May 24, 2013

August 30, 2012


“I’m not into poetry.”

SO SAID a participant in our Thursday afternoon Bible Study.  I’m pretty much the same as that parishioner.

But it reminded me that we don’t always read to please ourselves.

One of our 8 o’clockers used to go and read poetry to another church member who was in Hospice care.  Even though the reader enjoyed poetry, she wasn’t basking in the words for her own pleasure.  She was reading them out loud to bring pleasure to a dying friend.

Ever read bedtime stories to kids?  The little ones will often pick a favorite and want it read over and over, night after night.  The reader loses all pleasure in the story - might even come to hate it and never want to hear it again.  But the reading goes on because it brings the child such pleasure.

Our Bible groups studied the Psalms a few years ago.  It was challenging.  We issued “Survivor” certificates to those who made it through.  Not everybody likes poetry, let alone studying the stuff.

When it comes to the Psalms and other prayers, they are best read not for our own pleasure - not for “what we get out of them” - but because they are God-given prayer language that God enjoys.  It’s like God gave us his favorite song list and asked us to play it over and over again.

The Psalms and other traditional Canticles are a big part of daily Morning and Evening Prayer in our tradition.  We might learn from them or even come to enjoy them, but that’s not the primary purpose when we offer them in worship.  It takes a new way of thinking to use them this way.  We have to understand that we are offering them up because they please God. 

So don’t feel ashamed if you don’t especially enjoy or understand Psalms and other prayers.  Just offer them up to God, because you want to please God.  And when that is your approach you will be surprised by what you actually do start to get out of it.

(This was my article in the September newsletter for Good Shepherd, Sioux Falls).
 

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11 comments

A very interesting perspective…I’ll have to chew on that…but it has a ring of truth to it…

[1] Posted by B. Hunter on 8-30-2012 at 09:21 AM · [top]

B. Hunter - I would say that it works with the Psalms and some of the Biblical Canticles because they are “God-breathed.”  Just in case I wasn’t clear enough in the piece, I don’t advise uncritical use of just any prayer.

The confession in Right I Morning Prayer influenced me quite a bit:

Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of
Almighty God our heavenly Father, to render thanks for the
great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth
his most worthy praise, to hear this holy Word, and to ask, for
ourselves and on behalf of others, those things that are
necessary for our life and our salvation. And so that we may
prepare ourselves in heart and mind to worship him, let us
kneel in silence, and with penitent and obedient hearts
confess our sins, that we may obtain forgiveness by his
infinite goodness and mercy.

There are several things going on in liturgical prayer, some discreetly and some concurrently.  So the Psalms certainly have the power to inform and inspire us.  But their primary placement in the Offices is, I think, intended to “set forth God’s most worthy praise.”

[2] Posted by Timothy Fountain on 8-30-2012 at 09:33 AM · [top]

What!? Do you mean that the Psalms are for daily worship!? I thought they were just to fill in the gaps between the readings. I thought they were supposed to be chopped up into little easy to digest pieces that matched the other readings for Sunday. Do you mean to say that they might stand on their own?

I am shocked… shocked.  tongue wink

[3] Posted by Undergroundpewster on 8-30-2012 at 09:42 AM · [top]

#3, you should check out “Not Another Episcopal Church Blog.”  If you think I have lame ideas, that guy over there doesn’t believe in editorial removal of Bible verse from the assigned readings.

He’s like one of those Anglican Reformers, who wanted the BCP to sport course readings so that the faithful would hear the whole Bible read out over a year.  So you need to debate him about his extremism - much worse than anything I say about the Psalms!

[4] Posted by Timothy Fountain on 8-30-2012 at 09:50 AM · [top]

TLF+,

Don’t get me started. The Gospels also have their poetic qualities, and would you believe that the lectionary knives pare them down to size from time to time? You just better be prepared for what they have done to this Sunday’s readings from Mark 7.

[5] Posted by Undergroundpewster on 8-30-2012 at 10:16 AM · [top]

RE: “I’m pretty much the same as that parishioner.”

What what what what what what WHAT??????

[6] Posted by Sarah on 8-30-2012 at 10:39 AM · [top]

Sarah - pls. check PM as I am in need of tech (NOT TEC) support.  As for my comment, I simply mean that I am not a good student of poetry.  More a prose guy.  I miss all kinds of stuff that more developed readers of poetry appreciate. 

I’m pretty much clueless once we get past “There once was a man from Nantucket…”

[7] Posted by Timothy Fountain on 8-30-2012 at 10:49 AM · [top]

Pewster,
Sadly, The verse slayer is alive and well and contributing to Forward Day by Day. It has gotten so bad that hubby and I now read all the verses from beginning verse to ending verse whether slashed or not. ACK, Now that FDbD has gone to making it known who put togethers their readings and commentaries, I am liking it less and less. 

Other suggestions for daily reading, anyone??

[8] Posted by SC blu cat lady on 8-30-2012 at 11:52 AM · [top]

SC blue cat lady -

Try “Jesus Calling”.

[9] Posted by Already left on 8-30-2012 at 05:51 PM · [top]

Pewster -

Personally, I am shocked…..shocked!  that they didn’t cut vv 21-23.  Who screwed up making the reading selection?  I thought THIS was the stuff that wd be completely skipped, read around w/ readings through v 20, resuming at 24.  (There are omissions like that, aren’t there?) 

21For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, 22adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. 23All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’


Or homosexual activity isn’t in the list, so it might OK to keep the reading?  Wd also be defense for the Gay Defense:  we don’t cut all those verses….

[10] Posted by maineiac on 9-1-2012 at 08:52 PM · [top]

Already Left, Publisher??? Where can I get it ?

[11] Posted by SC blu cat lady on 9-2-2012 at 01:47 AM · [top]

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