Second Sunday of Easter: Thank God for Thomas

Today's Scripture Readings

Acts 2:14a, 22-32 (NRSV)

Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed the multitude, "You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know-- this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says concerning him,

`I saw the Lord always before me,

for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken;

therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;

moreover my flesh will live in hope.

For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,

or let your Holy One experience corruption.

You have made known to me the ways of life;

you will make me full of gladness with your presence.'

"Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying ,

`He was not abandoned to Hades,

nor did his flesh experience corruption.'

This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses."

Psalm 16 (BCP., p.599).


1 Peter 1:3-9 (NRSV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith-- being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire-- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

John 20:19-31 (NRSV)

When it was evening on the day of Resurrection, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Blog Reflection

One of the fads on Facebook that has become an addiction for many people, and in some ways myself, is the Buzzfeed surveys.  If you answer a particular set of questions, you can find out things like What Disney Cartoon Character you are.  Other possibilities are What Religion Are You?   How many 80's movies you have watched.  One survey was what kind of Christ you are.  The answers were quite interesting.  If you answered the questions in a particular way, you could learn that you are the Medic Jesus who heal people.  You might be the Preachy Jesus.   The types of surveys and answers are all over the map.  I play a few behind the scenes, but I make it my business not to post the answers I get, except for a few.   And my reason for doing that, is because I don't want those surveys and the answers I get to become the means by which I identify or define myself.  Nor do I want others to use them to identify things about me.  I feel that my identity is first and foremost an adopted son of God, by the redemption of Jesus Christ.  Whatever my sexual orientation or gender identity is, my national origin, language, etc., they are all labels the become opportunities for me to be compared and/or designated certain opportunities based on those.   All of those are nothing compared to the opportunities I am given because of the difference the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ has made in my life.

When the Risen Christ appeared to those first Disciples while Thomas were not present, they experienced the saving grace of God that changed their lives forever.  They were filled with sorrow for all that had happened on Good Friday.  They were locked behind closed doors for fear of being arrested because they were previously with Jesus.  They heard the stories of Mary and those who were at the tomb when Jesus rose from the dead.  But, they just did not believe it.  If all of that were not believable, suddenly the Risen Christ appeared with the words: "Peace be with you."   Those first Apostles ran away when He was nailed to the Cross.  Peter denied Jesus three times.  All Jesus was concerned with, was bringing God's peace upon those scared, sad and discouraged Disciples.  

Thomas represents in all of us that doubting moment.  The doubt that is not satisfied by the words that came to him about the Resurrection.  Thomas wanted to see the Risen Christ for himself.   Thomas was the skeptic.  He's the skeptic that plays the devil's advocate in the middle of a meeting.   Everyone wants to finish up and go home.  The skeptic wants to see that which satisfies her/his curiosity.   But, Jesus comes even to those who have doubts.  The Risen Christ is alive and calling even the skeptics among us.   "Peace be with you.  See my hands and my feet.  Touch me and see."  Thomas cries those wonderful words "My Lord and My God" as a statement of faith.  The faith that became his sight.   Because he doubted and later believed, those who have not seen, but believe through the words and actions of others are blessed indeed.   Our identity as children of God is confirmed through the faith of others who like us doubted, and were later shown God's blessings in their lives.

We are living in some times of real doubts.  The civil unrest in the Ukraine and the threat of more violence from Russia.   The news that we still  have not seen unemployment insurance renewed, or the minimum wage raised leaves so much doubt about what kind of future low income and middle class people have.  Very little has been done to reduce the gun violence that threatens our schools, communities of various peoples, and neighborhoods.  The rhetoric by Christianists towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning people continues to be violent, even with all the progress we have made towards marriage equality and more.  The terrible ruling by the Supreme Court this week with regards to Affirmative Action in Michigan.  The way in which women are victimized as second class citizens with regards to work, equal pay and reproductive health care.

The problem is, we still live in an age and world where the dignity of every human person is the least of our concern.  Instead of loving our neighbor as ourselves, we are loving money, power, prestige, popularity and the ability to draw attention to ourselves.  We do not want to share our country with the many immigrants who want a chance to make a life for themselves.  We want to keep an "other" so that we feel like we have power and control over things around us.  We walk by sight, not by faith.

Jesus comes to us, alive and offers us peace in the midst of our chaos.  He comes to invite us to touch him through the wounds of prejudice, indifference, and oppression and see that our broken humanity can and will be healed through God's transforming grace.  The Risen Christ beacons us to see beyond our doubts, stereotypes and preconceived notions and see Jesus offering us peace, healing and reconciliation.  Jesus offers us the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of our sins through His Death and Resurrection, with the opportunity to start over again and again. 

As Easter Week ends, and we continue through this wonderful season in the Church; we have the opportunity to meet the Risen Christ and love Him in one another.  We can embrace one another by forgiving each other and being forgiven.  We can be restored to friendship with God through God's mercy in Christ, and find our way back to being true Disciples full of hope and peace.

Peace be with you.  

Alleluia! Christ is risen
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery
established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all
who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body
may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 224).

Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the
world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among
them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they
may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 816).

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.  (Book of Common Prayer, p. 823).

The Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple: Humility, Obedience, Prophesy

Today's Scripture Readings

Malachi 3:1-4 (NRSV)

Thus says the Lord, See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight-- indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

Psalm 84 (BCP., p.707)


Hebrews 2:14-18 (NRSV)

Since God's children share flesh and blood, Jesus himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Luke 2:22-40 (NRSV)

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

"Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,

according to your word;

for my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

a light for revelation to the Gentiles

and for glory to your people Israel."

And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed-- and a sword will pierce your own soul too."

There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Blog Reflection

I could not rejoice more that this feast of the Presentation is on a Sunday this year.   This Holy Day on our Church calendar has many significances that are worth reminding ourselves of.  Their significance to our faith and our spiritual lives are so crucial.   It is so wonderful that we get to observe them as part of our Sunday Eucharist.

One of the meanings of the Presentation is to recognize that we are now between the Nativity at Christmas, and Ash Wednesday the beginning of Lent.   Here the two meanings of the coming of Christ as the Word made flesh, from the cradle to the cross find their crossover point.  

In the history of the Church, this Feast is also referred to as Candlemass.  It was on this date that all the candles used over the previous year were melted down, as the early Christians prepared the wax for the Easter Candle for the Great Vigil of Easter.   The light that came into the world, brings with Him a new era.  The darkness of sin is extinguished by the Light that is Christ by His death and resurrection.   We celebrate the Light of Christ's Redemption in the Paschal Mystery, and participate in it, through the waters of Baptism.   Hence the commitment of Christians to live in that Light of the Easter event, because of God's grace through Christ.

There are three main points about the Presentation of Christ in the temple that have meaning for our spiritual lives.  They are humility, obedience and prophesy.   Mary, Joseph and Jesus fulfill these by their humble submission to the law of Moses, and is confirmed through the Prophets Simeon and Anna.

In this 21st Century, the very idea of humility and obedience seem archaic, useless and things of the past.  However, the necessity of them could not be more real.  

In humility, we acknowledge that we are not an entity unto ourselves.  Nor can we save ourselves without God's help.  Mary, Joseph and Jesus come to the Temple in humility, recognizing their humanity, and need for the God of their salvation.  We too, must return again and again to the God who has redeemed us in Christ, confess our sins, and accept God's mercy.   We cannot do this if we cling to a false sense of self.   Humility means we accept that God is God, and we are not.  Our true selves are found in Christ, who humbled Himself to the point of death on the Cross. (See Philippians 2:1-11).

Obedience says that we respond to God's mercy, by placing ourselves in God's hands, and serve others in the Name of Christ.  The humility of Jesus was such that the God who created us, became one like us in all things, yet did not sin, became a servant of all of us.  Even those of us who will  not get up and wash our neighbors feet, or accept others who are different from ourselves.  The humility and obedience of Jesus, is our example of how to love one another, and be reminded that none of us are really above anyone else in any way.  We are all sinners, saved by God's grace.  In faith, our response needs to be one of obedience.

Lastly, is prophesy.  The Prophets Simeon and Anna greet Christ, recognizing that He is the hope that they have been awaiting.   As they both declare to have received the answer to their prayers, they also prepare Christ for the fulfillment of His life.   He has come to be the rise and fall of many.  He is the Light revealed to the nations, as God's perfect revelation of Self.   He has come to set free the marginalized, the oppressed and to give a sense of purpose to those who are left on the sidelines to fend for themselves.  Jesus has come as God's love embodied in the human person; living, serving and dying.   In God's revelation that there is no such thing as one so lost, that God is not concerned or reaching out for us.

These past couple weeks we have become aware of the increased violence towards LGBT people in Uganda, Nigeria and of course, Russia.   Thanks be to God that there have been responses by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.   Yet, we cannot over look the unfortunate reality that there are Christians within the Anglican Communion and beyond who support the criminalization of homosexuality based on erroneous interpretations of the Bible.  A difference of opinions by which we dialogue and debate with mutual respect and charity, is a response worthy of Christ.   A response through the violence of putting people in jail or threatening them with death because of who we are, getting people into the government to pass and administer such laws cannot be a greater contradiction to the mind and heart of Jesus Christ.  

Humility, obedience and prophesy on this Presentation of Christ in the Temple, calls on us to see the Light of Christ in others around us.   To honor Christ's presence and to serve others in His Holy Name.  Without distinction, exception or excuse.   After all, which one of us is truly worthy of God's love in Christ?   Which one of us is so humble and obedient to not need God's grace to save us, so that we have the hope of everlasting life?    Therefore, who are we to withhold it from others?

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty and everliving God, we humbly pray that, as your
only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so
we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by
Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (The Book of Common Prayer, p.239).

O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully
restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may
share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our
humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (The 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.  (The Book of Common Prayer, p.260).

Christ the King: Mercy and Justice Are His Rule. The Cross is His Throne

Today's Scripture Readings

Jeremiah 23:1-6 (NRSV)

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD. Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the LORD.

The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."

Psalm 46 (BCP., p.649)

Colossians 1:11-20 (NRSV)

May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He 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.

Luke 23:33-43 (NRSV)

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. The people stood by, watching Jesus on the cross; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Blog Reflection

If there was an irony to end the Liturgical Year C, this would be it.  The majestic celebration of Christ the King is about Jesus at the end of time.  The consummation of all time, seasons, earth and Heaven is believed to find it's conclusion in Christ.  The Alpha and Omega.   The Beginning and the End.  As Anglicized as this Feast is, and though many may find it to be outdated and perhaps unnecessary, there is an important contemporary and social context to this Sunday.  

The reading from the Hebrew Scriptures tells us of a king who would take care of those who have been mistreated by former shepherds.  The Prophet Jeremiah is conveying God's words that God's people being mistreated by others is of great concern.  The People Jeremiah is prophesying to are a farming community.  They have lands that they look after, and their country was being managed by rulers who were not caring for the oppressed and marginalized.   God promises a king who would truly look after God's people with compassion and justice.   Did they get that king?  

The New Testament Reading and the Gospel tie together our focus on Christ as King.   The irony I wrote about earlier, will be made here.  The irony is that on this Christ the King Sunday our focus is not on the majesty and splendor of the Reign of Christ as others might suggest.  Through the mystery of the Cross, the rule of Christ is mercy and Justice.  The Cross is Christ's throne by which He rules as God's Son.  As many of the Presidents, Prime Ministers, Governors of our world attempt to lead the rest of us by violence, oppression, injustice and prejudice, God's answer of how to govern the earth is through mercy, justice and forgiveness of our sins.  God's reply to the needs of God's people is to love us all without distinction. 

In the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, Christ the King gives of Himself as the victor, redeemer and Savior of all humankind.  The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and the celebration of Holy Communion, allows that mercy, justice and forgiveness to become the way in which we interact with one another as Christ's Body, the Church.   How very interesting that the Gospel Reading for the First Vespers of Christ the King this year is Matthew 18:25-35 the parable of the unforgiving servant.  Jesus tells Peter to forgive not seven times, but seventy seven times.  Forgive and forgive again.  The Eucharist reminds us that Christ our King has forgiven us, so we are to forgive each other.

As we understand that Christ's rule is justice and mercy, and the Cross is His throne, what in the world are Christians doing?   Why do Christians continue to suggest religious exceptionalism and support prejudice towards women, LGBTQ people, immigrants, individuals of different races, religions, physical, psychological and personal challenges?    Why do we as Christians tolerate Christianists claiming a religion of dominionism?  

Perhaps on this Christ the King Sunday we might think about how we promote justice, mercy and the forgiveness of sins by the Cross of Jesus.  How might we hold our leaders in the Church and society accountable for improving them to be inclusive and respectful of other?   How do we hold ourselves accountable?

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, may we pray that the Church and society will become a more abundant Reign of Christ so that He is made real because we too work for justice, mercy and believe in the forgiveness of our sins through His name and His Cross.

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all
things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of
lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided
and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together
under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 29, Book of Common Prayer, p. 236).


Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have
done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole
creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life,
and for the mystery of love.

We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for
the loving care which surrounds us on every side.

We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best
efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy
and delight us.

We thank you also for those disappointments and failures
that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone.

Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the
truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast
obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying,
through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life
again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.

Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know him and
make him known; and through him, at all times and in all
places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen. (A General Thanksgiving, Book of Common Prayer, p.836).

Twenty Third Sunday after Pentecost: Humility, Mercy and Serving Others

Today's Scripture Readings

Sirach 35:12-17 (NRSV)

Give to the Most High as he has given to you,

and as generously as you can afford.

For the Lord is the one who repays,

and he will repay you sevenfold.

Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it

and do not rely on a dishonest sacrifice;

for the Lord is the judge,

and with him there is no partiality.

He will not show partiality to the poor;

but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged.

He will not ignore the supplication of the orphan,

or the widow when she pours out her complaint.

Psalm 84 (BCP., p.707)


2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18 (NRSV)

I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Luke 18:9-14 (NRSV)

Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, `God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, `God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted."

 
Blog Reflection

Luke 18:14 is referenced in The Rule of St. Benedict in Chapter 7 about humility.  The words: 'be merciful to me, a sinner!'  are part of the Jesus Prayer.  "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner."  How could it be by accident that this Gospel consists of these two texts from the early Church?  Humility and mercy, combined with serving others are our lessons to us from the Holy Scriptures, are part of the tradition of the Church and an important element reason.   How then, does it become part of how we live the Gospel in our every day lives?

I believe that the parable offers us some important insights for us to ponder.

The traditions by which we celebrate God's work in our lives are very important.  It is nudging us to keep in mind that all the good that we have, is part of God's amazing love shared with us.  However, this parable tells us to take it all to a deeper level.  That deeper level, that space where God lives in each of us, is the place where God knows us best, and desires to be transparent from us towards others.  The greater challenge for all of us, I believe, is to let ourselves become open to the transforming and transparent love and mercy of God in our lives, our communities and well beyond ourselves.   To be projected into our society that is full of greed, bias, violence and darkness beyond the inability to see things clearly.

Each of us finds the self-righteous individual in this parable acting in us, whenever we prize our piety more than the relationship that is suppose to grow because of those things we do in prayer, Scripture reading and worship.  We all like to give ourselves that pat on the back, and think that God must also be there, and excusing us for ignoring the radical poverty around us, in those who are marginalized in in both the Church and society.   That is the arrogance that comes from enjoying God for ourselves, and failing to recognizing that all of that is worthless, unless we also accept and live in the light of God's mercy given to us in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

The tax collector in this parable knows that he has done wrong in his life.  And he isn't taking God's grace for granted and assuming he does not have to take any responsibility for himself before God.  He prays, knowing that it is only because of God's mercy, that those things that he has done are forgiven him, so that he can be healed and serve others with some kind of a realistic image of who God is in his life.   He does not wear rosy colored glasses about his need for God's salvation.  He opens himself completely, with all vulnerability to trust in God's mercy with all humility, so that he may serve others in true personal freedom.

As we continue to struggle through the economic challenges we see all around us, along with the visible attitudes and behaviors of discrimination and cruelty, it is important that we see how we ourselves contribute to the social injustices around us.   We each have a prejudice in our hearts about someone who is different from us.  We talk about how horrible violence is in our cities and towns.  But, we do not pay attention to how we violently talk about people of different religions, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities/expressions, etc.   When we get a big bunch of excuses from our elected officials concerning why we do not have adequate health care for all people, tougher gun control laws, and rapid racism and sexism, we just pretend that it must be disappearing by itself.  Jesus through this parable, invites us all to confess our sins, receive God's mercy, amend our lives and be transforming disciples in the world around us.   It begins with that first step of humility in the Rule of St. Benedict to keep before us the consciousness of God at all times.   To have reverence for God in our actions, our conversations, our prayers and our response to God in obedience through service to others.

Let us keep each other in our prayers, so that we may live in humility by being receptive to God's mercy.  May we also be open to serving others so that God's transforming grace can be transparent in our world.

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of
faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you
promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus
Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (Proper 25, Book of Common Prayer, p.235).


Gracious Father, we pray for thy 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 thy Son our Savior. Amen.  (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p. 816).


Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up our selves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. (General Thanksgiving, Book of Common Prayer, p.125).

Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost: Show Thanks for Mercy

Today's Scripture Readings

2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c (NRSV)

Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, "If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."

When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me."

But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel." So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha's house. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean." But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, "I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?" He turned and went away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, "Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, `Wash, and be clean'?" So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel."

Psalm 111 (BCP., p.754)


2 Timothy 2:8-15 (NRSV)

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David-- that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The saying is sure:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he will also deny us;

if we are faithless, he remains faithful--

for he cannot deny himself.

Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

Luke 17:11-19 (NRSV)

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."

Blog Reflection
 
There are very few experiences that can make a person isolated from one's community like a debilitating illness can.  To find oneself sick with something that disgusts other people.   The way they look at the color of your skin when pale.  The private conversations at a restaurant dinner table across the room.  The feeling that every where you go, there is talk about you and your health condition.  The feeling of the loss of dignity.  Where is there relief?

The readings this weekend from the Hebrew Scriptures and the Gospel tell us the story of people with leprosy.  Not only was such a person sick, they were cut off from their community.   It was thought that if they got the disease, they did something to bring it on themselves.   Not only were they considered not "fit" to participate in society, they were also to be excluded from worship, because they were viewed as unclean.

The Scriptures this weekend show us how God looks past our health condition, our social status, skin color etc, to see the person and her/his dignity.   Regardless of whatever our state in life is, we all are in need of God's mercy.  Unlike many of the laws and thoughts of how God applies God's law, the Holy One does not see things as we see them.  In Canticle 10 in The Book of Common Prayer, we pray the words from Isaiah 55:6-11 that include the words: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways my ways says the Lord.   For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."   God is not about punishment and destruction.   The heart of God is mercy, forgiveness and unconditional love for every human person.

Jesus showed God's love when He healed the men with leprosy. Yet, after each experienced the healing power of God through Jesus, only one returned to give thanks.  The one who returned to give thanks was the foreigner.  The one who was thought to be the outcast among the outcasts, is the one who returns to give thanks and praise to God for the healing he experienced threw Jesus.  Jesus affirms his faith and sends him away a whole person.

How do we show thanks to God for the mercy we are experiencing because of Jesus Christ?

Do we welcome all of God's people in hospitality to bring about reconciliation?

Whom are we keeping outside of our communities because of some preconceived notion?

As our Congress continues to hold the poor, disabled and others hostage to the demands of the wealthy and powerful, we need to stop and think about what it is we are doing to each other in this debate.  What affect all of this is having on those who live with oppression, sickness, injustice and prejudice, and what are we doing to alleviate their suffering, or make it worse.   The worst part of this crisis is not felt by those who have nothing to lose.  It is experienced by those who have already lost everything, and have the last of everything left to lose, including but not limited to their dignity.   How can we as Christians turn a blind eye to what is happening, and not call on our government and it's leaders to get their act together?

We have the opportunity to show thanks to God for God's mercy by working for peace, justice and equality for all people.  Through our prayers, actions and coming together as the community of faith, we can fulfill our Baptismal Vows, by doing our part to bring hope to where there is despair.

May we give thanks God, by being merciful as God is merciful to us.

Amen.


Prayers

Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and
follow us, that we may continually be given to good works;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 23, Book of Common Prayer, p.234).

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you
all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us
to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick,
and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those
who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow
into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for
our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Poor and Neglected, Book of Common Prayer, p.826). 

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen. (Prayer Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, Book of Common Prayer, p.831).

 

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost: God's Everlasting Mercy Searches for Us

Today's Scripture Verses

Exodus 32:7-14 (NRSV)

The LORD said to Moses, "Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said,
`These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'" The LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation."

But Moses implored the LORD his God, and said, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, `It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, `I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'" And the LORD changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.

Psalm 51 (BCP., p.656)


1 Timothy 1:12-17 (NRSV)

I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-- of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Luke 15:1-10 (NRSV)

All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."

So he told them this parable: "Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

"Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Blog Reflection

Of all the things that people spend money and time on, none is more precious than searching for someone who's been lost.  Children who were separated from their biological parents have searched to find their birth mother and/or father, because they just want to know them.  People who get separated from their loved one's and want to know where they are, will go at great lengths to be reunited.  

God, our Creator, though humankind still refuses to grow up in our love for God, our neighbor and ourselves, still searches for us.  Our sins that keep us from growth spiritually and socially hurt God very much.  God does not force God's will upon any of us.  God gave us the opportunity to chose growth in grace, or to remain as stubborn children.  Yet, even our decision does not stop God from loving us so much.  God still remains faithful to us, and waits for us to turn back to God.  Not just as a matter of personal spiritual growth, but in our relationships with one another.

The Christian Faith is not a religion that is all to ourselves. Our Faith is about community.  As Christians we share our lives of faith with others in this world, including those who do not share our particular world view.  Yet, we live by faith and not by sight.  In other words, what we believe and practice in our worship and prayer, needs to become how we live.  If as the hymn says; 'There's a wideness in God's mercy..." then why are the hearts and arms of Christians so narrow?

The readings for this weekend are all about God's transforming grace & everlasting mercy.  They invite us into relationship with our God and one another, so to experience and share that mercy.    It is so easy to be the recipients of God's wonderful works, and then forget what God has done and put other things between us and God.  The Israelites in Exodus, did just that.  God's anger was so roused. Yet, Moses interceded for them, and God's mercy was abundant. God's generosity was extended.

In the Gospel today, Jesus tells us that no one is so horrible a sinner, that He will not search for them and bring them back to safety.  We are all like that sheep who get lost, or the coin that is missing, and God gives up everything God has to find us, and bring us back into redeemed relationship with God through Christ.  All of us are counted as precious in God's sight to the point that God gave us Jesus Christ so that we may find our way back to God to live holy lives.   To bring comfort to those who mourn.   To feed the hungry, and give company to the lonely.  To welcome the immigrant and help her/him to find their home among us.  To encourage LGBTQ teens to live as they are without the fear of bullying or religious based violence.  To call for an end to the out of control anti-gay violence in Russia.  To call for justice for the oppressed in those who experience racial and gender bias in their jobs, communities and churches.

God's grace and mercy want so much to transform us and the world around us.  God's Holy Spirit gives us God's gifts so that we can be people of mercy and help others find their way to God.  It begins with the ministry of hospitality and reconciliation, through which God's mercy gives new hope to those in despair.  As recipients of God's mercy, we must give praise, honor and glory to God by sharing with others the mercy that we have received. After all, what could be better in our world of violence, oppression and darkness, than to share the Light of God's everlasting mercy in Christ Jesus, our Lord?

Amen.


Prayers

O God, because without you we are not able to please you,
mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct
and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen. (Proper 19: Book of Common Prayer. p.233).

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).

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on
the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within
the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit
that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those
who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for
the honor of your Name. Amen. (Prayer for Mission, Book of Common Prayer, p.101).

 

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost: Accountability, Forgiveness and the Dignity of the Human Person

Today's Scripture Readings

2 Samuel 11:26-12:10,13-15

When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him. When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son.

But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD, and the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him." Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."

Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife."

David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan said to David, "Now the LORD has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child that is born to you shall die." Then Nathan went to his house. The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became very ill.

Psalm 32 (BCP., p.624)


Galatians 2:15-21

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Luke 7:36-8:3

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him-- that she is a sinner." Jesus spoke up and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Teacher," he replied, "Speak." "A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt." And Jesus said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." Then he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

Blog Reflection

King David is an interesting figure in the Bible, is he not?   The youngest son of Jesse who was a shepherd, chosen by God and anointed by the Prophet Samuel as King of Israel.  His monarchy name is such that God had plans for David's descendants for many generations.  So important to Salvation history is David that in Psalm 89 is a whole litany of promises by God to and about David.

I have found David my servant;
   with my holy oil have I anointed him.

My hand will hold him fast
    and my arm will make him strong.

No enemy shall deceive him,
    nor any wicked man bring him down.

I will crush his foes before him
   and strike down those who hate him.

My faithfulness and love shall be with him,
and he shall be victorious through my Name.  (Psalm 89:20-23, BCP. p.715).

So, one can imagine how David must have felt being confronted by Nathan and told exactly what he did to Uriah.  What he did was so evil, so wrong.  His deception resulted in lives lost, a family destroyed, and the use of people for his own gain.  Yet, what makes David a greater person and leader, is that once confronted about his sin, he admits and seeks forgiveness.  He recognized through Nathan that he cannot run from the weight of his sin, nor can he hide from God who gave him as much as he got.  So, David seeks forgiveness.

In our time, how do we hold our leaders both civil and religious accountable?  

Are we willing to do our part to hold those who approve of drone missile attacks on innocent Americans and families in Pakistan accountable for their heinous actions?   Are we going to just sit back and accept our President's defense of programs that kill in the name of so called "defense"?   Or, will we take action and demand that he hold himself accountable for the tax dollars that are spent on such violence?    As the concerns have been raised about American's privacy being violated with who might be listening in on our phone calls, emails and other forms of communication, what kind of accountability will we hold our leaders to?    How will we hold them accountable?  And why are we so angry about the Government listening and/or prying into our private business, but not so determined to do something about private owned internet companies that do the same?

As many leaders of church organizations and communities continue their assault on LGBTQ people, women, immigrants, Native American, individuals of other races, religions, etc, how will we hold them accountable?    How will we communicate our concern for the dignity of every human person affected by prejudiced rhetoric?

Our reading from Hebrew Scriptures suggests that if our leaders are really God honoring in their leadership, they will acknowledge their sins, and seek forgiveness and use the power of their office to make reparation.  We must pray for our leaders and hold them accountable.  Silence in prayer is good.  Silence in the face of injustice, is not. 

Our Gospel reading presents us with another picture of accountability and forgiveness. 

Jesus is invited to share a dinner in the home of a Pharisee   What we must understand some things about the picture being made for us.  Luke would have recorded his Gospel account about 85 A.D. At that point in time, the Pharisees were the only major tradition that survived the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.  Luke often paints a picture of the Scribes and the temple bureaucrats being Jesus' enemies.  Not the Pharisees. Yet, we see here that the Pharisees in this setting are having quite the issue with the woman who comes to weep at Jesus' feet.

The woman in this narrative has violated some major cultural rules here.  Given that women were seen as the weaker of the human species, she is already on the lower end of the social classes.   Secondly, given her economical condition, she was most likely driven to prostitution as a means of financial survival.   In her "work" as a prostitute, she would have had Gentile as well as Jewish clients.  Those two issues, would have made her as close to the social dirt as one could get.  So, for her to just come into the house of a Pharisee and come near the table where Jesus was reclining, weep at his feet and so forth, she was really crashing the party.   So, the Pharisees here, see the woman as a weak, dirty, sinner.  The fact that she is there at all means she has defiled the house.   The fact that Jesus is letting her do what she was doing, means she has defiled Jesus, and he said very little.   Not only is the woman on a lower social class, but now, so is Jesus.  That is why this is so difficult for the Pharisees to wrap their head around what is going on.

As Jesus challenges Simon and the others in the house, he is not looking at them.  He is looking directly at the woman.  The Pharisees see a woman who is a sinner.  Jesus sees the woman as a daughter of God, who is paying him a really great act of faith in repentance, accountability and thanksgiving.  Jesus sees that the woman recognizes where she is socially, but her primary concern is the salvation of her soul.  Even if she has to break all of the other cultural rules to find the mercy of God in Christ, she will do it.  Jesus sees the sincerity of her faith, and imparts God's mercy upon her life.  His words to Simon and the others challenges them to look past all the cultural norms of who the woman is not, to see her as she is.  A daughter of God, in need of God's transforming grace.  Jesus calls those watching in dismay to recognize their own need for God's mercy, by seeing the faith found in the woman who holds herself accountable before God, and receives from Jesus, God's forgiveness and restoration.   In so doing, Jesus has upheld her dignity as a woman, and raised her up as redeemed by God's grace to given thanksgiving for the rest of her life.

In Fr. Andrew Dysinger, OSB's version of The Rule of St. Benedict, as used in Preferring Christ: A Devotional Commentary on The Rule of St. Benedict, by Norvene Vest,  he writes verses 4 and 5 of the Prologue using these words.

In the first place, whenever you begin any good work, beg of him with most earnest prayer to perfect it; so that he who has now granted us the dignity of being counted among the number of his children my not at any time be grieved by our evil deeds (p.3).

Almighty God who has created us out of the fullness of God's love, has now restored our dignity, and counted us among those who are God's beloved, through our redemption in Christ Jesus.  Everything that is good in and about each of us is there because of the dignity we each have, by the very fact that we are God's beloved people.  In the Gospel today, Jesus recognizes and upholds the dignity of this sorrowful woman.  Not because she is a woman, or because she is all of the other things that her society have placed upon her, which diminishes her dignity.  Jesus recognizes her dignity because of who she is.  That is why Jesus became her merciful Savior.  He upheld and restored her dignity.  And counted her as among God's beloved.  That was something the contemporaries of Jesus' time could not do.  That is why He corrected their self-righteousness and imparted God's compassion and forgiveness on them, as well as the woman.  Even if they did not see things that way.

What about us?

Do we see ourselves and others as having our dignity in who we are as daughters and sons of God who need to hold ourselves accountable for our sins, seek God's mercy and forgiveness?

In the third and fourth verses of hymn number 603 in The Hymnal 1982 we read and/or sing these words.

Where generation, class, or race divide us to our shame, he sees not labels but a face, a person, and a name.

Thus freely loved, though fully known, may I in Christ be free to welcome and accept his own as Christ accepted me.

Such labels include sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression. They include individuals of various religions and more.  Each of us have been created by God and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  We have our dignity by who we are, not what we do in or out of the sheets, who we love, our skin color, associations, etc.   Among the many reasons why inclusion is such an important matter for Christians, is because the sooner we learn to look past the distinctions we place on people and see them as God's people, the sooner we can get down to the real business of why Christians do what we do.   Lead people by our example to know our awesome God and the love God has for every human person, to the point of redeeming them in Christ, and sanctifying them by the Holy Spirit.  We can be a voice for justice, equality and bring hope to those who live in despair.    That is what Jesus came to do, and what He empowers His Church to do by the power of the Holy Spirit.

St. Wulfstan of Worcester in Portifolium prayed these words:

O God, you visit the humble and you console us with mutual love.  Stretch forth your grace to our community so that we may become aware of your coming into our midst through those in whom you dwell.  Amen.  (Essential Monastic Wisdom: Writings on the Contemplative Life.  Hugh Feiss, p.58).

May we all be in prayer for the Church, society and ourselves that we may be a people who draw people to Jesus Christ by word and example.  So that we can greet everyone with Benedictine hospitality and provide the way to reconciliation and healing for all who are wounded, and there may indeed be peace in God's kingdom on earth as well as in heaven.

Amen.

 

Prayers

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast
faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim
your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with
compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and for ever. Amen. (Proper 6, Book of Common Prayer, p. 230).


Gracious Father, we pray for they 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 thy Son our Savior. Amen.  (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p.816).


O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior,
the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the
great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away
all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body
and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all
of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth
and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and
one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.  (Prayer for the Unity of the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p.818).

Friday of the Third Week in Lent: The Cross is About Love

Today's Scripture Readings

Hosea 14: 1-9 (NRSV)

Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,
   for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
Take words with you
   and return to the Lord;
say to him,
   ‘Take away all guilt;
accept that which is good,
   and we will offer
   the fruit of our lips.
Assyria shall not save us;
   we will not ride upon horses;
we will say no more, “Our God”,
   to the work of our hands.
In you the orphan finds mercy.’


I will heal their disloyalty;
   I will love them freely,
   for my anger has turned from them.
I will be like the dew to Israel;
   he shall blossom like the lily,
   he shall strike root like the forests of Lebanon.
His shoots shall spread out;
   his beauty shall be like the olive tree,
   and his fragrance like that of Lebanon.
They shall again live beneath my shadow,
   they shall flourish as a garden;
they shall blossom like the vine,
   their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols?
   It is I who answer and look after you.
I am like an evergreen cypress;
   your faithfulness comes from me.
Those who are wise understand these things;
   those who are discerning know them.
For the ways of the Lord are right,
   and the upright walk in them,
   but transgressors stumble in them.

Mark 12: 28-34 (NRSV)

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbour as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question. 

Blog Reflection

If you have ever read any kind of book about sexuality, you will find that the chapter about love is the one that author have the most difficult time writing about. Love is something that has it's objective meanings, but also has subjective origins.  In love we can say how much we love another person. Yet, there is always that part of ourselves that doesn't love the other in quite the way we would like to. We really should make more time for that someone we are avoiding, but our work stuff, our taking care of our homes, churches, doing our activism always gets in our way.  We have been meaning to call our long time friend, but every time we sit down to dial the number, someone else calls us or we read something on the internet and we have put the other person off again.

Among the things to understand about God's love is that we are "the apple of God's eye's." (Psalm 17: 8).  Each of us is some one that God loves very personally and deeply.  Yet, God loves us in the same way a Parent loves all her/his children.  Each of us is loved and provided for by God.  As a Parent who seeks the very best for us, God also challenges us to love God and others with the same love, with which God loves each of us.  A love by which God is the apple of our eye.  A love for our neighbor, because God is present in her/him. We would not dream of offending and/or hurting that person so as to violate the love of God or the dignity of the other person.

Our problem is that we live in a world where love is based on conditions.  Wealth, race, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, ethnic origin, language, etc.  These and others I could name have become reasons for withholding and in some cases excuses for offending and denigrating the dignity of another person.  There is this kind of "you don't measure up" so we have a reason to treat and think of others different than ourselves, so as to justify ourselves for not thinking about what we might be saying or doing.  In some instances, we even use Bible verses violently to back ourselves up.

Last year, while at Creating Change 2011, I attended a workshop that addressed how non-white individuals see those of us who are, by way of the things we say and/or do.  It is so easy to think that our best of intentions are enough to give an individual of another race a view that we don't see them as different from ourselves. Except for one problem. We do not see ourselves from their point of view.  Their world view is different from ours. Their perspective on what is a racially biased behavior and/or comment.  For example, there are many who will say: "I am a white person, with black friends. I don't have a race problem."  When this is said by a person who is white, it means something very different to that individual, than it would for a non-white person to hear what was said.

The anger that has risen over these last few weeks about the attacks on women, and their rights to reproductive health care including contraception, from a male's view of the world, seems pretty foolish.  However, the world as we have it, has always put a man's perspective ahead of a woman's.  Hidden in there is a kind of "women should be grateful for all that we have provided for them."  But, men are not women.  Men do not face the consequences of an unplanned for pregnancy on their personal bodies, or future.  That is why Sandra Fluke's testimony is so important.  It helps men like me, be able to see the issue from where she is.  Because of her courage and excellent understanding of the issue, she is able to help men understand, even from a very limited point of reference, that a woman's reproductive health care is no political game chip.  We are talking about real women, who face real living consequences to their over all health and future when we subjugate their reproductive health care to the legislative actions of male privilege.

As a gay man, I can tell you that when I read or hear a comment such as: "Gays are after your children to recruit them"  it hurts in more ways that can be understood by heterosexual people.  It basically says that because I love my partner, I am now a danger to a child.  Especially one who suddenly finds out he might be gay and is looking to confide in another gay person to better understand himself.  That means that I now have to take every personal precaution, should I ever be approached by a questioning youth, as to what legal or personal consequences I could face if I advocated on a gay youths behalf.   I am someone that struggled intensely with my sexual orientation and my Faith.  When I hear of other gay youth struggling and/or committing suicide because of bullying and/or rejection in their schools, homes, churches and communities; I thank God that I had good people to inspire me.  A great man such as Bishop Gene Robinson and many more.  A Catholic Priest who told me to "love other people in the way God created you to love them."

Lent is a season to bring us to the Cross.  We are brought to the Cross as we look upon Jesus, hanging there in pain and bleeding so badly, out of love for all of us.   He faces every pain, every insult, rejection and injustice with love for all of us.  He hangs there on the Cross, while each of us are still the apple of God's eyes.  There is no one person who is rejected in God's love, nor subjugated to oppression, fear or hopelessness as Jesus dies for our sins.  In Jesus, God shows us that total love of God, neighbor and self is possible, even when it seems impossible.  All are lovable at the Cross.  Everyone of us receives a prayer for forgiveness from Jesus, who recognizes our helplessness and feelings of vulnerability to forces more powerful than our own.

A great Priest once told me to stop looking at myself through the eyes of the world, but to see myself through God's eyes.  To see that God sees in me, God's beloved, with whom God is well-pleased.  God sees me (and all of us) as a perfect masterpiece of God's creative design.  In those places where we are not so prefect, God sent Jesus to take upon God's Self our human condition with all of our sins, grief, despair and disappointments.  At the Cross, God shows us that out of sacrificial and self-giving love, death will meet it's match at the resurrection.

Do we see the Cross as the point at which God loves us unconditionally and all-inclusively?

Do we see ourselves masterpieces of God's creation?

Do we know ourselves as people redeemed by the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross?

How might we seek God's love so that we love others as Jesus loves each of us?

Where do we see ourselves in the Good Friday and Easter Day stories?


Prayers

Grant us, O Lord our Strength, a true love of your holy Name; so that, trusting in your grace, we may fear no earthly evil, nor fix our hearts on earthly goods, but may rejoice in your full salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Friday in the Third Week of Lent. Holy Women, Holy Men, Celebrating the Saints, p. 52).

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.  (Collect for Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, p. 217).

Lord Jesus Christ, who didst stretch out thine arms of love
on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come
within the reach of thy saving embrace: So clothe us in thy
Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring
those who do not know thee to the knowledge and love of
you; for the honor of thy Name.  Amen.  (Prayer for Mission, Book of Common Prayer, p. 58).