One thing needed

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
25 July 2010
Proper 12C (RCL)
Hosea 1:2-10
Psalm85
Colossians 2:6-19
Luke 11:1-13

The story of Mary and Martha raised the question, “What is the one needed thing?” This passage answers the question. First, though, we have to go back to the mission of the seventy. Jesus told them to go out two by two, carrying no purse, no bag, no tunic and no sandals. They were to eat what was set before them, heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom. In other words, they were to restore the ceremonially unclean to ceremonial community and then eat a meal as if they were in the Temple with all those restored. This was the kingdom.

Then, in the story of Mary and Martha, Jesus comes to them off the road, like one of the itinerant preachers he just sent out, and they set food before him. Presumably, he announced the kingdom. And, now, the Lord’s Prayer. I like Luke’s version better than Matthew’s because it is so direct. Father, let you name be holy, let your kingdom come, give us our something bread every day. Forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who owe us anything, and don’t bring us to the test. Here is the prayer of the messengers of the kingdom. Not, let your kingdom come someday, but here, now as we are eating, let this be your kingdom. The word we translate “daily” is a neologism (made up by whoever wrote down the first version of the Lord’s prayer). We don’t know what it means, but something like “what we happen upon” or “the bread which we set out.” Perhaps it’s the bread we are supposed to set before those who come to us.

And then the wonderful story about the friend at night. The NRSV calls him “persistent.” The word is actually “shameless”. He has already been shamed by having nothing to set before his friend. He has nothing to lose by standing out there banging on the door all night. He needs bread to set before his friend, in order to eat the kindgom meal. At the end of the passage, Luke tells us that God will give to those who ask, holy breath, what is needed for having the kingdom be present. That is the one thing needed.

Mary or Martha or both?

18 July 2010
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 11C (RCL)
Amos 8:1-12
Psalm 52
Colossians 1:15-28
Luke 10:38-42

Tuesday, I was reading an article in the New York Times about BP’s risky behavior. Apparently, the company culture pushed the envelop of safety in order to make more profit. Amos scolds Israel, the northern kingdom, for pushing the envelope of religious observance in order to maximize profit: when will the new moon be over so that we may sell grain; and the sabbath, so that we may offer wheat for sale? We will make the ephah small and the shekel great. The consequence, according to Amos, is that God will punish Israel by abandoning them: the dead bodies shall be many, cast out in every place.

Got to be careful about Continue reading “Mary or Martha or both?”

Who is our neighbor?

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
11 July 2010
Proper 10C (RCL)
Amos 7:7-17
Psalm 82
Colossians 1:1-14
Luke 10:25-37

I’m sitting in my office (sort of) listening to the “Thursday group” come in for exercises. By “sort of”, I mean I’m getting up to get the creamer and sugar out for the coffee, and greet the ladies. This is part of the Crestwood Parish Nurse program. People from Crestview retirement center are coming over on Thursday mornings to do an exercise class. After the class, a detective from St. Louis County Police will speak on avoiding fraud. In a very short time, Deb has put together an interesting group of folks who make a point of coming to the programs we offer. And most of the folks are from the neighborhood, not from Advent.

So, I’m reading the story of the Good Samaritan, Continue reading “Who is our neighbor?”

God’s future

Second Sunday after Pentecost
6 June 2010
Proper 5C (RCL)
1 Kings 17:8-24
Psalm 146
Galatians 1:11-24
Luke 7:11-17

I’mnot entirely satisfied with the story of the raising of the son of the widow of Nain. It bears all the hallmarks of a healing story, and in Greco-roman literature, healings stories serve as propaganda: see how powerful our guy is. Usually in the Gospels, healings carry other meanings as well. Not so sure about this one. A couple of tantalizing details about this story. Luke is clearly modeling this story on the widow of Zarapheth. Jesus/Elijah meets the woman at the gate. Jesus/Elijah “gave the boy to his mother.” The widow of Zarapheth acknowledges Elijah to be a prophet. The crowd acknowledges Jesus to be a prophet. Luke had Jesus cite the story of the widow of Zarapheth in his sermon at Nazareth, saying Elijah went only to an outsider. And yet, the widow of Nain is not an outsider Continue reading “God’s future”

Delight

Trinity Sunday
30 May 2010
Trinity C (RCL)
Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
Psalm 8
Romans 5:1-5
John16:12-15

No preacher will admit to liking to preach on the Trinity. What sense does one make of the incomprehensible. That, of course, is part of the point. If you think you have come to understand and know God, think again. God must remain always beyond comprehension.

But, the doctrine of the Trinity provides a way for us to think about God in relationship to us. All of the expressions of the Trinity have always included a dynamic element. It is not just about three “things” or “aspects” of God, but “Persons.” Augustine suggested as analogies things like the lover, the beloved and the love between them. Or the mind, its knowledge of itself and its love of itself. In the East, the word “perichoreisis” is often used of the Trinity, meaning something like “dancing around” Continue reading “Delight”

River of Life

Sixth Sunday of Easter
9 May 2010
Easter 6C (RCL)
Acts 16:9-15
Psalm 67
Revelation 21:10, 22 – 22:5
John 13:23-29

In the RCL during Easter, we are reading sort of sequentially from Acts, as a continuation of the telling of salvation history. During regular time, we read some of the great stories from the Old Testament in a narrative ark. During Easter, we read Acts. This story is a winning picture of Paul’s mode of evangelism (at least Luke’s portrayal of it): sitting by the riverside, talking to whomever shows up.

But I am most interested in the passage from Revelation. I am sure that the author of Revelation intended his vision of the Holy City as a counterpoise to the creation story, but it is fascinating to me that the people who put the canon together put Revelation at the end of the canon. The Bible opens, after creation from the chaotic waters, with the primordial humans in a garden, with a tree at the center of the garden, and a river flowing out from the garden. As it stands now, the canon closes with the Heavenly City, with a throne at the center of the city, a river flowing from the throne, and the tree of life growing along the river.

Continue reading “River of Life”

Who is the messiah?

Fourth Sunday of Easter
25 April 2010
Easter 4C
Acts 9:36-43
Psalm 23
Revelation 7:9-17
John 10:22-30

Chapter 10 of John’s Gospel (the Good Shepherd chapter) comes as a response to the restoration of sight to the man born blind. The crux of that episode is the decision of the rulers to cast out of the synagogue anyone who confesses Jesus to be the Christ (9:22). John’s community has been expelled from the synagogue and is feeling beleaguered, so John has Jesus speak about the gate to the sheepfold. John’s community, the sheep, are protected from thieves and robbers, by Jesus, the Gate. No one will snatch them out of God’s hand. And then, the Jews who are intrigued by what John’s community is saying about Jesus, ask if Jesus is in fact the Christ: how long will you keep us in suspense? Jesus does not answer the question directly, but says, “I have already told you and you didn’t believe. The works I do testify to me.” But, frustratingly, Jesus has not already said clearly. Nowhere in John’s Gospel does Jesus unambiguously accept the title “Messiah.”

Instead, we hear over and over again about the works. And we are told, we will do greater works than these. Jesus is not willing to set some doctrinal standard for membership in John’s community. Messiah is a limited term, meaningful only to certain Jews, and not at all to Gentiles. So, whether or not Jesus is the Messiah is not crucial to John’s community, but the works are. What works were they doing? Restoring sight to the blind. Helping people find a new way of seeing.

What works are we doing? The story of Tabitha has many resonance with stories of Jesus, and also Elijah. How are we raising our own people? And how are many hearing of these things? It raises the question of the works of the community. How do we know Jesus is among us? Interesting quetsion we need to be asking.

The way of the cross

Palm Sunday
28 March 2010
Palm/Passion Sunday C (RCL)
Luke 19:28-40
Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16
Philippians 2:5-11
Luke 22:14 — 23:56

Passion Sunday is always a challenge to preach. The Passion reading seems to speak for itself, but it is such a large chunk of scripture that many who have listened to it are overwhelmed an the end of the reading. How does one connect with this reading? How is one to be changed. Mark’s Passion story seems intended to serve as an example for christians about to face persecution themselves: be like Jesus, not Peter, Mark seems to be saying. Make the good confession.

Each of the subsequent Gospel accounts changes the focus somewhat. In Luke’s passion, which we hear this week, Jesus seems to be in control of events. He is almost serene ( Continue reading “The way of the cross”

Reconciliation

Fourth Sunday of Lent
14 March 2010
Lent 4C (RCL)
Joshua 5:9-12
Psalm 32
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

The story of the prodigal son is one of the most familiar in the New Testament (second only maybe to the Good Samaritan). The usual interpretation has to do with God’s great grace in forgiving us when we have wandered far from God. Or, sometimes, we talk about our resentment at seeing others, more profligate than us, receiving God’s grace.

The story can be read as about the relationship between Jewish and Gentile christians. Continue reading “Reconciliation”

Take off your shoes

Third Sunday in Lent
7 March 2010
Lent 3C (RCL)
Exodus 3:1-15
Psalm 63:1-8
1 Corinthians 1-:1-13
Luke 13:1-9

Not long after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, one of the radio evangelists (I think it was Pat Robertson) blamed the devastation on the deal that the Haitian people had made with the devil. He was refering to the purported use of voodoo, or that strange mix of Christianity and African religion. Evidently, according to him, the Haitian slaves had used voodoo to help through off the French colonial government. The earthquake was punishment for that mephistophelian deal. Some people come to Jesus and tell the story of eighteen Galileans whom Pilate had killed, probably during Passover. Jesus asks, “So, do you think they were worse sinners than other Galileans (who came to Jerusalem for the feast)?” And then he says something that just arrests us. “No, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will also perish.” The need to blame people for their own suffering is a way of saying, “It can never happen to us.” We never made a deal with the devil, we don’t practice voodoo, and since this earthquake is God’s punishment for voodoo, such a thing will never happen to us.” Jesus doesn’t even engage the question whether this is sound theological reasoning or not. He just goes straight for the fear. You think you’re safe? Think again. It could happen to you. And so, repent, retrain, rethink the way you’re living your life. How would you want to be living if you thought this might happen to you?

Continue reading “Take off your shoes”