Embodying the Divine

Daily Office Devotional, Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The week of the seventh Sunday of Easter

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

Daily Office Lectionary readings

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

Ezekiel 7:10-15,23b-27; Hebrews 6:13-20; Luke 10:1-17

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, Luke 10:1-17

10:1After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. 2He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” 6And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 7Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 8Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.” 10But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11“Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.” 12I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town. 13‘Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. 16‘Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.’

17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’

David's Reflections

If journey is the primary metaphor for the Christian life in Luke, verse 1 of this text reverses the roles. Normally, Jesus leads and we follow. Here the seventy disciples lead and go ahead of the Jesus who is to follow. Jesus gives voice to that dynamic of forerunner in verse sixteen. "Whoever listens to you, listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me."

One clue to his meaning may be in the number of cities. It would have been very unlikely that Jesus would be able to visit thirty-five cites and towns personally. This command feels more like an anticipation of the mission of the church after the resurrection. Perhaps this statement refers to the spiritual coming of Jesus after the resurrection, what we see in Acts at Pentecost (Acts 2). Luke 10:16 does in fact present the 70 as taking the place of Jesus.

Now, that makes sense. In what way do we "go before" Jesus as a way of following him? He lives within us. Wherever we go, our presence and actions embody Jesus in the world. How else can Jesus personally and physically hug a child or feed a hungry person or keep company with a lonely person or share the story of salvation with an unbelieving person? Now that he has risen and ascended, he embodies our presence in heaven but no longer embodies God's presence among us. Now, we embody that presence, his presence, in the world.

How can Jesus' presence be embodied in your work place, your home, your health club, your neighborhood? If Jesus' coming tells us anything, it is that God wants to express divine love in a bodily fashion, personally, one-on-one. Today, God will be doing that through you and me. Is that my intent, to express God's love through my life today, my actions, my speech, my attitudes? No one but you can bring Jesus’ loving presence and action into your arenas of work, play, family, neighborhood, and relational circle.

As Rilke put it, probably referring to his poetic art, but in language that speaks to our embodying Christ in the world:

God speaks to each of us as he makes us,

then walks with us silently out of the night.

These are the words we dimly hear:

You, set out beyond your recall,

go to the limits of your longing.

Embody me.

[Rainer Maria Rilke, Rilke’s Book of Hours: Love Poems to God. Trans. Anita Barrows and Joana Macy. (New York: Riverhead Books, 2005), p. 119.]

Collect of the day, Seventh Sunday of Easter: The Sunday after Ascension Day

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen. (BCP, 226)

A Collect for the Weekdays of Easter

God of infinite mercy, you renew the faith of your people by the yearly celebration of these fifty days: Stir up in us the gifts of your grace, that we may know more deeply that Baptism has cleansed us, the Spirit has quickened us, and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us; 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

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 99)

For the Departed

Almighty God, we remember before you today your faithful servant N.; and we pray that, having opened to him the gates of larger life, you will receive him more and more into your joyful service, that, with all who have faithfully served you in the past, he may share in the eternal victory of Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 253)

In the Order of Worship for Evening

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, creator of the changes of day and night, giving rest to the weary, renewing the strength of those who are spent, bestowing upon us occasions of song in the evening. As you have protected us in the day that is past, so be with us in the coming night; keep us from every sin, every evil, and every fear; for you are our light and salvation, and the strength of

our life. To you be glory for endless ages. Amen. (BCP, 113)

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)