Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Lectionary for 6/3/09

Today's readings are numbers 23.4-28 and Luke 22.47-71.

So we see it.  Balaam, brought with the express purpose of cursing Israel, has proclaimed blessing on them.  Here's what always amazes me about this incident.  Balaam appears to be a pagan priest.  He later goes on to deceive the people of Israel into idolatry.  He does not like the Israelites.  Let us make no mistake about that.  He is not at all friendly to them.  But what does he do?  He proclaims blessing on the very people he hates.

Yesterday we looked for God to speak through means we didn't necessarily expect.  Today we look for God to proclaim truth through those who are opposed to him.  Does it happen?  It certainly does.  Even an unbeliever can administer a sacrament.  Even an unbeliever can read the Scripture so we can hear from God.  Even an unbeliever can say something insightful about the very moral principles God has laid out.

We don't want to look to those who are haters of God to find truth, of course.  But we don't want to discount all they say or do out of hand.  Sometimes the hater of God speaks at God's command.




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