August 2022 – A Preacher’s Ponderings

Vulnerability

Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost; 28 August 2022; Proper 17C (RCL); Jeremiah 2:4-13; Psalm 81:1, 10-16; Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16; Luke 14:1, 7-14.

It’s too bad we leave out the verse we do in the reading from Hebrews — they make it clear just how much this reading has to do with food. The reference to entertaining angels unaware is almost certainly to Abraham and Sarah, who entertained three angels at the oaks of Mamre. The last sentence — Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God — makes reference to the Old Testament injunction to invite the widow, the orphan, the alien, and the Levite — those who would otherwise have not access to meat — to the sacrificial meal.

Release

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost; 21 August 2022; Proper 16C (RCL); Jeremiah 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-6; Hebrews 12:18-29; Luke 13:10-17.

I cringe a little whenever we read a passage like this one from Luke’s Gospel. After Mark’s Gospel, Christian authors followed the standard trope of presenting “the Jews” (or some sect thereof, like the Scribes, and/or the Pharisees, etc.) as hypocritical rule-followers. For centuries, Christian biblical interpretation has reinforced this caricature. It behooves us to remember this rhetoric was developed in the midst of a life-and-death struggle between siblings, and we no longer share that context. Maintaining this trope has proved deadly.

Division

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost; 14 August 2022; Proper 15C (RCL); Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:1-2, 8-18; Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2; Luke 12:49-56.

The saying about bringing division, not peace, and households divided against themselves comes from Q material (it is found also in Matthew, but not Mark). Burton Mack identifies this as coming from the second layer of the Q tradition, expressing frustration at the failure of the message of the kingdom. That’s the layer of tradition that gives us the imprecations against various villages. Mack points out that by the third layer of tradition the Q community had reached some sort of accommodation to the status quo.

Treasure

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost; 7 August 2022; Proper 14C (RCL); Isaiah 1:1, 10-20; Psalm 50:1-8, 23-24; Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16; Luke 12:32-40.

The reading from Luke’s Gospel for this Sunday seems to contain three unrelated sayings joined together by the Gospel writer. The first one concerns God’s intention to give the hearers the kingdom, which should motivate them to rely on God’s faithfulness. Part of this saying (concerning indestructible purses and treasure stored where thief cannot steal) is found also in Matthew in a different context.