Ordinary 24, 2012

Readings and Homily

Isaiah 53:4-12

Surely he has borne our infirmities

and carried our diseases;

yet we accounted him stricken,

struck down by God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions,

crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the punishment that made us whole,

and by his bruises we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have all turned to our own way,

and the LORD has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

By a perversion of justice he was taken away.

Who could have imagined his future?

For he was cut off from the land of the living,

stricken for the transgression of my people.

They made his grave with the wicked

and his tomb with the rich,

although he had done no violence,

and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him with pain.

When you make his life an offering for sin,

he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;

through him the will of the LORD shall prosper.

Out of his anguish he shall see light;

he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.

The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,

and he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,

and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;

because he poured out himself to death,

and was numbered with the transgressors;

yet he bore the sin of many,

and made intercession for the transgressors.

Psalm 91:9-16

Because you have made the LORD your refuge, *

and the Most High your habitation,

There shall no evil happen to you, *

neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over you, *

to keep you in all your ways.

They shall bear you in their hands, *

lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You shall tread upon the lion and adder; *

you shall trample the young lion and the serpent under your feet.

Because he is bound to me in love,

therefore will I deliver him; *

I will protect him, because he knows my Name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *

I am with him in trouble;

I will rescue him and bring him to honor.

With long life will I satisfy him, *

and show him my salvation.

Hebrews 5:1-10

Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,

"You are my Son,

today I have begotten you";

as he says also in another place,

"You are a priest forever,

according to the order of Melchizedek."

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Mark 10:35-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They replied, "We are able." Then Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

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The Letter to the Hebrews is as mystifying a book as any in the Bible. It is both revealing and obscuring. It needs to be read carefully and intentionally... with your spiritual antennae turned just right. It’s a book that comforts and encourages on the one hand and frightens on the other.

The passage we have heard read this morning is somewhat typical of the Letter.

It describes Jesus as our Great High Priest, yet we know that Jesus was no priest at all. It quotes Psalm 110, which refers to Christ “a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” Melchizedek is mentioned only one other place in the scripture. He was the King of Salem and a priest of “God Most High” who met Abraham just after Abraham defeats a number of “kings” in battle, rescues his nephew Lot... and carries away all sorts of spoil. Melchizedek blesses Abraham and now here we read that God elevates Christ to be priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. We know almost nothing of this man... and the little bit that the writer of Hebrews gives us doesn’t help us solve that mystery.

The writer was clear about one thing... The path that Christ took towards this honor was suffering and death. And because He suffered he is able to deal “gently” with us. His weakness allows him to understand our weakness and he is compassionate. A high priest must be able to relate, in every way, with those for whom he ministers.

This passage from this portion of Hebrews resonates with me... “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and prayers,...” This small section reduces our Lord to a person... a person crying out to God, hoping that his prayers are heard... It’s a very moving piece of scripture. This is where we are... in life we can only sometimes pray... This is something Jesus knows.

James and John, disciples of Christ... who with Peter and the rest, as we know, have left family and homes, farms and fishing gear, to follow Jesus... soon to be saints... icons to the church forever.

Jesus called them the “sons of thunder”... other sources might say “sons of tumult” or “sons of anger”... but the sense is the same. We really know so very little about the disciples but this story maybe gives us a glimpse of personality. The story goes... they approach Jesus with a special request. “Lord, grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”

To be fair to the two brothers... Jesus had just shared with them probably the clearest words about what was coming at Jerusalem. Here’s how it reads in Mark.

“They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.’”

So... they hear what Jesus has just told them but they ask anyway. I don’t believe these two were merely being arrogant... or self-serving... maybe they were just being devoted... maybe they were just being committed... In any case they ask and Jesus says, “You do not know what you are asking.”

The prophet Isaiah writes of the suffering servant. This is a poem that points to the restoration of the nation of Israel. It is “messianic”... it speaks to a future that is glorious, and victorious. We know this portion and have received it as a poem that prefigures the life of our Lord.

We see Christ in these verses as clear as day...

“But he was wounded for our transgressions,

crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the punishment that made us whole,

and by his bruises we are healed.”

“They made his grave with the wicked

and his tomb with the rich,

although he had done no violence,

and there was no deceit in his mouth.”

And our theology is built on these passages...

“But he was wounded for our transgressions,

crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the punishment that made us whole,

and by his bruises we are healed.”

“... yet he bore the sin of many,

and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Clearly the disciples did not see things as clearly as we do. And Jesus again disavows them of their expectations... “You do not know what you are asking.”...

So Jesus says to John and James, “Don’t you know...? You must drink the cup that I must drink... you must suffer what I must suffer to sit in the same place where I must sit.” And I think John and James must have seen that... at some level they must have been aware that this path they are on will cost Jesus and will in turn cost them. Others had already turned aside. I think there were times over the three years that Jesus was with them when the fear and anxiety was just thick. Where they felt at any moment they would be arrested or simply killed. On a number of occasions the authorities were very clear in where this would end. But they had missed something... as had the others...

I’m not sure what the Jews of the first century thought concerning the Messiah... the church has maintained that there was a general expectation that Messiah would come and deliver them from their enemies, restore the Nation and rule in Righteousness. I don’t know if that’s altogether true or not. But it’s clear from our Gospel narratives that the people were generally despised by Herod, Rome, and to some degree their religious leaders. In any case, the disciples believed Jesus was the One and that he would be ushering in something exciting and new and that they would soon be principal members of this new “something”, maybe even “big shots” alongside Jesus. They may have even understood the role of the suffering servant and believed that once he was “raised” he would rule. They seemed to have a pretty good idea of what “ruling” might look like.

Jesus challenges their expectations of “power”, “authority”, and “rule”... He contrasts what they know and what they see around them with what will be the expectation in the “new community”. “Status” will not be as it is with the kings, lords, bosses we see around us. To be “great” a person must be a servant for others... to be “greatest” a person must make of themselves a slave for others. What does that mean? It means that “status” and “leadership” has been completely turned upside down... completely disassembled... completely redefined. I think these words of Jesus could say a lot about the nature of relationships... I mean these words could radically alter society as we know it... but his words speak to individuals... to each of us... where we live... in our homes, our communities... where we work, and where we worship. Jesus is saying that if you want to do something that is really worthwhile then serve others... put others first... and don’t think about the “greatness” of what you are doing. More than likely you’ll receive a “thank you”... and though there’s no guarantee of that, it may be the only thing we ought to seek.

Ordinary 23, 2012

Job 23:1-9, 16-17

Then Job answered:

"Today also my complaint is bitter;

his hand is heavy despite my groaning.

Oh, that I knew where I might find him,

that I might come even to his dwelling!

I would lay my case before him,

and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would learn what he would answer me,

and understand what he would say to me.

Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?

No; but he would give heed to me.

There an upright person could reason with him,

and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.

"If I go forward, he is not there;

or backward, I cannot perceive him;

on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him;

I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.

God has made my heart faint;

the Almighty has terrified me;

If only I could vanish in darkness,

and thick darkness would cover my face!"

Psalm 90:12-17 Page 718, BCP

Domine, refugium

So teach us to number our days *

that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

Return, O LORD; how long will you tarry? *

be gracious to your servants.

Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; *

so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us *

and the years in which we suffered adversity.

Show your servants your works *

and your splendor to their children.

May the graciousness of the LORD our God be upon us; *

prosper the work of our hands;

prosper our handiwork.

Hebrews 4:12-16

The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Mark 10:17-31

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honor your father and mother.'" He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible."

Peter began to say to him, "Look, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age--houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions--and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first."

Job is a man of whom it really can be said that he was unjustly treated. He seemed to have everything going for him. He seemed to have everything... but... in short order, as the story goes, it was taken from him. He has some cause to be angry... I think, he has some cause to seek answers, and he has some cause to point a finger at God... at least to ask the question, “why?” Here is a man who works and wills to order his life in all ways it seems. He was a successful businessman, his neighbors respected him, he was a family man, and he was devoutly pious.

A man comes to Jesus. Is he the “rich young ruler”? Luke calls him “a ruler” in his Gospel and we know from the story that he was wealthy. He was devout... and I think he was sincere. He had some doubts and he saw in Jesus a teacher that could help him with these doubts. He leaves troubled... more troubled than he was before he asked his question... perhaps more troubled than he had been his entire life. We don’t know anything about this “rich ruler”. We don’t know how he became wealthy or how his stature in the community was developed. We do know that he was devout. We know that he cared about his religion and was serious about it. We know that he recognized something in Jesus that many did not. Did he have an agenda that we know nothing about? Was he hiding something? We just don’t know... however it seems he was simply a sincere seeker who really wanted to know the answer to the ultimate question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

The story records this moment where Jesus looks at the man... and loved him...

This is the moment before he tells him the one thing that he lacks...

This is the moment that I want to stay with. I want to cling to this one moment. I want to live in this moment... but... and I get this feeling that Jesus is almost reluctant to go on... the love of God, it seems, does not “live” in a moment.

So Jesus tells this man the one thing he lacks and it catches this poor man completely off guard. This is not what he expects at all... or so it seems. He is completely deflated... undone... dejected. He goes away sad. He knows that this is the one thing he’s feared and he can not, at least at this moment, in this crowd of people, agree to this demand. Maybe later... he came to desire so much to follow Christ that he gave all that he had to the poor and left all of his life behind... we just don’t know. We only know that this man left so deeply troubled about giving up this part of his life. So deeply troubled that he left and probably didn’t return. This is a man eager enough to be with Jesus that he ran to him and got down on his knees to ask his question.

What is it about Christ that is like this? What is it about Christ that we fear? I think this story instructs us about the nature of a truly devout life... a life given to God. I think when we approach Christ and ask “the ultimate question” we must be willing to hear the impossible. We must be willing to bear the weight of a sadness that may come when we hear the answer... the answer that we may not expect. I think that throughout our lives... if we are open to listen... we will hear the “answer”. Christ will take us unawares.

Christ turns to a group of disciples who have left everything dear to them to follow him. They are perplexed, frightened, and maybe even angry about what they just saw. “Why turn away a guy who has wealth and power... surely the kingdom could use men and women like this... but not only this... Jesus seems to say that his wealth and position just gets in the way of salvation. OMG! What are you saying!?” Jesus had much to say about wealth and power... none of what he says is flattering and what he doesn’t say is even less so ... but what we see here goes beyond that. Jesus is getting at the heart of what is ultimately important, what is important eternally... at least for this rich young ruler... and for the disciples... and for us, if we are willing to hear.

God’s love does not rest in moments. God’s love is pervasive and persistent. God’s love will not allow us comfort if being comfortable keeps us from really seeing what is important. We must be willing to bear the impossible. We must be willing to give all.

Amen. 

Autumn

Advent is around the corner and things are changing. Of course things are changing, this is what the season is about.

My internship with Saint Paul's will conclude at the end of Advent. I wish I could say that I'm really looking forward to it... or do I wish I could say that I wish it wouldn't be ending so quickly. I'm ready for it to be over but I have some real concerns about the direction some things are taking. I have this strong sense that once ordained and serving in a faith community I will be "used" to plug gaps in "ministry". I feel like I might be stuck in something that I really don't have a desire to do. Right now that's kid's formation. I like hanging around with the little kids (teens as well) but this is not what I feel called to. What I feel called to, is what I’m trying to sort out during my internship, where I am helping out with the little kids. Working with, being with, or teaching little kids (and teens) can be fulfilling and fun... I can take satisfaction in that I am helping the community in a really practical way as well... I’m watching kids while mom and dad get a chance to take part in formation of their own, I’m giving mom and dad a break, I’m giving the kids a chance to experience the scripture and the prayers of the church, I’m allowing others to take a break from the responsibility of doing this, and the list goes on. And while doing this at Saint Paul’s I have been told/asked/encouraged that I will be taking over the “youth group” at Christ Church when I return. OK. I feel like I’m being asked to plug gaps... is that what Deacons do? I confess... I’m disappointed. I thought the ministry of the Deacon would be something a little more... important?... more sophisticated?... more adult? Well... maybe it is... or maybe it isn’t. I shared my feelings with J and with my “mentor Deacon”. Both were sympathetic and agreed with me. I shouldn’t merely be used to fill ministry gaps, or take up the slack because people are tired or just unwilling to step up. I agree with their agreement but... on the other hand... a Deacon is a servant. So I’m hearing the Holy Spirit whispering to me that, “This is what I’m calling you to. I’m calling you to fill the gaps.” So I need to continue to think on these things but I’m not nearly as concerned as I was or as fearful.

My vision for my ministry is beginning to become more focused... some of this vision I can't articulate at this point. I don’t know how I will “live into it”. I know it has something to do with reaching out in the community, opening my ears and eyes to the lives of the people in the community, especially among the working class and the new comers and their families. I want to reach out beyond the walls of the church to bring “church” to these people as well, to “plant” expressions of “church” in nontraditional ways and places. Evening Prayer in the park, Morning Prayer at the coffee shop, and other “rest stops” for busy lives. I want to see the church (Faith Community) offering “ministries” to needs; Recovery groups, Parenting groups, Support Groups, and I want to see Christ at the center of these activities, touching the lives of people.

Of course I want to be an integral part of the worship of the Faith Community as well. I feel I’m gifted in some sense to be a presence at the Liturgy and feel that this “grace” will be intensified at my ordination. The church needs these “icons”... and I’ve consistently felt this as a calling.

So, things seem to be progressing as they are meant to be. I will be “preaching” at Saint Paul’s before I leave. A scary idea but one I am willing to take on. I’m going to be “preparing” some homilies in the next few weeks as practice and will post them on this blog. It’ll be good practice.