Homily: September 16, 2018.
Proper 19
St. Christopher’s, Spartanburg, SC
Opening
Thank you for the invitation to celebrate the Eucharist with you this morning.
The weather’s a little bit dicey – but on the whole …
Spartanburg has been for us generally a place we pass through on our way to somewhere else, Asheville, Atlanta, even Ohio.
But now I’ve been here twice to supply. It’s good to get to know the people who call Spartanburg home.
I learned just this past week that one of the clergy I meet regularly with spent some formative time here back in the 1980’s, Sally Franklin.
Scripture
I’m preparing a talk to be given in October where I’m supposed to say something about what is distinctive about the Anglican communion – particularly with regard to Scripture, Tradition, and Sacraments.
In my ministry it has been common place to hear from teachers of various kinds that the Episcopal Church takes Scripture very seriously. Our liturgy comes with a very heavy dose of Scripture readings. Ann B. Davis of the Bob Cummings show and The Brady Bunch used to say that when she read the Bible for the first time, she was shocked at how often it quoted the Book of Common Prayer. That’s how bad it is for us. Scripture is everywhere for us.
At the same time, my general impression in a long ministry, has been that Episcopalians tend to not know very much about the Bible. We don’t memorize verses on purpose. Our Bible Study groups – that are everywhere – are usually attended by just a few folks. I suspect that you in the congregation today are heavily represented in the Bible study groups here at St. Christophers.
One subject in the Bible that most Christians are not particularly knowledge about – to say nothing about most Episcopalians – is in the Wisdom literature.1
The Wisdom books in the Bible are: Proverbs, Psalms, Job, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Book of Wisdom, Wisdom of Sirach, and to some extent Baruch (the last three are Apocryphal / Deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament)." Wikipedia
It was a type of literature that could be found in many different cultures of the Middle East and Mediterranean.
"… It consists of statements by sages and wise men that offer teachings about divinity and virtue. It is in some ways an alternate perspective from that of the classical prophets in the Old Testament. Later we will have competition between Scribes and Pharisees. It’s a little like that. There are voices that urge the traditional ways and there are voices that argue that the way we have always done things is precisely what has got us into trouble.
During the month of September we hear from Wisdom literature in the first readings, Song of Songs and Proverbs. We end next week with a portion of the final chapter of Proverbs.
A couple of years ago I had my students at Winthrop record some of their family wisdom sayings, things received by them and things they wanted to pass on to their children.
| Never go to sleep angry | Look before you leap. |
| Don’t go looking for a hornet’s nest because you might get stung | A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. |
| Kill them with kindness | A joyful heart is good medicine. |
| Time heals all wounds | Don’t judge someone until you’ve walked in their shoes |
| Let sleeping dogs lie | Follow the path that makes you happiest with yourself. |
In addition to the first readings this month I think it makes the most sense to count the letter of James, our 2nd reading, as an example of “New Testament Wisdom” literature. I am persuaded by those scholars like James Holloway … 2
The letter of James is a document intended for ethical and moral teaching, how to act in the world, … not at all unlike the aim and substance of the older wisdom material.
Some of the subjects he engages are:
- use of wealth especially with regard to the poor,
- listening well,
- mixing faith with works,
- using words carefully,
- the temptations that the world presents us with on a regular basis,
- patience,
- sickness and sin.
Today’s passage is prominently about the dangers and potency of words – “the tongue”. He warns against being presumptuous as a teacher – as if teachers were know it alls. Teachers will be judged by a higher standard he says. I must say I long ago lost track of the times that what I thought I was saying was not what I was heard to say by those listening. What a precious thing human language is! What a dangerous thing it is! he says.
Biblical wisdom is not about knowing something intellectually, not simply that. It is about using intellectual and practical knowledge to forge a way of living in harmony with God and others.
The responsibility we have, all of us, is to seek to live in harmony with God and neighbor. That’s what the Jesus Great Commandment is all about.
Wisdom
Scripture today speaks to us of wisdom, of the need for it if we are to lead sound lives, the essential nature of wisdom if we are to live faithful lives as Christians, and also the ambiguous nature of what true wisdom looks like.
Wisdom literature is concerned with raising a new generation to continue the teaching of the old ways.
We can see a passion for these things alive in our country at this time. There is a great and passionate lament at the passing away of the traditional ways. There is a great fear and sense of loss at the perceived failures of our educational system.
We are in a time of deep longing for wisdom.
We ought not be too surprised at the centrality of wisdom for those who desire to live in faithful relationship with the living God. The original center of Christianity – Constantinople – had the first major building as the focal point of the Christian “empire.” The Cathedral – then known as Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) – is still a breathtaking structure, 1500 years after its construction – though in Istanbul, Turkey, it is no longer a Christian building. 3
Jesus’s form of wisdom
Jesus expresses the wisdom of God’s New Covenant with people in the form of paradox: Those who want to save their life will have to lose it. We desire life. Wisdom is aimed at improving life. And Jesus turns it on its head.
Classical wisdom puts the paradox a little differently, but you can still hear the tension between what we want from life and what God wants from our life. Wisdom is the fear of the Lord. “Fear” in this usage is not fear that I experience when I see little children playing on the overlook of the Grand Canyon. Scares me to death. “Fear” here is awe. Deep respect and reverence. Trembling before the presence of a mighty God.
James cautions any and all of us to be careful with the words we use: they are mighty powerful he says, they are capable of far greater destruction than we may want to acknowledge. Our words can bring great blessing and they can bring great desecration.
In the philosophical/theological language of the time of Jesus, there was common ground between the language of Holy Logos (Word) and Holy Wisdom. Both of them became associated with the Christian experience of God’s very essence.
The call to Wisdom
If the words of scripture call us to Wisdom today, we should probably pay attention to it. In the oft-repeated phrase – “If it’s true, it’s important.”
If we do pay attention, we will be caught up short. We will think we know what it’s all about. We will think we know what is wise and what is foolish. We will think that common sense and the way we’ve always done it will suffice to recover what we have lost.
But if we listen with honesty and with open ears, we may recognize that what at first sight seems like wisdom – practical common sense for many Americans – becomes in the hands of the biblical writers something very different.
It’s not about gaining for ourselves. It’s all about giving up for others. It’s not about being the biggest and the best. It’s about service to others. It’s not about what we think is best. It’s about what the other – the living God – wants. It’s not about exploitation. It’s about cultivating and caring.
One recent song writer puts it this way:
When I stop at the cross
I can see the love of God.
But I can’t see competition.
I can’t see hierarchy.
I can’t see pride or prejudice.
or the abuse of authority.
I can’t see lust for power.
I can’t see manipulation.
I can’t see rage or anger
or selfish ambition.
I can’t see unforgiveness.
I can’t see hate or envy.
I can’t see stupid fighting
or bitterness, or jealousy.
I can’t see empire building.
I can’t see self-importance.
I can’t see back-stabbing
or vanity or arrogance.
I see surrender, sacrifice, salvation,
humility, righteousness, faithfulness, grace, forgiveness,
Love! Love … love …
When I stop! … at the cross
I can see the love of God. 4
We will need to be prepared for surprise. God comes at us in ways that we don’t anticipate and often least expect.
We will only recognize wisdom if we are in awe of a great and powerful God.
Appendix
Wisdom cries out in the streets … I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you, … Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord, … but those who listen to me will be secure
and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.
Not many of you should become teachers, … How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! … the tongue … With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God.
“Who do people say that I am?” … the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, … For those who want to save their life will lose it …
"The Greek noun sophia (σοφῐ́ᾱ, sophíā) is the translation of “wisdom” in the Greek Septuagint for Hebrew Ḥokmot (חכמות, khakhamút). ↩︎
Holloway, Gary (2000) "James as New Testament Wisdom Literature,"Leaven: Vol. 8: Iss. 2, Article 9.Available at:http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol8/iss2/9 ↩︎
(from Wikipedia) "Built in 537 AD at the beginning of the Middle Ages, it was famous in particular for its massive dome. It was the world’s largest building and an engineering marvel of its time. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have “changed the history of architecture” ↩︎
Godfrey Birtill ↩︎
Once again, Fr Dale, thanks for your perspective. From you, I learn!
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