Notes for Reflection

September 20                                                NOTES FOR REFLECTION

Texts:   Jeremiah 11:18-20; James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a; Mark 9:30-37

Theme:  All sorts of possibilities seem to be on offer this week.  The main point of all three readings seems to suggest something about the spiritual perils of personal ambition.  "Shoot the Messenger" could do for our first lesson, "Every Man for Himself" (or some gender-inclusive version) for the second; and "Pick me!  Pick me!" for the gospel reading.  All of which is a pretty more comment on our human nature, isn't it?  Perhaps "Going Counter-Cultural" is a fairly calm, but potent theme, particularly if we're putting the emphasis on the gospel teaching, except that the whole Gospel is counter-cultural!  I'm playing safe and going for "Downward Mobility" or "Downwardly Mobile".

Introduction.  There is something about Jeremiah that suggests to me that he would have been a natural for "Reality TV", Facebook and Twitter!  He holds nothing back, sharing his feelings on every occasion.  This week he even reveals to us an astonishing naivety; apparently he had no idea that the power elite were so enraged by his prophetic utterances against them that they were plotting his downfall.  Also in reality TV mode James takes us inside the life and times of the infant church and reveals power struggles, back-biting, and sheer nastiness that suggests that their conversion was far from complete.  And once again we have a rather unflattering portrait of Jesus' hand-picked disciples, afraid to ask Jesus what he is talking about, and equally afraid to tell him what they have been talking about!

Background.  Last Sunday my daughter was a participant in the Cadbury's Half-Marathon in Dunedin.  Please notice immediately the word "participant" rather than "competitor".  No doubt, for a small percentage of the hundreds of runners and walkers in the various events it was a competition – they were there to win their event if they possibly could.  But for all the rest, if they were competing at all, it was with themselves; for those who had run in similar events before they were perhaps hoping to improve their personal best time; for first-timers, a s more modest goal, perhaps, of trying to prove to themselves that they could get to the finishing line and live to tell the tale.  For some the aim was simply to have fun and get their friends to take selfies.  A few were in fancy dress – others were using the event to publicise and raise funds for a charitable cause.  Gathered at the start of the half-marathon run and walk outside the stadium were all shapes, sizes, ages and degrees of fitness.  The Olympics, it was not – it was something far better than that.  It was a shared adventure, where everyone was cheered and supported.  Not a national flag in sight, and all the better for it.

Who was the greatest of all?  Well, I guess someone was declared the winner in each event; but there were no losers in any of them.  Perhaps it was summed up for my by a placard my daughter noticed as she jogged along: a spectator held up a sign which read, "I'm proud of you, complete stranger!"  Yes, for me it was a special moment when, standing at the finishing line I saw my daughter coming down the last stretch (it would have been hard not to see her in her purple and pink outfit!), smiling contentedly as she realised that she was inside her target time in just her second ever half-marathon.  And what made the moment even more special was the realisation that I wasn't the only one cheering her and the other participants as they completed the events.  Complete strangers were proud of all the participants and didn't mind showing it. 

I arrived home to the news that the British Labour Party had elected a new leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who was probably the first leader of the Party since Michael Foot to be left of the Conservative Party.  Tony Blair, a self-professed Christian, has not let his faith prevent him from launching a series of attacks on Mr Corbyn, whose great sin is said to be that he is "unelectable".  [Nobody ever said that of Ed Milliband, who failed at the last election – beaten by the "unelectable" Mr Cameron.]  Be all that as it may, the thing that may be over-looked in all this hand-wringing and axe-grinding is the nature of the man.  Alone of the candidates, Mr Corbyn had never sought the office – he had to be persuaded to stand; and alone of the candidates he never criticised the others.  He stood on principle and policy, not personality.  I feel fairly confident that St James would have voted for him.

Also on Sunday came the news that Tony Abbott was once again facing a rebellion in the ranks, and this time he was unable to hold on.  As he had taken the leadership from Mr Turnbull in a very similar manner, he might find sympathy hard to come by.  But when one of Mr Turnbull's most ardent supporters described him as "fiercely ambitious" (he meant it as a compliment!) I realised that St James would either have abstained or voted for Mr Abbott.

The temptation for us is to assume that all such power plays are confined to the world of politics.  The present wrangle over the flag is routinely described as "politicians being politicians", as if the rest of us would never dream of engaging in such behaviour.  Really?  Have you never witnessed it in your family, in your place of employment, in your social clubs, or in your local church?  I once joked to the then Bishop of Wellington that after working in the parliamentary world for nearly 20 years I got so interested in politics I joined the Church.  It wasn't long before I realised why the Bishop felt my remark was more prophetic than funny.  I have attended four electoral Synods, two in the Diocese of Wellington and two in the Diocese of Dunedin, and at each I have seen and heard behaviour that was on a par with the worst I experienced in my parliamentary years.  I have advised three Bishops from time to time who were threatened with legal action by members of the Church displeased with some decision or other; and I have seen many instances where someone has refused to stand down gracefully from a position or ministry to make space for someone else.

Who is the greatest among us?  Those who willingly participate but never compete.  That's what I learned last Sunday, the first Sunday in a very long time that I wasn't attending a church service.

Jeremiah 11:18-20.  When it comes to "unelectability" Jeremiah would have to be the standard- setter!  It was not his fault, of course, but "just following orders" is never a strategy that wins understanding and acceptance.  A prophet's job is always the same: to speak Truth to those who do not want to hear it.  The Truth Jeremiah was given to speak was particularly unpalatable: because of continual disobedience, God was going to punish the nation big-time.  Rather than take heed of the message, the power elite plotted to silence the messenger.  In verse 19 Jeremiah claimed to have been quite unaware of the plot against him.  God, however, forewarned him, and he put his faith in God.  Notice that he wanted, not just vindication and personal safety, but divine retribution against the plotters.  All very natural, if not particularly holy!

Taking It Personally.

·        Do you find the distinction between "participants" and "competitors" helpful or unhelpful in the context of your local community of faith?  Which are you?

·        Are you aware of any "power struggles" within your local community of faith?  What is your view of them?

·        Have you ever sought a particular position or ministry, or do you wait to be asked?  Are you willing to stand aside and allow others the opportunity to take over, or are you inclined to "defend your turf"?

 

James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a.  St James is as direct as ever.  In language very similar to Paul's in his Corinthian correspondence, he paints an excruciating picture of the early church as a nest of envy and selfish ambition, which necessarily produce "disorder and wickedness of every kind".  He urges them to seek "wisdom from above", better known to us, perhaps, as the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  His description of the fruits of such wisdom is similar to Paul's description of the fruits of the Spirit.  In this context, note especially the phrase "willing to yield" in verse 17.  James is also like Paul in being a great psychologist: his analysis of the root of the problem in the opening verse of chapter 4 is masterly.

 

Taking It Personally.

 

·        This is a good passage to use for a personal spiritual stock-take.  Read it through slowly and prayerfully, asking the Holy Spirit to "underline" for you any words or phrases that you need to ponder.  Monitor your feelings as you work your way through the passage.  Note particularly any discomfort you may feel.

·        Call to mind any situation in your life where there is or has been conflict.  What light, if any, does this passage shed on that situation, and the way in which you and others involved have behaved?

·        Pray for an extra helping of "the wisdom that comes from above" whenever you feel tensions rising.  Be "willing to yield" when the Spirit guides you to do so.

 

Mark 9:30-37.  One of my priestly mentors once told me of a strategy he developed early in his ministry for coping at parish meetings when things were becoming a bit heated.  He imagined Jesus sitting down with his disciples, looking around the room, and thinking to himself, "I must have been out of my tree when I chose this lot!"  A bit disrespectful, perhaps, but I've used this approach myself on occasion and it does help bring down my blood pressure.  This passage is one of those where Jesus himself might have been pushed into using it.  Despite everything he had taught and shown them, despite Peter's Spirit-led proclamation of Jesus' true identity as the Messiah, and despite even the vision of the Transfiguration, the disciples still didn't seem to have grasped what he was talking about in speaking about his forthcoming death and resurrection.  Worse, they were too afraid to ask him for an explanation.  They then set off for base camp in Capernaum, and on the way they seemed to be having a heated discussion among themselves – not about who Jesus is and what is going to happen to him – not even about Jesus at all.  They were arguing among themselves about their own relative "merits" – who among them was "the greatest"?  Little wonder that, when Jesus asked them what they were arguing about, they were afraid to tell him!  No doubt, their criteria of greatness related to their "spiritual gifts" – or their ability to convince others – or their steadfastness in the face of opposition, or whatever.  And it was all about competition, not participation.  Jesus turned the whole argument on its head.  The real criterion for measuring discipleship is the willingness or otherwise of the disciple to serve others.

 

Taking It Personally.

 

·        A good passage for praying with the imagination.  Put yourself among the disciples.  Listen to their discussions about what Jesus means.  Do you understand what Jesus has said?  Is there anything you would like to know from Jesus but are too afraid to ask?

·        Follow along the road with them as they start debating their relative merits.  How do you feel about this?  Does it remind you of similar discussions you have witnessed in your local faith community?  Or in your family?

·        Are you willing to be the "servant of all", even if your service often goes unnoticed?

·        Reflect on verses 36 and 37.  What point is Jesus trying to make to his disciples here?

·        How well does the Church fulfil its role as servant of all?  Is it too closely aligned with the power elite of our society? 

·        Would Jesus' teaching mean that he is "unelectable" today?