Ash Wednesday

February 19, 2020

Scripture Reading: Psalm 2 or Psalm 99

Why do the nations conspire,
   and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
   and the rulers take counsel together,
   against the Lord and his anointed, saying,
‘Let us burst their bonds asunder,
   and cast their cords from us.’

Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
   be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear,
   with trembling kiss his feet,
or he will be angry, and you will perish in the way;
   for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Happy are all who take refuge in him. Psalm 2:1-3, 10-12

We live in an upside-down world. Some call it socialism for the rich where protecting their wealth at all costs is our prime directive. That seems to be the subject of Psalm 2. Greed and power are the gods of some who think their wellbeing is all that matters. Such a worldview sanctified slavery and undergirds illegal immigration today. In the process we are reducing the middle class to the extent that the USA is becoming a country of rich and poor. The same people who disparage the poor for needing food stamps and Medicaid to survive are the ones underpaying them for work rendered.  Most able-bodied people receiving either of these services work, they are not paid a living wage. Food stamps and Medicaid are salary subsidies for large corporations who do not pay enough.

God calls us to righteousness, to justice. All people are God’s children and all of God’s children need the justice of having enough. In the end, God is the judge of our righteousness. In the USA we the people are given the power to support the Common Good, if we are willing to assert our power as citizens.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the courage to champion righteousness. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.