kara speltz
04-02-2007, 12:09 AM
A MEDITATION ON LUKE 19:1-10
Gracious & loving God,
you continue to call at our homes, schools, and places of labor,
Daily you pass under our sycamore tree saying,
“Come down, for today I must abide at your house,”
Like Zacchaeus, may we have the courage to journey with you
into new hope & joyful service.
May we come down from the safe places of
ideology, theology and academics.
May we come down from the defensive notions of
race, creed, color, orientation, gender and class.
May we come down from the dividing lines of denominations & sects.
May we come down from the anguish & failures of the past.
May we come down & live in the aliveness of possibility
and not in the despair of human liability.
May we come down and no longer view our service to others
from the safe distances of false human security.
And when we have come down to walk with you and one another,
grant us salvation in our serving,
blessing in our generosity to others,
and peace at the end of our journey.
Shine the light of grace & forgiveness into the dark & unseen corners
of our hearts.
May we make room for you.
May your spirit find in each of us a resting place.
Amen.
By Eugene Blake
I've been thinking about Zaccheus after choosing this meditation for the ER Prayers. The story is such a wonderful one, particularly for LGBTs and other, "outcasts," if you think about it. Here's this crowd of people surrounding Jesus. So many that Zaccheus has to climb a tree to see him. Now Zaccheus is a tax collector as detested as a Samaritan in that culture. With hundreds and hundreds of reputable people surrounding Jesus, he chooses Zaccheus. It's so intense when you really think about it. I just don't get why these fundamentalists don't comprehend, just who Jesus really was. For time and time again, Jesus chooses the exiles.
Gracious & loving God,
you continue to call at our homes, schools, and places of labor,
Daily you pass under our sycamore tree saying,
“Come down, for today I must abide at your house,”
Like Zacchaeus, may we have the courage to journey with you
into new hope & joyful service.
May we come down from the safe places of
ideology, theology and academics.
May we come down from the defensive notions of
race, creed, color, orientation, gender and class.
May we come down from the dividing lines of denominations & sects.
May we come down from the anguish & failures of the past.
May we come down & live in the aliveness of possibility
and not in the despair of human liability.
May we come down and no longer view our service to others
from the safe distances of false human security.
And when we have come down to walk with you and one another,
grant us salvation in our serving,
blessing in our generosity to others,
and peace at the end of our journey.
Shine the light of grace & forgiveness into the dark & unseen corners
of our hearts.
May we make room for you.
May your spirit find in each of us a resting place.
Amen.
By Eugene Blake
I've been thinking about Zaccheus after choosing this meditation for the ER Prayers. The story is such a wonderful one, particularly for LGBTs and other, "outcasts," if you think about it. Here's this crowd of people surrounding Jesus. So many that Zaccheus has to climb a tree to see him. Now Zaccheus is a tax collector as detested as a Samaritan in that culture. With hundreds and hundreds of reputable people surrounding Jesus, he chooses Zaccheus. It's so intense when you really think about it. I just don't get why these fundamentalists don't comprehend, just who Jesus really was. For time and time again, Jesus chooses the exiles.