WORDS!
Words matter
Hamlet: Polonius asks what reading:
Words, words, words
First lies, then insignificant,
Point: nothing new, nothing of value –words cannot be always trusted.
Painful, cynical assessment by Hamlet to people whose cruel actions disjointed from kind words.
For Hamlet, have become empty. And relationship breaks down.
Words matter: what
What we say, how we say it: and how we follow through on what we say.
The power of words - scriptures
First Reading:
David – ark of the Lord – transferred back to the people
Words IN and ON the ark. Literally carried words.
Convey assurance of God’s presence.
A powerful promise – and premise – for generations to come.
Ponder: What words remind us today of God’s presence? How do we celebrate the word of God?
Psalm 24: “Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully” may stand in the holy place of the Lord.
NOT exclusionary.
Counter with first inclusive line: The earth is the Lord’s – and ALL that are in it.
Already in God’s place and presence
Reversal of thinking -
not who can stand in the hill of the Lord
But as already there, we’re already committed to that behaviour.
Pondering: do our actions, our commitments to others, reflect that commitment to not be deceitful in our dealings?
If not, how can we do better?
Epistle – Ephesians – beautiful!
“the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us”
FEEL the goodness.
reminded that “we heard the word of truth” – POWERful word
The gospel of salvation, brings to belief, marks with Spirit.
Ponder: What words do for us, what they letter to Ephesians did - to remind us of our faith, encourage our hope, and inspire us into praise.
Gospel! Conequence of using words lightly.
Herod: Tetrarch (quarter area) likes to talk big
Makes an oath in front of a whole party–
Not just a vow, which is a personal commitment
An OATH is a promise witnessed before authority
Herod – spouting promises – called to accountability
Already awkward setting: in front of his peers
And family dynamic – wife is sister-in-law; daughter may be niece…?
Henry 8…
There’s a lot going on,
But: Herod “out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, did not want to refuse” his niece/daughter’s request via her mother/aunt
was willing to put another person to death. Violently.
His word was more important to him than regard for another’s life.
Extreme how he valued his word – even taken oh so lightly
(thought he’d part with some money or trinkets).
To a girl: under orders to dance- never expected the level of demand she made
But saving face was more important to him than saving life.
Pondering: when have we said something we didn’t mean, and how do we respond when called to account for it?
Words. Words; words.
Do our words convey:
Integrity
Intentionality
Honesty
Faith
For in our words we serve THE WORD – the Logos – the presence of God, the word made manifest in our midst.
We have pledged ourselves to the Christian life
We have vowed to live by our baptismal covenant.
We have made oaths to love and serve the Lord – and all that the Lord loves.
May we face each day being intentional about our word choices, that the world knows us as living up to our word.
As we are living into the WORD – the Word made flesh – that has spoken us into being.
Words matter
Hamlet: Polonius asks what reading:
Words, words, words
First lies, then insignificant,
Point: nothing new, nothing of value –words cannot be always trusted.
Painful, cynical assessment by Hamlet to people whose cruel actions disjointed from kind words.
For Hamlet, have become empty. And relationship breaks down.
Words matter: what
What we say, how we say it: and how we follow through on what we say.
The power of words - scriptures
First Reading:
David – ark of the Lord – transferred back to the people
Words IN and ON the ark. Literally carried words.
Convey assurance of God’s presence.
A powerful promise – and premise – for generations to come.
Ponder: What words remind us today of God’s presence? How do we celebrate the word of God?
Psalm 24: “Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully” may stand in the holy place of the Lord.
NOT exclusionary.
Counter with first inclusive line: The earth is the Lord’s – and ALL that are in it.
Already in God’s place and presence
Reversal of thinking -
not who can stand in the hill of the Lord
But as already there, we’re already committed to that behaviour.
Pondering: do our actions, our commitments to others, reflect that commitment to not be deceitful in our dealings?
If not, how can we do better?
Epistle – Ephesians – beautiful!
“the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us”
FEEL the goodness.
reminded that “we heard the word of truth” – POWERful word
The gospel of salvation, brings to belief, marks with Spirit.
Ponder: What words do for us, what they letter to Ephesians did - to remind us of our faith, encourage our hope, and inspire us into praise.
Gospel! Conequence of using words lightly.
Herod: Tetrarch (quarter area) likes to talk big
Makes an oath in front of a whole party–
Not just a vow, which is a personal commitment
An OATH is a promise witnessed before authority
Herod – spouting promises – called to accountability
Already awkward setting: in front of his peers
And family dynamic – wife is sister-in-law; daughter may be niece…?
Henry 8…
There’s a lot going on,
But: Herod “out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, did not want to refuse” his niece/daughter’s request via her mother/aunt
was willing to put another person to death. Violently.
His word was more important to him than regard for another’s life.
Extreme how he valued his word – even taken oh so lightly
(thought he’d part with some money or trinkets).
To a girl: under orders to dance- never expected the level of demand she made
But saving face was more important to him than saving life.
Pondering: when have we said something we didn’t mean, and how do we respond when called to account for it?
Words. Words; words.
Do our words convey:
Integrity
Intentionality
Honesty
Faith
For in our words we serve THE WORD – the Logos – the presence of God, the word made manifest in our midst.
We have pledged ourselves to the Christian life
We have vowed to live by our baptismal covenant.
We have made oaths to love and serve the Lord – and all that the Lord loves.
May we face each day being intentional about our word choices, that the world knows us as living up to our word.
As we are living into the WORD – the Word made flesh – that has spoken us into being.
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