Love of the Right Good Thing

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, February 15, 2022

The week of the sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

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

Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:

28Then they reviled him, saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ 30The man answered, ‘Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’ 34They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 949)

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

Gen. 31:1-24; 1 John 2:1-11; John 9:18-41

Today we celebrate the Feast of Thomas Bray. (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 9:18-41

18The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19and asked them, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ 20His parents answered, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.’ 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’ 24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, ‘Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.’ 25He answered, ‘I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.’ 26They said to him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?’ 27He answered them, ‘I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’ 28Then they reviled him, saying, ‘You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’ 30The man answered, ‘Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.’ 34They answered him, ‘You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?’ And they drove him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ 36He answered, ‘And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.’ 37Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.’ 38He said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshiped him.

39 Jesus said, ‘I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.’ 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, ‘Surely we are not blind, are we?’ 41Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, “We see,” your sin remains.

David’s Reflections

Is it possible to be wrong about what we are right about? Is it possible to be right headed and wrong hearted? Former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, in a sermon, has said of what the church loves, “ . . . love of the same thing can be life giving or death dealing, depending on what it is that is loved. We can find ourselves agreeing in the love of something that eats away at the very roots of our humanity while we ignorantly suppose that it is good and godly.” *

What a spectacle this story presents—people with a profound religious commitment united against someone who has seen the ultimate light and has been transformed as a result. This blind man was in their midst as undeniable evidence of the life-giving energy in the words and actions of Jesus, but their devotion to their own presuppositions was eating away at the roots of their humanity. The Mosaic Law certainly is not evil, but it was exercising a demonic influence in their lives, captivating them and narrowing their vision of truth.

How much evil has Christianity wrought by being united in the love of the wrong thing? Devotion to any person, cause, idea, or object establishes inner and outer boundaries. Some are “inside” and others “outside” by virtue of their sharing or not sharing in that devotion.

Envision examples of the energy generated by an overzealous devotion for a certain viewpoint of biblical authority or of human sexuality, for a particular version of The Book of Common Prayer, or for a traditional or nontraditional understanding of the role of women in the church. Destructive anger arises when those boundaries are violated by people with a different viewpoint. And, that rage will not be limited to those on one particular side of the debate. People are excluded from or included in the circle of acceptability based on their sharing or not sharing in that devotion.

I repeatedly have encountered people who believe that the unity of the church lies in similar beliefs. Granted the core beliefs articulated in statements like the Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, and the Chicago-Lambeth Quadrilateral (Book of Common Prayer, pp. 876-877) do underpin the foundations of our life together. But, those devoted to theological oneness tend toward schismatic exclusivism, and they tend toward ever-shrinking circles of theologically acceptable diversity. Again, such behaviors do not evidence themselves only among fundamentalists. Left-wing zealots behave in elitist fashion as well.

For me, our unity consists in our common share in God’s Spirit and our common mission to share God’s love with all people and our sharing in Christ’s Table in Holy Communion. Given those three unifying forces, can we not treasure diversity in those areas that make less of a difference and find ways to host that diversity?

The warning light alerts you when your fuel tank gets near empty. Zealous energy and anger that excludes are warning lights that our spiritual energies have gotten attached in an idolatrous fashion to the wrong belief, person, object, or cause. The religious leaders drove this transformed person out of their community. What a spectacle! May we not repeat it.

* Sermon at the Anglican Church of the Redeemer, Amman, Jordan, Sunday, January 25, 2004.

Collect of the Day, Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 216)

Today we celebrate the Feast of Thomas Bray, priest and missionary (died 15 Feb 1730 CE).

http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Thomas_Bray.htm

Collect of the Feast of Thomas Bray

O God of compassion, who opened the heart of your servant Thomas Bray to the needs of the church in the New World: Make your church diligent at all times to propagate the Gospel, and to promote the spread of Christian knowledge; 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)

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)

A Collect for Early Evening

O Lord God Almighty, as you have taught us to call the evening, the morning, and the noonday one day; and have made the sun to know its going down: Dispel the darkness of our hearts, that by your brightness we may know you to be the true God and eternal light, living and reigning for ever and ever. 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)