Morning Readings for 12-11-10

Isaiah 8:1-15 2 Thess 3:6-18 Luke 22:31-38

Isaiah tells his people that what they fear is not the thing they should fear. They need to think clearly, not to be led by the crowd. In the Epistle, Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to make their own way, not to be dependent on the labor of others. And in the Gospel, Jesus reveals to Peter that even his strongest feelings of faithfulness cannot resist the temptation to protect himself from ridicule. Nevertheless, beneath that runs a current that will guide him in the truth (“when you turn back”). In addition, Jesus sends this disciples out out again, this time not without staff or extra sandals, but with all their resources.

How can we see these readings in light of environmental concern? Isaiah recognizes how easily we can be distracted from true problems by immediate threats and popular fears. However, what we identify as the main threat may not in fact be the main threat. What happens if we delay efforts to reduce climate change in order to protect the more immediate needs of our economy? How would that serve the world in the end? How would that serve even us in the end?

Paul exhorts us to live on our own labor; but in a world increasingly globalized, we are more and more dependent on the labor of others. We sit in the middle of a consumerist web served by those whose labor is exploited to make our way of life possible--even to perpetuate our relative prosperity. Even in our midst, many people (lucky enough to have a job) work grueling hours in demeaning conditions in order for some of us to work only 40 hours (or fewer) in comfort (for greater remuneration). Paul calls us to a deeper awareness of these ugly inequalities that characterize our way of life.

Jesus shows us that despite the strength of our feeling of love and faithfulness, we are weak, and in the end vulnerable to the temptation to protect ourselves rather than stand up to what we really believe in. Nevertheless, Christ remains with us, and when we recognize what we have done in our weakness, and “turn back,” we can strengthen our sisters and brothers in a struggle that may take all our resources, a struggle in which, rather than turning away from those who do not accept us, it seems, we must confront evil. How often are we cowed by naysayers who deny our current environmental precariousness?