March 3: On Detachment
♫ Music:
Day 7 - Tuesday, March 3
Rung #2: ON DETACHMENT
Scripture: Matthew 19:16-22; 29-30
And someone came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he said to Him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. And Jesus said to [His disciples], everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.
Poetry:
Blackberry-Picking
by Seamus Heaney
for Philip Hobsbaum
Late August, given heavy rain and sun
For a full week, the blackberries would ripen.
At first, just one, a glossy purple clot
Among others, red, green, hard as a knot.
You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet
Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it
Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for
Picking. Then red ones inked up and that hunger
Sent us out with milk cans, pea tins, jam-pots
Where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots.
Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills
We trekked and picked until the cans were full,
Until the tinkling bottom had been covered
With green ones, and on top big dark blobs burned
Like a plate of eyes. Our hands were peppered
With thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard's.
We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre.
But when the bath was filled we found a fur,
A rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache.
The juice was stinking too. Once off the bush
The fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.
I always felt like crying. It wasn't fair
That all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.
Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not.
ON DETACHMENT
I do not put a lot of stock in material goods. Oh, I own plenty of things but many of them could go away and it would not bother me too much. Not, however, my books! I am a bibliophile so I own lots (and lots) of books. In fact, between an office at work and an office at home I still do not have enough shelving space, so books have to lay horizontally on the shelves, in front of the ones shelved vertically. And I am still buying books, which is of great concern to my wife. Not because of the financial cost but because of the “where are you going to put them” problem. I have always shrugged this off until recently when I realized that the laws of science are fixed and I will, like it or not, run out of room eventually. Yet this does not mean that I am interested in getting rid of my books. No, I love the books (to paraphrase a line from Elf). Nor am I overly interested in getting rid of them for a spiritual reason like detachment! Again, I love the books.
But there’s the rub: if I am unwilling to get rid of them, what other things am I attached to that I will not relinquish, even if God asks me to? It’s an uncomfortable question because if God asked me to divest myself of my books I would likely be like the young man in Matthew 19 – I would go away grieving. This is not good. For a true disciple of Jesus leaves not only her books but houses, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, children and farms for Jesus’ sake. If I cannot detach myself from something as “trivial” as books then do I really stand a chance of being a true and faithful disciple of Jesus? If I cannot say “no” to books, can I really say “no” to my kids if God demands it?
The main issue here is detachment or, more accurately, my lack of detachment. Bearing in mind that all created things are good (cf. Gen. 1:31), I am still responsible as a Christian to steward them in an appropriate and godly manner. And appropriate and godly stewardship certainly also means getting rid of them if that is what God wants. Otherwise, I’ll find out that I am no disciple at all. And I should care about this not only because my boys will be saddled one day when I’m gone with a grotesque amount of books on Christian monasticism so that they’ll have to get rid of because they’re growing old and starting to stink (like the spoiled blackberries in Heaney’s “Blackberry-Picking”) but also because my willingness to detach myself from things is evidence of my submission, as a disciple, to Jesus. This is not rocket science: detachment from things is discipleship. Francis of Assisi was so willing to give it all up that he got naked in the town square! Would I do that? Will you?
Dr. Greg Peters
Professor of Medieval and Spiritual Theology
Torrey Honors Institute
Biola University
For more information about the artwork, music, poetry, and devotional writer selected for this day, we have provided resources under the “About” tab located next to the “Devotional” tab.
To learn more about the themes of this year’s Lent Project, please go to:
https://ccca.biola.edu/lent/2020/#day-feb-25
About the Art:
Legend of St Francis: Renunciation of Worldly Goods
Giotto di Bondone
1297-99
Fresco
270 cm x 230 cm
Upper Basilica of San Francesco d’Assisi
Assisi, Italy
This is the fifth of the twenty-eight scenes (twenty-five of which were painted by Giotto) of the Legend of Saint Francis in the Basilica of Saint Francis in the Saint’s hometown of Assisi. The painting depicts Francis after his dramatic conversion. He is handing over the clothes he is wearing when his father, a prosperous merchant, drags him before the Bishop to accuse him of squandering his fortune to rebuild a ruined chapel. The Bishop, however, recognized that Francis was following the leading of God by responding in such a way. Giotto illustrates the great divide, between those who renounce worldly pursuits and those who choose to remain subject to them, by painting a gulf of open space between the two groups of figures,. Giotto depicts Francis’ father wearing yellow, symbolizing cowardice and betrayal, while Francis’s nakedness is covered by a blue wrap, the color of Heaven, held by the Bishop himself. With his head framed by a halo, Francis lifts his hands heavenward, where we see the hand of God extended to him in a gesture of blessing.
About the Artist:
The Italian painter Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337) was born in Vespignano near Florence, where he died. He is often appreciated for his innovations in painting and for initiating the first impetus for the Italian Renaissance. Giotto imbued his figures with personality and tried to give expression to their faces and bearing, as is clearly visible from his major work: the frescoes in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, a.k.a. the Arena Chapel. Giotto may very well have been the first painter to succeed in creating unified compositions, as can be seen in the relationships between the figures and their surroundings as they interact through gesture and emotion Giotto's work was celebrated during his lifetime to such an extent that Dante proclaimed Giotto to be larger than Cimabue, who was considered to be the most important Italian artist up until then. Few works may be ascribed to him with absolute certainty: a series of frescoes in Padua, more frescoes and altarpieces in the Santa Croce in Florence and a painting of the Madonna, presently on display in the Uffizi in Florence.. Giotto was also involved in the design of buildings and collaborated on the Dome of Florence and designed the accompanying bell tower.
About the Music:
“Will You Come and Follow Me (The Summons)” from the album God Never Sleeps: Songs from the Iona Community
The Lyrics:
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known,
Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean and do such as this unseen,
And admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
Will you love the "you" you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around,
Through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I'll go where Your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
About the LyrIcists:
John L. Bell and Graham A. Maule
John Bell (b. 1949) is a Scottish hymn-writer and Church of Scotland minister. He is a member of the Iona Community, a broadcaster, and former student activist. He works throughout the world, lecturing in theological colleges in the UK, Canada, and the United States. Primarily he is concerned with the renewal of congregational worship at the grass roots level. Bell has produced (sometimes in collaboration with Graham Maule) many collections of original hymns and songs, and two collections of songs of the World Church. He is a frequent broadcaster, often presenting programmes on the BBC focusing on contemporary religious songs from various parts of the world. He is quite a regular contributor to "Thought for the Day,” part of Radio 4's Today program.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_L._Bell
https://hymnary.org/person/Bell_JL
Graham A. Maule (1958–2019) was a Scottish hymn-writer and artist. He was educated at the Mackintosh School of Architecture, University of Glasgow, and the Edinburgh College of Art. In 1983 he became a youth worker with the Iona Community in Glasgow and in 1986 a resource worker for the Wild Goose Resource Group, Iona Community in Glasgow. He was a frequent collaborator with John Bell.
https://iona.org.uk/2020/01/04/graham-maule/
About the Composer:
Traditional Scottish Melody
About the Performers:
The Cathedral Singers, founded in 1991, is an independent ensemble of professional vocalists residing in the Chicago area. These singers participate in a wide range of musical activities, from traditional music to jazz and musical theater. Their collective experience and superb musicianship contribute to a unique interpretation of many styles of choral music. The Cathedral Singers have produced over twenty recordings under the direction of conductor and composer Richard Proulx. Their highly-acclaimed recordings of Baroque Music from the Bolivian RainForest have been distributed worldwide. The ensemble has appeared with the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra and has presented concerts in St Louis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, St Paul, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Chicago.
https://www.giamusic.com/bios/cathedral_singers.cfm
About the Poet:
Seamus Heaney (1939-2013) is widely recognized as one of the major poets of the 20th century. A native of Northern Ireland, he was the author of over 20 volumes of poetry and criticism, and he edited several widely read anthologies. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995 "for works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past." Heaney taught at Harvard University (1985-2006) and served as the Oxford Professor of Poetry (1989-1994).
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/seamus-heaney
About the Devotion Writer:
Dr. Greg Peters
Professor of Medieval and Spiritual Theology
Torrey Honors Institute
Biola University
Dr. Greg Peters is Professor of Medieval and Spiritual Theology in the Torrey Honors Institute at Biola University. He is also Rector of the Anglican Church of the Epiphany in La Mirada and author of The Monkhood of All Believers: The Monastic Foundation of Christian Spirituality.