On Thursday at Morning Prayer we heard another ancient story drawn from the primal depths of the Genesis narrative, this one pertaining to the foundation of the city of Babylon. It speaks of God in a simplistic, anthropomorphic way: “Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so they will not understand one another’s speech.” (Genesis 11:7) This seems like a dirty trick for God to play on the ancient tower-builders of Babel, as if God were (as contemporary atheists have charged) the enemy of human progress and solidarity.
Another way to look at it would be to understand linguistic and cultural diversity as one of God’s greatest gifts. Uniformity is the province of mighty empires and totalitarian states, not the modus operandi of Israel’s unruly ancestors. If, as Genesis 11:1 says, “the whole earth had one language and the same words,” the world might run more efficiently, but would also be less interesting.
Except for our ritual dialogue, we do not converse much at Morning Prayer, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t communication taking place. Often the voices blend together until it seems as if one collective voice is speaking: “Be still before the Lord “, the voice says, “and wait patiently for him.” (Psalm 37:7) Does not the ensuing silence speak as eloquently as the sacred words?
“Therefore my heart dances for joy, * and in my song will I praise him.” (Psalm 28:9)
Peace be with you.
Jonathan+
1 comment:
And always with you Father Sams.
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