Readings for Sunday 2nd August 2020 Isaiah 55:1-5, Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21, Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14: 13-21
At the beginning of this time of worship, come before God with the words of Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21. It is a Psalm with a rare distinction: it is the only one entitled ‘praise’ in Hebrew. So just reflect quietly and make these words your hymn of praise to God
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The LORD is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.
The LORD upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand,
satisfying the desire of every living thing.
The LORD is just in all his ways,
and kind in all his doings.
The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfils the desire of all who fear him;
he also hears their cry, and saves them.
The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
and all flesh will bless his holy name for ever and ever. Amen
Come buy with love most high
It seems ages since any of us received an invitation to meals out with friends, but if you can remember that far back, you will no doubt think carefully about the occasion – and dress accordingly. You will have already thought about what to bring in terms of flowers, chocolate, wine or dessert (depending on the friend). And now the appointed date and time arrives, and away you go to enjoy the long-awaited hospitality.
So what will it be like when we return to church buildings? Sunday best? Does anyone worry about that anymore? What will we bring to God? Actually, I want to think not so much about what we bring to God, but the hospitality that God offers to us.
The LORD who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love; who is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made, is the God who summons us into the divine presence. And this most amazing gift is one that is free, but given at great cost, is also spoken about in Isaiah reading.
Ho, everyone that thirsteth
I have always loved this chapter from Isaiah since childhood days, when my grandfather would recite it (from the Authorised Version, of course): Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters … It came out with the same volume and fervour, whether at home, or at the beach mission. This was followed up with a sung version, and I have never, ever found that particular hymn (and please don’t send it, even if you have a copy!)
We did sing frequently at school that lovely old Lenten hymn by Percy Dearmer (1867-1936)
Now quit your care and anxious fear and worry;
for schemes are vain and fretting brings no gain.
To prayer, to prayer! Bells call and clash and hurry,
in Lent the bells do cry, ‘Come buy, come buy,
Come buy with love the love most high'.
The Book of Consolation
It is a beautiful phrase, ‘come buy with love most high’, with its insistence once more on the costly nature of this free gift.
I read somewhere that Isaiah 40-55 is known as the Book of Consolation. So it was a message of hope and consolation to deportees caught up in oppressive geo-politics, here expressed as a poem. Because for those who experienced exile all those centuries ago, here is a reminder that they are held within the promised love of God. That steadfast and abounding love that is, in grace and mercy, is slow to anger.
And for those who feel in any kind of exile today, here is a reminder of a place in the love of God. As I write this week, I am aware of a conversation a colleague had with someone who has lost all desire to live. There is no joy for them in the simple things in life, that we so often take for granted. Then there are those images on our TV screens, where human beings are reduced to grinding poverty. Every time a tented city appears, perhaps Isaiah’s prayer-poem should form part of our prayer, for a time when they too will have the yoke of oppression lifted and their burdens removed.
Accordingly, the Book of Consolation begins with the great call of solace from God, ‘Comfort, O comfort my people’ (40:1) and by the time the write arrives at chapter 55, that help is full and running over, with an abundance of water, of bread, wine and milk. Gifts from the God who has not abandoned the people.
Dispossession
Mention of bread and wine, of course leads to reflection on that great mystery of life when we meet God in the sacrament. What a tremendous feeling of deprivation many feel at the loss of this particular gift to the church over the past few months. The Methodist church helps us to explore this as a communal experience:
‘Deprivation’ as the Church understands it belongs to the whole local community and we explore it as a shared experience, and not as one of individual spiritual preference or as a cause for division. For Paul the Lord’s Supper should “proclaim Christ’s death until he comes” and be a witness to the unity of the body (1 Corinthians 11:26, 29).
For some the inability to share in Holy Communion embodies a greater sense of loss that is not easily put into words. Perhaps a loss of connection with God, especially of awareness of the mystery of God and God’s presence, of transcendence. There is also the loss of connection with others, with sisters and brothers in Christ. We are reminded through this of the importance of place, of physicality, of community, of body.
https://www.methodist.org.uk/media/17977/f-and-o-holy-communion-responding-pastorally-covid-19-100720.pdf [accessed 28.07.20]
It resonates with that deep question raised in Isaiah 55:2: what will truly satisfy you? As I read these words I am reminded that the government is encouraging places of work to re-open, because of the economic impact on town centres. So, we could ask the question ‘does work and money satisfy?’
Or what about those tempting offers to encourage people to dine out more: will this appease our need for good food and drink? Or maybe it is the massive discounts offered by the shops to lure us back to spending money. Will retail therapy soothe the troubled soul?
I’m sure that, whilst there is joy in meeting with friends, or sharing a good meal, there is something much deeper on offer here.
Consumerist comforts and Babylonian baubles
Apparently, you would have needed to be seen as a valuable commodity to be taken into captivity; that is to say, the intelligentsia and the wealthy. Removing such people from the vassal state would starve it of intellectual capacity, as well as removing physical wealth from the economic system. Yet many thrived and rose to positions of high office in Babylon (just read the book of Daniel). Perhaps the thought of returning home sounded less that appealing. ‘Ho, everyone who thirsts – don’t worry about your Babylonian baubles and trinkets, God invites you to able part of a project aimed at rebuilding abundant life, where everyone might flourish’. The consumerist culture of Babylon can be so diverting! On the other hand, to be other than in the place you regard as home, could speak of dispossession.
I heard someone say the other day in a meeting, that they don’t know if or when they will return to church. Not words from someone in insolation. This conversation did not continue long enough to explore some of the matters that prompted the speaker. And I was left wondering: is this because the way of life before lock-down has been superseded and they dread a return to the treadmill, or maybe they yearn for something new, deeper, richer in their faith? I wonder if they have become a victim of exile or a survivor?
Perhaps it is time to assess what is truly important in a relationship with God and with the world. To cultivate those things which are life-affirming, and to ditch the ‘Babylonian baubles’ – not just of the world – but of an endless round of church busy-ness.
Lord God, free us from those Babylonian baubles weighting down our hands, so that we cannot lift them in praise, supplication or prayer; chains that keep us from stretching out to our neighbours in need. Free us from those tinny trinkets rattling by our ears blocking your voice, with its captivating promise of comfort, of abundant grace and mercy for us, for your church, and for our neighbours. Free us from consumerist comfort, when sisters and brothers are hungry, live under flimsy canvas and make-shift shelters, and cannot withstand the ravages of pandemic disease. Free us from the captivity of contentment when you need partners to build a new world. Our bread rolls and sardines may look small, but in your hands, they could go far… As we pray for churches who are returning from exile, seeking to rebuild worship in community, we give thanks for possibilities of fellowship and communion. But help us to step outside the walls to meet the needs of those in isolation. We pray once more for key workers, for those making tough decisions, and most of all, for those working in research for new treatments. Lord, you are just in all your ways, so we make our requests with confidence. Amen
Worship at home 