Good afternoon friends! Just a friendly reminder that we have another reading the Bible live session scheduled for tonight at 6pm! The zoom link / info is below. I hope you will be able to make it. It was truly wonderful to see some of the faces of those that have been involved in this journey and to hear your thoughts. If you are unable to make it or would prefer to do this as a solo journey, no prob! Just follow today's reading blog as you would normally. In any case, God bless you and enjoy today's reading.
UMC of CF Office is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Reading the Bible LIVE
Time: Feb 15, 2021 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 881 2395 2215
Passcode: 123456
Scripture to Read
Audio Bible
Questions to Consider
What does this teach me about God?
What does this teach me about humanity?
What does this teach me about "wisdom"?
Is "lady wisdom" and the Holy Spirit the same thing?
- My Thoughts -
Ah, more fine wisdom revealing that women are bad...looking forward to the live reading of this particular section haha. But really, the part that stuck out to me the most was chapter 8 when lady wisdom was talking about being a part of the creation of the world with God, even describing herself as "the architect at his side." This will no doubt leave us with plenty of questions - is lady wisdom another deity? Is she God? The Holy Spirit? Did God create lady wisdom or did she already exist at the same time God did? If you're asking these types of questions that's a good thing and you're in good and rich company. The people who formed the council of Nicaea in 325 CE were asking these same types of questions. Proverbs 8:22-30 really threw people for a loop. One such person Arias (who would later be labeled a heretic) proposed that lady wisdom is evidence that Jesus was not God and that both of them "formed by God" were "begotten" of God but not God Himself.
But alas, since Arias was a heretic it's also important for us to know that lady wisdom is not an Old Testament hint of the Holy Spirit - rather she is a personification of an attribute of God. We have many other examples of personification in the Bible. For example, the ruins of Jerusalem (Isaiah 52:9) and the rivers and mountains (Psalm 98:8). To say that Wisdom is not a person but is a personification of an attribute of God is not to take away from the imagery of the feminine which is used so powerfully here. Wisdom literature is telling us plainly that the attribute of wisdom can best be understood through feminine imagery and the traditional roles of women in biblical culture: wife, mother, and teacher.
In other, other words (Gosh talking appropriately trinitarian theology can get us lost in the weeds haha) the Holy Spirit is the entire essence of God while lady wisdom is simply one piece of the pie. (That metaphor is also flawed but I'm not going to go on anymore hahaha)
That reminds me of this gloriously funny video about the Trinity. Please enjoy.
PS - Grats on finishing the psalms!! Now to start over ;)
Prayer
Usually we would have a hymn here BBBUUUTTTT it's the same hymn as yesterday's hymn which is a wee bit boring. So, in light of the video above making fun of St. Patrick I thought we would pray a prayer of St. Patrick. It's a long one, but it's RICH in theology.
St. Patrick of Ireland (fifth century)
The Prayer of Saint Patrick
I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through a belief in the Threeness, Through confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation. I arise today Through the strength of Christ's birth and His baptism, Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial, Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension, Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom. I arise today Through the strength of the love of cherubim, In obedience of angels, In service of archangels, In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward, In the prayers of patriarchs, In preachings of the apostles, In faiths of confessors, In innocence of virgins, In deeds of righteous men. I arise today Through the strength of heaven; Light of the sun, Splendor of fire, Speed of lightning, Swiftness of the wind, Depth of the sea, Stability of the earth, Firmness of the rock. I arise today Through God's strength to pilot me; God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me, God's way to lie before me, God's shield to protect me, God's hosts to save me From snares of the devil, From temptations of vices, From every one who desires me ill, Afar and anear, Alone or in a multitude. I summon today all these powers between me and evil, Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul, Against incantations of false prophets, Against black laws of pagandom, Against false laws of heretics, Against craft of idolatry, Against spells of women and smiths and wizards, Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul. Christ shield me today Against poison, against burning, Against drowning, against wounding, So that reward may come to me in abundance. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me. I arise today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through a belief in the Threeness, Through a confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of creation. Amen.