Time for Fire Not Ashes
- davidwperk
- Dec 19, 2024
- 7 min read
Devotional Reflection, Thursday, December 19, 2024
The week of the third Sunday in Advent
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:
3:1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.' 3This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, 'The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”' . . . . 11'I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 938)
AM Psalm 50; PM Psalm [59, 60] or 33
Isa. 9:18-10:4; 2 Pet. 2:10b-16; Matt. 3:1-12
Today we celebrate the Feast of Lillian Thrasher. (See below.)
David's Reflections
Of the Holy Spirit, J. S. Whale said, "Without this fire, religion is dead ashes." + John the Baptist saw such a fire, the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God, on the horizon. The Messiah was near, the savior promised by the prophets, and he would usher in the last days, the time of salvation. The Holy Spirit would be poured out, in fulfillment of Joel's promise (Joel 2). Those who turned to God and believed would be part of the Messiah's new community. Those who rejected him would suffer judgment. No dead ashes in John’s message, except for those who do not turn to God.
John's remarks about depending on ancestry in Abraham underlined his radical call. God was reconstituting and renewing God’s people, and the organizing principle would be response to the Coming One, the one whose coming John the Baptist's ministry anticipated. To count on descent from Abraham would be of no avail and would leave one outside this new messianic community, a rather radical claim. How would we respond to a messenger who said The Episcopal Church was being reconstituted and those who did not turn to God would be outside that community?
Jesus’ ministry began with an anointing of the Holy Spirit in his baptism and continued with preaching, teaching, and healing in the power of the Spirit. God poured out the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and the new community, begun in Jesus' earthly ministry, became the church of the Risen Lord, indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Again, no dead ashes here.
What are we to anticipate in this Advent season? Could it be the freshness of the wind of the Holy Spirit, awakening in us that renewed sense of Jesus' presence? Could it be a surge of spiritual energy and passion for sharing the message of Jesus with those who have not yet experienced him as a loving and transforming presence? Could it be a deeper hunger for community with others who share our faith and our passion? We have plenty of dead ashes in our past experience. Time for some fire.
John's preaching brought the hearers hard up against their spiritual lack. His words awakened a profound sense of powerlessness and emptiness, prompting many of his hearers to receive baptism in anticipation of the Messiah's anointing them with the Spirit. If we find ourselves feeling particularly empty, frustrated, powerless, and hungry, it may well be that Christ's word in Scripture, in sermon, in song, and in the voices of others has hollowed out our souls and dried up our hearts, preparing us for a fresh release of Christ’s Spirit in our lives. Self-satisfaction and/or apathy would be the opposite state of being, dead ashes as it were.
In this Advent, let us bring our empty, thirsty, hungry selves to Christ in faith, believing that he will pour out his presence, love, and energy into our conscious experience. Michael Ramsey, former Archbishop of Canterbury, spoke of this spiritual hunger in a sermon to candidates for ordination. "You put yourself with God, empty perhaps, but hungry and thirsty for (God) him; and if in sincerity you cannot say that you want God you can perhaps tell (God) him that you want to want (God) him; and if you cannot say even that perhaps you can say that you want to want to want (God) him! Thus you can be very near (God) him in your naked sincerity and (God) he will do the rest, drawing out from you longings deeper than you knew were there and pouring into you . . . trust and . . . love . . . ." *
We can make theologian Clark Pinnock’s Prayer to the Spirit ours.
"Welcome Holy Spirit, come and set us free! Let each one catch the living flame and be ravished by your love! Let our souls glow with your fire. Help us overcome our forgetfulness of Spirit.">
+ John Whale, cited by Leander Keck, Mandate to Witness (Valley Forge: Judson, 1964), p. 31.
* Michael Ramsey, The Christian Priest Today, rev. ed. (Cambridge: Cowley, 1987), pp. 14-15.
>Clark H. Pinnock, Flame of Love: A Theology of the Holy Spirit. Second edition. Forward and Commentary by Daniel Castelo. (Downers Grove:IL, IVP Academic, 2022), p. 1
Collect of the Day, The Third Sunday of Advent
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 212)
Today we celebrate the Feast of Lillian Thrasher, missionary to Egypt (died 17 Dec 1961 CE).
Collect of the Feast of Lillian Thrasher
God, whose everlasting arms support the universe: We thank you for moving the heart of Lillian Trasher to heroic hospitality on behalf of orphaned children in great need, and we pray that we also may find our hearts awakened and our compassion stirred to care for your little ones, through the example of our Savior Jesus Christ and by the energy of your Holy Spirit, who broods over the world like a mother over her children; for they live and reign with you, one God, for ever and ever. 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)
Of the Holy Eucharist (Especially suitable for Thursdays)
God our Father, whose Son our Lord Jesus Christ in a wonderful Sacrament has left us a memorial of his passion: Grant us so to venerate the sacred mysteries of his Body and Blood, that we may ever perceive within ourselves the fruit of his redemption; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 252)
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 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 Gospel Matthew 3:1-12
3:1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.' 3This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, 'The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."' 4Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, 'You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9Do not presume to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our ancestor"; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11'I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.'
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
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