Saturday 16 February 2008
- Bible Book:
- Isaiah
"Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself form your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rearguard". (v.6-8)
Background
What makes a good religious life? The question has been askedfor nearly 3000 years if Isaiah is to be believed. This passage isa scathing description of empty religious ritual yet theconsequences of a good religious life are described as the way ofredressing religious hypocrisy.
The same critique needs to be considered by every church. Thereligious life is worthless if it leaves the hungry hungry, thehomeless homeless and allows injustice to be unchallenged. Thereligious life is not simply about the benefit it brings to theindividual, it is about that benefit being offered to the widercommunity. The religious life is not inward looking for personalbenefit - it is outward looking for community enrichment.
Isaiah saw that truth as self-evident. We need to reaffirm the sametruth and make observance of the religious life a benefit for allpeople - those we like and those we don't like.
To Ponder
What do you do to preserve the balance of theinner spiritual life and involvement in the wider community?
How do we prevent the religious life beingreduced to a cynical 'do goodery'?
How can we make a difference to the world when weseem so powerless?