Celebrating the Presence

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Proper 14, week of the ninth Sunday after Pentecost

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:

29He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. 30He must increase, but I must decrease.’

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 979)

AM Psalm 97, 99, [100]; PM Psalm 94, [95]

Judges 13:1-15; Acts 5:27-42; John 3:22-36

Today we celebrate the Feast of Edith Stein. (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, John 3:22-36

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time there with them and baptized. 23John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized 24—John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison. 25Now a discussion about purification arose between John’s disciples and a Jew. 26They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’ 27John answered, ‘No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. 28You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, “I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.” 29He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. 30He must increase, but I must decrease.’ 31The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. 33Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. 34He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God’s wrath.

David’s Reflections

The opening lines of Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” read:

Joy, bright spark of divinity,

Daughter of Elysium,

Fire-inspired we tread

Thy sanctuary.

Thy magic power re-unites

All that custom has divided;

All men become brothers

Under the sway of thy gentle wings.

Whoever has created

An abiding friendship,

Or has won

A true and loving wife;

All who can call at least one soul theirs

Join in our song of praise!

But any who cannot must creep tearfully

Away from our circle. *

In John’s Gospel, John the Baptist sees himself as the friend of the bridegroom, like the “best man,” who takes total delight in stepping back to make room for the bridegroom and in watching them come together in marriage. (see v. 29 above.) Jesus is the bridegroom and Israel the bride. In this, John’s last witness to Jesus, we get a window into what drove him to preach and to withstand the criticisms of his opponents—the joy of participating in the bringing together of Jesus and his beloved people.

My mind’s eye brings a collage of images into view, spurred by this verse. I see the faces of people who responded to my invitation or to that of others to consider faith in Christ, made their commitment, and received Christian baptism and Holy Communion. I see the faces of infants and children receiving the anointing with oil after Holy Baptism. I see the faces of people who had dropped out of the worship life of the church and had returned, receiving Holy Communion and finding love in community for the first time in years.

Words do not suffice to verbalize the joy such images evoke in the moment and in memory. No better motive exists for risking rejection and embarrassment in the service of bringing people into living contact with God’s love and the love of a caring community.

If there were no afterlife or if there were no risk of anyone being alienated from God eternally, the risks of sharing would be worth it for the sheer joy of knowing that others will have God’s love and forgiveness active in their lives so long as they live. People starve emotionally and spiritually apart from God and from loving community. So much of the striving for wealth, pleasure, power, and connection evidences just how deeply and pervasively that craving works in the human soul.

For the sheer joy of being friend of the bridegroom, who might we begin praying for? Who might we begin investing in emotionally and relationally? What better way to express our belief in the importance of friendship and relationship than to begin paying attention to the spiritual hungers of those we know and love and of beginning to find ways to invite them to the wedding?

Schiller’s closing lines bespeak John’s joy and John’s question to us, were he here, “Don’t you want to share this joy?” We might add that the Creator may also be found in our hearts, seeking to answer our hunger for reality and pouring out divine joy through the Spirit. (See Romans 14:16, “the kingdom of God . . . . is righteous and peace and joy in he Holy Spirit.”)

Brothers, above the starry canopy

There must dwell a loving Father.

Do you fall in worship, you millions?

World, do you know your Creator?

Seek Him in the heavens!

Above the stars must He dwell. *

• Friedrich von Schiller: Ode "An die Freude" https://www.poetry.com/poem/14346/ode-to-joy

Collect of the Day, Proper 14. The ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 232)

Today we celebrate the Feast of Edith Stein, philosopher and monastic (died 9 Aug 1942 CE).

Collect of the Feast of Clare of Assisi

O God, whose blessed Son became poor that we, through his poverty, might become rich: Deliver us from an inordinate love of this world, that we, inspired by the devotion of your servant Clare, might serve you with singleness of heart and attain to the riches of the age to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

A Collect for Peace

Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen. (BCP, 123)

Of the Departed

Eternal Lord God, you hold all souls in life: Give to your whole Church in paradise and on earth your light and your peace; and grant that we, following the good examples of those who have served you here and are now at rest, may at the last enter with them into your unending joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 253)

A Collect for Early Evening

Grant us, Lord, the lamp of charity which never fails, that it may burn in us and shed its light on those around us, and that by its brightness we may have a vision of that holy City, where dwells the true and never-failing Light, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 110)

A Collect for Mission

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (BCP, 100)