Bread and Circuses (or why I don’t like clowns)

On the Kubota. I love to mow. Even this is Image-bearing

The ancient Roman poet Juvenal gave us the phrase ‘bread and circuses’. In my mind, it has always referred to a failing Roman Empire, about to implode from being top-heavy from political greed and machinations. Indeed, the subject matter of The History of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. I’ve always thought I should read that to see if there are any current solutions hidden away in there by Edward Gibbon. On the heels of last Sunday’s lectionary texts about Jesus’ baptism, there are today’s daily lectionary texts (John 6 and II Thessalonians 1 and Genesis 13) that positions us even more firmly into my point from yesterday’s post.

Your baptism isn’t about you. Or not completely anyway. And, what does it mean, really, to be chosen by God?

We all want to be chosen, to be picked. There is some feeling of abandonment, just in the pit of your stomach, when someone else gets to do what you wanted to do with people you wanted to do it with.  From getting a date to the high school prom, to an early career promotion, to weddings, friends, and even our children, we want to be part of the ‘in crowd’ for a special benefit. In the kingdom of God, it isn’t about free bread (see John 6), it’s about making the commitment to Jesus that makes the miracle happen. Jesus said “I came to serve, not to be served and give my life as a ransom for many”.  We are chosen to be image-bearers, not circus ticketholders.

The Apostle Paul outlines how God empowers His image-bearers.

We pray for you all the time (he writes to the Thessalonians) – pray that your God will make you fit for what he has called you to be, pray that he’ll fill you good ideas and acts of faith with his energy so it all amounts to something….Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master Jesus giving himself freely. (II Thessalonians 1, The Message)

Back to Jesus in John 6: 

The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I have spoken to you is a Spirit word, so it is life making but some of you are resisting, refusing to have and part of this. (John 6:64, The Message)

We are chosen and submit to the choosing. (We’re back to Jesus’ baptism). We are anointed for the journey in baptism, named and loved by God who is well-pleased with his choice of us. But we are not chosen to get a handout, we are chosen to give a hand up. To the orphans, to the fatherless, to those imprisoned – really in jail or in the prison of poverty. Those are the people with whom we are asked to be Image-bearers for the rule of the real King. Jesus names it. He reaches back to the prophet Isaiah and names it for himself and for us:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4:18 and Isaiah 61:1-2)

I think sometimes we cop out on our spiritual lives because doing what Jesus did seems impossible. That’s where WWJD and legalistic religion have failed us.  It’s not about a human doing, it’s about being a human ‘being’.  Religion isn’t about behavior; it’s about being an Image-bearer – seeking and pursing peace.

Abraham in Genesis 13 shows us how it looks in a human.  He gave up the better grazing ground to his nephew Lot in order to keep the peace. God gives us grace, energy and creativity when we take ourselves out of the center of our lives and put him there – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Going back to the idea of being chosen, imagine this.  We are all standing in on a holy ballfield. Somehow, God chooses all of us first and he says: Go, play. Be at play in the field of the Lord, living with Jesus, filled up with the Holy Spirit. Invite other people into the game, teach them, the rules, play fair and don’t grumble. Remember that all things work together for those that work with me. Connected to God and each other, committed to God and each other, then we can be creative image-bearers. Clowns poke fun at others and draw others into their derisive laughter. Image-bearers bring the joy of God into a world full of clowns.

Lectionary Lectio Divina uses the weekly and daily cycle of Scripture reading as a frame for spiritual direction and formation. For each set of lectionary texts, the practice is to sit with them, reading them separately and together, then waiting to hear from the Holy Spirit.  Write down the words of concepts that speak to you, that jump out to you (some people say to note what ‘sparkles’). Compare and contrast the designated Scriptures and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to look at your life – from your inner life to life on Earth – and listen for that still, small voice. And follow. NT Wright gives us useful advice: Our job is to stand and the place of the world’s pain and pray. I would add that prayer is our lives lived connected, committed and creative.