Ancient Anglican

The Speaker finds great value in companionship. Two are better than one in their endeavors and for support, warmth, and protection. In vv.9-12, the Speaker extols the goodness of having a companion.

The Speaker knows wisdom and righteousness but also knows that death has the final say over all. As Paul reminds us, if there is no resurrection of the dead and if Christ has not been raised then our faith is pure vanity. 1 Cor. 15:14.

There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot; A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build; A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance; A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time…

But Christianly understood death is by no means the last thing of all, hence it is only a little event within that which is all, an eternal life. – Sören Kierkegaard

I leave Sisyphus at the foot of the mountain! One always finds one’s burden again. But Sisyphus teaches the higher fidelity that negates the gods and raises rocks. He too concludes that all is well. – Albert Camus

The Speaker begins his teaching with the recognition of the Absurd – life makes no coherent sense, life is not fair, and life is not just. For the Speaker and for us, therefore, the question arises as to how he/we respond to this recognition. This is the story of Lent.

In his alienation and guilt, the prodigal is no longer capable of seeing his father as he really is. Instead of a parent abounding in love and care, he has substi­tuted an overseer of exacting justice.

Only once we realize that all of our thoughts, all of our theologies, all of our world view, and even our very existence is vanity and futile and pointless and meaningless can we begin to walk with Jesus.

This is my favorite book of the Old Testament, and next to the writings of John, my favorite book in all of Scripture.  Within Ecclesiastes, we are given insight into one person’s struggle to make sense of reality. 

We must see the Sinful Women as representative of us all. Luke lays out for us two paths – the path of the well-known and very righteous Simon the Pharisee or the unknown sinful woman. And it is the latter path we must take if we are to follow Jesus.

But the woman has eyes that can see. And Jesus calls her out, forgives her sin, and gives her the peace that passes all understanding. In calling out her beauty, Jesus perfects her humanity.

It is easy to read the story of Jezebel and see everything that is wrong, ugly, and distorted in her life. The challenge for us, however, is to call out the divine beauty (no matter how hidden or disfigured) that exists within her.