Luke 6:37-45 (NRSV)
Jesus said, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."
He also told them a parable: "Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor's eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, `Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye.
"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks."
This Gospel contains some words that even those who may not read the Bible regularly know about. "Judge not, lest you be judged." Whenever a Church official fails to live up to someone's expectations it is not uncommon to hear: "The blind leading the blind."
I think if all of us are honest with God, others and ourselves we would have to admit that we all judge and that we have visual challenges that make it difficult for us to see things clear and others that are not so clear. Even someone who tells someone else not to judge is making a rash judgment just in the remark itself. The old phrase that when we point one finger outward, we have three more pointing right back at ourselves.
We have all heard the words: "Actions speak louder than words." There is much truth to that. However, I am of the opinion that there are actions already in progress with the words we speak. This is most notable in politics. As we are winding down the wire to what will hopefully be the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell we see Senator John McCain working to exploit the Military's Study for his own benefit, or even dismiss the entire thing. Republicans telling the American Public that extending the Bush Tax Cuts on the wealthiest Americans will somehow benefit middle class Americans who have been out of work even while the Bush Tax Cuts have been in existence. Arizona claims their immigration law is to protect America's borders when really it is to help the privatized prison system and Arizona's Governor to cash in on a huge monetary profit at the expense of helpless individuals who have nothing but violence to return home to and even more racial violence to face here in America.
In the Anglican Communion we are debating the Anglican Covenant which seems to be more about shutting down the discussion of ordaining women and ordaining LGBT persons as Bishops and/or allowing us to create Liturgies to bless and celebrate same-sex relationships. While trying to show what appears to be a wolf in sheeps clothing, it is women and LGBT people who could once again be considered expendable while men and heterosexuals benefit. It is easy to talk about who or what to judge when you are someone benefiting at someone else's expense. It is easy to talk about the blind leading the blind, when it is those blinded by discrimination who get to make decisions about those with whom they discriminate.
This Gospel is not totally sold to all of the negatives that we can derive. Jesus is telling us that we all have the potential for the greater good of all of God's people. Jesus talks about the relation of fruit from the tree. The tree that Christians are most associated is the tree of the cross. At the cross where Jesus died for all of us, there is no excuse for scapegoating people. At the cross, prejudice and violence find their match as God shows God's mysterious and unconditional love for all of humankind. This world with it's evil of judgments based on race, skin color, cultural background, sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression, religion/spirituality, gender and so on is met and called to account for all its cruelties by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In the Paschal Mystery (the death, resurrection, ascension and Pentecost) God has sought out the lost, broken, wounded, marginalized and discriminated and named all of God's people as God's beloved with whom God is well-pleased. When Christ established the Church through the Holy Spirit, it was called to be the message of God's salvation for all the world out of God's extravagant love. Not God's most fearful condemnation. A good reading of Romans 8 will explain what I mean here.
Today the Episcopal Church commemorates the third Bishop of Rome, Clement. Clement was a disciple of the Apostles who carried on their work. Through the work of Clement the work that was begun by the Apostles began to bear fruit as the celebration of the Sacraments along with the ordination of Bishops and Deacons was begun. Unfortunately the first and second letters to Corinth that Clement wrote were lost and did not reappear until 1628 long after the Canon of Scriptures was established.
Quoting from Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints on page 698 Clement wrote:
"The apostles received the Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus the Christ was sent from God. Thus Christ is from God and the apostles from Christ. In both instances, the orderly procedure depends on God's will. So thereafter, when the apostles had been given their instructions, and all their doubts had been set at rest by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, they went forth in the confidence of the Holy Spirit to preach the good news of the coming of God's kingdom. They preached in country and city, and appointed their first converts, after testing them by the Spirit, to be the bishops and deacons of future believers."
As Episcopalians we understand from pages 855-856 of the Book of Common Prayer in the Outline of the Faith, that Laity, Bishops, Priests and Deacons all represent Christ and the Church. How we represent Christ and the Church differs by what order of ministry we are in. But, we are all an order of ministry nonetheless. By virtue of our Baptism and the vows we made and reaffirm every Easter and moment at which Baptisms are celebrated, we state the importance of our work as representing Christ and the Church. Among the many vows of our Baptism is to "strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human person." (BCP. Page 305).
If the Church today is to continue the ministry of those first Apostles, then we need to meditate perhaps on how serious we are about that. Just as the Apostles were individuals who sometimes missed the mark, so do we. That is why we continue to pray as we did yesterday that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth, including those things about others who are different from ourselves and how we might reach out to them with that same Spirit of love and compassion. May we continue to pray and be open to the Holy Spirit without ceasing.
Almighty God, you chose your servant Clement of Rome to recall the Church in Corinth to obedience and stability; Grant that your Church may be grounded and settled in your truth by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit; reveal to it what is not yet known; fill up what is lacking; confirm what has already been revealed; and keep it blameless in your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, page 699).
Gracious Father, we pray for your holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ your Son our Savior. Amen. (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, page 816)
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, Book of Common Prayer, page 815).
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