Avoiding Practical Atheism
- davidwperk
- Dec 8, 2021
- 5 min read
Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, December 8, 2021
The week of the second Sunday in Advent
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:
2‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; 3therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. . . . 5They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 937)
AM Psalm 38; PM Psalm 119:25-48
Amos 8:1-14; Rev. 1:17-2:7; Matt. 23:1-12
Today we celebrate the Feast of Richard Baxter. (See below.)
Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer
Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer
Daily Office Gospel, Matthew 23:1-12
23:1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; 3therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 4They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. (Other ancient authorities lack hard to bear) 5They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. 6They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. 8But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students.(Gk brothers) 9And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father--the one in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. (Or the Christ) 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.
David's Reflections
In some ways we all live as practical atheists. We do profess that we believe in God and that trust and faith do play a key role in our lives. But, any serious reflection will bring to light areas of inconsistency and areas where we actually function as though God did not exist. At least God's existence makes little difference in those particular areas of our lives.
For example, when you last made a major purchase, like a house or car, did you ask for divine wisdom to quicken your judgment and assist you in preserving your core values? Will that purchase lessen my financial freedom, put me into an unhealthy level of debt, and/or weaken my ability to give to support God’s mission in the world, or family members who might need assistance or charities that embody my core values?
Matthew, in this chapter, records a series of seven woes from Jesus spoken against the religious leaders of his day, people he saw masquerading as pious while behaving in ways we would call practical atheism. All Pharisees and Sadducees would not have been guilty of these shortcomings. Indeed, this chapter may well be addressed to those members who embodied the very worst expressions of those religious sects.
Matthew assembled this unique collection of sayings of Jesus because he was addressing the church of his day, warning it against that same kind of practical atheism masquerading as religious piety that some pious Jews in his day displayed. Their obedience to Law and their use of religious symbols like phylacteries (from the Greek word for “to guard,” small leather boxes worn on the left wrist and forehead and containing passages of Scripture) and tassels (worn on the hem of the outer garment) was self-serving. Religious practice for them was self-referential, meeting their needs for affirmation and praise rather than expressing praise to God and self-giving to others.
In this passage, Jesus calls on us to have God and others at the center of our spiritual practice rather than our own recognition and the meeting of our own needs. He also calls on us to avoid all elitism and self-elevation. His prohibition of labels and titles addresses the tendency of people to elevate themselves and rank themselves above others.
Obviously, if one took each prohibition in an inflexible literal sense, the point would be missed. For example, I would not be able to address my own Dad as father or my classroom teacher as teacher. Yet, the note of caution and the call to self-aware spiritual practice come through very clearly. Jesus challenges us bring our awareness of God and our faith in God to bear more fully in our lives, to eliminate more of those areas of inconsistency, to root out those dark corners where faith in God makes little or no difference in how we feel, think, behave.
Collect of the Day, Second Sunday of Advent
Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 211)
Today we celebrate the Feast of Richard Baxter, pastor and writer (died 8 Dec 1691).
Collect of the Feast of Richard Baxter
We give you thanks, most gracious God, for the devoted witness of Richard Baxter, who out of love for you followed his conscience at cost to himself, and at all times rejoiced to sing your praises in word and deed; and we pray that our lives, like his, may be well-tuned to sing the songs of love, and all our days be filled with praise of Jesus Christ our Lord; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen
A Collect for Grace
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100)
For a Church Convention
Almighty and everlasting Father, you have given the Holy Spirit to abide with us for ever: Bless, we pray, with his grace and presence, the bishops and the other clergy and the laity (Diocesan Council in January in Richmond, VA) to be assembled in your Name, that your Church, being preserved in true faith and godly discipline, may fulfill all the mind of him who loved it and gave himself for it, your Son Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 255)
A Prayer for Light
Lighten our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord; and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, Jesus Christ, Amen. (BCP, 111)
A Collect for Mission
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. (BCP, 101)
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