The Good Wife: Reflections on Proverbs 31.10-31 (RCL Proper 25B, 20 September 2015)

Saint Faith’s Anglican Church

Vancouver BC

Click here to listen to the Sermon as preached at the 10.00 a.m. Eucharist on Sunday the 20th.

         About three years ago or so a television series appeared entitled The Good Wife.  The central character, Alicia, faces an uncertain future when her husband, Peter, is sent to jail after a public scandal involving sex and political corruption.  While her husband serves his time in prison, Alicia returns to her former career as a defense attorney.  In this old but new role Alicia does more than take responsibility for her family; she takes hold of her own future and, in some ways, discovers herself.  One can only wonder what life is like when her husband finishes his sentence.

         I wonder if the creators of this series had Proverbs 31.10-31 in mind when they looked for a title for this series.  There are some differences.  The husband in Proverbs is not, at least as far as we know, a felon and adulterer.  Nor is there any suggestion that the wife is taking total control of the family’s life; she is her husband’s chief asset and all her work goes to secure the good name and the well-being of the family --- his family in the male-centred culture of the time.  But there are also connections.  The word in Hebrew translated as ‘capable’ can mean ‘courageous’ or ‘noble’ or ‘gifted’.  She is described as ‘rare’, not because there are few such wives, but because she is priceless, invaluable, treasured.

         This poem about ‘the good wife’ comes at the very end of Proverbs, a book of the Bible intended to provide young men and rulers with principles for wise behaviour.  By putting this hymn of praise to ‘the good wife’ at the very end of the book, the editor or editors of Proverbs are actually making a not so subtle point:  wise men and wise women are God’s intentions.  Here we see a little crack in male chauvinism.  Wisdom cannot nor should not be understood as a characteristic of one gender to the exclusion of the other.

         This woman’s wisdom is described in very practical terms.  Her skills range from the everyday needs of the household to international shipping and finance.  She has an eye for real estate and her opinion matters.  She understands the importance of first impressions, so her family, whether in winter or summer, in private or in public, wears clothing that announces their status to one and to all.  She is the embodiment of the old saying, more recently revised, that behind every great man is an even greater woman.

         But there is another message within this text that is easy to lose sight of.  The message is this:  all of us have treasures, concrete signs of our labour, our wisdom, our own good fortune and the good fortune of those who have come before us.  The wise person, the truly wise person, understands the importance of the stewardship of these treasures.

         Nowadays we tend to think of treasure solely in the form of money, whether the hard coin in our pockets, the polymer sheets in our wallets or the electronic accounts accessible in various ways.  In some of the earliest Christian texts treasure has a wider meaning and included oil, bread, cheese and other produce raised by the members of the congregation.  I remember visiting my aunt and uncle who live just outside Bristol and being taken to their parish church.  Right next door to the church as a ‘tithe’ barn where the members of the parish, in generations past, would support the ministry of the parish priest by bringing the hard goods, livestock and produce of their lands.  I wonder what that might look like today.

         Four times during the year the Christian tradition sets aside three days for prayer, prayer that focuses on the ministry of the Church.  These ‘Ember Days’, as they are called, were traditional days for ordinations, but I think they have a broader connotation for us today.  They are times for us to focus on the ministry of the whole people of God, ordained and lay, and to consider how we might be more effective and more faithful in the ministries which God has entrusted to each one of us.  One of these special times for prayer and reflection follow the Feast of the Holy Cross which falls on the 14^th of September every year.

         On this Sunday following Holy Cross Day, a day when we remember God’s offering up the treasure embodied in Jesus of Nazareth, it’s a useful exercise to ponder what are the things we treasure.  I really do mean the ‘things’ we treasure, the concrete signs of what we value and who we are.  For example, one of the conundrums Paula and I now face is what to do with our books.  We had always intended to give them to Vancouver School of Theology, but the School has recently ‘down-sized’ its library.  Both of us have accumulated a valuable collection of both contemporary and classic resources on theology, liturgy, spirituality, history and biblical studies.  How can we be good stewards of these treasures?  If the School is no longer a place for our treasures, where could they do the greatest good for the people of God?

         What are your treasures?  What are the visible and tangible expressions of who you are and what you value?  Like the good wife of Proverbs, God invites you and me to make wise use of these concrete resources given into our charge.  For we, like she, have a family to care for, the family of God.  May that family, in generations to come, call us blessed and wise.

A Man for All Seasons: Reflections on Mark 8.27-38 (RCL Proper 24B, 13 September 2015)

Dear Friends,

My usual routine was greatly disrupted in the days leading up to yesterday's celebration of the Eucharist.  Consequently, I did not publish my sermon foundation.  But I did record my reflections at the 10.00 a.m. Eucharist and you can listen to them by clicking on the link below:

A Man for All Seasons

An Ordo for the Eucharist on Pentecost 17 (RCL Proper 25B, 20 September 2015)

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

20 September 2015

The Gathering of the Community

Gathering Music

Greeting

The Presider begins the Gathering from the door to the Narthex.

Blessed be the Holy Trinity, one God,

who forgives all our sin,

whose mercy endures forever.

Blessed be God forever. [i]

Collect for Purity

Almighty God,

to you all hearts are open,

all desires known,

and from you no secrets are hidden.

Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts

by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,

that we may perfectly love you,

and worthily magnify your holy name;

through Christ our Lord.  Amen. [ii]

Hymn of Praise

During the singing of the Hymn of Praise the Presider and Deacon process to their places in the Sanctuary.

‘Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love’  Common Praise #504

Collect of the Day

Let us pray.

O God,

who draws near to us

and whose nature is revealed in lordship laid aside:

give us grace to welcome you

in the child and in the outcast;

in the name of Jesus Christ who humbled himself

so that we might know eternal life.  Amen. [iii]

The Proclamation of the Word of God

The First Reading

A reading from Proverbs (31.10-31).

^31.10 A capable wife who can find?  She is far more precious than jewels.  ¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.  ¹² She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.  ¹³ She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.  ¹⁴ She is like the ships of the merchant, she brings her food from far away.  ¹⁵ She rises while it is still night and provides food for her household and tasks for her servant- girls.  ¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.  ¹⁷ She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms strong.  ¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.  Her lamp does not go out at night.  ¹⁹ She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.  ²⁰ She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.  ²¹ She is not afraid for her household when it snows, for all her household are clothed in crimson.  ²² She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple.  ²³ Her husband is known in the city gates, taking his seat among the elders of the land.  ²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them; she supplies the merchant with sashes.  ²⁵ Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.  ²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.  ²⁷ She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.  ²⁸ Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her:  ²⁹ “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”  ³⁰ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.  ³¹ Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

Thanks be to God.

The Psalm of the Day

Psalm 1 with a refrain from Songs for the Holy One

Refrain (sung twice):  Happy are those who trust the Holy One.

¹  Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *

            nor lingered in the way of sinners,

            nor sat in the seats of the scornful!

²  Their delight is in the law of the Lord, *

            and on this law they meditate day and night.

³  They are like trees planted by streams of water, *

            bearing fruit in due season,

with leaves that do not wither; *

            everything they do shall prosper.

Refrain:  Happy are those who trust the Holy One.

⁴  It is not so with the wicked; *

            they are like chaff which the wind blows away.

⁵  Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgement comes, *

            nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.

⁶  For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, *

            but the way of the wicked is doomed.

Refrain:  Happy are those who trust the Holy One.

The Second Reading

A reading from the Letter of James (3.13-4.3, 7-8a).

                  ^3.13 Who is wise and understanding among you?  Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth.  ¹⁵ Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish.  ¹⁶ For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.  ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.  ¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

            ^4.1 Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from?  Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you?  ² You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder.  And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts.  You do not have, because you do not ask.  ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend what you get on your pleasures.

⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  ^8a Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

Thanks be to God.

Hymn before the Gospel

Alleluia.  Alleluia.  Alleluia.

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Alleluia.  Alleluia.  Alleluia. [iv]

The Gospel

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark (9.30-37).

Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

            ^9.30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee.  He did not want anyone to know it; ³¹ for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again^{.”  32} But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

            ³³ Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?”  ³⁴ But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest.  ³⁵ He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”  ³⁶ Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”

The Gospel of Christ.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

The Sermon

An Affirmation of Faith

Let us declare our faith in God.

We believe in God the Father,

from whom every family

in heaven and on earth is named.

We believe in God the Son,

who lives in our hearts through faith,

and fills us with his love.

We believe in God the Holy Spirit,

who strengthens us

with power from on high.

We believe in one God;

the holy and undivided Trinity.  Amen. [v]

The Prayers of the Community

Intercessions, Thanksgivings and Petitions

The Exchange of the Peace

May the peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Communion

Offertory Hymn

‘Sing Hallelujah to Our God’  Common Praise #492 (sung to #304)

The Prayer over the Gifts

The Deacon leads the People in the Prayer over the Gifts.

Let us pray.

Blessed are you, O God, maker of all things.

Through your goodness you have blessed us with these gifts:

our selves, our time, and our possessions.

Use us, and what we have gathered,

in feeding the world with your love,

through the one who gave himself for us,

Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen. [vi]

The Thanksgiving at the Table

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is indeed right that we should praise you, gracious God,

for you created all things. 

You formed us in your own image: 

male and female you created us. 

When we turned away from you in sin,

you did not cease to care for us,

but opened a path of salvation for all people. 

You made a covenant with Israel,

and through your servants Abraham and Sarah

gave the promise of a blessing to all nations. 

Through Moses you led your people from bondage into freedom;

through the prophets you renewed your promise of salvation. 

Therefore, with them, and with all your saints

who have served you in every age,

we give thanks and raise our voices to proclaim the glory of your name.

Holy, holy, holy Lord,

God of power and might. 

Heaven and earth are full of your glory. 

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. [vii]

Holy God, source of life and goodness, all creation rightly gives you praise. 

In the fullness of time, you sent your Son Jesus Christ,

to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us,

to reconcile us to you, the God and Creator of all. 

He healed the sick and ate and drank with outcasts and sinners;

he opened the eyes of the blind

and proclaimed the good news of your kingdom

to the poor and to those in need. 

In all things he fulfilled your gracious will.

On the night he freely gave himself to death,

our Lord Jesus Christ took bread,

and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it,

and gave it to his disciples, and said,

“Take, eat:  this is my body which is given for you. 

Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper he took the cup of wine;

and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said,

“Drink this, all of you:  this is my blood of the new covenant,

which is shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sins. 

Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Gracious God, his perfect sacrifice destroys the power of sin and death;

by raising him to life you give us life for evermore. 

Therefore we proclaim our hope. 

Dying you destroyed our death. 

Rising you restored our life. 

Lord Jesus, come in glory.

Recalling his death, proclaiming his resurrection,

and looking for his coming again in glory,

we offer you, O Holy One of Israel, this bread and this cup. 

Send your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts,

so that all who eat and drink at this table

may be one body and one holy people,

a living sacrifice in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory is yours,

Creator of all things, seen and unseen,

now and for ever.  Amen. [viii]

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and for ever.  Amen. [ix]

The Breaking of the Bread

“I am the bread of life,” says the Lord.

“Whoever comes to me will never be hungry;

whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Taste and see that the Lord is good;

happy are they who trust in him! [x]

The gifts of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

Communion

Hymn after Communion

‘As We Gather at Your Table’  Common Praise #61

The Sending Forth of the Community

The Prayer after Communion

We give you thanks, almighty God,

that you have refreshed us

through the healing power of this gift of life.

In your mercy, strengthen us through this gift,

in faith toward you

and in fervent love toward one another;

for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. [xi]

Glory to God,

whose power, working in us,

can do infinitely more

than we can ask or imagine. 

Glory to God from generation to generation,

in the Church and in Christ Jesus,

for ever and ever.  Amen. [xii]

Closing Hymn

‘Let There Be Light’  Common Praise #572

The Dismissal

The Deacon sends the People forth with a Dismissal for the occasion.

---

[i] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 94 alt.

[ii] The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 185.

[iii] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for Proper 23B to Proper 30B’ 2015), 2.

[iv] Common Praise #710 with Sentence for Proper 25B sung by the presider.

[v] Common Worship (2000), 148 alt.

[vi] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for Proper 23B to Proper 30B’ (2015), 7.

[vii] Common Praise #732.

[viii] The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 193-195 alt.

[ix] The Book of Alternative Services (1985), p. 918

[x] The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 212.

[xi] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for Proper 23B to Proper 30B’ (2015), 8.

[xii] The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 214.