Friday, February 23, 2007
From AscensionNYC
Friday after Ash Wednesday
Psalm 51:1-10
Isaiah 58:1-9a
Matthew 9:10-17
These three passages are about repentance, essentially. What does it mean to repent? This is an important question.
In the New Testament, the word that is translated into English as "repent" is the Greek word, metanoia. Metanoia in Greek means literally "change of mind." It does not have the negative connotations associated with it that "repentance" generally does to our ears. It means that one is willing to change one's ways of belief and thinking, to be transformed somehow, to be willing to reconsider – to give up one way of thinking for another.
So, metanoia, "repentance", is a way of being reborn in Spirit. Allowing the Spirit to "loose the bands of wickedness," "to undo the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free," "and break every yoke" – the burden of sin and error is something that we are relieved of as we cooperate in this spiritual rebirthing process, hopefully, through a life of prayer. Jesus tells us elsewhere that "His yoke is easy and His burden is light" – metanoia means exchanging the "worldly" yoke for Christ's.
Also, there is the fundamental concept of mercy inherent in these passages. Christ says He is here for the sinners, to save those who were lost. Isaiah writes that the Lord teaches us that a suitable sacrifice, a suitable – or rather, an "acceptable" fast is one wherein we clothe those who need clothing, we take in those who need taking in – in short in which we show mercy. Going to the Greek again, "mercy" is translated from eleison. Eleison is related – at least in form and sound – to the word eleos, olive oil. In biblical times, olive oil was used as ointment, medicine, balm – to heal wounds. So "mercy" is thought of as something much deeper than simply giving someone a break. It is healing, therapy, to be restored to wholeness. This rebirth that comes through mercy is something that restores us to health and is essentially therapeutic: spiritual, mental, physical, emotional and any other dimension in which Spirit can penetrate and create its transformation in us.
But our repentance opens the door. Or rather, it's our way to open the door to Christ who stands at the door and knocks – that willingness to reconsider, to change one's mind. As we think of mercy this Lenten season, I'd suggest we think of it in terms of how it can help to heal and transform us, open us up to new ways of thinking and believing, to ways in which we can accept to change for the better. Christ says clearly that His way is not the predictable way. Isaiah teaches us that the Lord tells us what His point of view is on the acceptable fast, not ours. We need to hold that door open to ways in which the Lord will teach us to think, opening the door to that absolute Other that we can only come to know through grace. Isaiah speaks of the acceptable sacrifice as that of the practice of mercy – the breaking of every yoke, but Jesus takes that one step further and asks us to make an acceptable sacrifice within ourselves: we lift our own yokes and exchange them for His, we give up one way of thinking, and accept His, we empty in order to be filled. This is metanoia, "change of mind." It is the rebirth in Spirit that goes on for a lifetime of faith. Open the door in prayer to the idea that God may have ideas for you which require that you be willing to reconsider your own certainties, that He may be calling you to think outside your own box. That – as far as I know – is what the process of salvation is all about, is what it means to be redeemed.
Isaiah 58:1-9a
Matthew 9:10-17
These three passages are about repentance, essentially. What does it mean to repent? This is an important question.
In the New Testament, the word that is translated into English as "repent" is the Greek word, metanoia. Metanoia in Greek means literally "change of mind." It does not have the negative connotations associated with it that "repentance" generally does to our ears. It means that one is willing to change one's ways of belief and thinking, to be transformed somehow, to be willing to reconsider – to give up one way of thinking for another.
So, metanoia, "repentance", is a way of being reborn in Spirit. Allowing the Spirit to "loose the bands of wickedness," "to undo the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free," "and break every yoke" – the burden of sin and error is something that we are relieved of as we cooperate in this spiritual rebirthing process, hopefully, through a life of prayer. Jesus tells us elsewhere that "His yoke is easy and His burden is light" – metanoia means exchanging the "worldly" yoke for Christ's.
Also, there is the fundamental concept of mercy inherent in these passages. Christ says He is here for the sinners, to save those who were lost. Isaiah writes that the Lord teaches us that a suitable sacrifice, a suitable – or rather, an "acceptable" fast is one wherein we clothe those who need clothing, we take in those who need taking in – in short in which we show mercy. Going to the Greek again, "mercy" is translated from eleison. Eleison is related – at least in form and sound – to the word eleos, olive oil. In biblical times, olive oil was used as ointment, medicine, balm – to heal wounds. So "mercy" is thought of as something much deeper than simply giving someone a break. It is healing, therapy, to be restored to wholeness. This rebirth that comes through mercy is something that restores us to health and is essentially therapeutic: spiritual, mental, physical, emotional and any other dimension in which Spirit can penetrate and create its transformation in us.
But our repentance opens the door. Or rather, it's our way to open the door to Christ who stands at the door and knocks – that willingness to reconsider, to change one's mind. As we think of mercy this Lenten season, I'd suggest we think of it in terms of how it can help to heal and transform us, open us up to new ways of thinking and believing, to ways in which we can accept to change for the better. Christ says clearly that His way is not the predictable way. Isaiah teaches us that the Lord tells us what His point of view is on the acceptable fast, not ours. We need to hold that door open to ways in which the Lord will teach us to think, opening the door to that absolute Other that we can only come to know through grace. Isaiah speaks of the acceptable sacrifice as that of the practice of mercy – the breaking of every yoke, but Jesus takes that one step further and asks us to make an acceptable sacrifice within ourselves: we lift our own yokes and exchange them for His, we give up one way of thinking, and accept His, we empty in order to be filled. This is metanoia, "change of mind." It is the rebirth in Spirit that goes on for a lifetime of faith. Open the door in prayer to the idea that God may have ideas for you which require that you be willing to reconsider your own certainties, that He may be calling you to think outside your own box. That – as far as I know – is what the process of salvation is all about, is what it means to be redeemed.
Janine Economides
Comments:
Thank you, Janine, for speaking so directly to me today. Repentance, or "changing my ways," this Lent, is all about healing for myself -- and that has something to do with mercy towards others. So now I have the olive oil image to tie it all together!
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Paul : February 23, 2007
Paul : February 23, 2007 Post a Comment
