture of life and sometimes even a distorted version of life. How many times do we see personal profiles showcasing the struggles people face and the storms of life that individuals or communities are going through? Sadly, and more often than not, personal social media profiles and mass media reports aim to get likes, are driven by temporal agendas, and attempt to monetize or monopolize public opinion. The Apostle Paul pushes back against such thinking and acknowledges that it was because of his physical challenges that he first proclaimed the gospel. Paul acknowledges that in telling the truth he has made several enemies. He points out that when we focus on lies and half-truths, it does not serve the purposes of God and it makes us exclude one another from the table of Holy Communion. The truth is that we are all formed in the image of God, we are called to one in the body of Christ, and we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. Let us then not shy away from sharing our real selves with one another, and bearing our burdens together in a true spirit of love. No matter what the world may tell us, the reality is that the truth will set us free.

Matthew 15:21-28

Faith in the face of forsakenness. In the passage the Canaanite woman stands up for her rights and shouts out for justice. She stands up to the oppressive forces that have tormented her family. She raises her voice and demands mercy. The Bible points out that Jesus did not answer her at all. Naturally, we may wonder why Jesus was silent or why he did not immediately speak up on behalf of this Canaanite woman’s family. To make matters even more complicated, we feel a sense of shock when Jesus does eventually speak on the issue - "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs." Did this really happen? Did Jesus really respond to this woman’s plea with an uncaring silence and a snarky remark. This definitely rubs us the wrong way if we, in any way, identify with this woman’s cry for help. What was Jesus trying to do? How would this woman respond to Jesus' antics? This was a teachable moment. Jesus’ silence teaches us that being still and observing silence can provide the space for evil to be revealed as evil. Jesus’ snarky remark not only echoed the uncaring attitude of others towards her but in fact blasted aloud the condemning spirit of the world. Jesus’ response was not devoid of love. Rather, it was full of love. Jesus exposed evil and put the world on blast. Jesus was creating an opportunity for the Canaanite woman to intensify her faith in God’s mercy and love. How did she respond? She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." To this Jesus proudly proclaimed - "Woman, great is your faith!” This woman had faith in the face of forsakenness. It was her faith that healed her daughter and liberated her family. Do we have such faith? Are we able to observe silence in the midst of evil so that evil can be exposed? Are we able to echo the condemnation of the world in a way that brings such thinking into accountability? We must strive to create space for those who are oppressed and victimized to reveal their great faith in the mercy and love of God. “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” - The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.

Fr. Thomas+