Wealth – A Preacher’s Ponderings

Reversal

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost; 25 September 2022; Proper 21C (RCL); Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15; Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16; 1 Timothy 6:6-19; Luke 16:19-31.

Finally, a glimmer of hope in Jeremiah. King Zedekiah has asked Jeremiah (in the verses we leave out) why he is prophesying that Jerusalem will fall and that Zedekiah will go into Exile. Jeremiah responds with God’s instructions to him to buy his cousin Hanamel’s field. The text doesn’t tell us why Hanamel wants to sell the property, but the fact of the Babylonian occupation of the land may have something to do with it.

Eternal tents

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost; 18 September 2022; Proper 20C (RCL); Jeremiah 8:18 – 9:1; Psalm 79:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:1-7; Luke 16:1-13.

The readings in Track 1 from Jeremiah over the course of these last weeks have just gotten bleaker and bleaker. It’s almost enough to make one choose Track 2 for Year C. Next week, the armies of the King of Babylon will be besieging the city, and the following week, we will read from Lamentations. And the week after, Jeremiah will tell the exiles in Babylon that God wants them to settle there, and increase rather than decrease, in other words, to accommodate to their exile.

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.

Greed

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost; 31 July 2022; Proper 13C (RCL); Hosea 11:1-11; Psalm 107:1-9, 43; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21.

We have skipped over most of the material in Hosea, in which God punishes Israel to try to win their favor and fidelity. Hosea, on God’s instruction, married Gomer, a prostitute, as a prophetic sign of Israel’s unfaithfulness (her prostitution after other Gods). The implication seems to be that Hosea should have similarly punished Gomer to win her love and fidelity. Any battered woman reading Hosea would cringe, or worse.