Again, Walter Brueggemann from "The Prophetic Imagination."
Inversions begin in a change of language and Brueggemann identifies a few. Here is one:
When the new king rules it is new song time (Isaiah 42:10)... The energy comes from the song that will sing Yahweh to his throne and Babylon to her grave. As Abraham Heschel has seen, only people in covenant can sing. New song time is when a new covenant that becomes the beginning for another way of reality is made.
God promises liberation and yet when we are in the middle of the oppressive powers of the day, it is difficult to hear that promise. But then, there is that song...that promise that turns our head. It is catches our attention because it comes from deep within the tradition of liberation that rests at the very heart of who we are as God's people. The song now begins to create a new beat and takes us into what we have not yet experienced. It is a promising note that tickles us and makes us stand up and take a listen and then...even begin to dance a new dance with the One who promises to made things...all things new.
Connection: I think there is a thrill to hearing a new reality break onto the scene. It can be frightening and yet it is the power to set us tapping to another tempo for the day at hand. Sometimes we need to remember that today may start us singing a new song - again.
Lord breeze into this day and let the wind of your renewing life lift us up and show us that which is beyond what is...and yet...within the possibilities of your blessed Reign. Amen.
Wednesday, March 9, 2005
Tuesday, March 8, 2005
9 March 2005
Again, Walter Brueggemann from "The Prophetic Imagination."
We continue with some comments about the guerilla warfare in which the poet fights on the side of the oppressed.
For example, witness the black churches and civil rights movements or the liberation resistance in Latin America. The cult may be a staging for the inversion that the kings think is not possible. It is the inversion that the grim royal middle class among us does not believe in and it is the inversion that surprises people who are powerless. Inversions are not easy, not without cost, and never neat and clear.
Remember that those who claim to hold power cannot see that anyone else is able to muster enough power -of any kind- to be a threat to the status quo. And yet, with the wealth of liberation language and imagery we have in the Church, there is a power that has been used against oppressive and controlling powers throughout the generations. It is interesting to see in our own country that religious language - specifically some elements of the Church - have been using, what I would call a holy poetic language, in order to be an part of the cohort of control and power. Somehow, we need more poets who remember back to how Isaiah and Jeremiah and Amos and Jesus, were so powerful in language that the powers seemed threatened to them - even to the point of wanting to get rid of them.
Connection: It is good to listen to the words of the powers that be through a bias. Think of it as merely tilting your head and asking "Who benefits from this?" For example, I just heard that the house and senate of the State of Ohio passed a campaign finance bill that allows individuals to now contribute up to $10,000.00 to a candidate (that's up by quite a bit). But even more amazing, is that it is for residents 7 years old and above. Tell me what 7 year old....but maybe parents...maybe parents with a lot of money...parents who want to use that money to have things go in their favor. Now tilt your head. Who is losing out here...who is winning - big time?!?
Liberating Lord, the day is too full of all the ways the powers of the day try to keep or gain more power for themselves even if it is at the expense of others. What are we to do? How are we to act? We need you liberating presence to lift up our minds and our voices to serve all people. Amen.
We continue with some comments about the guerilla warfare in which the poet fights on the side of the oppressed.
For example, witness the black churches and civil rights movements or the liberation resistance in Latin America. The cult may be a staging for the inversion that the kings think is not possible. It is the inversion that the grim royal middle class among us does not believe in and it is the inversion that surprises people who are powerless. Inversions are not easy, not without cost, and never neat and clear.
Remember that those who claim to hold power cannot see that anyone else is able to muster enough power -of any kind- to be a threat to the status quo. And yet, with the wealth of liberation language and imagery we have in the Church, there is a power that has been used against oppressive and controlling powers throughout the generations. It is interesting to see in our own country that religious language - specifically some elements of the Church - have been using, what I would call a holy poetic language, in order to be an part of the cohort of control and power. Somehow, we need more poets who remember back to how Isaiah and Jeremiah and Amos and Jesus, were so powerful in language that the powers seemed threatened to them - even to the point of wanting to get rid of them.
Connection: It is good to listen to the words of the powers that be through a bias. Think of it as merely tilting your head and asking "Who benefits from this?" For example, I just heard that the house and senate of the State of Ohio passed a campaign finance bill that allows individuals to now contribute up to $10,000.00 to a candidate (that's up by quite a bit). But even more amazing, is that it is for residents 7 years old and above. Tell me what 7 year old....but maybe parents...maybe parents with a lot of money...parents who want to use that money to have things go in their favor. Now tilt your head. Who is losing out here...who is winning - big time?!?
Liberating Lord, the day is too full of all the ways the powers of the day try to keep or gain more power for themselves even if it is at the expense of others. What are we to do? How are we to act? We need you liberating presence to lift up our minds and our voices to serve all people. Amen.
8 March 2005
From "The Prophetic Imagination."
The poet engages in the kind of guerrilla warfare that is always necessary on behalf of oppressed people. First, the hated one must be ridiculed and made reachable, for then she may be disobeyed and seen as a nobody who claims no allegiance and keeps no promises. The big house yields no real life, need not be feared, cannot be trusted, and must not be honored.
When Israel was in Babylon, it is interesting to hear the words of Isaiah and how the gods of that powerful nation were made into nothing. It was the beginning of a new way of seeing the power of God in the midst of a captive situation. Even today, it is important for us to take a look around at all the claims of greatness that are made by the powers that be and deny them their images of grandeur they love to enjoy at the expense of others. Prophets work at reminding us of how fallible and broken are those who claim to be in control of the world. They also encourage us to stop our adoration of the life the powers of this world try to feed us. Reality is, "we don't have to take this anymore." Our God gives us a vision for life that does not need to follow the unjust and warring ways of those who say they are in power. From that vision, there is a life full of hope into which we are always invited to come and begin to live...again.
Connection: Learn how to laugh at what is said by those who claim to rule the day. It may help us all to re-view where things in our day are going.
Lord of all that is, inspire us to see in the powers around us the many ways that we are led that are contrary to the life you promise within your blessed Reign. Turn us into critics who measure the world against your promises and not the promises of people who seek to rule for their own benefit. Amen.
The poet engages in the kind of guerrilla warfare that is always necessary on behalf of oppressed people. First, the hated one must be ridiculed and made reachable, for then she may be disobeyed and seen as a nobody who claims no allegiance and keeps no promises. The big house yields no real life, need not be feared, cannot be trusted, and must not be honored.
When Israel was in Babylon, it is interesting to hear the words of Isaiah and how the gods of that powerful nation were made into nothing. It was the beginning of a new way of seeing the power of God in the midst of a captive situation. Even today, it is important for us to take a look around at all the claims of greatness that are made by the powers that be and deny them their images of grandeur they love to enjoy at the expense of others. Prophets work at reminding us of how fallible and broken are those who claim to be in control of the world. They also encourage us to stop our adoration of the life the powers of this world try to feed us. Reality is, "we don't have to take this anymore." Our God gives us a vision for life that does not need to follow the unjust and warring ways of those who say they are in power. From that vision, there is a life full of hope into which we are always invited to come and begin to live...again.
Connection: Learn how to laugh at what is said by those who claim to rule the day. It may help us all to re-view where things in our day are going.
Lord of all that is, inspire us to see in the powers around us the many ways that we are led that are contrary to the life you promise within your blessed Reign. Turn us into critics who measure the world against your promises and not the promises of people who seek to rule for their own benefit. Amen.
Sunday, March 6, 2005
7 March 2005
More of prophets and poets from Walter Brueggemann.
Hope is created by speech and before that speech Israel is always hopeless. Indeed, are we not all? Before we are addressed we know no future and no possible newness. Where there is no speech we must live in despair. And exile is first of all where our speech has been silenced and God's speech has been banished. But the prophetic poet asserts hope precisely in exile.
Exile is a place and time when we do not consider what is possible. Instead, we are trapped in what is and we are consumed by what must be - for now. The poet does not convince us of an answer to the questions of our lives. The poet sketches out a line that allows us to move from one place to another before we really know - where we are going. Hope does not need to see the end. Hope is having that which - is not - raised up so that we can begin to see that something may, indeed, exist outside of the reality in which we have let ourselves be exiled. I need words as a place to begin to be somewhere other than the place in which I see myself.
Connection: Sometimes we need only point people to words of hope in order to save them from the sound of despair that can so quickly suck life from us. We can be those words.
By your Word you bring to us a refreshing drink that enable us to continue on through what is and into what will be. Thanks be to you, O God. Amen.
Hope is created by speech and before that speech Israel is always hopeless. Indeed, are we not all? Before we are addressed we know no future and no possible newness. Where there is no speech we must live in despair. And exile is first of all where our speech has been silenced and God's speech has been banished. But the prophetic poet asserts hope precisely in exile.
Exile is a place and time when we do not consider what is possible. Instead, we are trapped in what is and we are consumed by what must be - for now. The poet does not convince us of an answer to the questions of our lives. The poet sketches out a line that allows us to move from one place to another before we really know - where we are going. Hope does not need to see the end. Hope is having that which - is not - raised up so that we can begin to see that something may, indeed, exist outside of the reality in which we have let ourselves be exiled. I need words as a place to begin to be somewhere other than the place in which I see myself.
Connection: Sometimes we need only point people to words of hope in order to save them from the sound of despair that can so quickly suck life from us. We can be those words.
By your Word you bring to us a refreshing drink that enable us to continue on through what is and into what will be. Thanks be to you, O God. Amen.
Thursday, March 3, 2005
4 March 2005
We end as we started the week - in "The Prophetic Imagination" by Walter Brueggemann.
It is likely that the only measure of faithfulness is that hope always comes after grief and that the speaker of this public expression must know and be a part of the anguish which permits hope. Hope expressed without knowledge of and participation in grief is likely to be false hope that does not reach despair. Thus...it is precisely those who know the death most painfully who can speak the hope most vigorously.
When we talk of hope coming after grief it is a reminder that hope is not optimism. Optimism turns from grief and despair and sorrow and pretends to only see that which shines like a smile. Unfortunately, a good smile can shine enough to cover up the truth and keep us from seeing what has taken place and what must take place for life to really become new. There is a road between here and the promise of new life. New life is to come...but the journey on the road is beyond our control and like a birth of any kind, the road will be filled with pain and struggle...but also...life. The optimist negates the reality of the journey and thus loses the wealth of the struggle. In the struggle comes the character of promise.
Connection: Find someone or some people who will take on the journey with you. They are there and they will not simply try to make you smile...they will walk with you.
Lord, you come within the middle of the struggles that set us free. You call us right into the middle of them so that we will know the fullness of life as is comes to us. You hold onto us and urge us to hold onto one another so that as we walk into the promised land, we will have many who will join us in the celebration of new life. Thanks be to God. Amen.
It is likely that the only measure of faithfulness is that hope always comes after grief and that the speaker of this public expression must know and be a part of the anguish which permits hope. Hope expressed without knowledge of and participation in grief is likely to be false hope that does not reach despair. Thus...it is precisely those who know the death most painfully who can speak the hope most vigorously.
When we talk of hope coming after grief it is a reminder that hope is not optimism. Optimism turns from grief and despair and sorrow and pretends to only see that which shines like a smile. Unfortunately, a good smile can shine enough to cover up the truth and keep us from seeing what has taken place and what must take place for life to really become new. There is a road between here and the promise of new life. New life is to come...but the journey on the road is beyond our control and like a birth of any kind, the road will be filled with pain and struggle...but also...life. The optimist negates the reality of the journey and thus loses the wealth of the struggle. In the struggle comes the character of promise.
Connection: Find someone or some people who will take on the journey with you. They are there and they will not simply try to make you smile...they will walk with you.
Lord, you come within the middle of the struggles that set us free. You call us right into the middle of them so that we will know the fullness of life as is comes to us. You hold onto us and urge us to hold onto one another so that as we walk into the promised land, we will have many who will join us in the celebration of new life. Thanks be to God. Amen.
3 March 2005
From "The Prophetic Imagination" by Walter Brueggemann.
...prophetic hope easily lends itself to distortion. It can be made so grandiose that it does not touch reality; it can be trivialized so that it does not impact reality; it can be "bread and circuses" so that it only supports and abets the general despair. But a prophet has another purpose in bringing hope to public expression, and that is to return the community to its single referent, the sovereign faithfulness of God.
This is the easiest piece of the reality of the Reign of God to forget - God's faithfulness! And yet, it is the rock and foundation of all things. The prophet is rarely heard because we so often do not want to hear merely that...that God is faithful. We want something more...something that we can put in our pockets to make us secure or well or better. We want to be able to sit in a seat that has a bit more control on life. Therefore, whatever the prophet will say can easily be taken by us and used to sooth us even if the word of the Lord is not meant to be taken that way. It is always good to have other faithful people listening in on the prophetic word of the day...because we often need more ears than our own to hear about the faithfulness of our God and what that brings to life.
Connection: In the mix of everything, the assurance of God's faithfulness is enough to generate life. There is no proof to this...there is only life in it.
Come Holy Spirit and grab hold of our hearts because we so quickly turn from the promises of our God and look for other ways to live. Unfortunately, nothing is working...we long for your promises to be our rest and foundation for life. Amen.
...prophetic hope easily lends itself to distortion. It can be made so grandiose that it does not touch reality; it can be trivialized so that it does not impact reality; it can be "bread and circuses" so that it only supports and abets the general despair. But a prophet has another purpose in bringing hope to public expression, and that is to return the community to its single referent, the sovereign faithfulness of God.
This is the easiest piece of the reality of the Reign of God to forget - God's faithfulness! And yet, it is the rock and foundation of all things. The prophet is rarely heard because we so often do not want to hear merely that...that God is faithful. We want something more...something that we can put in our pockets to make us secure or well or better. We want to be able to sit in a seat that has a bit more control on life. Therefore, whatever the prophet will say can easily be taken by us and used to sooth us even if the word of the Lord is not meant to be taken that way. It is always good to have other faithful people listening in on the prophetic word of the day...because we often need more ears than our own to hear about the faithfulness of our God and what that brings to life.
Connection: In the mix of everything, the assurance of God's faithfulness is enough to generate life. There is no proof to this...there is only life in it.
Come Holy Spirit and grab hold of our hearts because we so quickly turn from the promises of our God and look for other ways to live. Unfortunately, nothing is working...we long for your promises to be our rest and foundation for life. Amen.
Tuesday, March 1, 2005
2 March 2005
From "The Prophetic Imagination" by Walter Brueggemann
Speech about hope cannot be explanatory and scientifically argumentative; rather, it must be lyrical in the sense that it touches the hopeless person at many different points. More than that, however, speech about hope must be primally theological, which is to say that it must be in the language of covenant between a personal God and a community.
For a hopeless person there will be no simple ways out of hopelessness. There will be no quick fix. There will be no answer that will bring meaning and purpose to life. When people are hopeless we must find many ways to speak of what is possible within God's vision for life and many ways must be offered by many people. I may be given many ways to respond to my hopelessness, but if I am still alone to respond, I may be no better off than before. The importance of others in our lives who can stand with us and help to point out the possibilities that are unseen cannot be overlooked.
Speech about hope cannot be explanatory and scientifically argumentative; rather, it must be lyrical in the sense that it touches the hopeless person at many different points. More than that, however, speech about hope must be primally theological, which is to say that it must be in the language of covenant between a personal God and a community.
For a hopeless person there will be no simple ways out of hopelessness. There will be no quick fix. There will be no answer that will bring meaning and purpose to life. When people are hopeless we must find many ways to speak of what is possible within God's vision for life and many ways must be offered by many people. I may be given many ways to respond to my hopelessness, but if I am still alone to respond, I may be no better off than before. The importance of others in our lives who can stand with us and help to point out the possibilities that are unseen cannot be overlooked.
Connection: One of the most important words that brings hope to those who are hopeless may simply be "you." The presence of another person speak much about what is promised even when no words are being spoken. It is a good starting point.
There are days, Comforting Lord, when nothing seems to be able to fit in place and all that is done gets nothing done and losses out weigh gains. Let you Holy Spirit reside with us in those days to be the arms to hold us and nurture us and send us out into the life you give. Amen.
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