New Songs

Psalm 33:1-22
Isaiah 1:21-31
1 Thessalonians 2:1-12
Luke 20:9-18

Each of the daily lectionary readings is speaking to me today, so that I could blog 'em all. With Isaiah I am afraid I would become almost hopelessly politically partisan...

She that was full of justice, righteousness lodged in her—but now murderers! Your silver has become dross, your wine is mixed with water. Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not defend the orphan, and the widow's cause does not come before them.

Isaiah 1:21b-23

This sounds to me like the current US administraion, leaving justice behind for personal enrichment by doling out portions of Iraq to Bush cronies, leaving "the least of these" behind while holding out hands for bribes. (((shudder)))

1 Thessalonians is so tender and pulls me to the story of Jesus' birth prematurely, with all the mother/ milk imagery.

But we were gentle among you, like a nurse tenderly caring for her own children. So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you have become very dear to us.

I Thess. 2: 7b-8

Luke's parable of the vineyard strikes me in this way this morning: it sounds like a challenge to the "he came to die" theology in which most of us have been schooled. This theology seems to say, "He came to teach us, to claim the harvest for God." That he died was not inevitable. Pondering...

But the reading that sings in my heart is the Psalm, itself loaded with singing and breath images.

Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous.
Praise befits the upright.
Praise the LORD with the lyre;
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
For the word of the LORD is upright,
and all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
and all their host by the breath of his mouth.

Psalm 32:1-6

We are invited to breathe together... me with my new song (which arises out of nowhere, this day's blessing that night's loneliness met with the consolation of prayer), and God with the breath that similarly creates. We are invited to breathe with God, our song and God's song, a literal con/spiracy, as my dear friend Brigid of Walden has put it. Blessed conspiring, breathing together.