Friday in Lent 3

Jacob blessed Pharaoh. (Genesis 47:7, 10)

That phrase would delight every Israelite and strike every Egyptian as blasphemy. Pharaoh was considered a divine being. That a foreigner should presume to confer a blessing on the Ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt is shocking. It is supposed to be the other way around. It is a phrase subversive of the imperial order (as well as an expression of ethnic superiority by Israelites).

The passage from Genesis appointed for today offers the explanation of famine for the acquisition of land by Pharaoh. From what I have read elsewhere all land was deemed to belong to Pharaoh, not merely a fifth.

The most powerful person in ancient Egypt was the pharaoh. The pharaoh was the political and religious leader of the Egyptian people, holding the titles: 'Lord of the Two Lands' and 'High Priest of Every Temple'.

As 'Lord of the Two Lands' the pharaoh was the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt. He owned all of the land, made laws, collected taxes, and defended Egypt against foreigners.

As 'High Priest of Every Temple', the pharaoh represented the gods on Earth. He performed rituals and built temples to honour the gods. (source)

We thus have in Genesis 47 and outsider's understanding of how Egyptian rulers came to possess title to Egypt but hardly a historical record. We also have the charming humor of Jacob's self-deprecation, being only 130 years old and nothing like the venerable ages of his forebears.

When evening came, the boat was out on the lake, and he was alone on the land. When he saw that they were straining at the oars against an adverse wind, he came towards them early in the morning, walking on the lake. He intended to pass them by. But when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Then he got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. (Mark 6:47-52)

The feeding of the five thousand proclaims the God of the Exodus, the saving God of Israel, to be at work in Jesus. Today's lesson shows God, the Lord of Creation, striding upon the storm (like Baal Hadad in Canaanite mythology), another reminder that the God of Israel was present in Jesus.

For Mark the Evangelist, those who seek God will find God present in Jesus. He is the new Temple, the meeting place of the earthly and the heavenly, the contact point between humans and God.

This verse from Psalm 88:19 (BCP) is part of a passage that speaks eloquently of depression. I am glad that the Psalter embraces a wide range of human experience and emotion, bringing all of it into dialogue with God. It is a model that we don't have to hide parts of ourselves, deny our shadow, avoid what is unpleasant or frightening or tainted by societal disapproval. We can bring our entire selves into God's presence and speak honestly and passionately. It is all right.

The following is someone else's prayer for a person suffering depression [typos corrected]. I don't feel up to writing my own today.

Dear Jesus, I walk in the valley of darkness for I suffer trom depression. I feel unloved, rejectedd, useless to myself and useless to others. I feel lost in a world I no longer understand. At times, I want to sleep and never wake up again. Lord, I believe that Your love is a transforming love. Jesus, Son of David have pity on me. Out of the depths, I cry to you.

Lord, even though I feel nothing, I still praise you for the wonder of my being. You have formed me in my mother's womb and watched over me to this moment. I am precious in Your eyes and You love me. On the Cross, you shed your blood for me. You have carved me in the palm of Your hand. For all this I give you thanks and praise.

May your Precious Blood give new life to me and to all those who suffer as I do. Take each one of us and hug us to your sacred and loving heart. Through your glorious wounds may we be healed.

Dear Jesus, when you fed the crowd in the desert, you wished to gather up the fragments, lest anything be lost. As I wander through a desert and darkness of my own, I ask you to gather up the fragments of this shattered being, lest anything be lost. Through the prophet, Joel, You promise to restore the years that the locusts have eaten. I ask you, lay Your hands gently on my weary head and restore me. Let your face shine upon me and give me back the peace and the joy that has been lost.

Amen

Grant us, O Lord our Strength, a true love of your holy Name; so that, trusting in your grace, we may fear no earthly evil, nor fix our hearts on earthly goods, but may rejoice in your full salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
--the BB