Eulogy
"εὐλογία"
February 18, 2014
The title of today's blog is a Greek word you probably don't recognize, unless you can remember the Greek alphabet you learned in college. Transliterated, it is "eulogia," and with that clue you may have figured out the translation - "eulogy." After all, the transliteration is not too different from the translation. When we hear or read it today we tend to think of funerals, because we have been taught that eulogies are given at funerals. We don't really know what the word means, it just has to do with someone speaking at a funeral.
Eulogy means praise. Literally, the word means "a good word." Funerals are traditionally not the only occasion for eulogies. A retirement party would also be a great time to hear eulogies, or praise of an individual.
"Eulogy. Praise of a person who has either the advantages of wealth and power, or the consideration to be dead".
--Ambrose Bierce
It is ironic that eulogies are now mostly reserved for funerals, because as a culture we increasingly critical and intolerant of one another. I don't just mean politicians and media types who spew out venom about others with whom they disagree. What is said into a microphone very often has little to do with praise. Unless, of course, there is a funeral and then the bitterest of enemies suddenly fawn over the casket. No, I refer to how vitriolic everyone is toward everyone else. An honest examination often reveals that the vitriol from one to another comes in response to some wrong done by the other, which came in response to a wrong by the other which came.... I think you get my point, hurt people hurt people. It's as if we are all on a merry-go-round with riders on two concentric circles. Each round runs in opposition to the other. As we pass those who have hurt us we reach out and slap them. On the next round they slap us. Rather than get off the merry-go-round, which should be renamed "misery-go-round," and declare "I go this far and no farther." We continue in this cycle of insanity and pain. Christ empowers us to make the change.
Forgiveness and reconciliation is the central theme of God's word. Jesus did not just offer it to us, he instructed us on how to incorporate the spirit of forgiveness in our daily lives. He further places upon us the onus of viewing all others from a different perspective. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, reminds us that yes, there is a war, but we battle spiritual evil and "our struggle is not against flesh and blood." God battles Satan and his allies FOR people, He does not battle people for Satan.
James 3:9-12 (NIV)
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
February 18, 2014
The title of today's blog is a Greek word you probably don't recognize, unless you can remember the Greek alphabet you learned in college. Transliterated, it is "eulogia," and with that clue you may have figured out the translation - "eulogy." After all, the transliteration is not too different from the translation. When we hear or read it today we tend to think of funerals, because we have been taught that eulogies are given at funerals. We don't really know what the word means, it just has to do with someone speaking at a funeral.
Eulogy means praise. Literally, the word means "a good word." Funerals are traditionally not the only occasion for eulogies. A retirement party would also be a great time to hear eulogies, or praise of an individual.
"Eulogy. Praise of a person who has either the advantages of wealth and power, or the consideration to be dead".
--Ambrose Bierce
It is ironic that eulogies are now mostly reserved for funerals, because as a culture we increasingly critical and intolerant of one another. I don't just mean politicians and media types who spew out venom about others with whom they disagree. What is said into a microphone very often has little to do with praise. Unless, of course, there is a funeral and then the bitterest of enemies suddenly fawn over the casket. No, I refer to how vitriolic everyone is toward everyone else. An honest examination often reveals that the vitriol from one to another comes in response to some wrong done by the other, which came in response to a wrong by the other which came.... I think you get my point, hurt people hurt people. It's as if we are all on a merry-go-round with riders on two concentric circles. Each round runs in opposition to the other. As we pass those who have hurt us we reach out and slap them. On the next round they slap us. Rather than get off the merry-go-round, which should be renamed "misery-go-round," and declare "I go this far and no farther." We continue in this cycle of insanity and pain. Christ empowers us to make the change.
Forgiveness and reconciliation is the central theme of God's word. Jesus did not just offer it to us, he instructed us on how to incorporate the spirit of forgiveness in our daily lives. He further places upon us the onus of viewing all others from a different perspective. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, reminds us that yes, there is a war, but we battle spiritual evil and "our struggle is not against flesh and blood." God battles Satan and his allies FOR people, He does not battle people for Satan.
James 3:9-12 (NIV)
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
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