Fine robes

This week, having just left Bartimaeus a few weeks ago, who is following everyone from Jericho to Jerusalem, we, too, are looking with fresh insight. What fresh perspective are we seeking for #COP26? Will fine speeches and fine robes cut it?

In the passages we are asked to omit, if we use the lectionary, we will not have seen the myriad of discussions about spiritual blindness.

I invite you Ito re-enter that classroom of your childhood days: if this brings consternation, don’t worry all is safe here.

Did you have an inkwell in the corner of the desk, and a lid where a mystery of good things and an apple core that was well past its best before date were lurking?

We have just arrived at class and the teacher starts by criticising the leaders of the school – whatever next!?

Stand by for criticism

He seems to identify them as:

• those that fight to get up the ladder of success. You wonder whether James and John are squirming at this moment…

• those that wear long fine robes: perhaps clergy of today may also start to squirm. Echoing from the Roman days when Constantine welcomed the Church into the fold of many gods, circa 323 CE, church elders started to take on that look of the Romans using togas. I wonder how clergy might associate with the all when wearing a robe and stole costing £400+?

• those that seek to be identified due too their position, title or status. Every time we introduce ourselves using such a title we may ask ourselves such a question: why am I doing this? for what purpose?

• those that speak long prayers which may be unintelligible to many today, which don’t resonate with those inside and importantly outside of our churches.

Looking out of the window

Our attention in class is drawn to a scene outside – never happened in class ever did it???

Two people are seen giving money into the Temple treasury. The crowd are noted in throwing in 2 copper coins, the rich much much more. Whereas one woman throws in 2 leptas – the full text might read “two mites (λεπτόν), which make a farthing (κοδράντης)“. What are they?

The lepton, such as in the sub-atomic particle he digressed, “implies very small coins…even we may say…the smallest coin being in circulation in Palestine at the time concerned“.

It’s all relative

The identification of the scribes early in the passage allows such a contrast with the poor woman. The scribes were responsible for the management of the widow’s funds, whereupon they would take an additional fee. The possibility of financial abuse was evident. The woman is again, “the least of these”. She isn’t in fine robes. This woman is one who has slipped through the net of the system: something we can maybe associate with today. For those who do not receive the financial protection and assistance they deserve.

Our capitalist system seeks to promote those who make money so they have influence – is this what this passage is advocating?

How much are we worth?

A fortnight ago the Strathclyde Church offered a video reflecting upon human trafficking. In that video we spoke of comparing the latest iPhone, nice car, some good looking fine robes as commodities but also noting that, as a society, we also treat humans as commodities – selling and buying them as we need.

We might want to reflect this week the relative worth of one human with another. Is that really possible?

Then how might we combat this, today, in our world? Can we stand up for the vulnerable, those whom are struggling with the increase in costs of food, fuel, or even those turned out of accommodation as the rent “needs to be increased”? These are tough questions but with answers that come from us individually. It isn’t a single decision made from on high that we adhere to, but one that starts with us.