 There’s a great verse in Isaiah 6 about a stump. The Lord has just gone on a tirade about the destruction which will be visited upon the unrepentant denizens of Jerusalem. The land will be destroyed and its inhabitants sent far away. The remains will resemble the stump of a great tree that has been chopped down. But, the final verse of the prophecy offers unexpected hope “the holy seed is its stump (Isaiah 6:13).”
With the weather finally softening bit, I have been resuming my paddle boarding excursions, primarily on Wiggins Lake in Gladwin. If Wiggins Lake could talk, I imagine it could say a thing or two about stumps. Quite a number of them dot the shallower portions of the lake. Right now, we’re still waiting for things to get beautiful here in Gladwin and Beaverton. The trees are just about to blossom, the grass has only started going green, and the flowers remain few, though more appear daily. But, let me tell you, those stumps are glorious right now. Poking out of the water, they are teeming with life: moss, reeds, saplings: you name it and it probably can grow on one of these stumps. I have always had reservations about the idea that destruction has to happen for new life to spring forth. I suppose it comes down to the truth that some losses never seem to balance with whatever goodness comes about in their wake. Even so, the stumps of Wiggins Lake are a stunning demonstration of the tenacity and persistence of life in the face of destruction. To quote the renowned, though fictional, Professor Ian Malcom in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, “Life finds a way.” Furthermore, God is glorified in this stubborn persistency of life: the way tiny trees grow from partially submerged stumps in a still icy lake, the way the Christians of Paris sang hymns even as the Notre Dame Cathedral burned, and the way a man executed on a Friday walks out from his tomb the following Sunday. All life belongs to God and God’s life is persistent. God’s life will find a way. More than bad things happening by design, I hold to this idea: that God’s life will always find a way. We are not afflicted by sickness, bereavement, and hardship because there is some lesson we can only learn by suffering. Rather, evil is a reality in our world, something we all must contend with at one point or another. And yet, none of these things can stamp out the persistent life of God. That life always remains, always grows, and always finds a way. Don’t believe me? Try reading about this thing call Easter. Or, take a paddle out to the stumps of Wiggins Lake. The story is the same.
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 εὐχαριστέωGive thanks, return thanks
The Liturgisaur (and those who act as his chaperones) would like to give thanks (εὐχαριστέω) for all of you who have read, thought about reading, or liked the various aspects of this blog (instagram, facebook). As we approach Easter we will be taking a break from our reflections on the various clever words in scripture. We look forward to continuing to build on this devotional for the season of Advent and hopefully some of the festivals that precede it. Have a Blessed Easter and, again, thanks.  A Clever Word for the Season of Lent:
πτωχός, (ptōchos) Beggar, poor Clever Verses for Context But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?”(John 12:4-5) Clever Reflections Spiritual Judas is concerned about the poor (ptōchos). The Evangelist John is quick to call Judas a fraud and a thief, but even if we take Judas’ concern at face value, who exactly are the poor or beggars he is referring too? Perhaps the most memorable example of a beggar in the Gospel of John is the one introduced in John chapter 9. This man first appears begging in the street until Jesus restores his sight. From there he goes seeking Jesus, proclaiming the miracle he has experienced, and even naming Jesus as the Son of God, an action which gets him expelled from the local synagogue. This hardly seems like someone who would condemn Mary in her anointing of Jesus’ feet. Certainly concern for the poor is admirable, but discipleship involves not just concern for the least of these, but knowing them and recognizing them as fellow followers of Jesus. Literary When Odysseus returns home to Ithaca, he is initially disguised as an “old and sorry beggar” (ptōchos, Odyssey 16.273). In this guise, he meets and fights with another beggar (ptōchos) named Irus. Penelope’s suitors, the clear villains of the story, encourage Odysseus and Irus to fight over the opportunity to join them in their feasting (see Odyssey 18). Clever Questions for Further Reflection What are your impressions and experiences of poverty? How has being in a relationship with someone changed how you saw the world and experienced God? A Clever Prayer to Close Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am. Isaiah 58:6-9  A Clever Word for the Season of Lent
ὀσμή (osmē) smell, odour A Clever Verse for Context The house was filled with the fragrance (osmē) of the perfume (John 12:3b). Clever Reflections Spiritual Our NRSV Bible translation would have us believe that the smell (osmē) of Mary’s costly perfume is a sweet thing, a fragrance. In reality osmē is a neutral term; determined as good or bad by context. To Mary, the perfume smells of miracles and answered prayers. It carries the scent of holiness. For Judas the perfume smells like decadence, excess wealth, and waste. I am reminded of Aaron Burr’s remark to Angelica in the Broadway Musical Hamilton, “your perfume smells like your daddy’s got money.” But good or bad, the smell fills the entire house, no one is left unaware. Not unlike the God’s presence: felt by some as consolation, others as discomfort, and others as urgency. Regardless, God fills all creation, pervasive and persistent as Mary’s perfume. Literary In Greek, the word osmē is used of both foul and pleasant smells. For example, the chorus of Aristophanes’ Peace speaks of the “terrible smells (osmē) of animal hides” (Peace 753), while a servant character in Aristophanes’ Assemblywomen speaks of choosing the wine “that has the best smell (osmē), (Assemblywomen 1124). Clever Questions for Further Reflection What smells have been particularly memorable in your life? What or who do you associate them with? In what different ways have you felt the presence of God? (Comfort, urging, inspiration, etc.) A Clever Prayer to Close I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God[f] put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. ~Ephesians 1:17-23  A Clever Word for the Season of Lent
πολύτιμος (polutimos) much revered, highly priced A Clever Verse for Context Mary took a pound of costly (πολύτιμος) perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (John 12:3) Clever Reflections Spiritual The entire scene of the dinner party at the beginning of John 12 seems to slows down when Mary enters with her costly (πολύτιμος) perfume. We read in detail what kind of perfume she uses both content and cost, and the manner in which she applies it to Jesus’ feet. The perfume is not the only thing of great worth here. Time is scarce. It will not belong now until Jesus is crucified. Jesus himself will assert more and more urgently the nearness of his hour. And yet, Mary is just as lavish with her time as she is with her perfume. There is no hurry in the time she takes honoring Jesus. We talk about how God’s time is different from our experience of seconds, minutes, and years. Here Mary gives us a glimpse of holy time: a moment that is both a brief reprieve from the race to the cross, and an everlasting respite for the faithful. Literary In the reading from John the word πολύτιμος refers to the great (πολύ) worth or value (τιμή) of the perfume. The primary meaning for τιμή however has more to do with character than monetary value. It means worship, esteem, or honor attributed to persons of rank or the gods. Clever Questions for Further Reflection When have you experienced respite during a time of pain and difficulty? How was that time different from the experiences around it? What and who do you consider to be of great value? What makes those things and/or people important? A Clever Prayer to Close How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. ~Psalm 133  A Clever Word for the Season of Lent:
διακονέω (diakoneo) to minister, do service A Clever Verse for Context There they gave a dinner for [Jesus]. Martha served (διακονέω), and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him (John 12:2) Clever Reflections Martha of Bethany, sister of Mary and Lazarus, is a reappearing character in the gospels of both John and Luke. We first meet her in John when she chews Jesus out for letting her brother die before reaffirming her faith even in the face of her brother’s death (John 11:21-24). Many of us are more familiar with the Lukan story of Martha busying herself with household chores while her sister Mary sits and Jesus’ feet (Luke:38-41). With that story in mind, it is hardly a surprise to find Martha once again serving (διακονέω) Jesus and his companions in John 12. Typical Martha, and yet. In the early church such serving was not only a matter of food prepared and dishes washed, but ministry and leadership (1 Timothy 3:8). Indeed Jesus himself will take on Martha’s role at his farewell dinner in the chapters to follow. Martha’s serving is a form of discipleship and devotion, ministry indeed. Literary Plato’s Laws puts forth that the leaders of the land should not require servants or slaves but act as their own ministers (διακονέω) and masters (Laws 6.763a). Clever Questions for Further Reflection What are some examples of leading through serving others? Who are examples of leaders who have led in this way? What are the challenges of leading through serving? A Clever Prayer to Close Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. -St. Francis of Assisi  Pachycephalosaurus- “thick-headed-lizard”
Παχύς - thick, stout Κεφαλή - head Σαύρα - lizard Whether the Pachycephalosauri did in face knock down walls, each other, and injustice with their remarkably thick skulls is still up for debate; however, they do give excellent hugs.  A Clever Verse for the Season of Lent
ἀπόλλυμι destroy utterly, kill, middle/passive: perish; be lost Some Clever Verses for Context “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost (apollumi) and is found’” (Luke 15:31-32) Clever Reflections Spiritual There is lost as in misplaced or forgotten and then there is apollumi lost. The former involves car keys hidden beneath a coat, phones buried between couch cushions, and the like. The latter means utter destruction. Think space rocks and the late Cretaceous period and you'll get a good idea of what apollumi means. We also encounter apollumi in Luke 13, when Jesus warns his listeners that unless they repent they will perish(apollumi) like those buried under the fallen tower of Siloam (Luke 13:5). It is significant that we encounter this word again in the Prodigal Parable. No matter how utter the destruction or final the sentence, God’s heart is oriented toward mercy and God’s love can bring about the impossible. What was utterly lost is found. I really hope this also applies to the events of the Late Cretaceous Period... Literary In the Iliad, the old king Nestor praises the brave heroes of the past by describing how they “utterly destroyed” (apollumi) the mountain-dwelling Centaurs. Centaurs, or human-horse hybrids, occupied a curious place in the Greek cultural imagination. The hero Achilles was tutored by a wise Centaur named Chiron, yet Centaurs also appear as symbols of savage and uncivilized creatures. Clever Questions for Further Reflection Have you ever experienced being lost? Have you ever had to work to love and forgive someone who was lost? When has God’s miracle working love left you annoyed as the older brother is clearly annoyed at the end of the parable? Given God's tendency to bring about the impossible and restore what has utterly perished in sin or the fiery blast of an asteroid and the resulting cloud of sun-blocking dust in the atmosphere, what would you say are the chances that the dinosaurs will be included in the Resurrection? Asking for a friend... A Clever Prayer to Close Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. Psalm 139:7-12  A Clever Word for the Season of Lent
σπλαγχνίζω (splangchnizō) to feel pity, compassion, or mercy A Clever Verse for Context So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him (Luke 15:20) Spiritual Having compassion (splangchnizō) is not just a matter of thoughts, prayers, and sympathy. It is a whole body experience of care for other creatures, beginning in the gut. Just as the father feels compassion for his wayward son in the Prodigal Parable, Jesus experiences the same sensation when he sees the crowds of people seeking help (Matthew 9:36). God feels us: our pain, our sorrow, our guilt, and our anger. God’s heart aches for us, God’s stomach does flip-flops over us. Realize that there is something deeply holy about the feelings of compassion and empathy. That bone deep, stomach churning pain we feel in the face of the hunger, violence, and displacement in our world is God’s Word of Grace, Christ Jesus, taking flesh within us. Literary σπλαγχνίζω (splangchnizō) is related to the word σπλάγχνον (splangchnon), which means “inner organs.” Metaphorically, this comes to refer to the “heart” and from there the origin of emotions like pity, compassion, or mercy. The pastoral poet Theocritus (2nd cent. BCE) describes love as “having desire in the innards” (splangchnon, see Theocritus, Idyll 7, line 99). Clever Questions for Further Reflection When have you felt compassion for someone else? What physical sensations came with the feeling? Who does your heart currently ache for? A Clever Prayer to Close The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:8-14  A Clever Word for the Season of Lent
ὑστερέω (hustereo) To be behind, to lack, to be in need, to fail A Clever Verse for Context When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need (ὑστερέω) (Luke 15:14). Clever Reflections Spiritual We began this devotional by discussing the mis-orientation of the human heart (harmartia). The lack, need, and failure (hustereo) experienced by the younger son in Jesus’ prodigal parable is closely related to this mis-orientation. In both cases, something crucial is missing. The experience of famine and acute need eventually bring home to the younger son just how alienated he has become from the things, or rather people, that matter. As sinners we are all in a state of lack, starved for both divine and human connection. This lack makes itself known in loneliness, alienation, physical hunger, violence, and so much more. Something is lacking, something crucial. Literary We can be behind (hustero) in many ways: financially, in terms of success and esteem, temporally. In Herodotus’ History the Athenians are late (hustero) for an agreed upon meeting by a day (Herodotus 6.89). Clever Questions for Further Reflection When have you been in need? How has the your need for one thing made you aware of a deeper lacking in your life and relationships? How have you helped others or been helped during a time of need? A Clever Prayer to Close Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? ~Luke 12:22-25 |
About the Blog
Journey through the season of Advent with daily updates on the adventures of St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Belliacre, MI as they attempt to cobble together a Christmas Pageant with an unlikely cast of characters.
AuthorsAmelia Corbett Illustrator
Stephanie Dubbs
Stephanie is an art educator and a landscape/portrait artist. Her inspirations come from the amazing people she meets and the gorgeous state of Michigan as well as her home state of Florida. She and he husband love nature. They are out in the water during the summer months and on the snow in the winter enjoying the simple pleasures of life. Archives
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Christ the King Lutheran Church
600 S. M 18 Gladwin, Mi. 48624 989-426-1659 Pastor Emily Olsen pastor.ctkinggladwin@gmail.com |
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