Irreverently Reverend

  Ordinary Time At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I should give you.”  6  And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you , and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne today.  7  And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in.  8  And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted.  9  Give your servant, therefore, an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil, for who can govern this great people of yours?” 10  It pleased the Lord that Solom...

  Ordinary Time 15  Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise,  16  making the most of the time, because the days are evil.  17  So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  18  Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit,  19  as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts,  20  giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ . (NRSV)               A friend of mine introduced me to the song “Joy” in college, playing it on a CD in her well-worn Honda Fit while the sun slid down behind the railroad tracks.   I didn’t get it—didn’t like it, at first.   The lyrics are jarringly at odds with the chord progression and the whole thing felt right at the edge...