Twenty Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: Building a New World on the Resurrection

Today's Scripture Readings

Haggai 1:15b-2:9 (NRSV)

In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts. The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.

Psalm 145 (BCP., p.801)


2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17 (NRSV)

As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you?

But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

Luke 20:27-38 (NRSV)

Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him a question, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her."

Jesus said to them, "Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive."

Blog Reflection

The Liturgical Year C will be coming to a close in a couple weeks.  In just two weeks we will celebrate Christ the King Sunday followed by the beginning of the new Liturgical Year A with the First Sunday of Advent.  As is the tradition of the Church, the Scripture readings this time of the year concentrate our attention on the End times.  The readings become darker and pointing towards the Ending of the old order of things, and a new one beginning.  

The People of Israel were no strangers to old things slipping away and new things starting.  They were once slaves in Egypt. Through the mighty arm of the Lord and Moses they were brought out of Egypt and their descendents were led into the promised land.  The People of Israel were a tribal community.   They saw many battles over ownership of their land, the worship of God and other gods, the raising up of the Temple of Solomon, and it's eventual destruction before the Babylonian exile.   Haggai is part of a conversation between God and Israel to build a new Temple now that they have returned to their land.  As one would imagine, the people wanted to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple which was the center of the City with all the splendor of God contained therein.  Yahweh is promising that just as God was with them when the Israelites were led out of Egypt by Moses, so God will be with them now as they undertake the rebuilding of the Temple.  This time, however, God promises to build an even greater Temple by shaking up the old order of things, and building something far more wonderful with all it's splendor.  God wishes to bring forth all the silver and gold to show that God's House is a place where everyone is beautiful, and worships God in holiness and reverence.

The story from Haggai sounds a lot like the martyrdom of St. Laurence the Deacon.  He was killed during the Valerian persecutions of the Christians.  At the time of his execution, he had gathered all the silver and gold owned by the Church at the time, sold it ,and gave the proceeds to the poor.  When his executioners asked him for all the treasures of the Church, Laurence pointed to the poor women, men and children with him and said: "these are the treasures of the Church."  Following these words, Laurence was put on an iron grid.  While laying there he cried out: "Turn me over guys, I am all done on one side."

What kind of temple are we building in the Church and society today? 

Our world seems to be so entrapped by wealth, power and a drive to leave the marginalized to fend for themselves.  This passed Thursday, November 7th the US Senate passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).  The bill provides Federal equal rights protections for LGBT people in employment, financial assistance, public assistance and housing. There is no guarantee that the bill will even get a floor vote in the US House, because Christianist groups that are working against LGBT equal rights protections protections are making an issue of "religious liberty" as a justification for continuing discrimination for LGBT people.  

Bishop Gene Robinson wrote an outstanding article in The Huffington Post this past week.  I found the following paragraphs to be of particular interest.

Although the membership of every major Christian denomination shows a majority of support for this legislation, opposition to this bill is coming in large part from many of the leaders of these same religious denominations, demanding ever-broader exemption from the provisions of this law. One amendment which would have added these exemptions to ENDA was defeated in the Senate, but will undoubtedly reappear in the House debate. They would create a hole in the protections big enough to drive a PopeMobile through. It would allow an exception for non-profits and for-profits alike from having to implement the legislated protections, providing they could show at least a thin connection to some religious entity which takes a dim view of LGBT people.

For instance, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is vigorously opposing ENDA, asserting that their right to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity is essential to Catholics' religious liberty. Now stop, and just take that in for a moment. A Church, dedicated to following the man known for his outreach and compassion for the marginalized, petitioning the government to be exempted from the fair treatment of marginalized and vulnerable LGBT people. It takes my breath away.

Can you imagine what Jesus might have said to St. Peter if the disciple had requested an exemption from Jesus' command to "love your enemies?!" What if disciples James and John had argued with Jesus about whether or not "love your neighbor as yourself" actually should apply to them in all cases? What would Jesus have said to the good, religious people of his time when they asked for an exemption to Jesus' command to "love one another as I have loved you," based of course upon their deeply-held, religious beliefs?

Speaking of the words and actions of Jesus, what an amazing spectacle we have in today's Gospel narrative.  Jesus is being confronted by a group of religious authorities who do not believe in a resurrection.  Yet, here they are, asking him a question about their Jewish Law with regards to marriage based on the resurrection.  It never ceases to amaze me how individuals will use material from something they do not even believe in to make a point about something so meaningless.  But, here we have just such an example.

As Psalm 145 is such a perfect compliment to the reading from Haggai, because it talks of God's compassion on all God's works, so Paul's letter to the Thessalonians supports what is taking place in the Gospel.  

Jesus here wants to send a clear message.  The message has a lot less to do with marriage, but more to do with the individuals the Sadducees question is designed to affect.  Marriage in the time of Jesus was from the Mosaic Law which saw marriage as a contract with a dowry and an exchange of property, including the woman.  Jesus' concern here is not only about raising the dignity of the women to their natural God given place, He also wants to declare that they are included in the new Reign of God that is about the new life that Jesus will bring by His triumphant Resurrection.  The promise that Jesus gives is not just for a new life in a world to come, but to establish a new order, a new way of life into our lives in the here and now.  In the Common English Bible, verse 38 in Luke 20 reads: "He isn't the God of the dead but of the living.  To him they are all alive."  Jesus brings hope for new life in this world, leading into the next, by bringing the power of the Holy Spirit through His Death and Resurrection.  The result of the saving work of Jesus does not establish a new Church by which all others supercede into only one; but one in Himself, by which all people who are considered worthless, stigmatized by religious and civil authorities, are now among God's beloved in God's Reign in Christ. 

If we want to see a new world built that reflects the Resurrection then it becomes necessary to talk about and address the concerns of climate change.  We are all sharers in this world.  The more we destroy and abuse the resources in this world that alters the climate and kills off other wildlife and destroys lands, the closer we bring God's world to dying of human made causes.  God doesn't fix what's wrong, per say, so long as we don't take seriously our responsibility for doing our part in the fixing.

A new world where the Resurrection becomes visible means that we show respect for women, by improving the laws that protect them from the violence of rape, sexual assault, incest and being used by men as property to be exploited and discarded.  We would provide in our laws not only the protection of women in terms of reproductive health care, but supply job training, education, health care and a social safety net that supports the poor women, especially those who face discrimination because of race, immigration status, religion and so forth.

We celebrate a new world coming into being under God's Reign, with the Resurrection showing all it's glory when we no longer accept the bullying of LGBT and questioning youth in our schools, as well as LGBTQ people in the work place, housing, financial assistance and more.  We would celebrate and defend the freedom to marry, recognizing that through marriage equality God is recreating society through the Holy Spirit as She "renews the face of the earth" (see Psalm 104:31).

The new world built on the Resurrection is one of radical hospitality, with reconciliation and healing as part of the process.  It becomes the work of everyone coming together, celebrating our diversity and joining the great fellowship of Christ's Body and Blood in the Eucharist.  It is through the Eucharist that the Body of Christ which is so very fragmented, has the opportunity to become one, as the Real Presence of God is received and shared by all of God's beloved. 

May we this day, commit ourselves to the work of building the new world on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, where there is hope and possibility for an inclusive Reign of God.

Amen.


Prayers

O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might
destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God
and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may
purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again
with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his
eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 27, Book of Common Prayer, p.236).

God our Father, whose Son our Lord Jesus Christ in a
wonderful Sacrament has left us a memorial of his passion:
Grant us so to venerate the sacred mysteries of his Body and
Blood, that we may ever perceive within ourselves the fruit
of his redemption; who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (Prayer for the Holy Eucharist, Book of Common Prayer, p. 252).


Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us
grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace
with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom,
help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our
communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy
Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (Prayer for Social Justice, Book of Common Prayer, p.260).

Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost: God: The Generous Equal Opportunity Employer

Scriptural Basis

Matthew 20: 1-16 (NRSV)

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, `You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, `Why are you standing here idle all day?' They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, `You also go into the vineyard.' When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, `Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Blog Reflection

On September 8th of this year President Barack Obama stood before a joint session of Congress to announce The American Jobs Act.  A plan that is designed to put Americans back to work. 

Since the economic collapse of 2008 and 2009 there remains as of August 2011 fourteen million Americans who are out of work.  The lines at employment offices get longer and longer.  Those in need of unemployment benefits also continues to grow.

Before The American Jobs Act can even get out of the gate already Republicans and corporate CEO's like the Koch Brothers and the United States Department of Commerce are working to lobby against the bill. 

Even with a Democratic super majority in 2009 and 2012 we could not pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to help insure that individuals are not hired or fired because of sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression.   The Christianist organizations lobby against ENDA calling it "the bathroom bill" because of their bias about transgender individuals. 

There has been a lot of attention over these past couple of years concerning the issue of undocumented workers and the need for immigration reform. 

This year in particular there has been a lot of news about protecting the collective bargaining rights of labor union workers in Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine and so on. 

The Gospel parable about the land owner and the workers reflects what a generous, equal opportunity employer is like.  The land owner represents God.  God seeks workers for the reign of God from all corners of the world.  God seeks individual people from every nation, race, religion, class, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, language, health and wealth status.

The work God invites all humankind to participate in, is not the work of exclusion or based on a bias of any kind.  The work is not based on whether we are liberal/progressive or a conservative.  The work God employs the people of the earth to is not based on how ambitious or intelligent someone is.

God has a job for all of God's people.  It is the work of sharing God's unconditional and all inclusive love through generous care and concern for all people.  The work God has for us to do is not the kind of job that we get fired from if we are not in agreement with Christianist organizations about how the Bible is to be interpreted.  Individuals who understand the Bible and God's inspired word and read it with a sense of continued wonder, research and interest that goes beyond what it reads so as to understand what it means in an inclusive way.   

The work the God wants you and I to help with welcomes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and/or queer people. God invites Muslims, Jews, Atheists, Pagans, Hindus, Buddists, Unitarians, Baha'i and so on to participate in the work of justice and equality for all God's people in a world and Church that looks for every reason to exclude or marginalize.

In the reading today from Jonah 3:10-4:11 God had called Jonah to a particular task to spare the City if Nineveh by calling the King and all the land to repentance.  Upon hearing how angry God was at the City for their acts of injustice, the King and city repented and his land was spared.  God saw the change of heart and relented of the calamity it was said God would bring upon the city. 

I personally do not believe God brings natural calamity upon cities or peoples, but in the days of when the text was written, they may have believed that, or written such to get the affect they wanted. 

God had to chill the heart of Jonah. To understand that the work on Nineveh was finished.  As God cares for Jonah through the example of the bush, so God cares for God's people whom God has redeemed.

This narrative is not unlike how many Christianists view the work of LGBTQ people and many others marginalized by the Church and society.  The work for equality cannot be seen for the beautiful and holy work that it is, because of the opinions formed by careless and erroneous interpretations and uses of the Bible.   The Bible is not a weapon of mass destruction toward anyone that is not white, Christian, male, heterosexual and American born.   God's word is about inclusion and justice for all people.  Such is the work the God employs God's people to do.

Not only is God the generous, equal opportunity employer.  God also offers benefits that are out of this world.   The benefits God offers to those whom God employs is the same as anyone God employs and when God employs them.  God's benefits are inclusive, unconditional love.  Forgiveness of all our sins.  Conversion of heart and mind.  The opportunity to be incorporated into God's family that is all humankind.  The benefits that God imparts on us, do not discriminate nor do they separate any person or people based on human bias or denominational conventions or leadership. 

In the reign of God, there are no work place politics, or corporate owners who get all the tax breaks while the middle class and/or poor pay the highest price.  People not corporations get first place in God's reign.  Violence is never the will of God. There are no disqualifying references, nor are those who work less vs those who work more less valued than anyone else.  In God's reign there are no dominionists who promote one religion or way of living, loving or being at the expense of others who are different.

God is the generous, equal opportunity employer with benefits that are out of this world.

Anyone ready to work?


Prayer

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 20, Book of Common Prayer, page 234).

Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for the Unemployed, Book of Common Prayer, page 824).

Lord our Governor, bless the leaders of our land, that we may be a people at peace among ourselves and a blessing to other nations of the earth.

Lord, keep this nation under your care.

To all who have executive authority and to all who have administrative authority, grant wisdom and grace in the exercise of their duties.

Give grace to your servants, O Lord.

To those who make our laws give courage, wisdom, and foresight to provide for the needs of all our people, and to fulfill our obligations in the community of nations.

Give grace to your servants, O Lord.

To the Judges and officers of our Courts give understanding and integrity, that human rights may be safeguarded and justice served.

Give grace to your servants, O Lord.

And finally, teach our people to rely on your strength and to accept their responsibilities to their fellow citizens, that they may elect trustworthy leaders and make wise decisions for the well-being of our society; that we may serve you faithfully in our generation and honor your holy Name. For yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Amen. (Prayer for Sound Government, Book of Common Prayer, page 821).