This blog provides a meditation on the Episcopal daily readings along with a headline from world news:

JOE FRAZIER DIES

brutal sport, great soul

REVELATION 18: 9-20

9 And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

“Alas! Alas! lYou great city,

you mighty city, Babylon!

For in a single hour your judgment has come.”

11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, and human souls.

...and human souls"

14 “The fruit for which your soul longed

has gone from you,

and all your delicacies and your splendors

are lost to you,

never to be found again!”

15 The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,

16 “Alas, alas, for the great city

qthat was clothed in fine linen,

in purple and scarlet,

adorned with gold,

with jewels, and with pearls!

17 For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.”

And tall shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,

“What city was like the great city?”

19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,

“Alas, alas, for the great city

where all who had ships at sea

grew rich by her wealth!

For in a single hour she has been laid waste.

20 Rejoice over her, O heaven,

and you saints and apostles and prophets,

for God has given judgment for you against her!”

The utter collapse of the power and wealth of the great city is memorably set out here along with its economic connections-the merchants, the traders, the sailors. The most memorable detail is the quiet phrase in verse 13, “and human souls” meaning human lives. The consumer society of Rome has dealt with human beings as commodities; it has literally traded in slaves, but also treated the human potential of free men and women as simply something to be traded, used and disposed of. Although the prophet is not untouched by the splendours of Roman power-his description conveys his fascination-nevertheless he contrasts to it the power of God and the splendour of the human souls who oppose “the great city.” They share the glory of God and of the Lamb; they dwell in everlasting light, they live forever while the great city perishes. This revolutionary sense of value is the prophet’s enduring contribution to the Christian Bible and to the 21st century inhabitants of the great city.

MATTHEW 15: 1-28

Jesus learns from a Canaanite woman

21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, i“Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

The most astonishing thing in this story is the woman’s reply to Jesus brush-off. In effect she says, “If I have to be a dog to get a scrap for my child, I will.” Her mother’s love and her wit force Jesus to look at what he’s said to her and when he sees it, he doesn’t like it. In response he praises her and heals her daughter. The perfection of Jesus is not that he can’t go wrong but that he is immediately ready to learn the right way. If we imagine Jesus never learned we turn him into an incomprehensible automaton. Was he born able to walk and to use a saw? This story exposes a very important truth about Jesus and should be specially treasured for that reason. Superstitious religion places all goodness in the great teacher/leader/holy man. The gospels acknowledge the distance between Jesus and others, but his praise of the other person’s faith is also frequently noted. God’s goodness is found in many people.