Author: John Tillman

Posted on

Doing Justice to the Sacrament :: Throwback Thursday

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11.26
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Reflection: Doing Justice to the Sacrament :: Throwback Thursday
By Martin Luther — 1519 AD

We at present see to our sorrow that many masses are held and yet the Christian fellowship which should be preached, practiced and kept before us by Christ’s example has quite perished.

This is the fault of the preachers who do not preach the Gospel nor the sacraments, but their humanly devised fables concerning the many works to be done and the ways to live aright.

But in times past this sacrament was so properly used, and the people were taught to understand this fellowship so well, that they even gathered material food and goods in the church and there distributed them among those who were in need.

Christians cared for one another, assisted one another, sympathized with one another, bore one another’s burden and affliction.

There are those, indeed, who would share the benefits but not the cost, that is, who gladly hear in this sacrament that the help, fellowship and assistance of all the saints are promised and given to them, but who, because they fear the world, are unwilling in their turn to contribute to this fellowship, to help the poor, to endure sins, to care for the sick, to suffer with the suffering, to intercede for others, to defend the truth, to seek the reformation of the Church and of all Christians at the risk of life, property and honor.

They are unwilling to suffer disfavor, harm, shame or death, although it is God’s will that they be driven, for the sake of the truth and their neighbors, to desire the great grace and strength of this sacrament. They are self-seeking persons, whom this sacrament does not benefit.

Just as we could not endure a citizen who wanted to be helped, protected and made free by the community, and yet in his turn would do nothing for it nor serve it. No, we on our part must make others’ evil our own, if we desire Christ and His saints to make our evil their own; then will the fellowship be complete and justice be done to the sacrament.

For the sacrament has no blessing and significance unless love grows daily and so changes a man that he is made one with all others.

The Morning Psalm
The Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer. — Psalm 6.8-9

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Full prayer available online and in print.

Today’s Readings
Esther 2 (Listen – 4:31)
Acts 25 (Listen – 4:40)

Posted on

Every Man a King?

Scripture: Esther 1:22
He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom, to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language, proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household

Reflection: Every Man a King?
By John Tillman

It is perhaps most fitting that a book titled for it’s heroine, Esther, begins with a tale of fragile male ego. In what amounts to not answering her husband’s Facebook event invite, Vashti commits what, to the assembled, powerful men of the land was a grievous wrong.

What follows is what typically follows after a bruised male ego—overreaction leading eventually to violence. In any era, including our own, powerful men being snubbed at a party can set off a chain of events that threatens an entire population, but in the ancient world of monarchs it was inevitable.

Xerxes, who on the outside seems the most powerful person in the story, is shown in many ways to be the weakest. He is ruler of half the known land mass of the world, but spends the entire narrative beset by and tied up in, reactionary (and irreversible) laws. Some of them of his own making.

Xerxes is obsessed with what happens to himself. His ego can’t tolerate being disobeyed in even the slightest way. When snubbed, he looks to legislation rather than to relationships as both punishment and final solution.

The idea of “every man a king” does not come exclusively from this verse, but it is an early iteration of the concept and a desperate attempt by men to maintain ungodly power over women who are, together with men, bearers of the image of God.

The legislation that ends Chapter one is the desperate shutting of the door on an already empty barn. It is descriptive—telling us of the foolish actions of men. It is not prescriptive—telling us how men should deal with women. The men who utter it are the bumbling fools of the story, not the heroine.

And the next step taken, to replace Vashti, is the first step in bringing to power a woman who will do something more unusual than refuse the king’s presence. She will command his attention instead. She will condemn to death men close to him. She will issue commands to the leaders of his people and change the course of history.

The Call to Prayer
But I will call upon God, and the Lord will deliver me.
In the evening, in the morning, and at noonday, I will complain and lament,
He will bring me safely back… God, who is enthroned of old, will hear me. — Psalm 55.17ff

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Full prayer available online and in print.

Today’s Readings
Esther 1 (Listen – 4:14)
Acts 23 (Listen – 4:11)

Posted on

Prayer of Praise and Entreaty from Denmark :: Worldwide Prayer

Scripture: Acts 23:11
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

As amazed as we may be that scripture describes the Lord—the resurrected Christ—standing near Paul in a moment of uncertainty, we need not be jealous of his closeness to Jesus. For we often forget that Jesus is no farther away from us than he ever was from Paul. In our moments of trial, difficulty, pain, uncertainty, and distress, this prayer from Denmark can remind us that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit stand near to us. The courage they can offer us is as near as our next breath drawn in prayer. — John

Reflection: Prayer of Praise and Entreaty from Denmark :: Worldwide Prayer

Almighty God,

We praise you for all your gifts.
May we be good stewards of your grace and share with others what has come from your hand.
We pray for all who suffer, for the sick, the disabled, the unemployed,
the starving and undernourished, and for those who endure the agony of war.
Come to them with your healing and consolation.

Jesus Christ our Savior and Maker,

We praise you for your love and forgiveness
For your invitation to engage in acts of reconciliation
And for your call to serve men and women.
Help us that our character may bear evidence of your love.
Give us the capacity to forgive because we have been forgiven.
Grant us a joyful mood and a kind temper because you have set us free.

Holy Spirit, teacher of God’s will

We praise you for making God’s essence and reality live in our hearts.
Fill us with power and courage to proclaim Jesus Christ as Savior.
Fill us with power to fight against injustice and discrimination.
Fill us with wisdom to distinguish God’s will from our own ambitions.
Give us open hearts that we may experience the living presence of God calling us, and of Christ loving us.

*Prayer from Hallowed be Your Name: A collection of prayers from around the world, Dr. Tony Cupit, Editor.

A Reading
Jesus taught us, saying: “Whoever holds my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me; and whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and reveal myself to him” — John 14.21

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Full prayer available online and in print.

Today’s Readings
Nehemiah 13 (Listen – 5:57)
Acts 23 (Listen – 5:15)

Posted on

Politically Ambiguous Religion

Scripture: Romans 1.16-17
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Reflection: Politically Ambiguous Religion
By John Tillman

Constantine, Emperor of Rome from 306 AD to 337 AD, is known as a “Christian Emperor” but for most of his public life was a follower of Sol Invictus and seemed to be unable or unwilling to renounce publicly this politically advantageous faith, only being baptized in the last moments of his life.

Constantine’s statements were frequently ambiguous enough that Sol Invictus supporters would assume he was reverencing the Sun and Christians would assume he was reverencing the Son of God. One of several examples noted in A Brief History of Sunday, by Justo Gonzalez is that when walking to set the lines that the walls of Constantinople would follow, he was asked how far he intended to walk and responded, “As far as the One who leads me.” Christians understood this “one” to be their God, and devotees of the Sun to be theirs.

This ambiguous rhetorical caution is repeated in Constantine’s edict that made, from a Christian point of view, the day we call Sunday a day of Christian rest and worship. From the viewpoint of a Sol Invictus worshiper, Constantine promoted their religion to primacy by enshrining the day of the sun, Sunday, as the first day of the week—demoting the god Saturn by demoting Saturday.

Was Constantine faking or just being “ecumenical?” Was he being wise yet innocent, as Jesus advised? Or was he being “ashamed of the gospel”? Maybe a little of both? We don’t know for sure, but many of his actions seem to indicate sincerity.

Faith devoted to the way of Christ is rarely politically expedient and being a Christian in political service involves careful, refined, rhetorical language. Yet, Christians in any party have proved to be a politically naive group—swallowing whatever politicians want as long as they quote the Bible verses we like and avoid the ones we don’t.

We have been duped by politicians who have no demonstrable history of spiritual practice, discipline, or charity but who suddenly start standing on stages with famous Christian pastors, talking about prayer or about helping the poor.

May we view faith that conveniently seems similar to our own with grace, but also with wisdom—accepting but also testing. When it comes to politicians, and anyone else, may the only standard we judge them by be the one Jesus gave us: by the fruit of their actions.

The Call to Prayer
Sing to the Lord and bless his Name; proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations and his wonders among all peoples. — Psalm 96.2-3

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Full prayer available online and in print.

Today’s Readings
Nehemiah 12 (Listen – 6:30)
Acts 22 (Listen – 5:55)

Posted on

A Prayer for My People from China :: Worldwide Prayer

Scripture: Acts 19.24-26
A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.

Reflection: A Prayer for My People from China :: Worldwide Prayer

Loving God,
For my people, I cry out to you,
For my people lacking food and clothing
For the many unemployed
For those denied the opportunity to worship you
For those prevented from expressing their opinions
For the many different ethnic groups
I cry out to you.

Oh Lord,
May my people find economic stability
May my people work for peace

And above all, may your holy Word
Make a powerful impact throughout my nation

Oh Lord, hear my prayer, in Jesus’ name

*Prayer from Hallowed be Your Name: A collection of prayers from around the world, Dr. Tony Cupit, Editor.

The Prayer Appointed for the Week
Father in Heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into His Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Full prayer available online and in print.

Today’s Readings
Nehemiah 9 (Listen – 7:46)
Acts 19 (Listen – 5:47)

This Weekend’s Readings
Nehemiah 10 (Listen – 4:41) Acts 20 (Listen – 5:22)
Nehemiah 11 (Listen – 5:05) Acts 21 (Listen – 5:55)