Living With Prophetic Urgency

Devotional Reflection, Friday, July 4, 2024

Proper 8, the week of the sixth Sunday after Pentecost

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

Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:

18But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, `Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used for the tax.' And they brought him a denarius. 20Then he said to them, `Whose head is this, and whose title?' 21They answered, `The emperor's.' Then he said to them, `Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God’s.'

You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end of this reflection.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 973)

AM Psalm 140, 142; PM Psalm 141, 143:1-11(12)

Num. 24:1-13; Rom. 8:12-17; Matt. 22:15-22

David's Reflections

On a road trip several years ago, I crossed over a major river on an elevated bridge.  In the flood plain to the right lay a lovely farm with the home, barns, fields, and equipment etched on the green surface.  Outside the fence, a flagpole reached 50 feet toward the clouds.  At the top flew an American flag and just below it fluttering in the breeze, a Confederate battle flag.

    My southern Louisiana gene pool responded with two sets of reactions.

First, I felt immediately my connection to the land and the people of the south.  But, then I found myself wondering out loud whether this person was in fact a patriotic American first or a southerner first.  Had the flags been reversed, the answer would have been obvious.

    In today's Gospel, Jesus reminds us that God receives our primary loyalty.  We live under God’s sovereign rule.  If civil authority demands that we disobey the clear teachings of our faith and violate our conscience, we have no choice but to refuse obedience to that authority.  As we noted earlier in the week, the circle of things we render to God, in that understanding, outsizes the circle of things we render Caesar, or civil authority.  In fact, our citizenship circle lies within that larger circle of our loyalty to God.  If government’s expectations of obedient citizenship seek to pull us out of that larger circle, we refuse to go.

   So, if we had a flagpole, we might fly two flags. At the top, if we had one, we would fly a “Christian faith flag.”, Just below it would hang the American flag.  Those can never be reversed.  "My country right or wrong" cannot be the Christian's watchword, because that represents idolatry and a betrayal of the prophetic traditions of the Old and New Testaments, including Jesus himself.  The heroes of faith in Scripture risked themselves in opposition to unjust and idolatrous demands from kings and overlords.

On a more personal note, I feel perplexed when driving by a church flying the American flag out front. We are not a post office or a recruiting station for the armed forces. We are a community of faith. What happens to our prophetic voice if we become an outpost for the government rather than an outpost for the kingly rule of God? Dissent is built into the American psyche—it is a core value. Communities of faith dissent with prophetic urgency when our core values get lost by government or when government pulls  us toward violating its own core values.

    On July 4, I get goose bumps when singing the National Anthem.  I

recall the nightmares of my Dad and uncles lingering because of their service in WW II.  I grieve for Terry Cross, my high school classmate mangled and left dead by a booby trap in Viet Nam as a platoon leader.  I grieve for Leslie Bratton, my college classmate, felled there by a sniper's bullet.  But, I hope that just above that American flag on the pole of my personal loyalty my Christian faith flag will hang. No better way to be a good citizen than to challenge the violation of our core values as communities of faith and our country’s core values as expressed in our founding documents.

Think of yourself and your faith community living with prophetic urgency and remain alert to those dissonances that call for us to step up and speak truth to power.

Collect of the Day, Proper 8, the third Sunday after Pentecost

Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone: Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (BCP, 230)

A Collect for Fridays

Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (BCP, 97)

A Collect for Quiet Confidence

O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, to your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (BCP, 832)

In the Evening

O Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy, grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at the last. Amen.   (BCP, 833)

A Collect for Mission

O God of all the nations of the earth: Remember the multitudes who have been created in your image but have not known the redeeming work of our Savior Jesus Christ; and grant that, by the prayers and labors of your holy Church, they may be brought to know and worship you as you have been revealed in your Son; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 257)

Daily Office Gospel, Matthew 22:15-22

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted to entrap him in what he said. 16So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, `Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?' 18But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, `Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19Show me the coin used for the tax.' And they brought him a denarius. 20Then he said to them, `Whose head is this, and whose title?' 21They answered, `The emperor's.' Then he said to them, `Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's.' 22When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.

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