I was struck tonight while reading Malachi, by its relevance to the current situation in the Episcopal Church. I had several insights as I was reading that call for further exposition, but that will have to wait until later. At the moment, I wanted to draw your attention to the core selection that speaks to our predicament in Malachi 2:1-9:

“And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”



In a stark juxtapostion, I was reading the collected poems of George Herbert+ when I came across the poem Aaron, which I had been struck by before, but not as deeply. Here’s the text:

AARON.

HOLINESS on the head,

Light and perfection on the breast,

Harmonious bells below raising the dead

To lead them unto life and rest.

Thus are true Aarons drest.*

Profaneness in my head,

Defects and darkness in my breast,

A noise of passions ringing me for dead

Unto a place where is no rest :

Poor priest ! thus am I drest.

Only another head

I have another heart and breast,

Another music, making live, not dead,

Without whom I could have no rest :

In Him I am well drest.

Christ is my only head,

My alone only heart and breast,

My only music, striking me e’en dead ;

That to the old man I may rest,

And be in Him new drest.

So holy in my Head,

Perfect and light in my dear Breast,

My doctrine tuned by Christ (who is not dead,

But lives in me while I do rest),

Come, people ; Aaron’s drest.

{thanks to the Luminarium for the text}

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