Having a Good, Clean Fight
- davidwperk
- Sep 17, 2024
- 6 min read
Devotional Reflection, Monday, September 16, 2024
Proper 19, the week of the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:
37Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38But Paul decided not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. 39The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
You will find the full test of today’s Acts reading at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 985)
AM Psalm 56, 57, [58]; PM Psalm 64, 65
Job 40:1-24; Acts 15:36-16:5; John 11:55-12:8
Today we celebrate the Feast of Ninian of Galloway.. (See below.)
David's Reflections
Conflict--someone once observed that in any conflict there are two sets of issues, what that person called the ping-pong ball and bowling ball issues. If you keep your eyes only on the surface issues about which you are in conflict—the ping pong balls going back and forth—the bowling balls rolling under the table—the real issues—will break your ankles.
Our church conflicts at the ping-pong ball level can be about prayer books, the ordination of women, the ordination of homosexuals, etc. Could there be deeper bowling ball issues—how one reads Holy Scripture, who's in charge, who likes whom, who has done what to whom in the past—that keep rolling under the table and breaking our church community and personal ankles? We obviously have much to learn about creative conflict resolution, having a good, clean fight.
In the Acts account in today’s reading, Paul and Barnabas, friends and coworkers, find themselves in a sharp disagreement about taking John Mark on a second missionary circuit. The reason for Paul's unwillingness is stated to be John Mark's premature return from the previous journey. Could it be that this really is a ping-pong ball issue and that the deeper bowling ball issues could have had to do with personalities--who was in charge, or the missionary agenda itself?
The vision statement of the church where I served as start up priest, All Souls, Mechanicsville, VA, says with reference to conflict that we will be "valuing and honoring difference and conflict as ways to stronger community and to greater intimacy and unity in Christ." Those are high ideals and tough realties into which to live, but passages like this in Acts certainly call on us to normalize conflict, not be surprised when it happens, and to seek resolution to avoid entrenched and divisive differences.
We experience a Christian community in a precious window of time. We are together for all too brief a moment in the ongoing journey of our lives. Those crucial and fragile bonds of mutual affection and the unity the Spirit of God generates over mission and vision must be guarded and nourished through the inevitable moments of disagreement and disappointment in one another. Jesus’ teaching (Matthew 5; 18), Paul’s example (Gal. 2:11-20) and teaching (Gal. 6:1-8), and passages like this one normalize conflict and give us precedents for responding creatively to difference in community. We can go beyond merely tolerating difference to treasuring it and seeking to learn from each other’s perspectives.
We will be at our best when mission remains the core value and we embrace difference and seek to resolve conflict in ways that advance the mission of the Gospel in the world. This lies within our grasp if we repent of our need to control and seek grace to embrace difference. God’s grace will always pull us toward having a good, clean fight, conflict that stretches us into greater tolerance for difference and that gets resolved in ways that keep mission at the center.
Collect of the Day, Proper 19, the seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 233)
Today we celebrate the Feast of Ninian of Galloway, bishop and missionary to Scotland (died ca 432 CE).
Collect of the Feast of Ninian of Galloway
O God, who by the preaching of your blessed servant and bishop Ninian caused the light of the Gospel to shine in the land of Britain: Grant, we pray, that having his life and labors in remembrance, we may show our thankfulness by following the example of his zeal and patience; 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 the Renewal of Life
O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness while it was day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 99)
Of the Holy Spirit
Almighty and most merciful God, grant that by the indwelling of your Holy Spirit we may be enlightened and strengthened for your service; 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, 251)
In the Order of Worship for Evening
Almighty, everlasting God, let our prayer in your sight be as incense, the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice. Give us grace to behold you, present in your Word and Sacraments, and to recognize you in the lives of those around us. Stir up in us the flame of that love which burned in the heart of your Son as he bore his passion, and let it burn in us to eternal life and to the ages of ages. Amen. (BCP, 113)
A Collect for Mission
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100, 257)
Daily Office Epistle, Acts 15:36-16:5
36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, `Come, let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.' 37Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38But Paul decided not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. 39The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
16:1Paul went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. 2He was well spoken of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium. 3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they went from town to town, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in
Jerusalem. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in numbers daily.
Daily Offices in the Book of Common Prayer
Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer
Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer
Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer
Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer
Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer
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