Some Notes on the Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 20, Year A

The Sentence, “Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom and healed every infirmity among the people”, is founded on Matthew 4.23.

In the reading from Genesis (45.1-15) we have hopped to the denoument of the story of Joseph. His brothers sold him into slavery, but by God’s grace he became Pharaoh’s chief minister, and guided the land through seven years of good crops and the following seven years of bad crops. In the famine his brothers have come to Egypt to buy food, but did not recognize him. Finally Joseph reveals himself, and shows his love and forgiveness. At the end of the passage his brothers were able to talk with him, something they could not do peaceably before (see last week’s passage). The crux of the passage is that it was all God’s doing: “And now do not be dismayed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life” (v.5); God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant upon earth, and to keep you alive for many survivors (v.7); So it was not you who sent me here, but God (v. 8). This is true of God’s actions in the world; in a nysterious way he accomplishes his will throught the free, and often evil acts of his people, and often through what appears to be chance. There is in fact never any clear evidence of God’s working.
The “land of Goshen” is now known as the Wadi Tumilat; it is a strip of grazing land in the Nile Delta. From the fact that Joseph assigns it to his family so that thay will be near him it is deduced that Pharaoh’s capital was then in the Delta region. This was the case at the time when the Hyksos, a foreign people, ruled Egypt (c. 1720-1550 BC) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyksos]. This dating is by no means certain (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_%28Hebrew_Bible%29].

The Psalm, 133, is one of the psalms of ascents, sung by pilgrims going up to Jerusalem. It has been commented that “what is ‘good and pleasant’ is more likely the place where the worshippers gather together, and not so much their comradeship.” This interpretation seems to fit the mention of Aaron, the High Priest.] This psalm is used today to reflect on the restored unity of Joseph and his brothers. Mount Hermon lies north of Israel in the Anti-Lebanon range.

The Epistle, Romans 11.1-2a, 29-32 continues Paul’s concern over the rejection of the gospel by his fellow Israelites. The passage excerpted for today concentrates on the positive conclusion of Paul’s meditation. This is clearly seen in the excision of verses 2b to 28 in order to link more closelt the ideas that “God has not rejected his people” and “the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable”. Paul’s thought is highly nuanced and perhaps better dealt with in a Bible Study than in public proclamation. Not that in this section the disobedience and disbelied of both “Jews and Greeks” are balanced.

The Gospel: Matthew 15.[10-20,] 21-28; parallel, Mark 7.1-23 The full reading appointed has two sections.

The first, verses 10-20 may be omitted. It is the conclusion of a longer section (15.1-20) which tells how Jesus upbraided the Pharisees for making void the word of God for the sake of human tradition, that is, elevating the oral interpretation to a status equal with the law (15.1-9). Now he turns to the crowd, to explain to them what this dispute is really about, that purity depends on moral behaviour, not on rituals of food and the like. The disciples, astonished at his boldness, venture to point out that he has offended the Pharisees with this saying. he bluntly tells them not to follow the Pharisees; they are blind leaders (see also Matt 23.16-17, 24; Luke 6.39; Romans 2.19). Peter, speaking for the rest asks what he meant by saying that it is not what enters a person that defiles. Jesus replies clearly. Note that Matthew, unlike Mark, does not spell out the conclusion, “Thus he declared all foods clean” (Mark 7.19). Notice also that in Mark it is “the disciples” that ask the meaning of the parable. Matthew often specifies Peter; in this case it was Peter who had specially to deal with the question afterwards (see Acts 10).
In the second section (21-28; parallel, Mark 7.24-30) Jesus goes away to “the district of Tyre and Sidon”, two cities of Phoenicia, now Lebanon. It is not clear from this whether he actually went to the Gentile country or only went “towards” there—the original can bear either sense. As one commentator put it, “He departed to escape from the Pharisees to a place of safety and peace. A conflict was inevitable, but he would choose his own time.” News of his teaching and works had spread abroad, and a woman of that region comes to seek healing for her daughter, who is vexed by a demon. The mother is greatly afflicted by her daughter’s suffering, and cries aloud for help, much to the annoyance of the disciples. Jesus however makes no response.
To the disciples Jesus says, “I have not been sent, except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Compare his words to them when he sent them out: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles … but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt 10.5-6). Some commentators suggest that this is not a case of exclusivity, but of priority in time: the word is to come to Israel first. “In the Messianic age the gathering of Israel must precede and preparte for the gathering of the nations.”
It is impossible to guess at the inner thoughts that underly Jesus’ repartee in the scene that follows, which certainly seems harsh enough. Some say that it was meant to elicit a declaration of the woman’s faith. Perhaps it was meant to show the unreasonableness of an ideological rejection of her plea for help. However that may be, the woman is remarkable not only for her faith but for her wit: she gives as well as she gets. Her faith, as well, contrasts with the Pharisees who would not accept the teaching of Jesus. The passage also shows that, just as it is wrong to call any food unclean, so it is wrong to call any people “dogs”.

Commemorations this Week

20th August: The Memorial of Bernard, Abbot of Clairveaux, 1153. Bernard was a leader of the spiritual revival and reform of the monastic life and the whole Church

Inexpensive Things to Do in Toronto. I

Playing Tourist

I just had to take the day off. Although a glance at the calendar left no doubt as to the pile of work needing to be done, it also made it depressingly clear that July and the beginning of August had slipped by without almost no time given to recreation. In order to get a day off I have to go out; if I stay home, eventually I succumb to the temptation and work. But what is there to do on a Monday which is free, or at least not too expensive, and which one can do alone, without much planning?

One idea is to go and play tourist in some part of town one has read about but never visited. With a few errands that have been nagging and a spot of lunch thrown in it's a nice little outing. The area I wanted to see is certainly not unknown, but it is one I seldom hear mentioned. Perhaps others who have not heard of it, might be interested in seeing it. The amble takes less than an hour. Some time ago I read in an architectural guide to Toronto about the stretch of Wellington Street between Clarence Square at Spadina and the Victoria Square (Victoria Memorial Park since 1905) at Portland. The best way to go is by TTC: get off the King Street Car at Portland and walk south on the west side.

Victoria Memorial Park was the military cemetery, established in the time of Lieutenant Governor Simcoe. The first known internment was of the Simcoe’s infant daughter Katherine; the last was Private James McQuarrick in 1863. It was replaced by subsequent millitary cemeteries. The park contains a memorial to those who fought in the War of 1812 and in particular in the defence of York in 1813. On the top is “Old Soldier, a statue by Walter Allward.

Looking east from Victoria Square one sees Clarence Square, which was conceived in the early 1800s as an urban park surrounded by houses. Wellington Street between the two squares was meant to be a stylish residential area in the then “New Town”. The only remaining residential buildings are Clarence Terrace, which faces the park from the north.

There is a special treat in store when you walk along Wellington Street between the squares. Running south for a block is Draper Street, a residential street that managed to escape the industrialization that spoiled the rest of the area and is now a heritage conservation district. It is lined with cottages in the empire style from 1881 and 1882, as well as some larger houses built between 1886 and 1889. Most of the dwellings have signs designating their heritage status the date of building, the first resident and the architects. Many of the residents’ occupations are also given. It was on this street that the Hon. Lincoln Alexander, Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario was born in 1922. Draper Street is completely charming, and a pleasant spot for a little of touring in one’s own city.

Draper Street has personal associations for me. It was named for Sir William Henry Draper (1801-1877), a lawyer and politician, who headed the administration of Canada for a time before Confederation and after leaving politics was a judge and eventually Chief Justice. In 1862 he presided over the trial of Mr and Mrs Aylward for the murder in Hastings County of William Munro (my great-great-grandfather), and on their conviction sentenced them to death, the first husband and wife to be executed together in Canada. There is a bust of Draper in the Narthex of St James Cathedral.

I admit that little jaunt requires some homework, either before or after, but it is a cheap and pleasant way of spending a morning. When I was finished I ran errands, had lunch and bought a few books. That's where the money goes.

[Toronto has lots of information about its history on line.

For Victoria Memorial Park, see: http://www.toronto.ca/culture/victoria-square/index.htm.

For Clarence Square & Wellington St., see http://www.toronto.ca/planning/urbdesign/pdf/15kingspadina.pdf.

For Draper Street see http://www.torontohistory.org/Pages_DEF/Draper_Street.html.

There is a life of Sir William Henry Draper at : http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=39079.]

Noticed in the Advertising

Need a Yes to a Prayer?

While I was editing the notes on Proper 19, I noticed the advertisment inserted at the top of the column which proclaimed. "Need a Yes to a Prayer?" Immediately I thought of an answer: then pray for something God will want to give you. A little flippant perhaps, but some serious thoughts underly it.

I do not doubt that the advertiser is in earnest, and that the information on offer is based on the real promises of Christ that what is asked for in his name will be granted (John 16.23-4) - Wiser minds than mine can take on the discussion of the full meaning of "in my name". Christ makes it clear that we should ask God for anything we need, asking continually without growing weary (Luke 18.1-8) and asking in confidence (Luke 11.5-13).

Whatever the answer offered in this advertisement might be, however, the quetion seems to contain the dangerous assumption that the purpose of prayer is to make God give us things, or make things happen. It makes prayer sound like far too automatic a thing, as if it were merely a matter of producing the right formula to gain the right answer. More than one writer has observed that it turns God into a sort of dispensing machine for those who have the right coin. I wonder sometimes whether those who teach in this way really believe that God is living, free and loving.

In fact prayer is a thing far richer thing than just asking for things and receiving them. In prayer we come to know God, and even to know ourselves as God knows us, to learn to know God's will and to learn to do it. Petition and asking in prayer are part of a richer relationship relationship than just asking and getting; in that relationship when we ask for things we must also listen and learn whether we really want or need them, or perhaps there is something else we want and need more. The balance between asking and learning is best expressed in the collect for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity in the Book of Common Prayer:

Let thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of thy humble servants; and that they may obtain their petitions make them to ask such things as shall please thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Perhaps someday I'll find out what this advertisement has to offer; but in the meantime I will learn about prayer in the old fashioned way, by praying and listening and meditating on the scriptures. The "Yes" may not always be obvious, but I have never yet been let down.

I think I'd better let the ad below - which promises to tell us why God permits evil - go without further comment. If that question could really be answered in a pamphlet -and a non-denominational one at that - this would be a happy world indeed.

Some Notes on Proper 19, Year A
& The Week of the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost (10 August, 2008)

The Sentence, I wait for the Lord; in his word is my hope, is taken from Psalm 130 (De profundis). “Out of the deep have I cried unto thee” seems to fit St. Peter’s cry in the Gospel passage as he begins to sink, Lord, save me!
The Collect does not seem to have any particular connection with the readings for this year.
The First Reading: Genesis 37.1-4, 12-28
The lectionary hops through the story of Jacob (Israel) at some speed, touching only on the highlights. His flight and wanderings over, Jacob has settled down in the land of Canaan. But now a new trouble comes because Jacob has a favourite among his sons, Joseph, the son of his beloved Rachel. The story of Joseph (chapters 37, 39-47, and 50) constitute a literary unit within the book of Genesis. At the beginning of the story Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers, making way for the sojourn of the people of Israel and the Exodus.
The famous “coat of many colours” comes from the Greek translation; the original which may mean “a long coat with sleeves”, “a coat of fine wool”, or “an ankle-length coat”. The point is that it is the coat of a member of the ruling class - or at least a non-labourer. In verses 5-11, which are for some reason omitted from the passage read, Joseph has two dreams which seem to foretell that his parents and brothers will bow down to him. This explains the comment in verse 19, “Here comes the dreamer”. Furthermore, Joseph has told tales on his half-brothers (verse 2), which was not likely to win their love.
When Jacob sends Joseph to check up on his brothers (verse 12-14; see verse 2), they plot his death, but later decide to sell him instead. Is this change of plan driven less by merciful than by mercenary motives? Note that in verse 21 it is Reuben that tries to dissuade his brothers from killing Joseph, while in verse 26 it is Judas. This may be sign of the melding of different traditions; or one may be a scribal error. Two traditions also seem to have been merged in verses 25-28, one in which the brothers sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites, and the other in which Midian traders pull him from the well and sell him.
In the full story it is seen how God is working out his purpose for Israel through these unpleasant human acts; it will lead to Israel being saved in the years of famine, and God’s great saving act in the Exodus. The story of Joseph is read in the Daily Office in Lent in Year 2.
Psalm 105:1-6,16-22,45c. Psalm 105 tells in verse the story of God’s mighty acts of salvation; compare Psalm 78. Note that 1 Chronicles 16:8-22 is a composite of Psalms 105; 96 and 106. The selection chosen for this Sunday tells the story of Joseph in Egypt from the point of view of God’s power working in human actions and history. In vv. 16-17 “he” is God; in vv. 18ff, “he” is Joseph.
The Epistle: Romans 10.5-15
This passage is taken from the long section of Romans in which St Paul comes to grip with the fact that most of Israel seems to have rejected the message of Jesus as Christ.
The first part of the reading (verses 5-13) expounds on verse 4, For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified. Chris Haslam remarks on this:

There are three possible meanings: [1] The law of Moses, with its demands and consequences, is no longer in effect: Christ is the termination of the law. (See also Galatians 3:23-26.) [2] In Christ, the Law is brought to its proper conclusion and fulfilment. (See also Matthew 5:17.) [3] The Law functions to drive people to ask for deliverance; this is available in Christ. Paul may intend all three meanings. NJBC sees the third meaning as the most likely: the final and purposive goal of the Law is Christ.

He further notes that in 9:31-33 there is pursuit of oneness with God; one pursues a goal. St Paul quotes several passages from the books of Moses to show that the Law pointed forward to Christ (Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 8:17 and 9:4; Deuteronomy 30:11-14). Justification (righteousness) comes from the confession that Christ is Lord, the same Lord over both Jew and Greek. The second part of the reading speaks of the need to hear the gospel before any ca call on the name of the Lord. That they may hear, some must preach, but none can preach unless they are sent, that is, by the apostles, who were themselves sent by Jesus.
The Holy Gospel: Matthew 14.22-23.
The parallel passages are Mark 6.45-54 and John 6.15-21
Immediately after the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus sends the disciples in the boat to the other side; we are told in verse 34 that “when they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret,” which is just down the coast from Capernaum and apparently not far from where they started. He himself dismisses the crowd and then goes up the mountain by himself to pray. This is a model for us; if our Lord needed time alone for personal prayer, how much more do we?
In verse 24 and 25 we meet two ancient units of measurement which are rendered quite vaguely in our translation. a) “The boat …. was far out from land” is literally, the boat was many stadia from land. A stadion was a Greek measure of about 1/5 of a kilometre, or a furlong (220 yards). Our word “stadium” comes from this ancient measure of a race track. b) “Early in the morning”; is literally “In the fourth watch of the night”. The ancients only counted hours of day light; the night was divided into three or four watches, which were of equal length. The “fourth watch” would be the last hours before dawn, not necessarily what we would call “early in the morning”. Perhaps “in the small hours” would better convey the time. It could also be translated "in the morning watch", which is the time noted in Exodus 14:24, when the Lord "discomfited the host of the Egyptians' in the midst of another great work of power over water.
Naturally frightened by the sight, the disciples cry out, “It is a ghost!” We might wonder whether “ghost” is the best translation of phantasma, since it in modern English it implies a walking spirit of the dead, or whether something more neutral might be better, such as “apparition”. Jesus speaks to calm their fears by identifying himself. Inspired by the sight of Jesus walking on the water, Peter asks him to bid him walk on the water, too. Jesus does bid him, but as Peter walks, he is frightened by the wind and begins to sink. Jesus saves him, catching him by the hand, but upbraids him for his lack of faith. This is the second miracle.
And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased, the third miracle. The disciples acknowledge Jesus as Son of God, for he had power over the sea, which was considered a chaotic and evil power (see Genesis 1:6-7, Job 9:8 Psalm 77:19, Psalm 89:9-10,Isaiah 43:16,Sirach 24:5-6).

Feasts, Memorials, and Commemorations of the Week

* 10 August: Laurence, Deacon and Martyr at Rome, 258. Laurence was one of the seven deacons in the city and church of Rome. In the year 258 the presecution of the church was renewed with vigour. On August 6 of that year the Bishop of Rome, Sixtus II, and four of his deacons were put to death; two of the remaining deacons died later the same day. The magistrate demanded that Laurence hand over the church’s treasure, and granted him three day’s grace to gather it. When the time arrived, Laurence appeared before the authorities with a crowd of beggars, cripples and the infirm, declaring: Here is the treasure of the church. He was executed at once, by being burn on a grill.
11 August: Clare of Assissi, Abbess, 1253. Clare was a rich young woman of Assisi who was converted to following the way of poverty by the preaching and example of St Francis. she became the mother of a community of women, who lived in great poverty and prayer. Clare lived the life she taught until this day in 1253, when she died.
12 August: Consecration of Charles Inglis, First Anglican Bishop in Canada, 1787. After the American Revolution, the British government finally saw the need of bishops for the church in her empire. The first bishop appointed for Canada was Charles Inglis, the former rector of Trinity Church in New York City, now a refugeee for his loyalty. He was consecrated this day in 1787 to oversee the Church in all of British North America, where he laboured until his death in 1816.
13 August: Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down and Connor, Spiritual Teacher, 1667. Jeremy Taylor was a priest of the Church of England who suffered for his loyalty to the King and the Church during the Civil Wars. When the King and the Church were restored in 1660 he was appointed to the sees of Down and Connor in northern Ireland, where was worn down by labour and sickness and died in 1667. Taylor is chiefly remebered today for his works Rules and Exercises for Holy Living and Holy Dying, books which contain deep wisdom and good advice for the day-to-day practice of devotion.
14 August: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Maximilien Kolbe, Martyrs, 1945, 1941. Today we remember a Protestant Minister and Roman Cathokic Priest who doied for their faith in Christ at the hands of the Nazi government in Germany. Kolbe was a Pole, arrested after his country was conquered, and sent to Auschwitz. There he gave up his life in palce of another prisoner. The theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was at first committed to non-violent resistance to the Nazi regime, but was later drawn into a futile plot to assassinate Hitler, for which he was arrested and executed on 9 April 1945.
15 August: St Mary the Virgin. This day, traditionally said to be the day on which our blessed Lady died, and also known as her “Dormition” or “Falling Asleep”, is her principal feast in the Anglican Calendar. An ancient but extra-biblical tradition holds that on her death she was assumed into heaven, body and soul, hence the title Assumption.
16 August: Holy Women of the Old Testament. On the day after we commemorate the Blessed Virgin, it is good to remember all the other Holy Women of Israel. Unfortunately, the list is too long to include here.

* Since Sunday takes precedence over it, Laurence was commemorated this year on Saturday, 9 August

Some Note on Proper Eighteen, Year A

The Sentence: In years A and B the sentence, which is used as the Alleluia verse beore the Gospel, is : We do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4.4 This sentence looks to the Gospel reading.

The Collect is apparently a new composition It is founded on the Gospel account of the feeding of the five thousand.

The First Reading: Genesis 32.22-31. After serving Laban for many years, Jacob has decided to return home to Canaan. He has outwitted Laban into giving him the best of his flocks, and has departed with his wives and entourage without saying farewell. This angered Laban, who pursued Jacob, but (thanks to God's intervention), they have come to an amicable agreement. Now he faces the meeting with his brother Esau, whom he tricked out of his inheritance. Commentators do not agree on the identity of the man who wrestles with Jacob, Is he God himself, as Jacob’s naming of Peniel suggests, or an angel? The great Jewish commentator Rashi said that he was the guardian angel of Esau.
The main point of the story is the giving of a new name. Jacob is now to be Israel. Jacob’s new name signified a new self; no longer was he the Supplanter (25.26) but Israel (33.10) which probably means “God rules”, but is here interpreted as “He who strives with God”. So this is a story of conversion: Jacob has a new character and is no longer the trickster. If the man was Esau’s guardian angel, then the change of name may signify the undoing of Esau’s curse of his brother’s name (27.36).

Psalm 17:1-7,15: The psalmist prays for deliverance from accusers who behave deceitfully.

The Epistle, Romans 9.1-5. Paul has written of the new life that is ours in Christ, in the love of God, aided by the Holy Spirit, with the certain hope of eternal life, and reached the triumphant declaration that “nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (8.39). Now he confronts the question of why most Jews have rejected the good news. This causes Paul great sorrowand anguish. He would even be willing to be “cut off from Christ” (v. 3), be condemned to damnation, for the sake of bringing his fellow Jews to Christ. They are “Israelites” (v. 4) – a title given to them by God, as we saw in the first reading. They have seven gifts from God:
Adoption, being chosen as children of God; Glory, God’s presence in the desert and in the Temple; The Covenants of God with the patriarchs; The giving of the law at Mount Sinai; The Worship in the tabernacle and the temple, which God commanded and prescribed through Moses; The Promises to Adam, Noah, Moses and David; and a heritage still in effect, of worshipping the God of their fathers, the patriarchs (v. 5, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). Above all, Jesus the Christ, who was born a Jew.
With this passage Paul begins the long and complicated discussion of the relation of Israel to the Gospel, which extends to the end of Chapter 11, concluding that “so all Israel will be saved” (11.26). Only selections of this portion of Romans is read in the Sunday lections this year. It is a section where one ought to make use of a good commentary.

The Gospel: Matthew 14.13-21. The parallel passages in the other Gospels are Mark 6.31-44; Luke 9.10-17; John 16.1-13. Note that this miraculous feeding is recounted in all four Gospel The feeding stories echo Exodus 16 and Numbers 11 (manna and quail), as well as 2 Kings 4:1-7, 42-44 (Elisha multiplying oil and bread for the widow). The description “a deserted place” reminds us of the words of Pslam 78.10-11: They spoke against God saying, Can God prepare a table in the wilderness? He smote the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread, or provide meat for his people?
The mention of the boat suggests that this account should come before 13.53 where Jesus goes to Nazareth, which is not on the sea. You might compare Mark 6.32.

The first words of the passage, Now when Jesus heard this, refer to the death of John Baptist, recounted just before this in verses 1-12. After the Baptist’s death Jesus faced a new stage in his life; he seeks solitude apart from the crowds. He may well have seen his own end foreshadowed in John’s. Compare his reaction to John’s imprisonment, as recounted in Mk 1.14-15. Now he goes by boat to a deserted place.
The traditional site of this miracle is Tabgha, on the north-west shore of the Sea of Galilee, abut 2.5 km from Capernaum. Thus the people did not go very far when they heard Jesus was there, which suggests perhaps that they might not have packed food as they would for a proper journey.
Matthew reports that when Jesus landed at this deserted spot, and saw the throng, he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. On “he had compassion” (ἐσπλαγχνίσθη), see the notes for proper 11 (Blog of June 13). Mark says he taught them, Luke that he both taught and healed. Luke’s is more likely, for if they were all there until it was evening he probably did both. As St Augustine reminds us we do not need to expect each evangelist to include every detail.
When the disciples had given Jesus their meagre supply of food, he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. The mention of grass suggests the spring time: St John’s account specifically says (6.4) that the Passover was at hand.
The Lord’s actions, taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, should be compared to the descriptions of the Last Supper (Matthew 26..26 and parallels).
As always the miracle is performed without outward show. The Lord simply blessed the food and breaks it for distribution, and it is enough. But note that there is not the breath of a hint of the crowd bringing out food they had. This is is not the story of Stone Soup.
The twelve baskets of fragments left over are clearly symbolic of the twelve tribes of Israel, restored in the last times under the twelve apostles of Jesus (see also Mat 19.28). It is also more generally a sign of the abundance and overabundance of God’s grace.

Feasts and Commemorations this Week

Monday, 4 August: St Stephen Deacon and Martyr. Transferred from Sunday. [The BAS calendar has provided the option of moving the feasts traditionally celebrated on the days after Christmas to other days in the year. It is my strong belief that they should be celebrated on the traditional days.]
Wednesday, 6 August: The Transfiguration of the Lord : Holy Day
Thursday, 7 August: John Mason Neale, Priest, 1866, who helped enrich the devotional life of the Anglican Communion, especially by the hymns he wrote and translated.
Friday, 8 August: Dominic, 1221, Priest and Friar, founder of the Order of Preachers (the Dominicans)

Note:

These comments are the by-product of my own preparation for preaching, or for attending the Sunday Eucharist if I am not, and I am very happy to make them available if they are useful. However, a certain amount of time is required to prepare them for publication. If you find the notes useful and interesting, please let me know.

Some Thoughts for the Week of the Eighth Sunday after Trinity
13 July 2008

Morning Prayer

Psalms 39 Dixi, Custodiam; 41 Beatus qui intelligit
First Lesson: 1 Kings 22.1-28: Micaiah prophesies the truth to King Jehoshaphat.
Second Lesson: Acts 25.1-12 (13-end): “You have appealed to Caesar; to Caesar you shall go.”

The Holy Eucharist.

Introit: Psalm 48 Magnus Dominus: 1-12. Verses 10,11, and 1 of this psalm were used as the introit for this Sunday the old missal.
The Collect is founded on the ancient Latin Collect for this Sunday. The prayer that God will “put away from us all hurtful things” can in part only be answered with our cooperation. We cannot expect God to put away hurtful things if we insist on seeking them out. It is on this fact that the idea of mortifying the deeds of the body is founded (see Epistle).
Epistle: Romans 8.12-17 sets forth the service of Christ as no slavery but a sonship. Those who live by the Sprit, doing the works that bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, are the adoptive children of God. On the idea of “sonship,” see the letter to the Galatians (iii.25; iv.2-7). Some things to bear in mind as we read this:
This doctrine of “sonship” is not the same as the idea that “we are all God’s children” (by creation). It is by baptism into Christ that we are made adoptive children in him and joint heirs with him.
The “flesh” must not be understood as it often is, and certainly not to mean the body as opposed to the spirit or mind. St Paul sometimes uses flesh [Greek σαρξ (sarx)] to mean a human being and to connote his natural frailty, as in verses 6.19, or the weakness of human existence, as at 8.5, 8); but Paul does not use σαρξ to mean merely the human sexual drive, but the whole human being as subject to earthbound tendencies, as opposed to the spirit, openeness to the influence of God’s Spirit. “Flesh” includes the mind and soul as far as they are not turned to God.
Note that St Paul does not speak of mortifying “the body” but “the deeds of the body” (verse 13). In the simplest possible sense, this means to stop doing things that you know to be wrong so that even the impulse to do them dies away. It is not, as some would say, a hatred of the body; there is nothing in it of denying pleasure, but simply bringing under control “deeds” that we do not wish to do.
Gradual: Psalm 48: 13-15
The Holy Gospel St Matthew 7:15-21
This passage is from the end of the Sermon on the Mount (St Matthew 5.1-7.2). The immediately preceding passage is “Enter by the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (7.13-14).
7.15-20. Jesus warns his disciples against “false prophets”. Who are the false prophets? Note first that the basic meaning of the word prophet, Greek προφήτης, is “spokesman”: a prophet is not a foretune teller, but one divinely-commissioned to speak the word of God. The false prophets, then, come on their own authority for their own ends and purposes. Here the reference is not to the Pharisees, but to Christian teachers [See Matthew 24.11-28]. Just what the false teaching might be is not specified but the immediately preceding passage suggests that they are those who would offer an easier way than Christ. St John Chrysostom said that Christ here aimed “not so much at the heretic, as at those who, while their life is Corrupt, yet wear an outward face of virtuousness.” We may further note that since this passage refers to prophets, we cannot simply use it as a way of judging our fellow Christian disciples.
Further, these false teachers come in sheep’s clothing but inardly are ravening wolves. Sheep’s clothing may be understood in more than one way. The obvious idea is “like a sheep outwardly,” the type of gentle harmless innocence, which may further remind us of Matthew 25.33). Further “sheep” often symbolize “the flock”, as in Ezekiel 34.1-24 12.32; to come is sheep’s clothing is to proclaim yourself a member of the flock. Again, it reminds of the appearance of the prophets of old; as in Hebrews 11.37 we read that they “went about in skins of sheep and goats.” That they are ravening wolves, on the other hand, declares that they are animated by some selfish lust, as a greed for power or money. However, it is by their fruits that they will be known.
What fruits are these? St Augustine said that we should look to the words of St Paul which contrast the works of the flesh from the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5.19-24). This interpretation is supported by the fact that the passage set ends at vese 21, rather than going on to the new section that verse begins. It is clear that the fruit is doing the will of the Father (see John 15, especially 8-11).
Note the question “Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” The commentaries tell us that there were thorns which produced grape-like fruit and thistle-heads like figs. A Puritan (it is said) writingon this passage, pointed ou that “It is quite possible to put grapes on thorns. It is quite possible to put figs on thistles, but they canot grow there.” No answer to this question is recorded in the Gospel, but the next words, “Even so …” suggest that an answering “No” had appeared on the faces of his hearers; perhaps they shook their heads as though saying “Of course not!”
When he had this agreement, Jesus drove the point home. But then he said that the trees that don’t bring forth good fruit are cut down and cast into the fire. At this point the parable of the wheat and the tares comes to mind (Matthew 13.24-30). In this parable the separation of the god grain from the wheat that looks like it will not come about until God’s judgement. This means at least that we are not to punish the false prophets.

Evening Prayer

Psalm 40 Expectans expectavi
First Lesson: Ezekiel 33.21-end. In the time after the fall of Jerusalem (586 BC). The word of the Lord comes to Ezekiel to prophecy concerning the devastated land. This passage may be read as we consider what is the nature of a true prophet.

Second Lesson: John 16.16-22. A passage from the Lord's farewell discourse at the Last Supper. His disciples will have sorrow for a little while, but when he sees them again, their hearts will rejoice.

Commemorations this Week

15th; Swithun, Bishop of Winchester, c. 862

Tales from the Slippery Slope IX:
Dick Whittington

The other day The Slippery Slope was closed for a private party. There was no particular reason, except that the weather was fine and Keith was tired of the general public. So Canon Hawker, John the undertaker and his wife, Tom from the bookshop, Susan from Vanity of Vanities, and I all came. Keith’s son Mike presented a Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding and all that that entails, and though he and his friend David served, they were able to sit down to the table. The doors were opened onto the back deck, and the early evening breeze was lovely.
Tom looked at his beef. “This is fine, Mike, just fine: the Yorkshire pudding, the vegetables, the succulent jus! And I'm so glad you don’t have a little menu that proclaims roast beef with au jus!’
Mike raised his voice above the laughter, “I’ve seen that too often in pubs, and I resolved never to do it here.”
Keith said, “And you knew you’d be disinherited if you did it!"

Canon Hawker said to me, "Do you remember some of the menus at Trinity? Tomato Oregon Soup?"

"I was always fond of "Gralic Chicken," I said.
Just then a grey cat walked in through the open doors.
“Well, hello!” said Keith. “I don’t know you. … as long as you’re not planning to stay I don’t mind a visit.” And then he looked around his friends. “Anyone allergic to cats? Any ailurophobes?”
Apparently there weren’t.
I said, “That’s good. The church I help out at in Toronto always has a Church Cat. Now we have a fine black cat named Dragon. He’s very popular.”
Susan lamented the fact that there were probably regulations that meant Keith couldn’t have a Pub Cat. We talked about cats for a while, until I happened to remark on the fact that there were good stories about cats.
“’Puss In Boots’ comes to mind, of course, as well as others that are less well known, but one I’ve always loved is the story of Dick Whittington.”
David looked up, “I don’t know that story.” Mike said he didn’t either.
“What do they teach them in these schools?” I said, in my best old professor voice. “Shall we enlighten the younger generation?”
John Strype said that it wasn’t just the youngsters who might like to hear it; he hadn’t heard the story since he was a child.
So Keith made sure everyone had a drink, we all settled back, and I began: “I’ll retell the story from one of the eighteenth-century versions, a little condensed and a little modernized.

The Famous and Remarkable Story of Dick Whittington and his Cat

Dick Whittington’s parents died when he was a very little boy; and could never give account of his family or where he was born. Almost starved in the country, and finding neither work nor charity, he made his way to London, for he heard that the streets were paved with gold, and he thought he could go and gather a bushel or so. As he walked along he met a waggoner going to London, who offered to let Dick walk beside the wagon all the way for free.
At last Dick came to London. To his disappointment the streets were paved with stones and dirt. He was all alone, in a strange city, without food or the money with which to buy it. He did not like to beg, and he would not steal, but after three days there was nothing to do but ask for help. So Dick begged, but in vain. Everyone who saw him said, “Go to work, you idle rogue!’ At last Dick said to one man, “That I will! I will work for you if you will let me.”
The man took this answer for cheek and gave the poor boy a blow to the head with his stick, almost knocking him out. Hurt and hungry Dick could only lay himself down at the door of a large house. When the cook, who was an ill-natured woman coming out told him to be off. Just then Mr Fitzwarren, the merchant who owned the house came home and he too began to scold the poor boy.
Dick said, once again, that he would be glad to work if anyone would employ him, and that he would be able to work if anyone would give him food to eat, of which he had had none in three days, but that if he wasn’t wanted he would go away. He got up, but was so weak that he fell down again. At last compassion was roused in Mr Fitzwarren, who bade his people bring the boy in, give him some food and drink, and find some work by which he could help the cook

At this point out historian addressed the reader with a moral:

People are too apt to reproach those who beg with being idle, but give themselves no concern to put them in the way of getting business to do, or considering whether they are able to do it, which is not charity. "Think of this ye affluent, And when the overplus of your fortunes disturb Your minds, think how little stops the lash of penury, And makes the wretched happy!"

So Dick became a scullion, and would have been happy in that worthy home, except for two things. First, that the cook (whose name was Cicely) was cross and cruel, and the servants generally treated him badly. But Mr Fitzwarren’s daughter, Alice, who was a kind girl, made the servants treat him kindly (though the cook seems to have obeyed with an ill will). The second problem was that the garret, where he slept, was home to countless rats and mice which disturbed him in his sleep, even running over his nose.

One day a gentleman who was a guest at Fitzwarren’s house gave Dick a penny for brushing his shoes. Dick put the penny in his pocket, determined to make the best use he could of it. the next day he saw a woman in the street with a cat under her arm, and asked her how much she wanted for her. The woman asked a good deal, for the cat was a good mouser. Crestfallen Dick made to go on, saying, “I need a cat badly, but all I have is one penny.” At this the woman kindly let him have the cat. Though a penny went further in those days than it does today, ity still seems a bargain for a cat.

Dick brought the cat up to his garret, where he hid her from the cook. Soon the rats and mice were killed, or at least frightened away, and at last young Whittington could sleep in peace.

Not long after this, Mr Fitzwarren called all his household together. He said to them, “I have a ship, The Unicorn, ready to sail, to travel and trade in far countries, and it is my custom, as you know, to let all my household try their luck on the venture.” All the servants came and put some money or goods into the venture; all except young Dick Whittington, who had nothing to send but his luck. Miss Alice, thinking that he stayed away for shame of his poverty, called for Dick, and even offered to put something on the ship for him. Her father said, “No that will not do; it must be something of his own.” Dick said, “I have only a cat, which I bought for a penny that was given me.” “That will do,” said his master. “Fetch thy cat, boy, send her.” So Whittington brought his puss and gave her to the captain. (The historian says that his tears were because he would once again be kept awake by the vermin, but we might think that he had some fondness for the cat.) Many of the company laughed at making a venture of a cat, but Miss Alice, as always, took pity. Secretly she gave poor Dick money for another cat.

So the cat went to sea. At home the cook made Dick’s life as unpleasant as she could; not only did she beat him at every opportunity, but made fun of him for sending the cat to sea. Finally this treatment became too much to bear, and Dick resolved to run away. He packed his few possessions and set out very early the next morning, which was All Saints’ Day. When he had got up the Great North Road as far as Holloway, he sat down on a stone to think which way he should go. While he pondered this, the bells of St Mary-le-Bow began to ring, and he thought they were addressing him:
Turn again, Whittington
Lord Mayor of great London
Sometimes you will hear that the sound of the bells was:

Turn again, turn again, Whittington,
Three times Lord Mayor of London.

or even

Turn again, Whittington,
Once Mayor of London!
Turn again, Whittington,
Twice Mayor of London!
Turn again, Whittington,
Thrice Mayor of London!
These versions do not seem to appear until the nineteenth century. But I digress.
“Lord Mayor of London,” said Dick to himself. “I could put up with a lot to be Lord Mayor of London, and ride in a fine coach. Back I’ll go, and put up with the worst Cicely can give me rather than miss the chance of being Lord Mayor!” So back he went, luckily getting home before the cook was up and at her work.

Now The Unicorn was bound for the Mediterranean and the coast of Africa, but it was driven off course and came to an unknown part of the coast. They were treated kindly by the inhabitants, and the captain began to trade. When the king of that land saw the goods on offer, he invited the captain and the factor to dine. When they had all sat down, on the carpeted floor, as was the custom in those parts, and the many dishes were set before them, an amazing number of rats and mice came from all sides, and ate up all the food. The nobles told the ship’s factor that their king would give half his treasure to be freed of these vermin that not not only
destroy his dinner, but assault him in his chamber, so that he must be guarded while he sleeps.
The factor was joyful as he told the king that on ship they had a creature that would do away with all these vermin in a trice. The king was excited and demanded that he bring him this amazing creature at once. “If she can do what you say, I will load your ship with gold and jewels in exchange for her.” The factor said that the cat was needed on the ship to keep rats and mice away, but that to oblige his Majesty, he would fetch her.. He ran, and returned with the cat just as the rats and mice were beginning to attack the new meal that was set out. As soon as he set the puss down, she set about her work and drove the vermin away. The king and queen rejoiced that such a small animal could solve their problem.
Now it happened that the cat was with young. Our historian does not explain how this could happen to one lone cat on a long sea voyage, so we too must let that pass. The result was that, with the promise of a litter, in the bargaining for the ship’s cargo, the king offered ten times as much for the cat as for all the rest. And at last the company sailed back to England.
Mr Fitzwarren arose early one morning to work in his counting house, when there came a tap, tap, at the window. “Who’s there at such an hour?” he called. The answer came. “It is never a bad hour for a friend. I have news of The Unicorn.” It was the captain and with him the factor, who presented him with such a casket of jewels and such a bill of lading, that he gave thanks to God for a prosperous voyage. The captain told him the tale of the cat, and said, “This casket of jewels is Mr Whittington’s”. So the merchant called a servant and said,

Go, send him in and tell him of his fame
And call him Mr Whittington by name,

which achieves in good spirit what it may lack as poetry.
As he waited for the boy to come, quite a crowd assembled in Fitzwarren counting house. Some grumbled, as some always will. “That’s too much for auch a poor boy!” they said. Fitzwarren was an honest man and replied, "God forbid that I should deprive him or a penny; it is his own, and he shall have it to a farthing."
At last Dick came in from the kitchen, and to his surprise was set in a chair. “Oh, please sir,” he said, “I don’t know what you want. Do not mock me! Let me go back to the kitchen.”
Fitzwarren took him by the hand and said, "In truth, Mr Whittington, I am in earnest. I have called you to tell you of your good fortune and to congratulate you. Your cat has earned you more money than I have in the world. Mat you long enjoy it and be happy.”
Dick took some convincing, but at last he accepted his fortune, and falling on his knees gave thanks to God. He gave gifts to all the household, including his enemy Cicely.
The rest of the story is quickly told. Dick went into trade and was hugely successful – rich enough to lend money to the king. He married Miss Alice, and they lived happily, and as the bells foretold, he was three times elected Lord Mayor of London.

“Of course, it’s not true,” said Canon Hawker. “The real Sir Richard Whittington was a younger son of a knight of Gloucestershire, born probably about 1350 or 60. He did go to London to learn the trade of a mercer, was hugely successful and was elected Lord Mayor four times. He was a good and just man and a great benefactor of charities. He did marry an Alice Fitzwarren. The story of the cat was probably grafted on to his legend from one of those other stories Will alluded to. The Bow Bells are a much later addition to the story. Anyway, you can look it all up in an encyclopaedia.”
“Indeed, Father,” said Tom, “but it is a good story nonetheless, and one that is worth knowing.”
To that we all agreed.