Thanks for the Memories

(This was to have been my last column for Jackson Citizen Patriot however it didn't get published so I'm posting it here.)

Why is it so hard to let go of “stuff.”  I’m not a candidate for the reality show on hoarders.  One can easily walk from room to room in my home with only an occasional pile of books to step over.  Still I have boxes of stuff in my home, the accumulation of a lifetime.  I have toys, homemade cards, stuff I’ve written from my childhood stored away in an old roll top desk, memories of a person I can hardly recognize, much less remember.  I have papers written in college that impress me at how smart I once was.  That person is long gone. 

And then there is my children’s memorabilia.  Not just pictures and cards they made for me, but each has their own store of treasures, kept at my house.  I’m as loath to throw these out as I am to throw out my own.

What is it about these that has me trapped, keeps me from letting them go while others pitch and toss with no regrets?  Perhaps it’s the memories attached to each item, memories that only come back when I pick up a memento. 

It’s so easy to forget, seems to get easier with each passing year.  With each year come more memories.  You have to let go of some in order to clear away space in your brain for the new.  I hang on to memorabilia in the hopes of hanging on to the memories, with the thought that someday I just may need them. 

Another reason I find it so hard to throw away is my dislike for waste.  I keep outdated food, clothes, electronics, thinking someday I just might use them.  I abhor waste, even wasting time, time is far too precious.  And worst of all, a wasted life.  I don’t want to waste any minute of this life God has given me.

We just finished the Christian season of Christmas where we remember that God so loved the world that he came in the form of a baby to save us.  It is Jesus who saves our memories, saves our lives and our world from waste.  With God, no life is wasted, not the unborn, not lives lost in natural disasters.  God knows us all by name and saves us.  God restores our memories as well, all that is important to remember, all that God wants us to remember will be restored if not in this life, then the next.

As I go into 2012, I bring with me a lifetime of memories, precious moments to cherish and then release into God’s embrace.

This is my last column for the Jackson Citizen Patriot.  I have enjoyed the past eight years and am grateful to have had this opportunity.   Thank you to my readers.  You may continue to read my writing through my blog:  www.preachingthepsalms.blogspot.com.  Thanks for the memories!

Robertson, copyright January 2012 

Psalm 13 - Surviving the Blues

January 29, 2012         Psalm 13 –Surviving The Blues

Dt. 18:15-22                Psalm 13          1 Cor. 8:1-13               Mark 1:21-28

The iconic movie, Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray and Andie McDowell, has come to be synonymous with any situation that repeats itself over and over with seemingly no resolution, where no one has a recollection of having done this before, said this before, except the main character.  It has been aptly applied to situations in Congress over the last few years as they keep enacting the same battles without any real resolution.  They continue to play out the same game over the budget and the deficit, kicking the can to the next year and the next without making any real progress.

In the movie, Murray’s character, Phil Connors, a cynical weatherman, is forced to live the same day, Feb. 2, over and over again, caught in a time warp.  Only he recognizes that he has done this before.  Once he recognizes what is happening, he starts to use his knowledge to his advantage, turning it almost into a game where he uses what he learns one time to take advantage of the situation the next time.  He can do whatever he wants knowing there will be no consequences; he will wake up the next morning with a clean slate.  He goes through the gamut from meaningless sexual encounters, stealing, reckless driving and suicide attempts to learning to play the piano and learning French with his seemingly unending amount of time.  He finally decides to pursue love, to use what he knows to better the lives of others and himself.  It is only after he is truly changed through his relationship with Rita (McDowell) that the spell of endless Groundhog Days is broken and he is able to move forward.  It is a story of redemption, finding what is most important in life, the benefit of doing good rather than evil.  Even though he could do evil each day and not face the consequences, he experienced no long-term benefit from these actions but rather found that being/doing good was its own reward.

Dealing with individuals with Alzheimer’s, especially during the early and middle stages, can feel like the movie, Groundhog Day.  You keep answering the same questions, repeating the same scenario, over and over again, with no resolution, no remembrance on the part of your loved one that you had already explained this repeatedly.  It can be a frustrating situation as you feel not only that you are getting nowhere fast, but even worse, you are losing ground as you know that as the disease progresses it will get worse rather than better.  The time you spend thoroughly explaining something feels wasted when you have to answer the same question over and over again.  There seems no redemption as you are trapped with your loved one in this downward spiral, just as Bill Murray’s character was trapped in repeating the same day.

Family members and caregivers learn to be creative in dealing with such circumstances, as Murray’s character became creative in his situation.  They may use humor and diversions as the disease progresses rather than repeating themselves, knowing their loved one won’t remember.  Still it is a frustrating situation that can be depressing, this feeling of being stuck, of getting nowhere fast or taking two steps backward for every step forward.  I know that I like to feel a sense of accomplishment, that what I’m doing serves a purpose, that I am going somewhere, moving forward in my life.  I can get pretty frustrated when I feel I’m not getting anywhere or worse, going backwards. 

At Christmas time we looked at repetitions that bring delight.  These are not such repetitions, these are repetitions that can bring depression and despair as we despair of ever getting anything accomplished.

Our psalm for today is a very simple one, a lament.  It follows the normal structure of a lament, with a complaint, vs. 1-2, an appeal, vs. 3-4, and an expression of confidence in God’s help, vs. 5-6.  There is a beauty in its simplicity and sincerity of expression.  John Calvin selected it as one of the eighteen psalms he chose to have set to music for public worship.  Scottish theologian Marcus Dods wrote:  “If you can direct me to anything more exquisite than the 13^th Psalm, I will follow your direction with a happiness not often attached to earthly pursuits.”  (The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 4, pp. 72) 

We don’t know the specific source of the writer’s distress.  We do know that it was a very heavy burden that had been going on for a long time, and that there were some who took delight in his troubles.  “Without pause or pity, by night as well as by day, fears and foes press so hard on him that the strength of his body is failing and death appears to be imminent.  In the situation he is perplexed by the seemingly prolonged indifference of God to his appeal for help, and harassed by the thought that in his downfall his enemies would see both a triumph for themselves and a confutation of the creed to which he has witnessed.” (p. 72)   Not only will his enemies triumph, all of his life work will be as nothing. 

How long, is repeated four times, indicating the severity of his troubles.  God appears to have forgotten all about him, has even hidden his face from him.  He is in pain and his enemies are rejoicing over him.  His condition is so bad that he feels he is close to death.  All signs point to depression. 

When caught in the cycle of depression it can be hard to remember that life wasn’t always this way, that there have been good times.  The depression feels like it has gone on forever and there was never a time of happiness that we can remember.  It colors our present as well as our past as the past is seen through a cloud of misery and robs the future of hope.  We can feel trapped with no way out.  But even in depression, even when dealing dementia/Alzheimer’s, there is redemption, there is hope.  The writer doesn’t remain in despair but puts his trust in the Lord, his steadfast love.  He trusts in the sun even when the night is blackest.  Not only that, his trust is such that he is moved to song, he rejoices in his God, “I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”

Where does this hope come from?  Deuteronomy reading, Moses speaks to his people, how God will continue to raise up prophets among them to speak God’s word to them.  He gives them instructions how to recognize a true prophet.  The greatest prophet of all was Jesus Christ, who spoke with authority, was recognized by the demons and who was able to cast out demons as we see in our gospel for today.

In 1 Corinthians passage, Paul speaks of love, how knowledge puffs, but love builds up.  It was love that brought Phil Connors out of the endless cycle of meaningless repetition, love that brought him out of himself and his own selfish ways and into redemption. It is love that can help us break out of the cycle of despair, love and concern for others rather than over-focusing on our own troubles.

Jesus casts out unclean spirits in his time and can cast out the unclean spirits in our own lives, spirits of despair, depression, selfishness, fear.  We all have bad days, for some those days go on longer than for others.  If our self-worth is tied up in accomplishments, getting ahead, then what are we to do when we are no longer able to do what we once did, when we are losing abilities rather than gaining?  If our self-worth is tied up in being beloved children of God, then even when we lose our abilities, when we are stuck in frustrating cycles, when we have nothing to look forward to but more loss, we will be able to rise above despair.  We will be able to see our losses in this life as gain in our spiritual life as it brings us closer to our God.

Hope spring eternal, it is present amidst the winter snow, hope for spring, hope for new life arising out of the old. As Robert Corin  Morris says in his article in Weavings: “Worse, the self-indulgence of despair takes energy away from the real call of Jesus, which is to look keenly and expectantly for signs of hope—signs of the inrushing energies of God’s kingdom.  Self-imposed despair can even block the never-ending hope that flows from God, in whom hope has its origin . . . The God of always-springing hope has our backs when we are tempted to hopelessness, and is both the ground and goal of our deepest hopes.” (Weavings, vol. XXVII, 1, pp. 5-6)  This God can turn winter depression into spring song.  He did it for the psalmist, and he can do it for us.  

Robertson, Copyright January 2012

Psalm 12 - Flattering Lips and a Double Heart

January 22, 2012         Flattering Lips and a Double Heart

Jonah 3:1-5,10             Psalm 12          James 3:1-12               Mark 1:l4-20 or John 6:63-69

Oh, what wicked web we weave, when first we practice to deceive – the tongue is a mighty weapon indeed, it can be used for good or evil.  Even best intentioned among us have trouble at times knowing what to say, when to hold our tongues, when to speak up.  Not addressing a problem or conflict out of fear of hurt feelings can lead to greater problems than if it was addressed and dealt with at the beginning.  It can be hard to choose the right words when dealing with conflict and strong emotions.  Conflict, if not dealt with well, can lead to greater hurt and damage. 

Warnings about the tongue abound in Scripture.  Tongue referred to as a scourge in Job, well he knew since he suffered much from his friends’ tongue  (Job 5:21    From the scourge of the tongue you shall be hidden.) Psalms and Proverbs refer frequently to the tongue, the benefits of a truthful tongue, and the dangers of lies.

Psalm 5:9         For there is no sincerity in their mouths; their hearts are corrupt.  Their throats are open

graves; on their tongues are subtle lies.

            31:20   strike dumb their lying tongues, proud lips that attack the just in contempt and scorn

            34:13   Keep your tongue from evil, your lips from speaking lies.

            39:1     I will watch my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will set a curb on my mouth

            52:2     Why do you glory in evil, you scandalous liar?  … your tongue is like a sharpened razor

            78:36   but they deceived him with their mouths, lied to him with their tongues.

            140:3   (Deliver me Lord from the wicked) who sharpen their tongues like serpents, venom of

 asps upon their lips.

Proverbs 6:17  (There are six things the Lord hates) haughty eyes, a lying tongue and hands that shed

                        innocent blood.

            6:24     To keep you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

            10:20   Like choice silver is the just man’s tongue

            12:18   The prating of some men is like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise is healing.

            12:19   Truthful lips endure forever, the lying tongue, for only a moment.

            15:4     A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse one crushes the spirit.

            17:4     The evil man gives heed to wicked lips, and listens to falsehood from a mischievous

tongue.

            18:21   Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who make it a friend shall eat its

                        fruit.

            21:6     He who makes a fortune by a lying tongue is chasing a bubble over deadly snares.

            21:23   he who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from trouble.

            25:15   By patience is a ruler persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.

Isaiah 30:27     His lips are filled with fury; his tongue is like a consuming fire (day of judgment)

Jer. 9:5             Each one deceives the other, no one speaks the truth.  They have accustomed their

tongues to lying.

            9:8       A murderous arrow is his tongue, his mouth utters deceit.

Micah 6:12      You whose rich men are full of violence, whose inhabitants speak falsehood with

                        deceitful tongues in their heads.

Romans 3:13   Their throats are open graves; they deceive with their tongues; the venom of asps is on

                        their lips.

1 Peter 3:10     Whoever would love life and see good days must keep the tongue from evil and the

                        lips from speaking deceit.

James provides an excellent description of the difficulties with controlling the tongue, comparing it to bits in horses’ mouths that then guide whole horse, or the rudder on a ship.  So the tongue gives direction to the whole body.  But it is not easy to tame, though a small member of the body it is a fire that can set whole body aflame.

 

Our Psalm for today is a plea for help in a Godless age where corruption and lies are everywhere – universal in nature for it seems every age has its share of lies and deceit.  An Egyptian poet writing in the 2^nd millennium BCE state:  “Gentleness has perished, Insolence hath come to all men . . . There are none that are righteous, The earth is given over to the workers of iniquity.” (Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 4, pp. 68-69)  The same has been heard over and over again throughout history by people suffering from the effects of misuse of the human tongue, who live in a society where it is hard to trust the word or motives of others.  Certainly as another election year is upon us and the political rhetoric keeps heating up, hard to trust word or motive of candidates. 

Psalm states, everyone utters lies to his neighbors, with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.  Ungodliness (vs. 1) produces inner untruth which then leads to speaking lies.  Their hearts are not true, thinks one thing while doing another.

In response to this state, the writer asks God to remove the lips and tongues of those who boast of their ability to use their tongues for lies (vs. 3-4).  They believe in the power of their lies.  God responds “because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan, I will now arise.” (vs. 5)  God hears the cries of those who are poor and needy and responds.  We are not told exactly what God does or will do, just that God will protect them and that “the promises of the Lord are promises that are pure, silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.” (vs. 6)  In contrast to the words of evil men that cannot be trusted, God’s word is pure and trustworthy.

The psalm ends on a note of trust, asking God with confidence to guard them from the evils of this generation. 

The problem with training the tongue is that it entails training the mind, for it is from the mind that lies are formulated, words formulated.  That is why James finds it so heard to master the tongue, for one must master the mind and heart first.  As the psalmist tells us, first people turn from God and from truth which then produces untruth, lies.  Only help in such situations when lies are so prevalent is to fall upon the truth that is God.  

Jonah is a prime example of a reluctant prophet, of how someone can be used by God despite themself.  He does what God commands but only half-heartedly, only after having tried to run away, spending three days and nights in the belly of the whale and being spit out.  He goes about the city of Nineveh proclaiming “forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed.”  He doesn’t call for repentance, doesn’t say, thus says the Lord, as prophets usually began a pronouncement from God.  Still the words were effective, the king heard and with all of his people, they repented and God relented.  Jonah’s response was one of anger because God did what he knew God would do, making him appear the fool.  Jonah is more concerned about himself and his appearance, than doing God’s will.  Yet God used this human fallible vessel to bring about God’s will.

In Mark we read about the call of the first disciples.  The men are called to follow Jesus, follow in his footsteps and take direction from him.  While their initial response today was to do so without hesitation, we know that that isn’t the case for the rest of the gospel.  The disciples constantly fail because they try to lead, telling Jesus what he should do rather than following, a common problem for Christians throughout the centuries.  Far too often we try to tell God what to do.

In John 6, after the bread of life discourse, many were leaving because of Jesus’ words.  When Jesus asked his disciples if they too were going to leave, Peter responded, “Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.”  God alone has the words of eternal life, eternal and true.

If we are to train our tongues, we must train our minds.  We must take on the mind and heart of Jesus so that we can be of one heart, not a double heart.  Only then will we speak the truth we desire to speak.  Only then will our words and motives be pure.  So let us follow Jesus with all of our heart and mind, then our words will follow.

Robertson, Copyright January 2012 

St. Gregory's Abbey, Three Rivers, MI

St. Gregory’s Abbey, Three Rivers, MI

Benedictine monasteries pray all of the psalms over the course of one week, beginning with matins in the wee hours of the morning, through lauds, terce, sext, none, vespers and ending with compline before going to bed.  I have wanted to experience this for some time, just had to wait till I could find the right place and the right time.  I was happy to be able to block off three full days, Jan. 2-5, to spend at St. Gregory’s Abbey in Three Rivers, Michigan, an Episcopal monastery.  Seemed to me like a good way to start the New Year.

I went bearing all of my electronics, cell phone, tablet, laptop computer and a full agenda of all I would accomplish during this time.  I also went with a bad cold that had started New Year’s Day so my retreat started with a long nap after lunch.  Not a bad way to start.  After my nap, I discovered:  no phone, no internet.  Despite being close to Three Rivers, there was limited to no service from my provider in this area.  So there was nothing to it but to sleep some more, going to bed at 8p.m. after some reading.  So much for all the work I was going to accomplish.

It was good to sleep and be free of all of the gadgets and noise that dominate my life.  I did discover that I could use my phone outdoors, standing in the cold.  I also found a spot in the vestibule of the guest house where I could get limited internet access, enough to know there was no emergency going on that I had to take care of, no impending deadline that had crept up unbeknownst to me that had to be addressed, enough so I could turn it off confident that the world was turning just fine without me.

Meals at the abbey while I was there were vegetarian, however long on carbohydrates and short on fresh fruits and vegetables.  I was here for the total monastic experience and that included the food.  At lunch full plates of carbs were placed before you.  It felt wrong to not clean the plate, not just because that was how I had been brought up, but because this was the brothers’ food and, in my mind, not to be wasted.  Also, who knew what dinner would bring.  I had to eat enough to make it to the next meal.   No snacking between meals or sneaking to Three Rivers for a quick burger. 

The brothers weren’t entirely vegetarian.  I had been told that I had missed a feast on New Year’s Day – ham and white zinfandel wine.  Other times their fare was very simple and inexpensive.  They had had a very good cook however this brother has since died with no comparable replacement.  Made me realize just how important good cooks can be.  We don’t appreciate them half enough until we are some place without a gifted cook. 

Breakfast was self-serve, cereal, toast and juice.  The only fruit in the fruit basket was a lone green apple until Wednesday after Mass when I was surprised by an abundance – bananas and red delicious apples, and Thursday morning grapefruit.  The main meal was at noon with a lighter fare at night.  All meals were eaten in silence.  During lunch and dinner a brother read aloud from The Beautiful and the Damned, a book about India.  I found my listening skills were not very good, as attuned as I am to watching rather than listening.  The brothers laughed at the humorous parts which went entirely over my head.

Tuesday night we were greeted by three sandwich halves.  Inside were chunks of cheese that only covered half the bread, green leaf lettuce and ketchup (our vegetable).  I surreptitiously peeked into the bread trying to figure out what was inside.  Sitting next to me was a friend who had joined me for the day.  Across were a newcomer and an associate member of the community, the person who had informed me about Sunday’s dinner and the cook situation.  I managed one half sandwich and half of the second when to my relief I saw that others around me felt no compunction to clean their plates.  They tore off pieces of bread to get to the parts that actually had cheese.  I did the same then finally proceeded to pull out the remaining cheese and lettuce, wiping off the ketchup before eating them. The newcomer managed to slog his way through all three sandwiches, going slower with each bite.

The food appeared and disappeared, locked away between meals.  Plates were set ahead of time for lunch and dinner and quietly whisked away the minute they were clear of food.  We stood for the blessing before we started then when everyone had finished a bell was rung, the reader stopped and we all stood for prayer.  After the celebration of Mass each day, the celebration continued with cookies and coffee.  This was the only resemblance to dessert provided. 

The silence and solitude were wonderful.  I enjoyed the prayers, though I only made it to Matins one time during my stay.  The first night I had been wiped out by cold medicine and just made it to Lauds at 6a.m.  The third and final morning I had been wiped out by attending all seven services the day before, amazing how tired one can get just from praying.

In contrast to the food we were receiving, daily Mass truly seemed a veritable banquet.  I hesitantly joined in some of the chanting, singing an octave low to hide my female voice in the all male chorus.  The idea of chanting was that voices were to blend into one voice with no single voice standing out from the rest.  For the most part I simply followed along, remaining silent. 

A highlight of the prayer time was a half-an-hour in silence with the brothers after Vespers.  I didn’t stay the first day as the Guest Master had indicated that if I didn’t think I could stay for full half an hour better to leave after the service lest I disturb the silence for others.  With my coughing and sniffling I thought it better to leave others to their silence.  As my cold was better by Tuesday night I decided to stay for what was a wonderful experience of prayer and silence.  The silence was no burden, rather speaking was a burden after such an experience.  It was as if the very effort to move my jaw and formulate words was just too much for me.

Silence and solitude are wonderful gifts, for in them we discover ourselves.  I found I was quite self-conscious at first.  I wasn’t sure what to do.  I didn’t want to disrupt the brothers’ life in anyway.  Not speaking meant I had to watch and follow their lead in situations where I would have asked questions under other circumstances.  I found myself imagining all kinds of criticism being leveled against me, the sole woman in a male environment, and in return I found myself being critical of the brothers. 

On Wednesday evening compline was prayed in the church.  The other two nights the brothers had prayed this alone in their cells.  As I joined in the prayers, especially the confession of sin, I thought, what sin could these men have to confess, living such a secluded life of prayer.  Before compline had begun the Guest Master had said goodbye to me since I had told him I would be leaving immediately after Mass so there would not likely be time the next morning.  From compline to Mass was the period of the great silence when none were to speak.  He asked me to pray for them.  I thought, how ironic and yet how true, that brothers who spend so much time in prayer would need my prayer.

Prayer can be a dangerous, risky business.  We so often think of monasteries as places of peace and tranquility, yet for those who live there, they are beset by the same challenges all of us face, perhaps even greater ones, spiritual dangers. There is no evil in the world which doesn’t exist to a greater or lesser degree in each individual.  The noise and rush of society can help us block this reality out but in solitude it comes forth.  There is nothing to distract, no-one to blame but ourselves.  So easy to fall prey to jealousies, envy, judging, lust, especially in silence.  To judge the monk who takes the last piece of bread or who sings louder or shows a display of greater piety as showing off. 

I realized that the judging I was experience in my head was precisely my own inner critic leading me to judge myself and then judge those around me.  What others in the community thought about me was of no consequence.  It was my own inner demon that needed to be confronted.  And no sooner was one demon confronted then others emerged.  Such is the life of the monks and as such they need our prayers and they need to confess every night.  In a society that would make fun of men in habits, that one minute romanticizes, the next berates, theirs is a hard vocation.  Still no harder than any vocation if truly from God.  I don’t have that call, yet I greatly appreciate the gift of these days, the opportunity to enter a whole new world, a different culture, a counter culture.  One does not have to travel to faraway places to experience a totally different culture.  One only need go as far as Three Rivers.

Robertson Copyright January 2012

Bird by Bird - Psalm by Psalm. Welcome New Readers

Bird by Bird – Psalm by Psalm

I’m still in the beginning stages of this venture through the Psalms.  When I look at the entirety of the book, I am overwhelmed.  So many of the same themes are repeated over and over, how will I ever come up with new sermon material for each one?  Was this a crazy idea from the start?  Who would blame me if I quit before beginning?  Who would know?  But then, how does any preacher keep coming up with sermon material week after week, Sunday after Sunday, basically repeating the same message of God’s love?

Anne Lamott in her book on writing, Bird by Bird, tells the story of how her ten year old brother was brought close to tears when confronted with the enormity of writing a report on birds, one he had put off for three months and was due the next day.  Her father sat down next to him and said, “Bird by bird, buddy.  Just take it bird by bird.” 

If I look at this task as a whole, it is impossible, so I will take it bird by bird, one psalm at a time.  Time passes all too quickly.  I blink and ten years have gone by.  Not that long ago I had started my position as chaplain at Vista Grande Villa.  Hard to believe over eleven years are already gone.  Hard to believe that my children who were just starting high school at the time, are done with college and married.   Hard to believe it has been eight years since I started writing my column for the Jackson Citizen Patriot – who would have thought I would have lasted that long.

If I take it one day at a time, one Psalm at a time, before I know it, four years will have passed and I will be done . . . far too soon.

For readers of my column who are checking out my blog for the first time, welcome.  While the primary purpose for this blog is to share the preaching series I am doing, I will periodically write shorter reflections like I have for the paper.  I hope you will come back and keep coming back.

Robertson, copyright 2012

Psalm 72, A Vision of a New Social Order, Epiphany 2012

Epiphany, 2012, Jan. 8                        Psalm 72 – Vision of a New Social Order

Isaiah 60:1-6               Psalm 72          Ephesians 3:1-12         Matthew 2:1-12

“A man’s reach must exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”  Robert Browning 

What are you reaching for, hoping for, working for?  Perhaps a world at peace?  A better world for your children and their children?  What are your dreams?

Our psalmist for today has a dream, a dream of a better world, a better social order, a world ruled by a king who is truly righteous and just.  Psalm 72 is a coronation psalm; it contains prayers for a new king, prayers that he might lead well, with God’s justice.  Not only that, that his son might be righteous as well, with good reason.  Many a good king has been followed by less than exemplary children.  The fact of being born into the household of the king does not automatically make the person right for leadership.  And so it is wise to pray for the king and his son. 

The writer prays for a king who will judge with righteousness and bring justice to the poor, an important role for kings of those days, role of judge.  He prays for prosperity for the people, but especially he prays that the king will be a defender of the poor and needy.  He prays not just for long life for the king, but stability.  The many blessings sound like a toast at a dinner party, yet they are more than that.  The poet prays that the king provide order in four different areas:  moral, social, political and economic. 

Verse 5 refers to the king as the symbol and vehicle of moral stability.  “The basic element of a moral order is its timelessness; any suspicion that it may be subject to the caprice of man or the exigencies of group life destroys its power to command contain behavior.  As it is put here, righteousness will flourish only if it is as durable as the moon.  Another striking observation follows:  the moral order which the king symbolizes rest not alone on an absolute and immutable base; it is characterized by a spiritual quality presented in the simile of falling rain.” (Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 4, pp. 382-383)  This brings to mind, Portia’s statement on mercy in the Merchant of Venice, Act IV, scene 1  “The quality of mercy is not strained, it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath.  It is twice blest:  It blesseth him that gives and him that takes. ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes the throned monarch better than his crown.”  So the king is to be first and foremost a righteous man, concerned for the poor of his country, providing justice tempered with mercy.   

Upon the base of this moral order the king builds a social structure, one based on gentleness and care for his people.  Such a social structure will have an impact far beyond the national level, or the realm of the kingdom, resulting in alliances with other kingdoms, building political security on an international level.  Vss 8-11 describe the new king’s dominion.  His enemies bow down before him, even the kings of Tarshish and Sheba and Seba bring him gifts.  Vs. 9 does not mean abject groveling of defeated enemies, to lick the dust refers to the homage ordinarily given to a king.  Nations do not bow down to him because of military conquest but because of his just and merciful ruling of his country as we see in verses 12-14, he delivers the needy, has pity on the weak.  This implies that the way to true political security is not through war but good example, focusing on right governance of your own country.  In this way, all will be drawn to the goodness present.

The result of all of these, moral, social and political order, is economic security, shown in vs. 16 as an abundance of grain and growth in population.  The poet then ends with a benediction, blessing God, as the conclusion not of Psalm 72, but of Book II of the Psalter, Psalms 42-72.  Verse 20 is an addendum perhaps to separate “Davidic” psalms from those by “Asaph.”

We can see in this psalm, an early effort to dream of a world order of peace and righteousness.  The poet uses the social structure of the time, kings and kingdoms, to envision this reality.  He dreams of a king who will do all of the above and more so that the world would experience peace and prosperity.  The need for some type of organization, ways to order our lives together, has been present from the beginning, going from a tribal structure to kingdoms to democracy.  As one commentator states,  “Despite man’s doubtful success in creating a world order and administering it, the dream and the effort to achieve it are very ancient and engaging.” (p. 380)  This dream of a world order that works has been around for a long time.   That it needs to be based on sound moral order has also been around for a long time.  A commentator writing in 1950 wrote:  “.  . . that our own disordered society will not return to security and peace except by rebuilding the moral bases that in recent years have been everywhere shaken and in some places reduced to rubble.” (p. 385) Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?  Seems I’ve heard the same comments recently.    People for ages have longed for a world of peace, a world where it is easier to be good than evil, where righteousness prevails and the poor and vulnerable are protected. 

Throughout the centuries people have sought to create new social orders. They have utopian visions of communities where all shared equally, like the early Christian community which we know only lasted for a short time.  Still a beautiful dream while it lasted.  In the 4^th century the desert fathers and mothers sought to grow closer to God through communal life in the desert.  Different religious communities have formed over the years, each with their own rules and order for their life together.  I recently returned from a retreat at St. Gregory’s Abbey in Three Rivers, MI, an Episcopal monastery following the rule of St. Benedict.  The community of brothers meets together for prayer seven times a day, beginning with matins at 4a.m.  In prayers and chants their voices blend together so that none stick out, a form of unity within community.  I’m sure like all communities they have their differences and disagreements, however it’s comforting to know that  there are communities of people getting up during the wee hours of the morning when others are sound asleep or just getting to sleep after a night out, in order to pray for the world.   I don’t believe it’s a matter of finding the right “rule” or way to order a community for it seems to be part of our fallen nature to disagree.  Still we strive for that ideal vision.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, the coming of the three kings to Bethlehem.  It isn’t the end of the Christmas season but rather the beginning of a new season, the season of Epiphany. An epiphany is a manifestation of God.  During the season of Epiphany we reflect further on the light of Christ that shone in the darkness, the light that continues to the present day, the light that Isaiah speaks of in our passage today, the light of Christ that the three kings, three dreamers, recognized in a small baby.

Our psalm is often attributed to the Messiah, the one true king, under whose reign, there will be peace on earth.  The three kings came from far away, following a star, in hopes of seeing this great king.  What they find is a baby, yet they recognize this baby for who he was, the Messiah, the one true king who will bring lasting peace to the earth.  In Isaiah we hear how nations will come to the light of God; all peoples shall bow down before our God and king.   Paul works to bring the good news of salvation, the light of Christ, to the Gentiles.  All people, Jew, Gentile, bow down before the one true king.

The problem with all social systems lies not in the structure but in the people.  There is no magical structure or set of laws or form of governance that will bring about a true and lasting peace to the earth; all are flawed because we as people are flawed.  This true and lasting peace is dependent on a just king, the one and true king, Jesus.  If we are to someday have that dream of peace, then we must first begin with ourselves, to live lives of peace, devoted to our God, then we, too, shall be a light to the nations.  Others will be drawn to us because of our goodness, so that someday all will live in peace under the leadership of our God. 

What began in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago continues to this day.  We are a part of and a continuation of this dream.  Our reach exceeds our grasp as we build upon a foundation others started and future generations will continue.  This is a dream worth devoting your whole life to, a dream for this life and the next.

     

Robertson, copyright 2012