The Spirituality of Dispossessing

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, June 8, 2023

The week of Trinity Sunday (Proper 4)

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

Key phrases for reflection from today’s epistle reading:

7 Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. 8I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. 9For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. 10And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something— 11now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. 12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have

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

Daily Office Lectionary readings: (BCP, 968)

AM Psalm 50; PM Psalm [59, 60] or 8, 84

Deuteronomy 16:18-20, 17:14-20; 2 Corinthians 8:1-16; Luke 18:1-8

Today we celebrate the Feast of Melania the Elder. (See below.)

David’s Reflections

Fred Craddock, a New Testament specialist, taught the art of preaching to seminarians throughout his ministry. He once commented on verse 9 of this passage as follows: ". . . there is no separation between spiritual and material. . . . There is nothing mundane and outside the concern and responsibility of the Christian . . . There are not two worlds (spiritual/material) but one. Money for the relief of the poor is as 'spiritual' as prayer, or tongues, or other exercises in soul cultivation." *

Craddock has captured the spirit of Paul in this passage. Paul was reasoning with a rather self-absorbed congregation to join in an offering he was gathering for the relief of poverty among Christians in Jerusalem. Oddly, from among some of those Jerusalem Christians Paul had experienced some of his most serious disagreement and opposition. They objected to his radical inclusion of Gentiles in the Christian community without the dietary restrictions of Judaism and without circumcision (see Galatians 1-2 for the backdrop).

Yet, Paul gives no hints of using money as a power tool by withholding it from those with whom he had his sharpest differences. How unlike the church in our culture where money is a power tool to enforce ideological or vision conformity and is withheld if those conformities are lacking.

In our text, he teaches about giving money as a spiritual matter. He knows nothing of the dichotomy between spiritual and material. How one relates to their possessions says volumes about how they relate to God and to the suffering and deprived, the very people whose suffering God seeks to alleviate. To dispossess, let go of our possessions, to practice hospitality and generosity for the sake of the suffering and deprived, makes our relating to our possessions a profoundly spiritual matter.

Verse 9 sits in the midst of this appeal like a rose brimming with color in the sun. “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.” Paul appeals to the humiliation of Jesus (See Philippians 2:5-9 for a fuller statement of this theme), The Son of God stepped into human existence, forever dissolving the barrier between spiritual and material. In doing so, Jesus gave himself up to the deprivations and limits of human existence to bring God’s saving love into our experience. He dispossessed in order to save.

In the same way, we are called to dispossess our possessions. We are called to understand that the way we relate to our possessions says everything about how important is our relationship with God and with the suffering ones on whom God lavishes love and saving energy. Paul’s example and teaching call on us to eschew the uses of money as a power tool to enforce doctrinal conformity or to control the agenda of a Christian community. If Christ did not withhold himself from people whose beliefs and outlook were foreign to him, how can we justify our clinging to our possessions or our power strategies that involve money? How can we justify clinging to our money and lavishing its benefits on ourselves?

* Fred B. Craddock, "The Poverty of Christ: An Investigation of 2 Corinthians 8:9." Interpretation 22 (Apr 68):168.

Collect of the Day, The Day of Pentecost: Whitsunday

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son 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 Melania the Elder, monastic (died ca 410 or 417). http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Melania_elder.html

Collect of the Feast of Melania the Elder

Most High and Merciful God, who called your servant Melania to forsake earthly comforts in order to devote herself to studying the scriptures and to welcoming the poor; instruct us in the ways of poverty and the grace of hospitality, that we might comfort those who have no place to rest and teach the way of your love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

A Collect for Protection

O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night. Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (BCP, 124)

A Collect for the Presence of Christ

Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen. (BCP, 124)

For Peace

Almighty God, kindle, we pray, in every heart the true love of peace, and guide with your wisdom those who take counsel for the nations of the earth, that in tranquility your dominion may increase until the earth is filled with the knowledge of your love; 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, 258)

A Collect for Mission

O God and Father of all, whom the whole heavens adore: Let the whole earth also worship you, all nations obey you, all tongues confess and bless you, and men and women everywhere love you and serve you in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 124)

Daily Office Epistle, 2 Corinthians 8:1-16

8:1We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; 2for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, 4begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints— 5and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, 6so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking among you.

7 Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. 8I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. 9For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. 10And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something— 11now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. 12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have. 13I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between 14your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. 15As it is written, ‘The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.’

16 But thanks be to God who put in the heart of Titus the same eagerness for you that I myself have.

Daily Prayer Offices in The Book of Common Prayer Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer Noonday Prayer, p. 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