Playing Games With Jesus
- davidwperk
- May 22, 2024
- 6 min read
Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Proper 2, The week of Pentecost Sunday
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:
16 ‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another,
17“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.”
18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; 19the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’
You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 967)
AM Psalm 119:1-24; PM Psalm 12, 13, 14
Prov. 6:1-19; 1 John 5:1-12; Matt. 11:16-24
Today we celebrate the Feast of Helena of Constantinople. (See below.)
David’s Reflections
Pop musician Richard “Moby” Hall, (Voodoo Child) speaks of his initial encounter with the Bible. “"When I was around 19 or 20, I read the New Testament, specifically the gospels, and I was just struck by their divinity--the feeling that humans could not have figured this out on our own. We're just not bright enough. I also was struck by how utterly difficult so many of the teachings were. I was expecting a pat on the head, like, you know, 'Go and be nice to people and be forgiving and friendly.'” *
Moby experienced the Bible as far more profound and divine than he had been led to expect. His becoming a believer resulted from that shocking experience of God’s voice in Scripture.
What do we expect? Could our expectations of God and Scripture be blinding us and rendering us incapable of hearing and receiving God’s word to us? That was proving true of Jesus’ audience. He compared his detractors to children playing games in the market. One group wants to play the wedding game, so they play flutes. But other children don’t want to play that game, so they don’t respond with wedding dances. Some want to play the funeral game—imitating the behavior of adults at a funeral. But, others don’t want to play that game either, so when the leaders wail like mourners, the other children don’t join in.
John the Baptist led an ascetic life, celibate, fasting, and avoidance of wine. Jesus also was celibate (after the fashion of Jeremiah), but he did not live the Nazarite vow of John, so he ate and drank freely. The same people who thought John demonized because of his lifestyle thought Jesus a glutton and drunkard because of his. Both were rejected but for different reasons.
Such behavior revealed the true agenda of Jesus’ detractors, pursuing their own version of piety and devotion unaffected by two totally different prophets of restoration and renewal, both of whom were calling for repentance toward God. These people had no intention of responding either to John or Jesus and their criticisms merely veiled their true agenda.
How do our behaviors in response to different spiritual leaders with different styles and messages reveal our personal agendas? Have you not known those who consistently and persistently expressed negative thoughts about a succession of clergy and a variety of lay leaders in their parish? What hidden agendas of control, power, refusal to be self reflective about one’s own life lie behind that persistent negativism. One can maintain or enhance their power position and protect themselves from direct encounter with a searching God and spiritual renewal behind a shield of negativism.
However, as the final verses today reveal, we bear responsibility ultimately for our response to God, and no amount of criticism of the messengers can protect us from the consequences of a negative response to their message. God holds us accountable for what we could have heard that we chose not to hear. (As discomforting as this may feel, we are dealing with the words of Jesus here.) Better to ask ourselves about the sources of our negativism and about what we might be missing from God by dealing in personalities. Better to look behind our reaction to the messengers for the Message being conveyed that we are avoiding.
When we encounter such negative behaviors in others in a faith community setting, we can push back against those behaviors in conversation. Lay persons in a parish depending on their clergy to deal with those behaviors puts the clergy in an impossible position. Better to take responsibility for the well being of the community and of our clergy and lay leaders by pushing back ourselves against those behaviors. Such feedback from lay people often carries more “punch” than if it came from clergy.
Consider what Jesus’ detractors missed. Thank goodness Moby Hall revised his expectations.
* Richard Melville "Moby" Hall, cited in "Culture Watch: Books, Art, Music, Film," Sojourners Magazine 37:1 (Jan 2007), p. 38.
Collect of the Day, Pentecost Sunday
Almighty God, on this day you opened the way of eternal life to every race and nation by the promised gift of your Holy Spirit: Shed abroad this gift throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospel, that it may reach to the ends of the earth; through 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, 227)
Today we celebrate the Feast of Helena of Constantinople, protector of the holy places (died ca 330 CE).
Collect of the Feast of Helena of Constantinople
Most Merciful God, who blessed your servant Helena with such grace and devotion to you that she venerated the very footsteps of our Savior; Grant unto us the same grace that, aided by her prayers and example, we also may always behold your glory in the cross of your Son. Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Grace
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100)
For the Church
Give to your Church, O God, a bold vision and a daring charity, a refreshed wisdom and a courteous understanding, that the eternal message of your Son may be acclaimed as the good news of the age; through him who makes all things new, even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
A Prayer for Light
Lighten our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord; and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, Jesus Christ, Amen. (BCP, 111)
A Collect for Mission
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. (BCP, 101)
Daily Office Gospel, Matthew 11:16-24
16 ‘But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market-places and calling to one another,
17“We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.”
18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; 19the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’*
20 Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of power had been done, because they did not repent. 21‘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 in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven?
No, you will be brought down to Hades.
For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I tell you that on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you.’
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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