Psalm Meditation 481
Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
September 6, 2009

Psalm 92
1 It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre.
4 For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.
5 How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!
6 The dullard cannot know, the stupid cannot understand this:
7 though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever,
8 but you, O LORD, are on high forever.
9 For your enemies, O LORD, for your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.
10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 In old age they still produce fruit; they are always green and full of sap,
15 showing that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
(NRSV)

Years ago in seminary someone stood up in a chapel service and lamented that celebrities are no longer heroes and heroes are no longer celebrities. The intervening years have made his comments seem more true. We tend to idolize those who have made a big splash and used that to help themselves and those around them without giving much thought to those who have deeper more pressing needs. My guess is that there have always been people like that, just as there have always been people who use any fame and fortune they may receive to help others. The difference is not in them so much as it is in what we as a culture see as important.

There are sports figures who make a lot of money and use some of it to help others just as there are sports figures who use the money they make for pursuit of selfish pleasure. Which one makes the news? Trials and troubles are much more interesting than the plain, boring folks who reach out to help others. With the dullard and the stupid of the psalm folks would rather celebrate the quick sprouting, get rich quick and loud folks than the ones who work quietly to help others. Whether we celebrate them or not each one gets the same result over time. The folks who use resources for their own benefit will fall and those who use their resources to help others will share together in the benefit.

Whether good works are noticed or not they are still good works. In some circles, good works that are noticed actually lose some of their luster. Our actions do have consequences for good and ill. The task is to take root in the presence of God, for the sake of a relationship with God, so that we and those we touch can flourish and continue to produce goodness whether it is celebrated or not.

© August 31, 2009