Daily Worship

In search of a faith that works

Fyfe January 24, 2016 0 0

Isaiah 58: 5-9

Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?
‘Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
    and break every yoke? 
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter –
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
    and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
    you will cry for help, and he will say: here am I.

It is easy to think of worship as some mechanical duty, something self-serving that is only for my well-being. Here Isaiah points to worship, in this case their fasting, as a means simply to call God’s attention to themselves that it is all about THEM and that it is for their advantage and benefit.It is more about the usefulness of God. The result is injustice. They neglect their neighbour and deny others access to what resources life - sharing bread, sharing houses and sharing clothing. God desires devotion that spills over in acts and deeds of solidarity with others in their need. This is a faith that works.

A meditation: Listen to this song to aid your reflections 'Into the Deep' by Malcolm Gordon  malcolmgordon.bandcamp.com/track/into-the-deep-2  


Pray: 
May God bless us with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that we may live from deep within our hearts.
May God bless us with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of God's creations
So that we may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless us with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war,
So that we may reach out our hands to comfort them and
To turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless us with just enough foolishness
To believe that we can make a difference in the world,
So that we can do what others claim cannot be done:
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and all our neighbours who are poor.
Amen.  [A Franciscan Benediction]