Mark 7:24-37
Jesus set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go-- the demon has left your daughter." So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."
Has there been a time in your life when Jesus miraclously “opened” your ears, your eyes, or your heart?
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Sermon for August 30, 2009
Sermon August 30, 2009Prop 17BSong of Solomon 2:8-13James 1:17-27Mark 7:1-23
One of the delightful gifts of sons growing into young adult hood is getting to know the young women in their lives. As some of you know, our middle son’s girl friend lived with Linda and I this past spring. What was most delightful is that while Erin was living with us, Ben was still in Mount Pleasant finishing his degree. It was a gift to get to know Erin as a person, and not just as someone who came along with Ben.
After she graduated this past spring, Erin was offered a teaching position at Marysville High School just south of Port Huron. The weekend after she was offered the position, Erin came to our house, bubbling with excitement about her new job and community. Her only complaint was that when she was scouting out apartments a landlord asked her what she would be teaching. “High school English and History” she said enthusiastically. “Oh, I am sorry, that is too bad“, he responded. Erin was beside herself, almost offended by his comment. “What did he mean by that? Why was he sorry? What is “too bad” about teaching high schoolers English and History?
Well, I have to confess I did not say what I was thinking. I did not tell her that as I remember high school my high school classes in English and History I knew what he meant by too bad, and so sorry.
Do you remember high school English and History? Do you remember diagramming sentences, and practicing all the rules of grammar? Do you remember memorizing dates and names and places that seemed to be of absolutely no use then, now, or forever? Do you remember papers covered with red ink?
Because I so sadly remember those teachers who made English and History such sorrowful experiences, I more gladly remember the magnificent teachers. I remember Mrs. Willard and Mrs. Brooks who brought history and literature to life for me in high school. I remember college professors: Don Spitzka who spent weeks on the poem Dover Beach, and Tom McInerny who spent almost a whole semester talking about the 1912 presidential election. It was these great teachers whose passion for teaching, for students, and for their subjects helped me to fall in love in with history and literature.
Our readings this weekend present us with two styles of teachers. In the Gospel, there are the Pharisees. The Pharisees knew that the rules were important. The Pharisees feared that without the rules to govern the Jewish religion, the people would get so sloppy in their faith that they risked losing their faith. The Pharisees, at their best, loved their God, Yahweh, and wanted to be sure that faith in Yahweh would remain strong. But, at their worst the Pharisees fell so much in love with the laws and the rules, that they failed to recognize Yahweh in the flesh. They loved their law so much, that they did not love Jesus. They loved the law so much, they used the law to put God to death.
Jesus knew and kept the rules and the laws. Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Jesus came to teach that faith was not about following rules, not about loving laws, but about loving God. Faith for Jesus was about loving that which God loves: God’s creation, God’s children.
The Song of Solomon, which is our reading from the Hebrew Scripture today is a poem about love. Most believe that it was not originally written about God, but rather was a love song written by lovers to their beloved. It’s place in scripture reminds us that God‘s love is revealed in human love. The song is a reminder that to love another person is to experience God. To love another person is to see the face of God. The Song of Solomon is not about laws and rules, but about human love in all of its passion. In this song about human love we learn of the passionate love which is at the heart of the relationship between God and God’s people.
The Epistle of James was written in the years just after the life of Jesus. In this Epistle, James invites his readers to consider how love is to be lived out. The perfect law of love is enacted not in what we hear, not in what we think, but in how we act. The perfect law of love is not about how well we keep ritual laws of washing pots, cups kettles, or even our hands, but about how pure we keep our hearts. The perfect law of love is fulfilled in keeping ourselves unstained by the violence, the greed, the seductions, the hatred of our world. The perfect law of love is fulfilled by living gratefully and generously. The perfect law of love is fulfilled when we are mindful of the words we speak. The perfect law of love is fulfilled when we care for widows and orphans.
Dear friends, today we give thanks for teachers. We give thanks for those who taught us how to diagram sentences, those who taught us the rules of grammar, those who helped us memorize all those dates, and all those persons who were important in history. Today we give thanks for those teachers whose passion helped bring English, and History and Math, and Chemistry, and Physics, and Business and Music, and every other subject to life. Friends, today we give thanks for those who taught us the rules, and commandments and traditions of our faith. We give thanks for those whose passion helped bring our faith to life, those whose passion for God taught us how to love God, others and our self.
We pray that we might live what we have learned. May we love our self and others as beloved daughters and sons of God. May we be grateful. May we be generous. May we unstained by the world. May we care for widows and orphans. May we love as God loves, not in only in hearing and in keeping laws. May our love be lived in action.
One of the delightful gifts of sons growing into young adult hood is getting to know the young women in their lives. As some of you know, our middle son’s girl friend lived with Linda and I this past spring. What was most delightful is that while Erin was living with us, Ben was still in Mount Pleasant finishing his degree. It was a gift to get to know Erin as a person, and not just as someone who came along with Ben.
After she graduated this past spring, Erin was offered a teaching position at Marysville High School just south of Port Huron. The weekend after she was offered the position, Erin came to our house, bubbling with excitement about her new job and community. Her only complaint was that when she was scouting out apartments a landlord asked her what she would be teaching. “High school English and History” she said enthusiastically. “Oh, I am sorry, that is too bad“, he responded. Erin was beside herself, almost offended by his comment. “What did he mean by that? Why was he sorry? What is “too bad” about teaching high schoolers English and History?
Well, I have to confess I did not say what I was thinking. I did not tell her that as I remember high school my high school classes in English and History I knew what he meant by too bad, and so sorry.
Do you remember high school English and History? Do you remember diagramming sentences, and practicing all the rules of grammar? Do you remember memorizing dates and names and places that seemed to be of absolutely no use then, now, or forever? Do you remember papers covered with red ink?
Because I so sadly remember those teachers who made English and History such sorrowful experiences, I more gladly remember the magnificent teachers. I remember Mrs. Willard and Mrs. Brooks who brought history and literature to life for me in high school. I remember college professors: Don Spitzka who spent weeks on the poem Dover Beach, and Tom McInerny who spent almost a whole semester talking about the 1912 presidential election. It was these great teachers whose passion for teaching, for students, and for their subjects helped me to fall in love in with history and literature.
Our readings this weekend present us with two styles of teachers. In the Gospel, there are the Pharisees. The Pharisees knew that the rules were important. The Pharisees feared that without the rules to govern the Jewish religion, the people would get so sloppy in their faith that they risked losing their faith. The Pharisees, at their best, loved their God, Yahweh, and wanted to be sure that faith in Yahweh would remain strong. But, at their worst the Pharisees fell so much in love with the laws and the rules, that they failed to recognize Yahweh in the flesh. They loved their law so much, that they did not love Jesus. They loved the law so much, they used the law to put God to death.
Jesus knew and kept the rules and the laws. Jesus did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. Jesus came to teach that faith was not about following rules, not about loving laws, but about loving God. Faith for Jesus was about loving that which God loves: God’s creation, God’s children.
The Song of Solomon, which is our reading from the Hebrew Scripture today is a poem about love. Most believe that it was not originally written about God, but rather was a love song written by lovers to their beloved. It’s place in scripture reminds us that God‘s love is revealed in human love. The song is a reminder that to love another person is to experience God. To love another person is to see the face of God. The Song of Solomon is not about laws and rules, but about human love in all of its passion. In this song about human love we learn of the passionate love which is at the heart of the relationship between God and God’s people.
The Epistle of James was written in the years just after the life of Jesus. In this Epistle, James invites his readers to consider how love is to be lived out. The perfect law of love is enacted not in what we hear, not in what we think, but in how we act. The perfect law of love is not about how well we keep ritual laws of washing pots, cups kettles, or even our hands, but about how pure we keep our hearts. The perfect law of love is fulfilled in keeping ourselves unstained by the violence, the greed, the seductions, the hatred of our world. The perfect law of love is fulfilled by living gratefully and generously. The perfect law of love is fulfilled when we are mindful of the words we speak. The perfect law of love is fulfilled when we care for widows and orphans.
Dear friends, today we give thanks for teachers. We give thanks for those who taught us how to diagram sentences, those who taught us the rules of grammar, those who helped us memorize all those dates, and all those persons who were important in history. Today we give thanks for those teachers whose passion helped bring English, and History and Math, and Chemistry, and Physics, and Business and Music, and every other subject to life. Friends, today we give thanks for those who taught us the rules, and commandments and traditions of our faith. We give thanks for those whose passion helped bring our faith to life, those whose passion for God taught us how to love God, others and our self.
We pray that we might live what we have learned. May we love our self and others as beloved daughters and sons of God. May we be grateful. May we be generous. May we unstained by the world. May we care for widows and orphans. May we love as God loves, not in only in hearing and in keeping laws. May our love be lived in action.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Sermon, August 23, 2009
The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
August 23, 2009
I Kings 8:22-43
Psalm 84
Ephesians 6:10-20
John 6:51-58
Gracious God help me to preach in a way that is good news to the poor , the weak, the widows and the orphans and all those who are most vulnerable. Help me to preach in a way that honors and respects those who will suffer and die today for your Gospel . Help me to preach in a way that seeks not my glory but yours. Not the growth of this church, but the spread of your kingdom.
Whenever I meet with parents and godparents to talk about baptism, I begin by asking them to remember at least 10 stories from scripture which involve water. Usually they are able to come up almost ten: the story of creation where God divides the land from the sea, the crossing of the red sea, Moses being rescued from the water, noah’s ark, the Baptism of Jesus, Jesus calming and walking on the sea, Jesus turning water into wine. They remember some of the miracles of healing that take place in water, the sermons Jesus preached from a boat on the water. Indeed, water is present in scripture stories from the beginning of the bible to the end, from Genesis to Revelation.
Almost as prevalent as stories about water, are biblical strories about food, about eating and drinking: (How many stories about food can you think of…can we come up with 10.) In the Hebrew Scriptures, Abraham and Sara provide food to guests who are messengers of God. The Hebrew people eat the Passover meal. As they flee, they complain about the food they are forced to eat in the wilderness, God provides them with manna, and quail, food from heaven. The Hebrew Scriptures are filled stories of food sacrificed to Yahweh, as well as rules of purity associated with food. In the Gospels, Jesus eats countless meals with the disciples, Pharisees, tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners. Jesus appears on the lakeshore after the resurrection and eats breakfast with his friends, he breaks bread at his last supper before his crucifixion and in Emmaus on the evening of the resurrection. Jesus multiplies bread and feeds thousands. Throughout the books of scripture, one of the images of the fullness of God’s realm is that of a banquet with an abundance of fine food and choice wine.
Food, sharing meals is central in the history of the Jewish people and in the life and ministry of Jesus. As a faithful Jew, Jesus would have appreciated the deep symbolism of food. We often take the abundance of food for granted. But, in most of the world , throughout most of history one’s next meal is seldom taken for granted. For most people throughout history, there is great uncertainty about how long food supplies will last, how long before food will run out. Because of this, in the Scripture, to share food with someone symbolized deep friendship, and intimacy. In the scripture, God and Jesus eats with people to symbolize the deep intimate love that God has for people.
For the past 5 weeks, our Gospel reading has been taken from the 6th Chapter of John. Beginning with an account of the miracle in which Jesus multiplies bread and feeds thousands of people, John’s Gospel has offered an ever deepening reflection about Jesus, as the bread of life. I believe this is the only chapter in the Scripture that is read over the course five consecutive Sundays. I would like to suggest that the reason we have been invited to spend so much time with the Chapter of John is central to our faith. This chapter speaks to the very core about who Jesus is, and who we are as his disciples. In this chapter Jesus deepens the symbolism of food and intimacy to its most profound and richest level. In this chapter, Jesus proclaims that not only does God prepare the banquet and eat with his people, but God in fact becomes food for that people. God not only shares a meal, God becomes the meal which people devour. This idea was so offensive, so scandalous, that the early Christians were mocked as those who ate their God. Indeed, it is almost offensive even to us today…..this bread we eat is the flesh of Jesus, the wine we drink is the blood of Jesus. In this bread and wine, God becomes our food, God becomes part of us. We are nourished on the very body and blood of God.
John’s 6th chapter is proclaiming that in eating and drinking, the bread and wine, the flesh and blood of Jesus, Jesus comes to abide in us. And, as Jesus body abides in us, God who abides in Jesus, also abides in us. The Gospel is proclaiming that by eating this bread and wine we are transformed. We become that which we eat and drink. As we eat and drink the flesh and blood of Jesus, we become the flesh and blood of Jesus in our world today. As we eat and drink the body and blood of Jesus, we are transformed. We no longer see only with human eyes, but we begin to see with the eyes of Jesus. we begin to see with the eyes of God. We no longer work with human hands, but with the hands of Jesus. We begin to work the hands of God. We no longer love with human hearts, but with the heart of Jesus. We begin to love with the heart of God.
In the days of Jesus, such talk was offensive. At the beginning of the John’s 6th chapter, the huge crowd was ready to make Jesus king. In today’s Gospel, the end of that chapter, all but a few have deserted him. The idea of God becoming their food was too much for them to bear.
Is this difficult teaching too much for you? Is the thought of Jesus truly present in this bread and wine too scandalous to you? Are you willing to willing to become the one eat? Are you willing to be the eyes and the hands and the heart of God? Are you willing to let God live and act in your flesh? Today, as our planet is in such danger, are you willing to enflesh God’s love for creation? Today when thousands of people lack food and water are you willing to enflesh God’s justice in our world? Today, as our nation debates health care reform are you willing to enflesh God’s healing presence? To enflesh God's healing presence does not mean that we side with one reform plan or another. What matters is that we side with God. Are we will to side with a God who always makes a divine option for the poor? Are we willing to side not those who benefit from the way things are, but with those whom God sides with--- the poor, the broken, the lame, the sick, and those in need of healing. Are you willing to let God use your flesh to be the voice of those are left out of the debate---the least, the lost, and the lowly.
The words of Jesus are challenging, and offensive. John’s 6th chapter ends with Jesus asking his closest friends, is this too much? “do you also wish to go away?” The question is meant for us as well. Do we wish to go away? May we have the courage to respond, with Simon Peter: "Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words to eternal life."
August 23, 2009
I Kings 8:22-43
Psalm 84
Ephesians 6:10-20
John 6:51-58
Gracious God help me to preach in a way that is good news to the poor , the weak, the widows and the orphans and all those who are most vulnerable. Help me to preach in a way that honors and respects those who will suffer and die today for your Gospel . Help me to preach in a way that seeks not my glory but yours. Not the growth of this church, but the spread of your kingdom.
Whenever I meet with parents and godparents to talk about baptism, I begin by asking them to remember at least 10 stories from scripture which involve water. Usually they are able to come up almost ten: the story of creation where God divides the land from the sea, the crossing of the red sea, Moses being rescued from the water, noah’s ark, the Baptism of Jesus, Jesus calming and walking on the sea, Jesus turning water into wine. They remember some of the miracles of healing that take place in water, the sermons Jesus preached from a boat on the water. Indeed, water is present in scripture stories from the beginning of the bible to the end, from Genesis to Revelation.
Almost as prevalent as stories about water, are biblical strories about food, about eating and drinking: (How many stories about food can you think of…can we come up with 10.) In the Hebrew Scriptures, Abraham and Sara provide food to guests who are messengers of God. The Hebrew people eat the Passover meal. As they flee, they complain about the food they are forced to eat in the wilderness, God provides them with manna, and quail, food from heaven. The Hebrew Scriptures are filled stories of food sacrificed to Yahweh, as well as rules of purity associated with food. In the Gospels, Jesus eats countless meals with the disciples, Pharisees, tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners. Jesus appears on the lakeshore after the resurrection and eats breakfast with his friends, he breaks bread at his last supper before his crucifixion and in Emmaus on the evening of the resurrection. Jesus multiplies bread and feeds thousands. Throughout the books of scripture, one of the images of the fullness of God’s realm is that of a banquet with an abundance of fine food and choice wine.
Food, sharing meals is central in the history of the Jewish people and in the life and ministry of Jesus. As a faithful Jew, Jesus would have appreciated the deep symbolism of food. We often take the abundance of food for granted. But, in most of the world , throughout most of history one’s next meal is seldom taken for granted. For most people throughout history, there is great uncertainty about how long food supplies will last, how long before food will run out. Because of this, in the Scripture, to share food with someone symbolized deep friendship, and intimacy. In the scripture, God and Jesus eats with people to symbolize the deep intimate love that God has for people.
For the past 5 weeks, our Gospel reading has been taken from the 6th Chapter of John. Beginning with an account of the miracle in which Jesus multiplies bread and feeds thousands of people, John’s Gospel has offered an ever deepening reflection about Jesus, as the bread of life. I believe this is the only chapter in the Scripture that is read over the course five consecutive Sundays. I would like to suggest that the reason we have been invited to spend so much time with the Chapter of John is central to our faith. This chapter speaks to the very core about who Jesus is, and who we are as his disciples. In this chapter Jesus deepens the symbolism of food and intimacy to its most profound and richest level. In this chapter, Jesus proclaims that not only does God prepare the banquet and eat with his people, but God in fact becomes food for that people. God not only shares a meal, God becomes the meal which people devour. This idea was so offensive, so scandalous, that the early Christians were mocked as those who ate their God. Indeed, it is almost offensive even to us today…..this bread we eat is the flesh of Jesus, the wine we drink is the blood of Jesus. In this bread and wine, God becomes our food, God becomes part of us. We are nourished on the very body and blood of God.
John’s 6th chapter is proclaiming that in eating and drinking, the bread and wine, the flesh and blood of Jesus, Jesus comes to abide in us. And, as Jesus body abides in us, God who abides in Jesus, also abides in us. The Gospel is proclaiming that by eating this bread and wine we are transformed. We become that which we eat and drink. As we eat and drink the flesh and blood of Jesus, we become the flesh and blood of Jesus in our world today. As we eat and drink the body and blood of Jesus, we are transformed. We no longer see only with human eyes, but we begin to see with the eyes of Jesus. we begin to see with the eyes of God. We no longer work with human hands, but with the hands of Jesus. We begin to work the hands of God. We no longer love with human hearts, but with the heart of Jesus. We begin to love with the heart of God.
In the days of Jesus, such talk was offensive. At the beginning of the John’s 6th chapter, the huge crowd was ready to make Jesus king. In today’s Gospel, the end of that chapter, all but a few have deserted him. The idea of God becoming their food was too much for them to bear.
Is this difficult teaching too much for you? Is the thought of Jesus truly present in this bread and wine too scandalous to you? Are you willing to willing to become the one eat? Are you willing to be the eyes and the hands and the heart of God? Are you willing to let God live and act in your flesh? Today, as our planet is in such danger, are you willing to enflesh God’s love for creation? Today when thousands of people lack food and water are you willing to enflesh God’s justice in our world? Today, as our nation debates health care reform are you willing to enflesh God’s healing presence? To enflesh God's healing presence does not mean that we side with one reform plan or another. What matters is that we side with God. Are we will to side with a God who always makes a divine option for the poor? Are we willing to side not those who benefit from the way things are, but with those whom God sides with--- the poor, the broken, the lame, the sick, and those in need of healing. Are you willing to let God use your flesh to be the voice of those are left out of the debate---the least, the lost, and the lowly.
The words of Jesus are challenging, and offensive. John’s 6th chapter ends with Jesus asking his closest friends, is this too much? “do you also wish to go away?” The question is meant for us as well. Do we wish to go away? May we have the courage to respond, with Simon Peter: "Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words to eternal life."
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Gospel Reflection
The Gospel for Sunday August 23 is John 6:26-59
Share your reflections on the following questions:
How does Jesus abide in you? How do you abide in Jesus?
How does Jesus abide in our congregation?
How do we abide in Jesus?
Are there words of Jesus that you find offensive?
Share your reflections on the following questions:
How does Jesus abide in you? How do you abide in Jesus?
How does Jesus abide in our congregation?
How do we abide in Jesus?
Are there words of Jesus that you find offensive?
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Reflections on the Readings for August 2
To comment on the blog just click on the title of the blog....this will open it up for comments.
Some questions to consider for next weeks readings:
Have you ever had the experience of someone "speaking the truth in love" to you?
Have you ever, "spoken the truth in love" to someone else?
What do you believe people hunger and thirst for? What do you hunger and thirst for in your life? How has Jesus satisfied your hunger?
Some questions to consider for next weeks readings:
Have you ever had the experience of someone "speaking the truth in love" to you?
Have you ever, "spoken the truth in love" to someone else?
What do you believe people hunger and thirst for? What do you hunger and thirst for in your life? How has Jesus satisfied your hunger?
Sermon of July 26
July 26, 2009Proper 12 BThe Eighth Sunday after Pentecost2 Samuel 11:1-15Ephesians 3:14-21John 6:1-21
Years ago, when we were using the a different cycle of readings, the reading from the Hebrew scripture each week was chosen to match a theme that was found in the Gospel. This reflected the belief that the Hebrew scripture reached their fullness in the life of Jesus, and the Gospel. The new reading cycle, the Revised Common Lectionary that we have used for the past few years, the reading from the Hebrew Scripture is no longer chosen to reflect a theme of the Gospel. On most Sundays now, the readings from Hebrew Scripture and New Testament are completely independent of each other. More often than not, there is no connection between the readings.
In this weeks readings, not only is there no connection between the readings from 2nd Samuel and John, but in fact, the readings are almost opposite. The theme in Samuel and the theme of John go in completely different directions.
2nd Samuel recounts the descent of King David into the abysss of evil. David had it all. He was the chosen one of God. By God’s grace David defeated Goliath, driven out the Philistines, united the 12 tribes of Israel, and built the city of Jerusalem. David was loved by God, and loved by the people of Israel. David had wealth, power, and prestige; all that he could possibly want and he still wants more. All that he has was not enough. So, in his desire for more, David begins his descent into sin. David’s descent into sin reaches its evil low when he plots to have Uriah, his faithful general killed. David’s plot succeeds. Uriah dies in battles. David is a murderer. Betrayal, adultery and murder—all because with all that David had, he was never satisfied. With all he had, he wanted more.
John’s Gospel recounts a wondrous miracle. Jesus sees the crowd and knows that they will need to be fed. Phillip anxiously declares that there is not enough money to feed the crowd. It is then that the miracle begins to unfold. An unnamed boy is brought to Jesus with simple gifts of bread and fish. The boy who does not even possess a name, offers what he has, and the miracle occurs. The boy offers what he has, and thousands are satisfied.
The evil of David ends with murder. It begins with his desire for Bathsheba. His gazing upon her, his inquiring, his sending for her all precede his fall into murder and betrayal.
The miracle of multiplication of the loaves ends with a crowd of over 5000 fed and enough food left over to fill 12 baskets. 12 baskets full----enough to satisfy each of the twelve tribes of Israel. It begins with the unnamed child offering what he has to Jesus. It ends with enough food for all.
The stories of scripture reveal a truth: the choice for evil often begins with the desire for more. Sin begins when those who have more than enough, still crave more. Sin begins when those who have more than enough, think that the world is theirs for the taking. We could make the case that all of sin is rooted in a desire for more. More power, more pleasure, more things, more money, more toys, more more more. Even when we have enough, we want more.
Grace begins, goodness begins, miracles begin to occur when those who have enough offer what they have to God. When the child offered the little he had, a miracle occurred. When we offer what we have, miracles can still occur.
Where do we find ourselves in the stories? We who live among the most indulged people on earth. Even in financially difficult times, we have more than enough, more than most in the world would ever imagine having, and yet we crave more. Of course we do not go as far as David, we do not give in to murder. Yet, our indulgent life style, our desire for more does put the poor of the world at risk. The global climate change spawned by our high standard of living causes suffering pain and death for those who are poor. Sadly, truthfully, I am more like David than I would like to admit.
Perhaps we find ourselves in the place of Phillip, the practical one. Phillip knows that cost of food. He sees how many mouths there are to feed: Even 6 months wages cannot begin to feed the crowd. When we look at the needs of the world, might we be more like Phillip than we might like to admit. Surely we do not have enough wages to care for the needy in the world. We cannot possibly feed all the hungry, we cannot possibly give clean water to those who thirst. We cannot possibly give everyone adequate health care. The Philllip in us looks at our resources and the needs of the world and we simply give up. We cannot possibly provide the God given rights of food, water and health care. Sadly, truthfully, I am more like Phillip than I would like to admit.
Or, perhaps we can find ourselves in the place of the young boy. Can we take what have and bring it to Jesus?
Each week at the Offertory we bring our gifts to the altar. Each Sunday we step into the sandals of the young boy and offer our loaves and fishes to Jesus. After we bring these gifts, thanks is offered and miracles occur. Our gifts of bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus. Our gifts of food and are multiplied and the hungry are fed. Our financial offerings spread the Good News of God’s love.
Most likely, we find within ourselves traces of David, Phillip, and the unnamed child.
We confess that we are too much like David and though we have more than enough, we still want more. Lord have Mercy.
We confess that we are too much like Phillip, we see the poor and try to avoid our responsibility to care for them. Christ have Mercy.
We pray that we may become more like the unnamed child. May we offer our gifts to Jesus, trusting that our gifts in his hands will bring miraculous results. May our gifts in his hands be enough to satisfy those who hunger. May our gifts in his hands be more than enough to heal the world.
Years ago, when we were using the a different cycle of readings, the reading from the Hebrew scripture each week was chosen to match a theme that was found in the Gospel. This reflected the belief that the Hebrew scripture reached their fullness in the life of Jesus, and the Gospel. The new reading cycle, the Revised Common Lectionary that we have used for the past few years, the reading from the Hebrew Scripture is no longer chosen to reflect a theme of the Gospel. On most Sundays now, the readings from Hebrew Scripture and New Testament are completely independent of each other. More often than not, there is no connection between the readings.
In this weeks readings, not only is there no connection between the readings from 2nd Samuel and John, but in fact, the readings are almost opposite. The theme in Samuel and the theme of John go in completely different directions.
2nd Samuel recounts the descent of King David into the abysss of evil. David had it all. He was the chosen one of God. By God’s grace David defeated Goliath, driven out the Philistines, united the 12 tribes of Israel, and built the city of Jerusalem. David was loved by God, and loved by the people of Israel. David had wealth, power, and prestige; all that he could possibly want and he still wants more. All that he has was not enough. So, in his desire for more, David begins his descent into sin. David’s descent into sin reaches its evil low when he plots to have Uriah, his faithful general killed. David’s plot succeeds. Uriah dies in battles. David is a murderer. Betrayal, adultery and murder—all because with all that David had, he was never satisfied. With all he had, he wanted more.
John’s Gospel recounts a wondrous miracle. Jesus sees the crowd and knows that they will need to be fed. Phillip anxiously declares that there is not enough money to feed the crowd. It is then that the miracle begins to unfold. An unnamed boy is brought to Jesus with simple gifts of bread and fish. The boy who does not even possess a name, offers what he has, and the miracle occurs. The boy offers what he has, and thousands are satisfied.
The evil of David ends with murder. It begins with his desire for Bathsheba. His gazing upon her, his inquiring, his sending for her all precede his fall into murder and betrayal.
The miracle of multiplication of the loaves ends with a crowd of over 5000 fed and enough food left over to fill 12 baskets. 12 baskets full----enough to satisfy each of the twelve tribes of Israel. It begins with the unnamed child offering what he has to Jesus. It ends with enough food for all.
The stories of scripture reveal a truth: the choice for evil often begins with the desire for more. Sin begins when those who have more than enough, still crave more. Sin begins when those who have more than enough, think that the world is theirs for the taking. We could make the case that all of sin is rooted in a desire for more. More power, more pleasure, more things, more money, more toys, more more more. Even when we have enough, we want more.
Grace begins, goodness begins, miracles begin to occur when those who have enough offer what they have to God. When the child offered the little he had, a miracle occurred. When we offer what we have, miracles can still occur.
Where do we find ourselves in the stories? We who live among the most indulged people on earth. Even in financially difficult times, we have more than enough, more than most in the world would ever imagine having, and yet we crave more. Of course we do not go as far as David, we do not give in to murder. Yet, our indulgent life style, our desire for more does put the poor of the world at risk. The global climate change spawned by our high standard of living causes suffering pain and death for those who are poor. Sadly, truthfully, I am more like David than I would like to admit.
Perhaps we find ourselves in the place of Phillip, the practical one. Phillip knows that cost of food. He sees how many mouths there are to feed: Even 6 months wages cannot begin to feed the crowd. When we look at the needs of the world, might we be more like Phillip than we might like to admit. Surely we do not have enough wages to care for the needy in the world. We cannot possibly feed all the hungry, we cannot possibly give clean water to those who thirst. We cannot possibly give everyone adequate health care. The Philllip in us looks at our resources and the needs of the world and we simply give up. We cannot possibly provide the God given rights of food, water and health care. Sadly, truthfully, I am more like Phillip than I would like to admit.
Or, perhaps we can find ourselves in the place of the young boy. Can we take what have and bring it to Jesus?
Each week at the Offertory we bring our gifts to the altar. Each Sunday we step into the sandals of the young boy and offer our loaves and fishes to Jesus. After we bring these gifts, thanks is offered and miracles occur. Our gifts of bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus. Our gifts of food and are multiplied and the hungry are fed. Our financial offerings spread the Good News of God’s love.
Most likely, we find within ourselves traces of David, Phillip, and the unnamed child.
We confess that we are too much like David and though we have more than enough, we still want more. Lord have Mercy.
We confess that we are too much like Phillip, we see the poor and try to avoid our responsibility to care for them. Christ have Mercy.
We pray that we may become more like the unnamed child. May we offer our gifts to Jesus, trusting that our gifts in his hands will bring miraculous results. May our gifts in his hands be enough to satisfy those who hunger. May our gifts in his hands be more than enough to heal the world.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
sermon reflection for July 26
Offer your thoughts and reflections on the Gopsel for July 26.
John 6:1-21
The young boy offered 5 loaves and 2 fish. From these meager gifts, Jesus fed over 5000 people. What gifts can you offer for Jesus to give thanks for and multiply?
The hunger of the crowd was satisfied. What do you hunger for? How has God satisfied that hunger?
John 6:1-21
The young boy offered 5 loaves and 2 fish. From these meager gifts, Jesus fed over 5000 people. What gifts can you offer for Jesus to give thanks for and multiply?
The hunger of the crowd was satisfied. What do you hunger for? How has God satisfied that hunger?
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