Word for the Day

Learned at the Eleventh Hour Preacher Party:  Eisegesis (isogesis): which appears to be the opposite of exegesis.  If I understand correctly, the first is explaining scripture through the world, and the second is explaining the world through scripture. 

(Is that the same as art imitating life vs. life imitating art?)

According to one site I found, those who practice eisegesis are heretics.  Wow.  I'll never forget the first time that someone told me that a living person was a heretic.  Really!?  you think that!?

***

Preachers on the lectionary Gospel are working with Matthew 15:(10-20) 21 - 28 (AKA "Cranky Jesus.")

Pondering this, and further to my thoughts on it earlier this week, I was suddenly reminded of one of my favorite "Episcopal printed prayers," the Prayer of Humble Access.  It's said during Eucharist, immediately before the Invitation:

We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

It's just occurred to me that the underlined phrase comes right from this Gospel (who needs seminary...I can just sit around having flashes of inspiration on my own!)

Come to find out (Googling it) that darling Kathryn wrote about this back in 2005 - probably before I knew her.  Seems that the English church has moved the position of this prayer in the order of worship, and it's not ringing true where it goes now. 

And we, in the American church, only use it in the BCP (p. 337) Rite I services...which are not so very common any longer.  Going to Rite II regularly, as I do, means that I do not get to say it at all as part of corporate worship.  I miss it.  I also think it is very easy for people who have a "God is mad at me and I'd better be afraid, I am a worm" attitude to really "waller" in this.  That's not so great.  Here is an alternative Prayer of Humble Access

Most merciful Lord,
your love compels us to come in.
Our hands were unclean,
our hearts were unprepared;
we were not fit
even to eat the crumbs from under your table.
But you, Lord, are the God of our salvation,
and share your bread with sinners.
So cleanse and feed us
with the precious body and blood of your Son,
that he may live in us and we in him;
and that we, with the whole company of Christ,
may sit and eat in your kingdom. Amen.

No wallering, please.