The lead piece is from "Amazing Grace by Kathleen Norris. In this book she takes many of the words and images of the faith and attempts to put some reality and life to them.
IDOLATRY - a 2nd piece
The Bible - and human life itself - is full of evidence that religion itself can become an idol: what the sentimental call the love of God is nothing if it is short-circuited into private piety or religious self-righteousness and doesn't translate into compassion for others. Unfortunately, it is scorn for others that often marks religion's public face in America, leading me to suspect that one of the most popular idols around today is still the Pharisee's prayer as recorded in the Gospel of Luke - when he prays, it's to thank God that he is not like other people, who don't go to church, or if they do, don't say the right prayers. Idolatry in this sense is the original equal-opportunity employer, and anyone can play: The Protestant fundamentalist looks down on the mainstream one as not "really" Christian, the conservative Catholic despises the "cafeteria" one, the self-proclaimed spiritual seeker sneers, "You go to church? I find God in nature.
"My way" can easily get into the way and lead me directly to the idols of my life. The idols of our lives cause us to put everything in life under a microscope and make a measurement or value judgment about each and every part of our day. We each have any number of things within our lives that cause us to look down our noses at others. It can become so easy to support the idols of our lives...we simply need to put down others. One note about idols is important to consider. It takes our life...our energy...our time...our resources...to keep up our idol worship. To worship the one true God of Grace demands that we simply trust that our God's love for us is enough to overcome all things and make us into a blessed people...people of worth and purpose. Example: When I worship money (an age old idol), my whole life can easily become a servant to the process of getting more money, finding ways of spending it, complaining about those who have it, making it the ground of my worth in life...etc. Eventually though, like all idols, this one gives out on us in one way or another. Idols break down me as an individual and they break down the community because they demand our sacrifice. The Most High God gives us life and relationship and commitment to one another.
Connection: Idols are often the things that finally grab us and try to have the final word in our decisions. Idols don't let us be free...they want us to pay attention to them no matter what the cost may be. Anything can become an idol within our day...look around.
Lord, you are the Creator of all that is. You bless us with so many things within our lives that we often lift up and praise the gifts you have given us rather than lift our voices of praise and thanksgiving to you alone. Bless us with your life-giving love. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment