Getting Our Noses Out of Joint

PSALM  

 ¹Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

 ²Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

 ³They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

 ⁴Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

 ⁵O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

 ⁶Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

 ⁷I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

 ⁸I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

 ⁹Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

 ¹⁰With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

 ¹¹Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

 ¹²Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

 ¹³With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

 ¹⁴I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

 ¹⁵I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

 ¹⁶I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

(Psalm 119:1-16, King James Version)

 

 

SCRIPTURE READING   

 ^45-46"Or, God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it.

 ^47-50"Or, God's kingdom is like a fishnet cast into the sea, catching all kinds of fish. When it is full, it is hauled onto the beach. The good fish are picked out and put in a tub; those unfit to eat are thrown away. That's how it will be when the curtain comes down on history. The angels will come and cull the bad fish and throw them in the garbage. There will be a lot of desperate complaining, but it won't do any good."

 ⁵¹Jesus asked, "Are you starting to get a handle on all this?"

   They answered, "Yes."

 ⁵²He said, "Then you see how every student well-trained in God's kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it."

 ^53-57When Jesus finished telling these stories, he left there, returned to his hometown, and gave a lecture in the meetinghouse. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise, get such ability?" But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "We've known him since he was a kid; he's the carpenter's son. We know his mother, Mary. We know his brothers James and Joseph, Simon and Judas. All his sisters live here. Who does he think he is?" They got their noses all out of joint.

(Matthew 13:45-53, The Message)

 

HYMN

 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Tune:  Hamburg

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of glory died my richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it Lord that I should boast save in the death of Christ my God; all the van things that charm me most I sacrifice them to his blood.

See from his head his hands his feet sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine that were a present far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.

Sacred Heart University Concert and Liturgical Choirs 
March 27, 2010
Chapel of the Holy Spirit, Sacred Heart University
Dr. John Michniewicz, Conductor; Galen Tate, Organist

I love Eugene Peterson’s translation The Message!  When talking about the leaders of the meeting house Gene says ‘they got their nose out of joint.’  That happens sometimes when we really listen to what Jesus tells us.  Everyday I’m reminded that God’s ways aren’t our ways and that’s not something we like to hear.  When we remember, on this Ash Wednesday, that the way of Jesus leads to the cross it gets our noses out of joint.  We want Jesus to be triumphant like he is on Palm Sunday not hung like a thief on Good Friday. 

And, again, I love Gene’s translation!  He translates one of the previous verses by saying a well-trained follower of God knows just what needs to be found.  Sometimes we need that joy of Palm Sunday.  And sometimes we  need the imposition of the ashes on our foreheads and the reminder that ‘from dust we have come and to dust we shall return.’

As we begin this Lenten journey, if we’ll listen – really listen – to what God calls us to do and be we might get our noses out of joint but we’ll also discover that God’s way is far superior. 

Blessings on your journey,