In the Presence of a Noble

Proper 17, Year C
 
Jeremiah 2:4-13               or         Sirach 10:12-18 and Proverbs 25:6-7
Psalm 81:1,10-16            or         Psalm 112
Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16                                      
Luke 14:1, 7-14
 

In Luke 14 Jesus elaborated on Proverbs 25:6-7, which reads, "Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great; for it is better to be told, 'Come up here,' than to be put lower in the presence of a noble."  For Jesus warned, "All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
 
Normally, I think I'm not in danger of this, since I would rarely, if ever, be in the presence of a king, or a noble (although I have frequented Barnes and Noble on occasion).
 
But how about all the strangers in a store or on the street – the ones not dressed in royal purple, but rather in attire that would not be noticed?  They are not buying anything in particular that would suggest a higher status in society; not saying anything that would demonstrate an advanced education or worldly throne; not followed by an entourage to serve their slightest whim.
 
And yet, might they not have endured some hardship far greater than what I could have ever survived?  How do I know that they have not felt the kiss of God because they can more deeply see the heavenly craftsmanship in the blended colors of a flower petal?  How do I know that they may have cradled the head and held the hand of a dying loved one, as they heard the last breath passing from a life?  What troubles have they endured with great patience and resiliency that I will never see? 

What losses have they suffered that I may never have to experience?  With what loneliness have they been burdened that has remained absent in my life?
 
Are these people not the true kings and nobles of this world?  And who wouldn't be included in this royal cadre?
 
If they all are kings and nobles in God's eyes, then they all deserve the reverence and respect in each and every moment I encounter them; regardless of how they might have treated me, regardless of how they look, regardless of who they think they are, or regardless of who they really are.
 
Today you will walk among kings and nobles.  Where will you seat yourself?

The Sacred Sabbath

Proper 16, Year C

Jeremiah 1:4-10              or         Isaiah 58:9b-14
Psalm 71:1-6                  or         Psalm 103:1-8
Hebrews 12:18-29                                             
Luke 13:10-17   
 
  
The origins of the seven day week and the Sabbath day tradition began in Genesis 2: "And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested.  Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which He had created and made."
 
The importance of this seventh day of rest (Hebrew shabbot, meaning to cease, desist, and rest) elevated it to one of the ten commandments brought down from Mt. Sinai by Moses: "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy..." (Exodus 20:8-11)  It became a foundational piece in Judaic culture, playing an important part in many other books of Hebrew scripture. It even played a central role in the Gospels and the growth of the new Christian church.
 
Like many of God's early guideposts given to help a youthful nation to mature, the Sabbath gradually became encrusted with specific rituals and laws about what could and couldn't be done on the Sabbath.  It even got to the point that the death penalty could be exercised in the event of infractions to these rules.
 
The path to God was thought to be very strict obedience to specific rules.  (We see this yet today in some social and religious groups.)  Over time, the reasons for having the Sabbath in the first place became obscured – lost in a maze of these rituals and regulations. 
 
But Jesus reminded us, "The Sabbath was made for people, and not the people for the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27)  God created the Sabbath for mankind's benefit – not for His own.
 
So what are we suppose to gain from it?
 
We live in a busy world; our lives are full of busy-ness, largely about things of this world. The busier we are, the easier it can be to lose track of who we really are, where we came from, and where we're ultimately headed in the long run.  We get disconnected from God as we get immersed in worldly things.  As a result, we forget who we truly are, and our quality of life slips away.
 
God knew this could happen, and He knew how to keep us connected with Him.  One day each week, we are to set aside pursuing our worldly interests and spend time getting reacquainted with our Maker and Redeemer.  It is part of the universal rhythm of activity and rest so that we can recharge our spiritual batteries, reset our moral compass, and reaffirm God's love for each of us. 
 
How do we "remember the Sabbath to keep it holy"?  To know God, we have to be with Him.  We can do this by attending worship services, take walks in nature, be with family and friends in a loving manner, spend time helping someone else, read about Him, pray with Him, and thank Him.  Psalm 103 reminds us to think about all His benefits to us – He forgives, He heals, He redeems, He loves, He vindicates, He sustains.
 
In his book, Sabbath: Remembering the Sacred Rhythm of Rest and Delight, (1999), Wayne Muller suggested that because we do not rest, we lose our way.  The Sabbath is a day when we partake of the wisdom, peace and delight through play, refreshment and renewal.  He suggested trying some of these activities in addition to those mentioned above to help make the Sabbath what it should be:
 
·         Light a candle during a family meal, or for meditation and prayer
·         Practice thanksgiving throughout the day
·         Bless your children and parents – let them hear your prayers for their peace and happiness
·         Invite a Sabbath pause – choose a common act that is repeated several times throughout the day, like touching a door handle – when it occurs, pause and take several silent, mindful breaths
·         Take a nap
·         Create a Sabbath box – put your to-do list, wallet, car keys, and a list of your worries into the box.  Just for now, let them go
·         Turn off the telephone, computer, and television.  The outside world will be there when you return
·         Prepare a special Sabbath meal – or a Sabbath cup of tea
·         Spend time with a special friend, but don't talk business
 
Soon this day will become something you look forward to all week.  And maybe, just maybe, some of these things will begin to make their way into your other six days as well!
 

 

A Radical Wisdom

Proper 15, Year C
 
Isaiah 5:1-7                     or         Jeremiah 23:23-29
Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19         or         Psalm 82
Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2                                        
Luke 12:49-56   
 
 
Choosing a Christian life doesn’t mean that we will be immune to conflicts in our lives.  In fact, Jesus makes it a point in Luke 12 that it’s quite likely the opposite will happen. 

The great peacemaker, Jesus himself, exclaims, “Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth?  No, I tell you, but rather division!”  He went on to describe how members of a family may be sharply divided because of this. 
 
We must be clear that it isn’t Jesus’ intent to cause trouble between family members, or between people within a society.  Actually, he wants peace and harmony not only in families, but throughout the world.  But he also knows that the message he brings, the wisdom he offers about how we should be living together and treating each other, will bring joy to some, and fear to others.
 
The wisdom that Jesus teaches us for living together is radical.  And by radical I mean that it’s so different from the way people normally live that it will either be embraced as something wonderful because of the change it offers, or it will be viciously attacked because of the change it threatens.  It all depends on one’s perspective, and that’s what causes the division.
 
Jesus taught that there should be equality and unity among people; that we are all in the same family of God; God is our Parent, and we are all his children.  This doesn’t set well with racists, bigots, or chauvinists. 
 
Jesus taught an economy that provided the basic food, clothing and shelter to every person who is incapable of working, or who is willing to work, whether or not they can find sufficient work.  This doesn’t set well with those who cringe at the thought of somebody getting something they didn’t work for.  
 
Jesus taught us to be honest and fair with everyone.  But this doesn’t set well with those who bend the rules a little here and there to increase their profit, sometimes at the expense and health of consumers.
 
Jesus taught us to respect nature and all of God’s creation.  But this doesn’t set well with those who can make a profit at the expense of our food, air, water, soil, and wildlife. 
 
Jesus taught us that the worth of a person should be determined by what’s in his or her heart, not by how big their house is, or what kind of car they’re driving, or if they are physically attractive.  This doesn’t set well with advertisers and product developers who depend on creating needs and wants where they don’t exist naturally.
 
Jesus taught us to love our neighbor.  What?  Even if that neighbor has a different belief about God?  Even if they don’t pay their employees fairly?  Even if they make way too much money?  Even if they’re a racist?  Or a bigot?  Even if they’re homeless?  Even if they’re lazy?
 
Yes.
 
Jesus’ wisdom is radical because it challenges us to love our neighbors at the same time we work to bring more of God’s loving ways to this earth.  Yes, there should be peace and harmony among all people, and with the earth.  But, yes, our activism will also bring conflict because it challenges old norms and standards.  Some will like this change, and some won’t.
 
Regardless, those we are in conflict with should be treated as children of God, with respect and reverence, says Jesus.  We should also seek to be conciliatory, if possible, while we work toward our goals with gentle assertiveness. But we don’t compromise on God’s love.
 
Each one of us plays a significant role in God’s overall plan.  Each one of us has been given some special gift that comes into play at specific moments during the day.  These things may not seem big to us – it may be just a well-placed blessing, a smile, a word of appreciation, a few minutes of listening, a helping hand, a piece of art, or admiration of God’s creation.  But they are huge to our God.
 
We all have something that fits in somewhere. Together, collectively as God’s children, we bring God's love to this world that is so desperately needed – resulting, perhaps, in a new heaven and a new earth.

The Inner and Outer Kingdoms

Proper 14, Year C

Hosea 1:1, 10-20               or         Genesis 15:1-6
Psalm 50:1-8, 22-23          or         Psalm   33:12-22
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16                                          
Luke 12:32-40      

The early Christians anticipated Christ's return to earth within a short time after his ascension.  Their minds were filled with images of a new world order, a new government, and a new sense of peace.  It seemed that Jesus spoke of this many times, like his affirmation in Luke 12, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom."  These people had faith that this new kingdom would come soon, whose "architect and builder is God."  (Hebrews 11)

That a new heaven and a new earth will be upon us someday, I have no doubt.  But the expectations of the early Christians regarding a new outer, physical kingdom here on earth have yet to be realized.  We can readily see that humankind suffers under the dominion of pervasive forces, and has so suffered for millennia.  True peace, safety, equality, and justice still elude us.

And yet, it is also apparent to me that the Kingdom of God is all around us, and in us, wherever we turn, just waiting for us to say, "Yes, come in...Come in to our lives and show us the way."  It's as though all we have to do is walk into that room, that holy chamber of our soul, and flip the switch to "on."
 
This is the inner Kingdom of God that Jesus spoke most often about.  It is already here, present to us, in the present moment, if we could only keep our dysfunctional ego from blocking it.  God wants us to have it, and to have it now – not at some distant point in the far-off future. 
 
"The Kingdom of God is within you," Jesus declares in Luke 17.  "The Kingdom of God is at hand," he asserts in Matthew 10.  This inner Kingdom of God is the place we have to start if we want to bring the outer Kingdom of God to us. It's an inside-out proposition.
 
The inner Kingdom of God happens when we open ourselves up to the wisdom and teaching of Jesus, learn it, and apply it to our lives.  It's the wisdom and love found not only in the Gospels, but also from the teachings of the Advocate he gave to us in our hearts: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you."  (John 14)

Listening, believing, applying, and practicing the wisdom and love of God will bring the inner Kingdom of God to us, which will eventually lead us to the outer Kingdom of God.  By opening up to, and accepting this wisdom and love, we will begin to find a balance in our own lives between our mind, body and spirit that brings an inner peace.

This inner peace will work its way out to those people around us, building solid relationships based on the love and wisdom of God.  And, over time, this will begin to change our culture and society itself.  Eventually, we will find ourselves in a new heaven and a new earth.
 
But we must never forget the living glue that holds all this together is the continued Presence of God in our lives.  Without this Presence, the balance in our lives begins to crumble, and we lose sight of the vision.  There is no perfection without the continued Presence of God.  It was designed this way to keep us always together, and should never be forgotten.
 
That is why we build our lives around prayer and meditation, study and reflection, and service to others – to open ourselves up to this inner Kingdom of God, thank God for it, adopt it, practice it, and use it in our lives.  For us, it's not a destination, but a continuous journey of learning – of falling down and getting back up, of trial and error, of mistakes and forgiveness.
 
Let us join our hands and hearts, and step into the inner Kingdom of God, as it's His good pleasure to give it to us.

Greed is Good...Not!

Proper 13, Year C

Hosea 11:1-11                   or         Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23
Psalm 107:1-9, 43             or         Psalm   49:1-12
Colossians 3:1-11                                     
Luke 12:13-21      

Jesus takes on the problem of greed in Luke 12.  He warns, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."
 
On the other hand, "Greed is good," exclaims Gordon Gekko in the movie Wall Street (1987).  "Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.  Greed, in all of its forms – greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge – has marked the upward surge of mankind."
 
And so we have the classic wisdom versus world viewpoints, leaving mankind in the swirl of a life-long struggle. 
 
One of the underlying challenges for us is that we are part physical being and part spiritual being.  Together, they make us a human being.  The physical part has been hard-wired for survival and security.  The world is a dangerous place, and certainly not always fair.  Many of us have experienced the impact of a flawed economic system over the last several years that barely cares about individuals.  The world Gordon Gekko praises is one that creates inequality which benefits some people while harming others – survival of the "fittest."
 
So, one of our basic drives is to secure enough "stuff" to make sure that we can survive and prosper in a tough world.  We don't trust the system, and we feel like we're in the race for ourselves.  The present system is uncertain and unforgiving.  It fails many people.
 
Why do we build such an unstable system using our own principles and laws?  Because we really don't trust the wisdom of God.  And this is not a new problem – Hosea speaks of it when he reports what God said: "The more I called [my people], the more they went from me...My people are bent on turning away from me."  It happened back then, and it happens now.
 
Why don’t the people trust God?  Usually when we don't trust people it's because we don't really know them.  Same with God, I suppose.  We don't always trust Him because we don't really know Him very well.  We hear conflicting reports from various groups about what God stands for, and it leaves us confused.  We often listen to other people about who and what God is, and it always seems to leave us incomplete.
 
Why don’t people really know God?  When we really want to know what another person is like, we have to spend time with that other person, and not listen to what other people say about that person.  We need to experience that person ourselves to really know the truth about him or her.  Same with God.  We don't really know God because we don't really spend enough time with Him in prayer, meditation, contemplation, nature, and being with other people.
 
Why don't we spend enough time with God?  One of the reasons, which Jesus pointed out at the very beginning of this lesson, is that we are too busy striving for survival and security, which leads to greed – and that leaves little room for God.  In Ecclesiastes we read, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!  It is an unhappy business for mankind to be too busy...for their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation – even at night their minds do not rest."
 
Jesus did not say it was wrong to work or have possessions.  What he was stressing was that when the physical human needs dominate one's time and effort, then the spiritual human needs suffer.  If we gain a good balance, our heads will clear, and we will be able to do many things the right way, including developing an economic system using God's wisdom that leaves no one behind. 
 
Greed and hoarding will no longer be necessary.  And, contrary to what Gordon Gekko believes, humans will continue to evolve into the human beings they were meant to be, building a society based on wisdom, love and community that far outshines what we have today.