tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007698341425820682.post4393701963180757605..comments2023-09-21T09:02:20.803-05:00Comments on Come Together: Wednesday in Holy Week: The Worst. Collect. Ever.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13757132958255621438noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007698341425820682.post-55685481136912163932015-04-02T12:13:15.559-05:002015-04-02T12:13:15.559-05:00Excellent point about betrayal's horrid power....Excellent point about betrayal's horrid power. In the ninth level of hell, Dante placed those who betrayed a special relationship.Scotthttp://www.isebrand.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007698341425820682.post-86610881344654528852015-04-01T13:35:28.979-05:002015-04-01T13:35:28.979-05:00I agree with so many things in this article. This...I agree with so many things in this article. This is a powerful message that needs to be told over and over again. I just wish the message didn't include the negativity regarding the collect for today.<br /><br />If the collect said we should be "happy about the sufferings of the present time," I could see finding complaint in it. The collect, however, speaks of joy.<br /><br />Yes, there is a glory that shall be revealed. Yes, love is more powerful than death. Yes, there is a new chapter for all of us. Yes, we walk a journey with Jesus that takes us to an empty tomb. Yes, this knowledge is cause for joy.<br /><br />Joy does not negate pain and suffering. Joy does not make bad things go away. Instead, joy abides with us while we weep, giving us strength to go on. Joy is what allows Jesus to be troubled in spirit and, ten verses later, when Judas had gone out to betray him, say "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him."<br /><br />Again, I think the rest of this is spot on. We should not immediately leap to silver linings and/or Monty Python sing-a-longs as a response to our own suffering or the suffering of others. Shana should not be told she should be happy or grateful for what she endured. I hope, however, that she has been able to find joy <i>in spite of</i> it, as I hope all people are able to find joy in spite of suffering, because, as you said, "we refuse to believe [suffering] can end us," and "the cross is not our final destination."The Rev. Christopher C. Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13131251825352755413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007698341425820682.post-50380324534134267092015-04-01T12:51:32.327-05:002015-04-01T12:51:32.327-05:00needed. thank you. I read the other comments. It i...needed. thank you. I read the other comments. It is often interesting to read those who have "ears to hear" and those who clearly just need to speak. Thank you for sharing this and thank God for my "ears to hear", but most importantly for the very human disposition of our Jesus and his example of life and struggle to perfection. L.S. "Bo" Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00318287080530721612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007698341425820682.post-37203674603273430942015-04-01T11:42:56.430-05:002015-04-01T11:42:56.430-05:00The proper collect for this day in the 1928 Prayer...The proper collect for this day in the 1928 Prayer Book is better, I think: "ASSIST us mercifully with thy help, O Lord God of our salvation; that we may enter with joy upon the meditation of those mighty acts, whereby thou hast given unto us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord."<br /><br />Still, the collect in the new prayer book (which my parish doesn't use) isn't nearly as bad as this essay suggests. The bit about joy in sufferings isn't foolish, it's an allusion to James 1 and Hebrews 12.2. It certainly need not be read to imply suffering doesn't hurt or that the hurt doesn't get acknowledged for the awful thing it is. Rather, for a people of hope and faith, there is a broader perspective that can can be joyful about the redemption of all things -- even sufferings. Moreover, the smiting and spitting is a metonomy for the whole Passion drawn directly from Isaiah 50.6 -- one can hardly fault language that follows the greatest of the Hebrew poets.<br /><br />I think this essay reads a problem into this collect that isn't there. If it is there, it's much more of a problem for the Isaiah, James, and the author of Hebrews than it is folly on the part of the Liturgical Commission member[s] who wrote it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00566760241009969794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007698341425820682.post-60406736540673638362015-04-01T11:00:42.016-05:002015-04-01T11:00:42.016-05:00Powerful commentary. I've been betrayed and ne...Powerful commentary. I've been betrayed and need this message.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007698341425820682.post-5858614106586003922015-04-01T09:55:18.112-05:002015-04-01T09:55:18.112-05:00Thank you! I simply could not use that collect thi...Thank you! I simply could not use that collect this morning. I wish that I had your blog before I had to do my homily! Gloria https://www.blogger.com/profile/09170807767805511797noreply@blogger.com