Tenth Sunday after Pentecost: Hospitality and Persistance in Prayer

Today's Scripture Readings

Genesis 18: 20-32 (NRSV)

The LORD said to Abraham, "How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know."

So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. Then Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" And the LORD said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake." Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." Again he spoke to him, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." He said, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."

Psalm 138 (BCP., p.793)


Colossians 2:6-15 (NRSV)

As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.

Luke 11: 1-13 (NRSV)

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

Give us each day our daily bread.

And forgive us our sins,

for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.

And do not bring us to the time of trial."

And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, `Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' And he answers from within, `Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

"So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Blog Reflection

On this 10th Sunday after Pentecost, we begin with one of the most popular clobber passages used to justify the cruel denigration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.   The story about Sodom and Gomorrah.   It is suggested that Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed because of homosexuality.   Yet, scholarly research into the details of the Cities' activities suggest that homosexuality itself was not the reason for it's destruction.

It is not one hundred percent certain that such a city actually existed.  It's approximate location is questionable.  At the same time, there is no direct evidence that the city did not exist.  What we do know is that according to the information in the Hebrew Scriptures, it was a city of great wealth and prosperity.  They had an enormous economic security.  It was quite unusual for a city located in the middle of the desert.  The desert was a terrible place to find oneself.  The dry heat, and the dangerous animals that threatened a traveler, to not take someone in from the desert and provide them with hospitality was cruel at the worst.  The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were afraid that someone would come and take their wealth from them, so they canceled the laws of hospitality.  Many of the wandering strangers were humiliated and tortured by the soldiers of the city.  Many of them were tortured by rape.  The sin therefore of Sodom and Gomorrah was lack of hospitality, while they used excessive violence toward strangers.  

As Abraham was conversing with God, his concern was for those who might be righteous who would also face destruction.  Abraham's prayer of reasoning with God demonstrates God's mercy and willingness to have God's heart moved for those who serve God with sincerity.   What we do know from this reading in Genesis, is that God's desire for those who serve God, is to receive others with hospitality and be free from violence and prejudice.   God gives us the good things we enjoy, to share with others.

As the United States continues our debate over immigration reform, we see the continued denigration of individuals based on race and nation of origin.  Individuals who come seeking to escape a tyrannical way of life, come to find out what this "land of liberty" is all about.  What they find, is a place where they are unjustly accused of crimes, and suspected of the worst, because of where they came from.  Some States have passed laws that requires immigrants to be profiled, while they are forced to live in poverty without adequate housing, jobs and health care.  Many are subjected to horrific violence.   Might this kind of thing be a greater example of what Sodom and Gomorrah was doing?

In Paul's letter to the Colossians we read the hymn that celebrates that in Christ is the fullness of all humankind.  What matters is not the following of physical rules per say, but the changing of what is in our hearts.  The Holy Spirit has been sent to guide the Church "into all truth"(Jn 16:13) through Christ, so that those things that keep us from loving God, our neighbor and ourselves may be stripped away, so that we can serve others with compassion as freely as Christ has accepted all of us.  We cannot serve Christ in others freely, if we maintain our prejudices towards people who are different than ourselves, and justify divisions in the human community.

Over these past few weeks, we have been learning of increased violence in Russia towards LGBT people.  Click on this link to see the pictures of what LGBT people and their advocates are facing as they work for equality.  As Christians who have been Baptized with the promise concerning the dignity of every human being, it is wrong of us to keep an empathetic silence about this issue.  I urge my readers to contact John Kerry, the United States Secretary of State and tell him to speak up and tell the Russian Government to outlaw the violence being experienced by LGBT people and their supporters.

Jesus tells His disciples how to pray in this Gospel reading.  The request of the disciples tells us that John the Baptist taught his followers to be devoted to prayer.  As the disciples are continuing to learn who Jesus is, they want to know from His perspective what it means to pray.  After Jesus gives them the words of the Lord's Prayer, He tells them about the Father's graciousness in answering prayers.   It is very important to avoid seeing prayer as a means of getting something.  Prayer is about growing closer in relationship to God.  As in a relationship and/or friendship, if it is to develop, good communication is a necessity.  Even if our spouse of friend is not able to give us exactly what we need and/or want.   Such is the same with prayer and our relationship with God.  Sometimes the greatest grace we get from God, is the grace to keep trusting in God, even when what we want or hope for, doesn't quite happen that way.

Jesus tells us that God is better than the neighbor who gets up in the middle of the night to give us bread.  God is always listening for us.  In the Rule of St. Benedict, he writes: "And let us ask God to supply by the help of His grace what by nature is hardly possible to us" (Preferring Christ: A Devotional Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict, by Norvene Vest. p.13).   When it seems like it is impossible for us to wait upon the Lord another minute, God supplies the help of His grace to turn ourselves over to God's will. It is often impossible for us by nature to be obedient to God.  But, God's grace can help us to discern how best to live in loving obedience to God's will.   Jesus tells us to "ask and it will be given you, search and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened."   If we are open to loving God, neighbor and self, and live in openness to God's presence in others, God will show us how to live holy lives. 

One thing is quite clear, we cannot live in obedience to God in prayer only, without being obedient to each other.  Persistence in prayer finds its fruit as we practice hospitality, and obedience to another out of love for God.  Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB in her book The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century writes about this.

"If this is a life centered in the call of God, then why so much attention to the human?

The answer, of course, is that the human is the only place we can really be sure God is.  It is so easy to love the God we do not see but it is so much more sanctifying to serve the God we learn to see in others" (p.69).

Is it possible that God is continuing to allow States to pass marriage equality laws, because it is God's answer for the Church to be renewed in mission and ministry?  

Could it be that as the Church continues to knock on the door of the Lord for more people to serve the Church in it's ordained ministry, the answer is to accept women, LGBT people, and people from other countries and cultural traditions?

As people continue to pray for the conversion of others to follow God's Word, might that prayer already being answered as people begin to see women, LGBT people and individuals of other religions, languages, abilities, etc, in a more inclusive way?

Sometimes the answer to our persistence in prayer, comes in what is taking place right in front of our noses.   Are we paying attention?

May we be open to becoming a Church and society of greater hospitality, and be persistent enough in prayer, to be open to God's answer by way of a changed heart.

Amen.


Prayers

O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom
nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon
us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so
pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.  (Proper 12, Book of Common Prayer, p.231).

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, p. 815).


Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so
move every human heart [and especially the hearts of the
people of this land], that barriers which divide us may
crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our
divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, p. 823).

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: Listen to God

Today's Scripture Readings

Genesis 18:1-10a (NRSV)

The LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on-- since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said." And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes." Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son."

Psalm 15 (BCP., p.599)


Colossians 1:15-28 (NRSV)

Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-- all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him-- provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.

I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. I became its servant according to God's commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

Luke 10:38-42 (NRSV)

As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

Blog Reflection


I have been enjoying a great vacation with Jason in Provincetown, MA this week.   Tomorrow, we will be flying back to Minnesota to resume our lives in their usual working order.   The sight of the beautiful beaches here, the delicious food, meeting so many wonderful people and sharing our stories together, have been part of this sabbath time away from home.


It is interesting that as I prepare to return home tomorrow that I am presented with these readings from the Lectionary.  In these readings I get a sense of the theme of listening.   Listening is an essential part of Benedictine Spirituality.   In praying the Divine Office, Lectio Divina, in the Vows of Obedience, Conversion of Life and Stability, we are told to be "listening and inclining the ear of the heart." (Prologue, Rule of St. Benedict).   We are to be listening for God to speak to our hearts in all the various ways in the day and throughout life.   One of the great things a vacation does is it helps to clear out the brain a bit, so that one can listen better, differently for a while and find other ways of responding to God.  

Another sense I get from the readings today, is that God has awesome things in store for us.  God desires the very best God can give us.  The question is, are we open to what God has to say or do?   This too, is why listening is so important.  

It is very important to not look at Martha as some kind of prude.  Her work to prepare the meal for her guest is in and of itself a wonderful deed.  Looking at what is going on from the human standpoint, Mary is leaving all the work to her sister.  Martha is just expressing her feelings.  Good for her.   Jesus' response to her is also not Jesus being difficult.  He is simply suggesting that Martha balance herself a bit, and be sure that she takes time as Mary is doing to spend time listening to God.   Jesus is reminding Martha, that she will always have her work to do, but she also needs to take time to listen more closely to what God has for her life.

This past week while I have been on vacation, I have also been listening to the news about the not guilty verdict in the Trayvon Martin case.   Between that acquittal and the Supreme Court destroying a very important part of the Voting Rights Act last month, the issues surrounding the violence of racism have been made very real and destructive.   While we celebrate the momentous movements forward for marriage equality for LGBT people. we must not become deaf to the reality that racism is a major issue in our time.   I believe that the Scriptures today tell us that God desires a society and a Church where everyone can find a sense of solidarity and community without racism, sexism, heterosexism and others issues being the barriers to peace and friendship that they are.  If we take time to listen carefully to God in the Scriptures and see how the history of violent prejudice on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation and/or gender, gender identity/expression, immigration, etc, we can see the destruction of communities, and the message of the Gospel being violated.  

I think we need to spend some time being quiet with the Lord in the days and months to come, and search for union with God, by seeing how we can improve our relationships with others around us.  In particular, those who are different from us.   God will challenge us to face our biases, ideals, and even beliefs, but only to help us become Christians who live what we believe, instead of just talking about it so much.   We can give ourselves to whatever work we wish, but if we fail to be part of the work of hospitality and reconciliation, then our Faith becomes too much of an abstraction, and not a way of life.

May all of us listen better to God today, tomorrow into everlasting life. 

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, you know our
necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking: Have
compassion on our weakness, and mercifully give us those
things which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our
blindness we cannot ask; through the worthiness of your Son
Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 11, Book of Common Prayer, p.230).


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, p.815).

 

Saint Benedict: Celebrating My First as A Benedictine with You

Today's Scripture Readings

Proverbs 2:1-9 (NRSV)

My child, if you accept my words

and treasure up my commandments within you,

making your ear attentive to wisdom

and inclining your heart to understanding;

if you indeed cry out for insight,

and raise your voice for understanding;

if you seek it like silver,

and search for it as for hidden treasures--

then you will understand the fear of the LORD

and find the knowledge of God.

For the LORD gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,

guarding the paths of justice

and preserving the way of his faithful ones.

Then you will understand righteousness and justice

and equity, every good path;

Psalm 119: 129-136 (BCP. p.774)


Philippians 2: 12-16 (NRSV)

Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labour in vain.

Luke 14:27-33 (NRSV)

Jesus said to the crowd, "Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions."

Blog Reflection

It is almost impossible for me to put into words what this day means for me.  Twenty years ago this upcoming Fall was the first time I visited Glastonbury Abbey in Hingham, Massachusetts.  Glastonbury is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery of the Swiss American Federation.   It was also the first time I ever read any part of The Rule of St. Benedict.  I remember reading what I read and thinking: "What a crazy guy he was!"  Yet, the Holy Spirit did something then. Since that day, no Saint in all of Christendom has drawn my attention or influenced my walk with God the way St. Benedict has.  Even as I have worked my way to becoming Episcopalian, and now a Novice with the Companions of St. Luke/Order of St. Benedict, my ability to put into words the change God has made in my life because of this Patriarch of Western Monasticism never seems adequate.

I do not consider myself to be a humble person.  Perhaps that is why Benedict's chapter 7 on humility in The Rule inspires me like it does. God knows that I need to be brought down quite a few notches to learn to be more hospitable, more accepting of others, and less possessive.  So, to help me out a bit, he inspired me with Benedict's Rule, to remind me that no matter how much progress I might think I have made, I am always starting at the beginning again and again.  That starting point is that God is God and I am not.   I have so far to go.  Benedict gives me great hope as I read from the Prologue: "What is not possible to us by nature, let us ask the Lord to supply with the help of His grace" (vs.41).

The Rule of Benedict is wisdom literature.  It is so appropriate then, that the Liturgy for St. Benedict's Commemoration begins with a reading from Proverbs. Wisdom literature.   The writer as well as Benedict understood that growing in the knowledge and love of God, begins with our willingness to listen attentively by "inclining the ear of the heart" (Prologue as written in Preferring Christ: A Devotional Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict, p.2).   To listen to God requires something of us.  It is having our whole selves open to receive what God may be saying to us, and receiving it with gratitude.  It is more than listening to a radio station to just pass the time.  It is a listening to God with the intention of receiving in faith the "admonition of your loving Father" and "faithfully fulfill" what is asked of us.   If it is our desire to live in reverence to God, then our desire must be nourished by love of God, neighbor and self.  We cannot accomplish such, without taking time to listen intentionally to God speaking to our hearts.

Jesus reminds us in the Gospel that following Him requires us to take into account the serious nature of our desire.  Discipleship is costly.  There is discernment involved.  Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB at last Winter's Trinity Wall Street Institute said: "Discernment is a dangerous openness to God."   It means that we accept what God wants for us as God's will, and we are prepared to let go of our own.   As long as we are attached to things that draw us away from God, it is very difficult to let go of anything so as to serve God faithfully and with a total openness to God's will.  This means we must be as open as possible to the evolutionary God.   The God that is not abstract, or motionless.  But, the God that is ever moving, growing and inviting us into God's work of redemption from one generation to another.

There remain many preachers and teachers of Bible and the Christian Faith that suggest that unless a questioning individual surrenders her/his sexual orientation that is not straight, and/or their gender identity and/or expression that is not cisgender, that one has not given oneself over to God.  LGBT people are continually told that they are dirty, unsaved, unwelcomed and in eternal danger unless they change who they are into who they are not.   This is not the kind of discernment that is part of God's saving grace for any person.  What is a part of the discernment for any person, regardless of who they are, love and the like, is how they are going to live who they are in a way that brings honor to God and respects the dignity of others.   As a gay man, who is partnered and a Benedictine Novice, I can chose to exercise the gifts God has given me, by knowing that I am first and foremost beloved by God.   Then, in that and with that, I can chose to give over my need to manipulate and use my partner, and/or anyone else I am in a platonic relationship with for my own personal pleasure.  Instead, I can see that to pick up my cross and follow Jesus, for me means that I do not engage in useless bar parties, sex parties and/or other avenues that seeks to use the gift I have of being gay to misuse others and disregard their dignity.   When I use the gift of God to love God, others and myself in a way that is nourishing, life-giving and creative of community and relationships, then I can truly say I am happily gay and there ain't no one taking it away.

Furthermore, one of the things I have learned over this past year during my times as a Postulant is that while I love the word "gay" and am happy that I have that gift, it is something that is a dear part of me, but it is not the label that defines me by God's standards.  It is a label created by those who use such a word to discriminate and lower people who are not of a heterosexual orientation into a second class of persons to dehumanize.  Before I am "gay," and in front of anything I might use that word to mean, I am an adopted son, beloved by God through Jesus Christ.   And so is every woman, man or child who is labeled by society and others as LGBT, or African American, Islam, Latino, Native American, etc.

I have been learning this, as St. Benedict addresses me (and possibly you) with the words:

Listen carefully, my son [or daughter], to the master's instructions, and attend to them with the ears of your heart.  This is advice from a father [or mother] who loves you; welcome it, and faithfully put it into practice.  The labor of obedience will bring you back to him from whom you had drifted through the sloth of disobedience.  This message of mine is for you, then, if  you are ready to give up your own will, once and for all, and armed with the strong and noble weapons of obedience to do battle for the true King, Christ the Lord. (Prologue 1-3 RB 1980, p.15).


Amen.


Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God, your precepts are the wisdom of a loving Father: Give us grace, following the teaching and example of your servant Benedict, to walk with loving and willing hearts in the school of the Lord's service; let your ears be open to our prayers; and prosper with your blessing the work of our hands; 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, p.457).

God our Father,
you made St. Benedict an outstanding guide to
teach us how to live in your service.
Grant that by preferring your love to everything else,
we may walk in the way of your commandments.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord my God,
Teach my heart this day where and how to see you,
where and how to find you.
You have made me and remade me,
and you have bestowed upon me
all the good things I possess,
and still I do not know you.
I have not yet done that for which I was made.
Teach me to seek you,
for I cannot seek you unless you teach me,
or find you unless you show yourself to me.
Let me seek you in my desire,
let me desire you in my seeking.
Let me find you by loving  you,
let me love you when I find you.  Amen.
(Prayer of St. Anselm, St. Benedict's Prayer Book for Beginners, p.118). 

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost: Hospitality, Peace and St. Benedict

Today's Scripture Readings


Isaiah 66:10-14 (NRSV)

Thus says the Lord:

"Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,

all you who love her;

rejoice with her in joy,

all you who mourn over her--

that you may nurse and be satisfied

from her consoling breast;

that you may drink deeply with delight

from her glorious bosom.

For thus says the LORD:

I will extend prosperity to her like a river,

and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream;

and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm,

and dandled on her knees.

As a mother comforts her child,

so I will comfort you;

you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;

your bodies shall flourish like the grass;

and it shall be known that the hand of the LORD is with his servants,

and his indignation is against his enemies. "

Psalm 66 (BCP., p.673)


Galatians 6:1-16 (NRSV)

My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor's work, will become a cause for pride. For all must carry their own loads.
Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher.

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest-time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.

See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised-- only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! As for those who will follow this rule-- peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 (NRSV)

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace to this house!' And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, `Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.'

"Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!" He said to them, "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Blog Reflection 

One of the meanings of the name: Jerusalem is "City of Peace."  One would never know that by all of the things that happened to Jerusalem in the Bible, and even to this day.  No city in the world is more popular than Jerusalem for various reasons, not the least of which is religion. Three of the world's best known religions have their heritage in Jerusalem.  Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  If religion itself is not the cause of much of Jerusalem's troubles, politics and who actually gets to claim ownership to it never quite seems to be an answered question.

Despite all her troubles, God is never absent from Jerusalem.  The affection God feels towards the people of Israel is always present in one way or another.  Time and again, God has sent prophetic witnesses and others to bring comfort to her, so that others may receive consolation from this historic city.  God gives those who come to find solace in Jerusalem will experience God claiming them as God's own, whom God will care for.  They will not grow hungry, nor will they be without healing.  God will always extend welcome and give hope.

We are all living through times when things are changing so rapidly wherever we are.  The economy continues to be sluggish.  Jobs are not all that numerous, and the problems of poverty, prejudice and violence continue to fill the airwaves of radio, television and the internet.  God is calling all of us to become part of the ministry of hospitality, peace and reconciliation.  God encourages us to embrace one another as we face the challenges of daily life, and find consolation in the Holy Spirit.  The most visible form of God's compassion for all people, is when those who know God in their personal lives reach out to others who are hurting to offer them support and friendship.  We don't have to have answers to their problems.  All that is often needed is someone to listen, and give them a sense that there are those who care about what is happening in their lives.  

In today's Gospel, Jesus sends out the seventy without purse or anything to lean on.  Anything that they might have clung to for their personal security was to be given over so that they may find their needs met by God reaching out to them through others, so that they could be part of the ministry of hospitality and peace.   They are told to go where they are welcomed.  Notice here, that Jesus tells them about those who will not receive them in hospitality.  Sodom and Gomorrah that was destroyed for their lack of hospitality and not homosexuality, is judged to be better off than a city who will not welcome His followers.   What kind of peace then, might Jesus be asking the seventy to share?

The disciples are to share a peace (Latin word: pax) that is not just a matter of the absence of conflict.  The people of that time were living in an era of constant violence and economic oppression.  The peace that Jesus tells them to offer is that peace that comes with the ability to trust oneself into the care of God, so that even if one has to give up everything for the sake of the other, they are at peace within themselves to do so.  Hospitality is not about airplanes, hotels and fancy restaurants.  I know they call that the "hospitality industry."  That is hospitality by way of what one is willing to pay for the convenience of being pampered.  Hospitality in this sense, and also what St. Benedict mentioned in his Rule is to receive another as Christ, Himself and to show reverence for God within the other person.  This kind of hospitality is not about convenience for the one extending a welcome, it is for the benefit of the one(s) receiving the hospitality and peace.  It is not based on our preconceived notions and negative stereotypes.   It is based on the understanding that God creates and redeems everyone through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  And that, we too are called to share in the work of redemption by giving of ourselves for the benefit of others.

I would suggest that one of the points that needs to be made in favor of marriage equality for LGBT people, is that to give them the opportunity for the rights and responsibilities that come with marriage is a great work of hospitality.  To allow LGBT people to strengthen what marriage means by demonstrating that it is about love, commitment and responsibility so that everyone in society benefits from this holy institution.   Bishop Gene Robinson makes an outstanding case for such an understanding in his book: God Believes in Love: Straight Talk About Gay Marriage.

Far from undermining marriage, gay and lesbian couples seeking marriage for themselves are perhaps the institution's best friends.  At a time when marriage is seen as less desirable and less necessary for straight couples, gay and lesbian people are lining up at town halls and church doors to participate in this traditional and long-standing institution.

Gay Marriage not only doesn't undermine the institution of marriage; it actually lends credence and support to marriage at a time when it is threatened and undermined by a wide range of circumstances.  Champions of marriage should be delighted at the prospect of gay men and lesbians seeking to join in the tradition and practice of marriage (p. 136).

The matter of hospitality and peace should be our encouragement to work towards effective and comprehensive immigration reform.  

As Americans we should be appalled by any law that would restrict the rights of any woman or man from exercising their right to vote due to race or any other reason.  

Hospitality as understood by the Gospel means we give up our comfort zones and allow others to share in that which we so often take for granted.   It means that we commit ourselves to taking better care of the environment, because we are not the only ones who benefit from what we enjoy now.  Nor are we the only ones who suffer the consequences of what we fail to do to take better care of God's earth than we are now.  

Hospitality also means we take better care for people who are affected by mental illness, and regulate dangerous weapons. 

Hospitality means that we care about the health care rights and opportunities for women, and seek a greater accountability from men who exploit women by gender discrimination exemplified in our present politics.   

As we continue to celebrate our Independence Day Weekend, may we take seriously our responsibility to be a welcoming people, who give peace to those who still long for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Amen.


Prayers

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments
by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your
Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole
heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (Proper 9, Book of Common Prayer, p.230).


Lord God Almighty, you have made all the peoples of the
earth for your glory, to serve you in freedom and in peace:
Give to the people of our country a zeal for justice and the
strength of forbearance, that we may use our liberty in
accordance with your gracious will; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Prayer for the Nation, Book of Common Prayer, p.258).


Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this
land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as
their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to
eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those
who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law
and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of
us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for the Oppressed, Book of Common Prayer, p.826).