Positively Job-like, Part 3

I note this Sunday, in St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, Lake Ridge, Virginia, we covered Chapter 1, pages 28-36, The Blessing, of Brennan Manning's The Importance of Being Foolish.

By way of introduction, I marked, "You don't bring me flowers anymore - or Do you?" on the easel, explaining when I stand on the train platform after work holding flowers, at least one wag, maybe several, inevitablity say, "in trouble?"

Manning opens by declaring Matthew 5:3: Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven "was never intended to moralize or threaten. On the contrary, the beatitude is a glad tiding, the great good news that the messianic era has erupted into history, the proclamation that the long-awaited day of salvation has finally arrived."

Manning further identifies two categories of blessed:

Per, Matthew 18 - Unless you become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom, referring to the absence of Youth Sundays in olden times, indeed, the young were just as scorned and marginalized as the poor. In fancy language, "the mercy of the Lord flowed to them wholly and entirely from unmerited grace and divine preference," or, as I can imagine Rich Mullins singing, just because God likes kids and wants to give them a present (in the same way I bring home flowers for no other reason once in a while than I love my wife).

The second, per Mark 2:17 - It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Again, Manning writes about sinners, who though they haven't done anything to merit salvation, open themselves to gifts offered them.

My question for the class in this light was what are they thinking when they approach the table for the gift of the Eucharist.

Under a heading called Communion-Think, I listed three possibilities: (a) I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy; (b) I'm Miss Goody Two-Shoes, so gimme my due; (c) I'm Mr. Roboto - isn't this where I'm supposed to be after they pass the collection plate?

Responses:

I need it for next week (not for solace, but strength);

it's symbolic of the greatest gift, His Son;

the KISS principle - keeps it simple, focused;

reflects a strong relationship with God;

remembrance;

it's a reality check - a moment's assurance that God loves me; and in lawyerly fashion, this is a form of assurance which requires no recompense;

holiness;

an outward invisible sign of inward grace.

As further reinforcement, Manning refers to Matthew 20:12-15, where the guys who show up for work at 4 p.m. get the same pay as those who'd been working 9 to 5.

Reactions were mixed, some angry, mostly mine, which was indiginant to the injustice, as opposed to most, who said they could rise above and counsel co-workers the same (though it was mentioned, in my defence, there's a difference, especially within the Beltway, between a for-profit business than a Government workplace which incorporates an inherent sense of entitlement).

Manning states, and there is no disagreement here, that "This is the very heart of the gospel and the fundamental theme of the beatitudes - the non value of the beneficiaries."

My take on all this is that when Jesus says in Matthew 5:48, Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect, it's a perfection which can only be achieved by acknowledging our imperfections, since we do not possess an ability to acheive perfection, other than through the grace of the One who calls us to this imperfect perfection.

When I was asked what I thought when I approached the table, I originally answered, "I'm Mr. Roboto." But then it hit me during Communion. It's not just performing the rite, it's taking part in the Eucharist with these people in this parish - with my beloved bride by my side, with my sister Jill, with my Godson - with all this congregation in this church. When Manning concludes, "the Christian's basic orientation is one of joy and gratitude," I know what he means.