Monday, October 30, 2023

Today’s Scripture Reading
Matthew 12:43–50

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but it finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So will it be also with this evil generation.”

While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (NRSV)

Reflection

Are we in the right community?

A fundamental human trait seeks assimilation. We need to belong to something or somebody. To whom do you belong? A spouse, partner, significant other? A friend? And to what networks do you align? Work? Clubs? The arts? Nonprofit organizations? Sports teams? (Sorry Bears, White Sox, and especially Cubs fans — including me!) These are the communities of our lives.

An important asset for healthy aging (i.e., a prolonged health span) is to love and be loved. Love is the gift of our communities. When we find community, we thrive, we have resilience. But we all know what happens when we don’t have community — loneliness, sadness, depression, chronic disease.

We. Need. Community.

Today’s scripture poignantly juxtaposes a community of harm against a community rooted in hope; iniquity vs. faith. Our choice of community matters. The context of this scripture is the wayward direction of Israel toward proliferate secular idols and a polar shift away from God. The untoward community of unclean spirits hearkens to fanciful Halloween-like images, but fast-forward to today — without articulating, we know the extant communities of unclean spirits — be careful, as C. S. Lewis asserts, those communities may reside in boardrooms, wear white shirts with detailed accoutrements, and sport perfectly coifed hair. Even family, though an incredible deep and loving community holding our reservoir of hope, is ephemeral: “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with you” (Matthew 12:47) — and family can frustrate, infuriate, confuse, and disappoint. There is no pain greater.

The ensuing bewilderment (verse 48) and ever-present risk of uncertainty in our own communities invites us to revisit our “project” of Fourth Church. We are community, but even greater is our faith community — the community that is always forgiving, consumed by love, exuding grace, and ... a very present help in trouble. Importantly, our community of faith offers us this — the precious gift of eternity: a foreverness of love and loving.

Life is about experiencing a panoply of communities; let’s not be pious — we are all in communities that may harm, that elevate secular vicissitudes to unwarranted importance, and sometimes leave us disconsolate. Let’s instead assimilate with the pantheon of believers, those who are unwavering; know who they are, and whose they are. It’s time to take inventory of our communities. Are we in the right community?

Prayer
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. Amen.

(Prayer: Psalm 46:1–4 KJV)

Reflection written by Clyde Yancy, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

Devotion index by date | I’d like to receive daily devotions by email