I lost DNS lookup today. Managed to get it restored using Freeparking, for the next ten years. I’m remaining with a2hosting , and that is secure for another year as well..
But that means that the DNS needed to repopulate, and I am doing the lectionary readings at the end of the day.
Today’s sermon was a short film. Of a grandfather reconciling with his daughter. About restoring peace. Which. I. found quite difficult. The divorce cuts deep: I was married for 20 years, and saying that a divorce can be no fault, or civilized, is a lie.
We are to submit to authority. But that does not mean that we have to be servile. Consider Paul for a second.
30Since he wanted to find out what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to meet. He brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
1While Paul was looking intently at the council he said, “Brothers, up to this day I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God.” 2Then the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near him to strike him on the mouth. 3At this Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to judge me according to the law, and yet in violation of the law you order me to be struck?”4Those standing nearby said, “Do you dare to insult God’s high priest?” 5And Paul said, “I did not realize, brothers, that he was high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a leader of your people.'”
6When Paul noticed that some were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he called out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7When he said this, a dissension began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge all three.) 9Then a great clamor arose, and certain scribes of the Pharisees’ group stood up and contended, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10When the dissension became violent, the tribune, fearing that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go down, take him by force, and bring him into the barracks.
11That night the Lord stood near him and said, “Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.”
Now the council were a bunch of fools. They were blinded by their hatred of Christianity and they had forgotten something. Paul was once Saul. And Saul was a brilliant Pharisee. He knew his Torah. He was taught by people who are quoted in the Talmud.
And he could argue theology in his sleep. Or precedent, or the law. His first three utterances are setting the scene. He will not go like Peter — proclaiming — but instead he will use the Torah, and from the Torah proclaim Christ.
He then deliberately causes a fight. He knows the division between Pharisees and Sadducees, and uses the point of alliance between the way and the Pharisees: the resurrection of the dead to gain allies.
This does not appear to be peace and unity, but when one proclaims truth you generally offend someone.
And here is the balance. When we love someone we soften our words to them. We find it hard to reject our children — even when our sheltering them is damaging them… it is really hard to sit with the mother and father of a young man or woman who is injecting themselves and wasting away, refusing to take the medications that allow them to function, or not eating and is now developing heart failure.
In the last two situations my duty is clear: there are legal grounds to remove the young adults choices. I commit them (under the mental health act) and treat them. I’d rather be sued than go to their funeral.
But I am not being nice here. There is no real unity here. I am trampling on their will. Mainly because I am not God. I cannot see his purposes. Instead I took an oath — to cure when I could, but to help always — and not to choose whom I saw, nor help a person to death, but to choose life. That oath was required of all people in my profession, and there is nothing wrong with it.