We are a small Episcopal Church on the banks of the Rappahannock in Port Royal, Virginia. We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the first people of Port Royal, the Nandtaughtacund, and we respect and honor with gratitude the land itself, the legacy of the ancestors, and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do.

Commentary

Sunday Links for Nov. 20, 2022

Light on the pews

Coming up!

Nov. 20, 11:00am – Holy Eucharist, Last Pentecost

Nov. 27, Advent 1

Nov. 27, United Thankoffering (UTO) intake

Nov. 29, Giving Tuesday in support of the Village Harvest food ministry

Nov. 29, ECW Coffee and Cookies, 10AM, the Parish House. Come enjoy one another’s company and help St Peter’s stay in touch with those who can’t be with us on Sundays.

Dec. 4, Bethlehem Walk trip Sunday, Dec. 4

Dec. 11, Deadline for Easter gifts to the Episcopal Church Men (ECM)

Dec. 18, Deadline for General Endowment Fund donations

  • Holy Eucharist, Sun. Nov. 20  YouTube link Nov. 20
  • Lectionary for Nov. 20, 2022, Last Pentecost Nov. 20
  • Bulletin for Nov. 20, 2022, Bulletin
  • Sermon for Nov. 13, 2022, Sermon
  • Morning Meditation , Mon, Nov. 21, 6:30am Zoom link Meeting ID: 879 8071 6417 Passcode: 790929
  • Ecumenical Bible Study, Wed., Nov. 23, 10am-12pm. Reading lectionary of Nov. 27, Advent 1
  • November, 2022 Newsletter
  • All articles for Nov. 20, 2022

    • Pentecost 26, October 30, 2022

    I. Theme –  Seeking Transformation in our encounters with God.

    "Zacchaeus" – Joel Whitehead

    The lectionary readings are here or individually:  

    First Reading – Isaiah 1:10-18
    Psalm – Psalm 32:1-8
    Epistle – 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
    Gospel – Luke 19:1-10 

    Today’s readings explore the transformation that follows our encounters with God. Isaiah  warns against empty religiosity and brings God’s promise of cleansing and purity. In 2 Thessalonians, Paul encourages steady faith that waits quietly for the transformation brought by Christ. In the gospel story, Jesus grants salvation to a wealthy man who responds to Jesus with repentance and generosity.

    These stories look at how we worship.  Do we celebrate internally forgetting the outside world and the needs of the world which Isaiah complained about ? Also we need to look at hospitality.  Isaiah renames Jerusalem as Sodom and Gomorrah.  Was it their inhospitality that earned the people of Jerusalem this insult?   In Thessalonians  the people have reacted incorrect to promises of Jesus second coming and have created problems in the church.   Paul asks  for their “steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring.

    Luke would have us look at the notions or hospitality, redemption, and inclusion.  It is Jesus who demands hospitality, and it is Zacchaeus who gives it. Here the hospitality gives place to salvation and redemption, “Today salvation for this house has happened.” 

    Thus it is not riches that distinguish, nor is it poverty.  It is the inviting in, it is the acceptance of “what I must do” as a sinner, a poor person, a wealthy person, or a person striving for righteousness, that sets the tone and the agenda.  Jesus not only welcomes, but also is welcomed in.  This dual standard is Luke’s call to his hearers to imitate Christ.

    In the readings there is a call for the people to understand their sins, to acknowledge them and be forgiven which is part of the Psalms.  Zacchaeus certainly does and decides he will live a changed life – give half his goods to the poor and to recompense generously those he might have defrauded/

    II. Summary

    First Reading –  Isaiah 1:10-18

    The prophet Isaiah proclaimed his message to Judah between 742 and 687 BC. During this period the northern kingdom, Israel, became part of the Assyrian empire and the southern kingdom of Judah lived precariously as a vassal state. The first five chapters of the book of Isaiah consist of oracles against Judah.

    Today’s reading is a pronouncement against Judah for religious superficiality. Sacrifice and ritual are not in themselves condemned, but the conjunction of worship and injustice is intolerable to God. The people are more concerned with celebrating and having festivals than they are with caring for their fellow people.  Look at the list of sins he provides: doing evil, (and if we look at the opposite, quit oppression, quit ignoring the orphan and the widow).  These themes will be amplified and examined in detail. 

    God despises the lavish celebrations and instead desires justice for the poor, the oppressed, the widowed and the orphaned. If the people return to God and God’s ways, God will forget their sins. God invites the people to “argue it out,” knowing that God will win the argument and turn their hearts back.

    True worship is characterized by sincerity of heart; true sincerity is characterized by obedience and compassion. Correct liturgy does not imply true worship. Ritual devoid of holiness offends God. Repentance brings reconciliation and forgiveness, but impenitence brings judgment.

    Psalm – Psalm 32:1-8

    Psalm 32:1-7 speaks of the freedom that forgiveness brings. In order to be forgiven, however, the psalmist had to acknowledge their sin. But God not only forgives, God is faithful and remains faithful.

    This prayer of thanksgiving for God’s forgiveness divides naturally into six sections tracing the pattern of reconciliation: verses 1-2 are an introduction; verses 3-4 express the weight of guilt; verse 5 is a confession of sin; verses 6-7 offer sound advice.

    It is a vision after the forgiveness, but also relates the process of coming to that forgiveness.  The images are clear and helpful.  The heavy hand, the summer-parched dryness, the weakness of the psalmist’s bones, all are evident so long as there is silence – a silence that does not admit to the sins that have been committed in the past.  Then comes an important understanding.  “Then I acknowledged…(then) I said.”  This is not a noetic or cerebral understanding of sin.  It is an admission of sin that comes from the mouth – is admitted in the real time of day – that can be heard by another.  To this situation, God greets the psalmist with forgiveness, and the psalmist is surrounded with shouts of deliverance.

    Epistle-  2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

    This reading is the first of three from 2 Thessalonians. Paul’s stay in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-10) was relatively brief, and he left the new congregation exposed to the attacks of local Jews and Gentiles. Timothy’s encouraging report of their steadfastness in faith led Paul to write 1 Thessalonians (c. AD 51). Presumably 2 Thessalonians was written a few months later in order to correct a misunderstanding of his teaching on the “day of the lord” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-2).

    In this reading, “Paul” greets the congregation along with his cohorts Silvanus and Timothy.  There is a word of thanks for the congregation’s lively faith, and love of one another.

    Second Thessalonians is a pastoral letter which addresses a number of problems that have arisen in a Christian community jolted by the claim that the "day of the Lord" [in this context, Jesus’ second coming] has come upon them. Some in this community have reacted in terror, quit work, and are making a general nuisance of themselves to others within the community as they await the full effect of the Lord’s coming. Somme members of the church there that dispute Paul’s teaching about living and working soberly.

    Paul reminds the Thessalonians of the need to give thanks, even in persecution, for God is increasing their faith and love. The reading then moves into a brief prayer for the community’s’ sanctification through the cooperation of God’s initiative in grace and of their human actions.

    Then Paul begins his further teaching on the return of Christ, which apparently some believed had already happened. This echoes Christ’s own predictions of how people would use this confidence for personal gain. Paul discourages an alarmist mentality that disrupts the normal activities of life.

    Gospel –  Luke 19:1-10 

    Luke 19:1-10 tells the story of Zacchaeus who climbed a tree to see Jesus. We are missing part of the story—it seems that Jesus and Zacchaeus have met before, and that Zacchaeus has changed his life because of his encounter with Jesus, and that others do not see the change that Zacchaeus has gone through.

    Throughout Luke’s gospel we have become accustomed to Jesus’ socializing with outcasts: the poor, the prostitutes, the physically disabled. So it comes as something of a surprise when the protagonist in today’s reading is a wealthy man.  Zacchaeus is great in terms of his personal wealth, but he is small in stature, and small in the eyes of the community that judges his moral standards

    Jericho was a major trade center and thus also a center for the collection of customs. Zacchaeus risks ridicule and perhaps violence out among the crowds. When Jesus discerns the diminutive Zacchaeus, he asks that the tax collector come down because “I must stay in your house today.”  Jesus makes the decisive gesture of inviting himself to dinner, thus offering Zacchaeus a fellowship denied to him by others.   Here the crowd complains that Jesus is so willing to make company with an obvious sinner

    Zacchaeus, meaning “innocent” or “clean” may be a story to tell us that what doesn’t seem acceptable, clean or pure to us may be to God. This story, however, clearly shows us that Jesus delighted in people who were seen as despicable by others. And what makes someone despicable is not always what they do, but the fact that we look for something to despise others by. The people didn’t believe that Zacchaeus had changed because then they would have to change their minds.

    We don’t know what Zacchaeus was like before, but Jesus clearly liked him in this moment, and Zacchaeus has become a generous person. Not in fulfillment of a rule, but in joyous and thankful response, Zacchaeus vows to give half his goods to the poor and to recompense generously those he might have defrauded. Zacchaeus chooses the most extreme repayment penalty prescribed by the law.

    Jesus recognizes his attempts to live a righteous life. In answer both to him and to the murmurers, Jesus points out that even an outcast may receive and respond to “salvation,” the presence of the kingdom in the person and message of Jesus. Through his repentance and faith, Zacchaeus became a true son of Abraham, walking in the ways of his forefather.

    Jesus can read Zaccahaus needs of longing. He blesses this tree-climber before Zacchaeus ever says a word. Jesus’ response far exceeds Zacchaeus’s expectations. He wanted a glimpse; he got a guest. Again, this outrageous divine generosity mirrors our experience. Those who venture even a step into regular prayer or the service of others voice a similar response: “I got much more than I gave!&r

    The Persistent Widow in the Gospel, Luke 18:1-8, Pentecost 19

    “This peculiar story of the widow’s astonishing (read: countercultural) behavior is intended, as parables are, to disturb and reveal disruptive truth. It not only says something about how important it is for us to pray without ceasing, it also names what we should be praying for: justice. The widow is so certain of God’s justice that she acts in resolute faithfulness and courage, in anticipation of that certainty. She is anything but passive or powerless, as the ancient stereotype went.

    “This kind of resolute faithfulness and sheer, dogged persistence, also demonstrated in ordinary and extraordinary women of the Bible and in social justice history — speaks to Christians today of the courage it takes to reject barriers and social norms, in the name of justice and human flourishing. Who among us will persist in the quest for justice? Like the widow pleading her own case before the unjust judge, we must not take no for an answer. It is a matter of faith. It is a matter of trust in God’s goodness — and in our commitment to claiming God’s reign of justice with constancy.”

    —Dr. Kathy Bozzuti-Jones

    A longer interpretation where Author Amy Jill Levine says this scripture forced her to reexamine her own views

    Lectionary , Pentecost 19, Oct. 16, 2022

    I. Theme –  Seeking intimacy with God through scripture study and constant prayer

    "Old Woman Praying"-Aert de Gelder (1700) 

    The lectionary readings are here or individually:  

    First Reading – Genesis 32:22-31
    Psalm – Psalm 121
    Epistle – 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
    Gospel – Luke 18:1-8 

    Today’s readings encourage us to seek intimacy with God through scripture study and constant prayer. As he wrestles with God, Jacob  becomes Israel, patriarch of God’s people. Paul commends the use of "the sacred writings" for growth in the faith. Jesus illustrates how, unlike an unjust judge, our God welcomes our persistent prayers and quickly gives justice.

    This image of God as companion also appears in today’s psalm, Psalm 121. There, God is as close as a person’s hand, and as welcome as shade from the sun. The psalmist’s image of God as guardian will ring true for anyone who has felt insecure about sleeping in an unfamiliar place. While most of us don’t have bodyguards, we still know how the presence of a trusted friend in a strange situation calms fear and enables sleep.

    There are really 3 themes in today’s readings. 1) the meaning of divine law and its relationship to our well-being, 2) the inspiration of scripture and its role in sharing God’s news, and 3) persistence in prayer and the question of unanswered prayer.  These themes are woven together by a vision that God acts in ways that invite us to be part of a greater adventure, companionship with God in healing the world.  Alignment with divine evolving order, sharing the good news of an open-spirited gospel that reflects a living, moving God, and prayerful persistence in seeking the greatest good are all responses to God’s vision of Shalom

    Today’s readings can prompt us to reflect on our own prayer. Do we approach prayer as an unsavory bargaining process in which we must wrangle what we want? Or do we see prayer as an encounter with our dearest love?

    Faith is not just a journey, but a struggle. We all struggle at times with doubts but we perhaps struggle even more with being in community with one another. But our God is the God of community: the God of a people, the God of all peoples, the God of Creation. And we struggle and wrestle with one another and with God. But when we are persistent for justice, when we remain faithful to God’s ways—we will see it through. And while we may not change others, we may change the world for ourselves, and through persistence justice, peace, and hope may come.

    II. Summary

    First Reading –  Genesis 32:22-31

    This story indicates a turning point in Jacob’s relationship with God. Jacob prepares for the reunion with his brother with his usual instinct for self-preservation, anticipating another contest between Esau’s might and his own shrewdness.

    This marvelous story serves as a nexus of Jacob’s life.  Its theme of “wrestling” or “striving” is at one with a similar thread of events in Jacob’s life that explore his striving with life itself. The events that underscore this theme are his birth – grabbing at Esau’s heel, the double-dealing with the birthright that was truly Esau’s, his struggle with the stone at the well, and his negotiations with Laban

    The mysterious assailant is unexpected. Jacob struggles to compel a blessing from the stranger, as all his life he has tried to ensure God’s blessing through his own stratagems. But he must, instead, first yield up his own name–the essence of himself–and receive a new name for his new life and mission. He is no longer to be the Supplanter or Deceiver, but Israel, "he who strives with God." The naming story is not like that of Abraham, where Abraham really does take on the new name. 

    Israel also is known as “one who wrestles with God”, for Jacob overcomes the stranger. As we know, the descendants of Jacob become known as Israel, and this image of Jacob wrestling an unknown person becomes a prophetic description of the people’s relationship with their God—a God who is very near to them and yet still mysterious.

    Jacob feared to meet Esau, but now encounters God and is allowed to live. The stolen blessing of 27:1-40 is legitimized. Jacob, now Israel, is commissioned as the patriarch of the people who will bear his name.

    This passage serves a number of purposes: it explains the name Israel through the actions of Jacob, who represents his future people; it explains the people’s relationship with God; and it explains a dietary restriction for the people on eating meat from the hip socket. This is an incredibly rich passage for the history, culture and identity of the people of Israel as God’s people.

    The important point, however, is that Jacob survives, moves on, and comments on the experience, “I have seen God  face to face, and yet my life is preserved.”  A new day dawns, and a Jacob touched by the experience moves on to meet with his brother

    Psalm – Psalm 121

    This is one of the songs of ascent, a title given to psalms 120–134. These were most likely songs sung by pilgrims on their way to and from the temple of Jerusalem. Psalm 121 is in dialogue form, possibly between a group of worshipers and a priest, perhaps as a blessing at their arrival at or departure from the temple. The lord, the Creator, will watch over the people day and night.

    P salm 121 is a beautiful poem or song of God’s protection from birth to death, from beginning to end.  God is not like the native deities, who must be awakened from their seasonal sleep by their followers. God is the “shade” for the people (Psalm 63:7; 91:1; Isaiah 49:2; Lamentations 4:20), sheltering them from every danger of the day and night. The key word is keep, which occurs six times, and emphasizes God’s role as the guardian of the faithful, one who watches over every aspect of our lives (Deuteronomy 28:6).

    The initial verse poses a question that is answered in the following verses.  The central theme of these verses is confidence in the face of threatening circumstances.  The word for “guard” appears some six times during the course of the psalm.  God is seen as the one who protects and guides.  Verse six deals with both the metaphorical and the real.  Protection from the sun would have been an important consideration in Palestine.  Protection from the moon, however, gives voice to the fear of being moonstruck or crazy.  The final verse seems to be a lovely connection to the idea of entering the Temple precincts with God’s protection.  It can, however, be used in all of life.  I remember it being used as a blessing at baptisms.

    Epistle-  2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

    Today’s reading stresses the stabilizing role of tradition in the Church, both the teaching handed down through generations in the family and in the Church community, and the written tradition preserved in scripture (3:16), primarily referring here to the Old Testament.

    2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 is often cited as a prooftext for the Bible; the passage indeed says that “all scripture is inspired by God” in 3:16 but we must remember that the New Testament was not put together at that time; the Gospels were not written, the letters of Paul were being circulated and other letters such as 2 Timothy were being composed by disciples of Paul. Scripture in this case is referring to the Hebrew Scriptures, and probably there the Law and the Prophets as many of the Writings were still being collected.

    Scripture is “inspired by God” (3:16), that is, God’s life-giving Spirit has been breathed into it. It is thus a positive source for Christian teaching, useful to refute error, to identify sin, to direct people back to the right path and to sustain them on their way.

    The God we read about in scripture shaped their lives, but they also forged an understanding of God based on their particular points of reference and level of spiritual and ethical evolution. Accordingly, scriptural inspiration is always “human”: it speaks of God from the perspective of our time and space, and reflects our encounters with the Holy.  Scriptural inspiration is concrete, not abstract.  Its limitations are the source of its significance.

    Christians are to preach the word at all times, in all ways. The situation described in 4:3-4 as a likelihood is in fact already present for Paul (1 Timothy 1:4; 4:7). But in response, the leader is to “do the work of an evangelist” (4:5), that is, of a preacher not restricted to one particular area. He is to fulfill his “ministry” (4:5; literally, his service), the ministry that Christ came to embody and to which all Christians are called.

    Gospel –  Luke 18:1-8 

    Luke 18:1-8 contains the parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge. The preceding chapter ends with predictions about the coming of the Kingdom of God (17:20-21) and the Day of the Son of Man (17:22-37), thus this encouragement to wait with patience and persistence makes sense.  Given the difficult times in which Luke records this parable the question becomes even more poignant – can you endure the suffering of the present time so that you can witness the end time?

    The widow’s persistence is what pays off in the end, not a change of heart by the judge.  This story is found only in Luke. The unjust judge is someone whose concerns are all worldly, centered in this age and characterized by self-interest and evil.

    The judge’s motives are not so high.  He does not dispense justice because the Law demands it of him, but rather to be rid of a human annoyance . A comparison is made by arguing in rabbinic fashion from lesser to more: if even the unrighteous judge will bestir himself to vindicate the widow, how much more will God act to vindicate God’s elect. Though God acts “quickly” (v. 8), unlike the judge, God’s speed often seems slow to humans.

    Luke’s introduction to the parable (v. 1) shifts attention from the judge to the widow, and from assurance of the speedy second coming to an exhortation to persistent prayer until its arrival, however delayed. In the Old Testament, the widow is the epitome of those who, having no wealth or influence, are under God’s special protection.  How would the widow have spent her time? Luke hopes that it was a period of prayer and expectation. 

    In standing up for justice, we are called to be persistent, because we may not change hearts or minds, but in staying true, we change ourselves.  We need to look toward the long haul rather than seek simple answers to prayer.  There is great wisdom in waiting for the right time and trusting God’s wisdom to respond to our deepest needs on the timetable that is best for us.

    Our faith must also be persistent even in times of doubt and struggle—we may not change the minds of others, but we change ourselves. God is persistent with us, constantly reaching to us, and we must be the ones who change and turn towards God.

    We may also need to review our relationship with God. If we see God as a miser dispensing graces like candy, we need to realign our image to fit the reality of God as generous parent, always anxious to obtain our good. Along these lines, William Barry explains that mature Christians don’t ask for goodies; instead, they desire intimacy with God. He writes: “Many of life’s problems and challenges have no answer; one can only live with and through them. Problems and challenges, however, can be faced and lived through with more peace and resilience if people know they are not alone.”

    In light of Timothy, we need to explore the meaning of a “sound doctrine” encompassing answered and unanswered prayers.  Sound doctrine can be defined in terms of health: sound doctrine is doctrine that brings healing and wholeness to us and the world.  By your fruits you shall know them.  If our doctrines lead to injustice and oppression, or put the desires of the wealthy over the vulnerable, they are out of synch with the message of Jesus and the prophetic tradition.  There is no soundness in doctrines that bring harm and neglect to the most vulnerable members of our society.  

    Pentecost 15, Sept. 18, 2022

    I. Theme –  Using our resources—financial and otherwise—for justice and compassion

      
     

    “Parable of the Shrewd Manager – Coptic (Egypt) ” 

    The lectionary readings are here or individually:  

    First Reading – Amos 8:4-7
    Psalm – Psalm 113
    Epistle – 1 Timothy 2:1-7
    Gospel – Luke 16:1-13 

    Today’s readings call us to use our resources—financial and otherwise—for justice and compassion. They reflect on the social consequences of turning away from God and the possibility that prayer and God-centered values can be a source of health in our personal and corporate lives. A transformed mind may lead over the long haul to transformed social systems.

    Amos condemns the callousness of those who observe rituals but set their hearts on greed and dishonesty. Paul urges prayers for peace, godliness and dignity, made possible by Christ, who bridges the gap between God and humanity. In Jesus’ story, the master appreciates the shrewdness of an unfaithful servant.

    The parable from the Gospel also presents most congregations with serious challenges in terms of values, ethics, and priorities.  You cannot serve God and money.  One has to come first; one has to be the lens through which you make your personal and corporate decisions.  Studies suggest that great wealth does not lead to greater happiness.  In light of the Hebraic prophetic scriptures, wealth without justice and compassion leads to personal and corporate destruction.  Wealth without consideration of God’s Shalom and purposes beyond our self-interest leads to poverty and pain.

    II. Summary

    First Reading –  Amos 8:4-7

    Amos, a wealthy farmer (sheep and sycamore figs) served as a servant to the word of God, and did most of his work for a limited period of time around 760 BCE not in his native Judea, but north, in the Kingdom of Israel.  It was a time when Israel was enjoying great prosperity under Jeroboam II. Its wealth and power rested, however, upon injustice because the rich and the strong used their power exclusively for their own benefit. False scales made transactions particularly oppressive on the poor, who could eventually be reduced to selling themselves and their families into slavery.

    Unlike the prophets who came before him, his word (directed by the word of God) is spoken not to individuals (as was the case with Nathan) but rather to the entire nation.  Earlier prophets were inspired by the Spirit, but Amos receives the word of God. Finally, he is not a professional.  He belongs to no guild or school, nor is he a member of the royal court, called from his daily life to deliver God’s word to a specific time and place.  He is also the first of the so-called classical prophets, those who wrote down their words directed to the nation.  His words are also a departure from what had been spoken before.  He announces total judgment to Israel.  Although he speaks against social ills, he sees them as evidence of Israel’s loss of God and of the covenant with God.

    The passage from Amos is a word of warning for those who have left the concerns of the poor behind under the disguise of religious values. In Amos’ day, many of the wealthy elite ruling class were worshipping other gods and having lavish feasts to celebrate the harvest and other seasons, and were taking from the poor to finance these festivals. Amos warns that the people have forgotten the God of creation who does not desire these festivals but rather desires justice for all people. This God has not forgotten the poor and the downtrodden, though the wealthy have. Right worship of God and just treatment of all people go hand in hand with the prophets—forgetting the poor is forgetting the commandments of God.

    In this week’s readings it is the merchant class that takes in on the ear.  They do not honor the holy days, or even if they do, they cannot wait until they are over so that they can return to their unjust business practices.  Of special concern are the needy (peasants who live on the land).  They become the focus of the prophet’s concern and the dishonest merchants’ greed.  The issues are dishonest weights and measures, buying people as slaves when they cannot pay their debts, and selling adulterated products.  There will be an end to such practices, but it will be accompanied by an end to the nation as well.  The prophet notes the title “The Pride of Jacob”, namely God who is the pride of Jacob.  I

    In a reverse to the phrase “I will not forget…deeds” we see a turnaround.  Usually it is God who pleads with Israel not to forget the deeds – the freedom from Egypt, the Promised Land.  But now it is the reverse.  It is God who will not forget, and the deeds are Israel’s unjust ways. Thus, “the day of the lord” (v. 9) would be Israel’s vindication and God’s punishment of its enemies. But Amos reinterpreted the concept to include judgment upon Israel too

    Psalm –  Psalm 113

    This psalm is the first of the group known as the Egyptian “Hallel” (Psalms 113–118), from the shout of Hallelujah (“Praise the lord”) with which it begins. Psalm 113 links God’s greatness with God’s care for the poor and weak.   Almost like an antidote to the message in the reading from Amos, this psalm remembers that God is the one who lifts up the poor and the needy and that God will come to deliver them. God will raise up all those who have been trampled upon and have been under the weight of injustice.

    A similar action is accorded the “childless woman” who is enthroned in her home as a mother.  We see the inequity of the Ancient Near Eastern society however.  The man (poor) is seated among the princes, and the woman (the barren one) is seated with her sons.

    The “name of the lord” sums up all of the self-revelation of Yahweh. The “ash heap” (v. 7) is literally the rubbish heap, where the poor, the outcast and the diseased begged and scrabbled for scraps. Verses 7-8 are from Hannah’s song, found in 1 Samuel 2:8, as they recall the lord’s care for the despised barren wife.

    Epistle-  1 Timothy 2:1-7

    Today’s reading begins a section on Church order (2:1–3:15), focusing on prayer.

    The author of this letter had to remind Timothy (a community leader whose office evolved into the modern office of bishop) and his congregation that God’s concern extends to all people, not just themselves. Some scholars think some early Christians may have refused to pray for pagans, and this passage means to correct that. And the author insists again that he was called to take the gospel to all peoples, so refusing to pray for them is hardly right.

    There are 4 parts

    1 the first order for prayers for the world

    2 backing up that order with a statement about the mission of Jesus

    3 a statement about the worldwide character of the apostle’s mission

    4 repetition of the order for prayers.

     First, prayer is to be offered for all people. The assertion of the universality of God’s grace may be aimed at those who taught that only the enlightened few would be saved. The prayers themselves can ask and give thanks, speak for the well being of others and give a good word for the stranger.  There is a universalism here

    Second, prayer is to be offered for civil leaders. Prayer for pagan authorities was part of Jewish worship and the early Church prayed for the civil authorities as guarantors of the social structure within which the Church’s mission could be pursued in tranquility. Finally, prayer is to be offered as an outgrowth of unity in the community.

    In this passage, we see a church concerned with getting along in the larger pagan society.  The earliest Christians expected Jesus to return in glory very soon, and to bring history to its climax. This reading is clearly composed later, after that expectation had changed.

    Gospel –  Luke 16:1-13 

    Today’s gospel has two parts: first a parable about acting decisively in the face of crisis, meant perhaps to prepare disciples for the coming of the reign of God. Then there is a series of loosely related sayings about the use of wealth.

    In a trilogy of parables (The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Prodigal Son) in chapter 15, in an address to the critical Pharisees and Scribes Jesus wants us to examine our value of things, so that we might begin to value God and neighbor as well, and not look at their “lack of value.”  Thus in the sixteenth chapter, Luke continues with two other parables on Value, however this time the teaching is directed at the disciples. 

    Today’s reading concerns an unscrupulous manager who yet wins his boss’ praise.  This “dishonest manager” has charges brought against him and it’s not clear if they were true or false, but the manager, who is too ashamed to beg and not strong enough to dig, starts making friends by settling the bills of customers of his master for less than what they owe—so that way when he is out of a job, he has connections of where to go.  He has helped people in need though he has violated the terms of employment with his master

    It’s a strange parable—we’re supposed to look at the manager’s response, not the fact that he did this shrewdly and cheated his master out of what was given him—but the fact that he used what resources he had to make friends is how we ought to be faithful with what God gives us—use what we have to do good works and to help those in need, rather than being concerned about pleasing the powers that be.

    Recently another approach has been taken, based upon the economics of the time. The bills probably represented goods received by the debtors on credit. The amount by which the steward reduced the bills may have been interest on the cost of the goods. Such interest was illegal, but was common in commercial transactions and justified in such cases by some rabbinic interpreters. Or the amount may have represented the steward’s own commission on the transaction. Thus, the steward gives up the profit (his own or the rich man’s) in return for the debtors’ gratitude.

    In verses 10-13, Luke supplies three sayings of Jesus that give clues about how to unravel this parable. These guidelines reflect the attitudes of fidelity and trust that servants ought to display in their commitment to service of their master.

    1 “Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.

    2 “If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? “

    3 “And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own? “

    You cannot serve God and money.  One has to come first; one has to be the lens through which you make your personal and corporate decisions. The values that come from God’s teachings

    Can you do both ?

    Who will the Christian’s master be, wealth, or godly service?  Does that mean that Christians should eschew wealth?  It does have value in making friends (temporal) and accomplishing good (eternal).  There are other values that are held up as well, “trustworthiness” in all things (both worldly and eternal) and doing things “for the benefit of others.”

    Gospel – “Woman, You are Set Free”

    Here is the scripture from Luke 13:10-17 for this week

    Jesus continues on the road to Jerusalem but there is a change in venue. Jesus had been speaking to disciples and large crowds. Now, he appears in "one of the synagogues." His presence in a synagogue is his first since leaving Galilee, and he will not visit another in Luke’s gospel. The conflict with Jewish leaders he will experience then is foreshadowed this story.

    Jesus enters the synagogue and he seems to be in search of something. Just before this scene, Luke records a parable in which Jesus’ vineyard owner says, “For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none” (Luke 13:7). His sensitivity is heightened as he continues to search for “fig trees” that are bearing fruit.

    He enters the synagogue immediately following this parable and will heal a Jewish lady who has been suffering for 18 years. Jesus heals the woman in sacred space (a synagogue, mentioned twice) and within sacred time, namely on a Sabbath (noted no fewer than five times), and he is criticized for this breach of the law. Jesus insists that the synagogue and the Sabbath are not the only things that are holy — so is this woman’s life. He is also guilty of touching a ritually unclean woman in their eyes. Jesus isn’t abolishing the Law of Moses, but helping the people in the synagogue have a better understanding of how to apply the law.

    This isn’t his first healing in Luke. Earlier, in Chapter 4, Jesus heals a man with an unclean spirit. In Chapter 6, he healed a man whose hand was withered. On both occasions, Luke describes Jesus teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath, but we are not informed about the content of his teaching. On both occasions, prominent religious leaders take offense at Jesus’ actions because of their view of what is allowable on the holy Sabbath day. By the end of chapter 13, Jesus’ search will turn into lament, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…” (cf. 13:34-35).

    Jesus’ rebuttal is clever, for while untying an ox or a donkey on the sabbath was forbidden in one part of the Mishnah (a Jewish book of laws), it was permitted in another. His point is that the woman is far more important than animals, yet animals are allowed more freedom on the sabbath than is the woman. This woman is a "daughter of Abraham," heir to the same promise as Abraham.

    Note the story is not about his teaching or even the faith of the people. Both stories are healing stories but, more significantly, for Luke, is the controversy these healings created due to questions of Jesus’ Sabbath practices. He doesn’t argue about Judaism, or the restriction.

    So what is it all /about ?

    1. It is story of the Kingdom – a story of community. Healings and exorcisms are signs of the kingdom of God. In verse 12, "Jesus saw" is in the primary position in the sentence, a subtle emphasis.

    Jesus seems to be ignored by the Jewish leaders. The “leader” (v. 14) speaks to the “crowd”, but his words are directed at Jesus. He is blind to God’s kingdom. The people in the synagogue seem blind to her presence also

    After he saw her, he called her to him. Marginalized and in the shadows, the woman is brought to center stage by Jesus. He sees the person, not the condition. In the new world of Jesus, it is precisely people such as the "bent woman" who are moved from the periphery of society to the center, which is what Jesus has done here. He argues from legitimate allowances of restricted kinds of "work" on the Sabbath. There is a higher calling – all life as sacred.

    One key point here is that the woman does not ask to be cured; no one asks on her behalf; Jesus notices her. How many do we notice in our lives that need to be freed ? We need to be observant extending the kingdom

    The woman has done nothing to earn or even request this unfathomable gift of life/grace. Her response is one of standing up, living into the gift of grace, and publicly praising God

    What are the human-imposed barriers (even well-intentioned ones) that prevent people from experiencing God’s grace? How do we, God’s stewards today, help to dismantle these barriers?

    2. It is a story of freedom from bondage

    Jesus operates within the confines of Judaism but there is a limit when one is suffering. He won’t exclude them based on religious customs to provide healing. He demonstrates his compassion and thus to us a way of life, a way to live out our community obligations. Both themes of praise and rejoicing are emphasized by Luke as appropriate responses to God’s work in Jesus the one who brings the reign of God in healing power to those who most need it.

    Her problem is both medical and social. She is “crippled” but has been been ostracized from the Jewish community. At the time many human ailments were seen to be cause by Satan; the very being of someone with a serious ailment was thought to be hostile to God. (She is not under demonic possession.)

    In verse 16, Jesus himself will attribute the woman’s "weakness" to being held in bondage by Satan. What is called for, then, is not just medical healing but release from bondage. She has suffered and been ostracized from the Jewish community.

    The point of confrontation is on the role of the Sabbath. Does it mean just following the prescribed order of worship each week? Does it mean following the ceremony to the letter of the law no matter what happens?

    There are two traditions concerning the Sabbath. One, recorded in Exodus 20, links the Sabbath to the first creation account in Genesis, where God rests after six days of labor. As God rested, so should we and all of our households and even animals rest. The second tradition, in Deuteronomy 5, however, links the Sabbath to the Exodus; that is, it links Sabbath to freedom, to liberty, to release from bondage and deliverance from captivity. Jesus is causing the Jewish leaders to remember this passage. The Sabbath is all about freedom and this scripture concerning the woman. How might we be encouraged to act on Sunday to provide hope and joy

    Jesus reminds the Sabbath leader that, regardless of the day of the week, all of God’s creation must have access to God’s gifts of life – whether it’s the provision of water for God’s creatures (v.15) or manna on the sabbath for the Israelites in the wilderness

    Jesus has taken the synagogue leader’s very argument, and its same scriptural source, and turned it against him. Jesus’ message is clear: "If the sabbath is about freedom, as your own passage from Deuteronomy clearly says, then it is entirely proper to celebrate the freedom of this woman from the bondage of Satan–yes, on the sabbath, even especially on the sabbath."

    One might criticize Jesus for discussing the situation ahead of time with the Jewish leaders. However, as Jesus maintained last week , he came to cast fire on the earth and cause divisions.

    How do we go beyond our bondages ? By forgiving those who have sinned against us, we are freed from bondage to resentments and feelings of revenge. By forgiving ourselves, we are released from continually beating up on ourselves for acting so stupidly or hurtfully. Forgiveness brings release and freedom. Thus, this text isn’t just about physical healing, but renewal that we all need.

    Healing begins when people are seen as Jesus would see them:

    • With unconditional acceptance
    • With appreciation for their person and not their problem.
    • With vision for their potential and not their limitations

    The ending is significant going back to the growing confrontation with the Jewish authorities In Luke 6, the religious leaders depart from the synagogue trying to think of what to do with Jesus; and, they were furious (6:11). Their negative response will have major consequences later in the narrative. In Luke 13, the synagogue crowd rejoices at Jesus’ healing action (and teaching?). And, here, his “opponents” are disgraced. And that provides a greater motive for them in Jerusalem.

     

    The Gospel  -“Do Not Be Afraid Little Flock”

    Our verses are part of a larger context of “Readiness for the Coming Judgment” from Luke 12:1-13:9. This section started last week with the parable Fool and will last until Aug 25.

    Jesus is in the presence both of his disciples and the large crowds (12:1). He appears to be speaking primarily to the disciples, though within earshot of a large number of people. Even though teaching the disciples, “someone in the crowd” is able to interrupt with a question. Though speaking directly to the inner circle of the movement, Jesus’ teachings are also “overheard” by a large number of people.

    This week, he follows the parable of the rich fool (12: 13-21) with exhortations to live without anxiety. Worry about food or clothing is unnecessary in light of God’s providence. “The nations” worry about such things–that is to say, people who think and act in light of the dominant culture’s assumptions will find themselves riven with uncertainty and anxiety.

    Basic summary – In the declaration of paragraph one, Jesus puts his hearers at ease. God wants to give you the kingdom where he lives, with pleasure. So you can get rid of  your possessions and give alms to the poor because your investment is in the kingdom of the heavens. Do this because wherever you invest your life is where your attention will be.

    The master is coming soon to celebrate his victory and even his slaves will be blessed in this celebration. The master will serve the slaves the only condition is the slaves must be awake and recognize him when he knocks at the door. It might even be in the middle of the night so vigilance is necessary so as not to fall asleep and miss the arrival of the master. Bill Long in 2007 comes with the key focus of this passage

    There are three ever-more-difficult commands that Jesus gives his disciples.

    (1) Banish Fear (v.32);

    The context in which this passage opens is where Jesus is teaching about worry. He knows the human tendency to be concerned with material goods and the shape of our lives, but Jesus resolutely tells us: “do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you shall wear” (v. 22). Why not? Because the ravens neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them (v. 24). Since we are of much more value than ravens, God will so much more take care of us.

    Fear erodes our creativity, occupies our mental space, distracts us from enjoying the true beauties all around us, and ultimately shortchanges us. We tend to be pre-occupied or even obsessed with having “enough” money or resources on which to live. We miss the details around us we don’t recognize the beauty of the lilies of the field, or the arcing flight of a bird. IT grips us

    “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” We are called a “little flock,” a term of endearment also present in Ezek. 34 and other Biblical texts. God’s pleasure is to give us the “kingdom” (i.e., the presence of Jesus), but we are worried about our clothes, our money, our bank account and assuring our future economically

    So, how do we get rid of this fear? Find out what your heart says is your true love. Let the sound created by fear (“I need to do X and then Y and then obtain Z and be vigilant on this deal and that investment and that sale”) gradually be subsumed by a greater “sound”–the sound of you listening to the alluring music of love.

    What is it that you truly love, that you would give yourself to in a moment if you had the courage to give yourself that moment? Perhaps you don’t even know what this is because you are so wrapped up in the life of fear that you don’t even permit yourself the “luxury” to think of what life would look like without being consumed by “what you should wear” or “what you should eat” (to quote Jesus). But when the noise stops and the glitter fades for the evening, what is it that your heart craves? Does it desire to explore other cultures? To learn a skill? To gain certain knowledge? To serve in some capacity to others? To move to a different region? To put on a different “persona?” Fear keeps us from doing these things

    (2) Sell Goods (33-34); It doesn’t say that we should give everything as alms; it just emphasizes the getting rid of the possessions. But the larger point ought to be clear. The disciple’s true treasure trove is in heaven. That is where our “value” is; that is where heart also should be. It also seems quite ironic that we build up a treasure in heaven by giving away money on earth

    The proper use of one’s abundance is to give them away or share them (or the money received from selling them) for the common good. in the first century, it was believed that there was a fixed and limited amount of wealth. If someone gained wealth, someone else had to lose it. They didn’t believe that everyone becoming wealthier. Malina and Rohrbaugh (Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels) state: “Acquisition was always considered stealing”. So, if the poor were to escape their poverty, it would have to come from the wealthy sharing their possessions. In essence, the wealthy would have to become poorer if the poor were to gain some wealth.

    So this is more than just throwing a donation to the poor, it stems from being merciful to those in need.

    Jesus is controversial because he breaks the connection between giving and receiving (that is, you give without expectation of return), so he is controversial here because he suggests that one’s true value in life has little to do with one’s “net worth.”

    It is to cut ourselves off from that system of values which dominates the world in which they lived and we live Jesus’ words in v. 34 are memorable–“for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Note that he doesn’t say it the other way around. The actual location of our physical “treasure” is where our heart is. By definition. That is why we need to “sell off” our holdings and give (some of) it away. Because if we keep the treasure, the things that demonstrate our economic wherewithal, that, by definition, will be where our heart is.

    (3) Be Alert (v35-40).

    The emphasis of the passage is that the master’s coming is certain but the timing of the coming is uncertain. Thus, be always ready.

    We are overwhelmed and inundated with loads of information all the time. We are tugged in multiple directions by people and demands on our time and our hearts. But what Jesus’ message about alertness and readiness says to me today is that we need to do all we can to establish and maintain a focus in life. The focus Jesus wants to exhort us to is captured nicely in Matthew’s Gospel: “Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness and all these things will be added to you” (Mt. 6:33).

    As Christians, we have been given a great deal – a lot of it on trust. Our faith is given to us as a treasure for heaven – but we don’t always cherish it as one. We know that our lives – our gifts – our families are all treasures – but, again, we don’t always give them the respect and love they deserve. We don’t spread them to others

    Do you enjoy all that you were given? Did you make time for all the good things God wanted you to experience? Did you take it for granted? Did you share the good things I gave you on trust with other people so that they could enjoy them too?

    Jesus then used two parables for anticipation: the waiting servants [12:36-38] and the watchful homeowner [12:39]. The parable of waiting servants had two additional images that referred to the heavenly feast. First, the servants waited for the master to return from the wedding banquet. Such a feast had overtones of the Kingdom, when God would dine with his people (see Luke 5:34 and 14:16-24). Second, the master would return to serve the servants a great feast! (The leader as servant model was standard in the Christian movement. After all, Jesus did wash the feet of the apostles at the Last Supper in John 13:1-20.)

    Part of our preparation is self-examination — hearing again John’s cry of repentance, to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord. Part of our preparation is humility — letting ourselves be served by God — recognizing that we are “seeing God’s salvation, which God has prepared in the presence of all peoples” (2:31). Jesus elevated service to a function of great privilege and honor.

    Being prepared for his future coming, means receiving his comings to us through these means in the present. In a sense, being prepared is to let him prepare us for the coming. Refusing these means may be like the Samaritans or the slave in 9:52 and 12:47: Unwilling to receive Jesus on his terms;

    Notice, this scenario matched Luke’s world view. After his resurrection, Jesus rose into glory at the Ascension (Luke 24:50-51 and Acts 1:9-10). This was his wedding feast.

    The early Christian community expected his return at any moment as King and Great Judge. Then, he would reward the faithful (i.e., he would serve the servants). The heavenly wedding feast and the future feast of the Kingdom were glimpsed in the Eucharist, where the Lord is fully present and received by the faithful, but not as yet clearly seen. In this parable, Luke demonstrated the ideal attitude of those who gathered for fellowship on the Lord’s Day: celebrate his presence (the heavenly banquet) and actively await for his coming (the Kingdom feast) by serving each other. Those who celebrated this way were truly blessed!

    Pentecost 9, Proper 14, Year C

    I. Theme – Understanding our Heritage and Putting our Trust in God

    The lectionary readings are here or individually: 

    First Reading – Genesis 15:1-6
    Psalm – Psalm 33:12-22
    Epistle – Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
    Gospel – Luke 12:32-40 

    This week’s readings help us to understand our heritage of faith and to strengthen our trust in God. In Genesis , Abram puts his faith and his family’s future in God’s promises. The psalmist sings the praises of the sovereign Creator God. The author of Hebrews gives examples from salvation history of the faith that pleases God. There is a sense of urgency about the parables in the gospel for today. Jesus admonished his followers to be ready for action: “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; — Luke 12:35 . Jesus cautions his disciples to live in a manner that reflects the imminent possibility of his unexpected return.

    This would have reminded them of the instruction for celebrating the feast of the Passover. At the time of the exodus, when they escaped from slavery in Egypt, they had been told to be ready to move without notice. This urgent readiness was then remembered in the way they celebrated these great events in the Passover every year: so we have the instruction on how the Passover meal was to be eaten hurriedly, in the book of Exodus:

    This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the LORD. — Exodus 12:11

    The Jewish people were used to recalling these directions in scripture every year and would easily have recognized the same idea in the teaching of Jesus about the coming to the Kingdom of God:be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. — Luke 12:36

    Today’s readings remind us to seek God’s realm in and beyond our daily responsibilities, and to consider constantly the need to give up certain types of security to be faithful to God’s presence in the persons in front of us and across the globe. We may have an uneasy conscience at times and this is good news, for such uneasiness invites us to mindfulness and intentionality, and reflection on what is truly important in the course of a day and a lifetime.

    “See, the eyes of the lord are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness” (Psalm 33: 18). The Spanish-speaking and Native American peoples have a lovely yarn craft called “Ojos de Dios” or “God’s eyes.” It symbolizes God’s beneficial watchfulness over us.

    However, God’s all-seeing, ever-present eye is not a comforting thought to everyone. In order for this to be a soul-warming concept, we must have an understanding of the true nature of God. As the psalmist says, we must be among “those who hope in his kindness.” To those who await only God’s judgment, the thought of God’s eye upon them is threatening rather than comforting.

    The opposite of faith is fear. Jesus’ exhortation, “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock,” is really an appeal to trust God. Trust and love go together. In our human relationships, we know that we trust more where mutual love exists and trust the least where there is no love. We are told that, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love” (1 John 4:18).

    It has been said that every human being responds to God’s existence, either in fear or in love, that is, to judgment or salvation. When we have grasped the good news of God’s steadfast love towards us, the lord becomes our help and our shield. That God’s eye is upon us is our most supportive thought. We can never be lost or alone because God sees us in all times and places. God’s love will provide for us and reward us as we seek God’s will.

    We seek God’s will because we are certain that it is our Father’s good pleasure to give us the kingdom. We trust God’s perfect love, and this casts out our fear. We have confidence for the day of judgment. When the lord returns, our lamps will be burning brightly for the celebration that will be like a marriage feast. Hearts that have held the treasure of Jesus’ saving love will tremble with joy at his appearing.

    Seeking the kingdom is a tough road and we cannot get caught up in our own world, We are reminded that we may not see the fulfillment of God’s promises in our lifetime. All too often, we put our own worldly hopes and dreams in front of God’s promises, believing that God fulfills promises by blessing people with wealth, health and happiness. This could not be further from the Gospel of Jesus, who told the rich to sell all they had, who told the disciples not to take more than they could carry and to rely on the generosity of others, who told us all to become first we must become last of all and servant of all. This is what Jesus has called us to do—to seek eternity, we must not be wedded to the wealth and success of this world, for it will fall away. Our lives are a witness to the future: did we seek to live for Christ by living for others, or did we seek to live for ourselves?

    II. Summary

    First Reading –  Genesis 15:1-6

    At this point in the book of Genesis, the perspective changes from the story of humanity (Genesis 1–11) to the story of a specific man, Abram (Genesis 12–23), and through him and his offspring, to the story of a chosen people.

    This is one of several times in this liturgical cycle that we meet both Abraham and God in a discussion about the future of Abraham and his tribe. A couple of Sundays ago it was the vision and visitation at Mamre, and this morning the discussion embraces Abraham’s worry of having no heir. The verse begins with a prophetic cast: “the word of the Lord came to Abram.”

    Today’s reading repeats the earlier promise of posterity to Abram (12:1-3, 13:16). Because of his childlessness, Abram was relying upon the custom of adopting a child born of a slave as his heir. He and Sarai are very old, and Abram is concerned about the continuation of his legacy—a common concern of his day and throughout Biblical history, and even in parts of the world still today—how property is passed down becomes the main concern of one’s existence, because it isn’t very long. Abram needs an heir, and it doesn’t appear Sarai will be able to have a child. But God promises Abram and Sarai that their needs will be met, and their descendants will be more numerous than they can count. It is a promise that they did not see fully realized in their lifetime, but were given a glimpse of their future with hope.

    In response to God’s promise of descendants, Abram “believed the lord,” that is, trusted God. This put him in the right relationship to God, that of “righteousness.” Abram recognizes God’s promise as valid, and this interaction indeed makes it absolute fact. This attitude and relationship then become the basis for righteous deeds.

    Psalm –  Psalm 33:12-22

    This psalm was probably recited at the great autumn festival of Tabernacles, which celebrated both the creation and the history of Israel. Psalm 33:12-22 is a song of blessing for those who follow and trust in God.

    Its opening verses (not read this morning) indicates that this psalm is indeed a hymn, sung with musical instruments. The psalm is stretched between two points of view: a national one “the people he has chosen to be his own” and a more universal view, “he beholds all the people in the world.”

    It is introduced by a call to the congregation to praise the lord (vv. 1-5). Then it praises God as Creator (vv. 6-9) and as the lord of history (vv. 10-19). What is contrasted in the poem is the might of God and any potential might on the part of humankind – “no king can be saved by his mighty army.” God’s power is more subtle, not like the sheer power of the horse. God’s power is made manifest by the word that God speaks.

    Verses 20-22 are a concluding confession of trust. The breath that makes the word is like unto the “soul” (literally “the life breath”) that awaits God. It is in this connection of life – the Creator to the created – that trust is found.

    The psalmist knows that God’s word and works are unchanging (v. 4) and that God delivers the chosen people (vv. 12, 18-19) because of the covenant promises. When we put our trust in worldly powers, they will fail us, but God is faithful. God is the one who made all of creation, why do we look to created beings to save us? God is the one we wait for, who will be faithful in the end.

    Epistle-  Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

    Today’s reading begins a four-week sequence of readings from the letter to the Hebrews. Despite its title, very little can be known for sure about the author or the audience. The book is much more like a theological treatise with a strong pastoral emphasis than like a letter. The author calls it “my word of exhortation” (13:22). It may originally have been a sermon or series of sermons put in writing for the benefit of those who should have become leaders and teachers (5:12) of their congregation but who have become discouraged (10:32, 12:12), perhaps by persecution (12:4).

    He refers to the Greek version of the Old Testament (called the Septuagint) and employs the terminology of Greek thought as it had been adapted by Jewish philosophers who applied Platonic concepts to Judaism. Both author and audience seem to belong to the generation of believers after the apostles (2:3, 13:7).

    The readers were fretting about promises that God seemed to have withdrawn. The readers were Jews (Hebrews) who had come to believe in Jesus as the fulfillment of their Jewish hopes. This got them ostracized from the institutions (sacrifices, priesthood, rituals) of mainline Judaism. To bolster their faith, the author writes a complex treatise showing that their new life in Christ more than compensates for what they have lost, and the promises to which they are now heirs exceed the promises of old.

    In the main body of the letter the author has established the superiority of Jesus to the prophets, to angels and to Moses; the superiority of Christ’s priesthood to the Levitical priesthood; and the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice offered for all time in the heavenly sanctuary to the repeated sacrifices offered on earth by the levitical priests. Given that reality, he can exhort his audience to perseverance.

    Today’s reading is a roll call of Old Testament examples of faith, particularly those of our ancestors, of Abraham and Sarah. A wealthy but childless pagan in Ur of the Chaldees (modern Iraq), Abraham heard the voice of God summoning him to a different land, where God promised to grant him many descendants. Despite obstacles and setbacks, Abraham stayed obedient, “for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.” (There’s a sentence to emphasize in your proclamation.)

    The ancestors are praised for believing unfulfilled promises “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (vs. 1) and we are reminded that Abraham and Sarah did not see the fulfillment of God’s promise to them, but had a glimpse through the birth of their son, Isaac. The narrative of Abraham and Sarah invites us to be risk takers, willing to go forth with only a dream to guide us toward God’s far horizons. This elderly couple gives up everything secure to follow a promise.

    Faith is an active attitude that, based upon past experience and outward signs, makes a present and vivid reality out of the future and the unseen. It’s about trust – the trust in the reality of the relationship with, and the promises of, God is especially exemplified by Abraham.

    So we must live with this faith: God has promised us a future with hope, God has given us the hope of eternal life through Jesus the Christ. But we may not see the fulfillment in our lifetime, but through our faith, we leave a legacy for future generations. When we are faithful, future generations will look upon our faith and find endurance, and may even see the promises made to us fulfilled. So don’t lose heart.

    Gospel –  Luke 12:32-40 

    Today’s sayings and parables are told in the context of imminent crisis. The climax of Jesus’ ministry is approaching and with it the judgment of Israel. Thus the time of trial for his disciples and the time of decision for all is also at hand. The disciples are to trust their welfare to God, who is the source of their security.

    Luke 12:32-40 contains a brief parable about being ready and waiting for Christ to come in a new way. Paired with the parable of the Rich Fool from last week, we once again are reminded that living for the ways of the world is foolish.

    The parable of the doorkeeper gave the early Church a way to think about the delay of Jesus’ second coming and the need for constant watchfulness because of his unexpected return. The critical point for decision, whether met in Jesus’ ministry, in his death and resurrection, or in the expectation of his return, confronts every listener.

    So what shall the faithful Christian do? First of all, “have no fear”. The promise from God is that the kingdom will be given to those who believe. What follows are two images: be properly dressed for action and movement, and take a flashlight, ready to move and to see when the Bridegroom comes. We are called to expect the unexpected. It requires attentiveness, willingness to launch out on a moment’s notice, and the possibility that we have to become downwardly mobile for the sake of following God’s vision

    Luke will move in coming chapters to the foreshadows of the Passion and the events that will disturb the disciples. However, for the “Son of Man” to appear, we must be ready to accept the coming at any time. Stuck at the end of the first paragraph of this reading is a pithy bit of advice. Understanding what we really treasure is a clue to what we will be ready and willing to do. If the heart is to guide us, it must be the heart of Christ.

    For starters, this text – and the others – calls for an examination of conscience to determine what is truly important to us. The hour and moment of God’s coming may or may not conflict with our other responsibilities. It may not represent a sharp break, but it will call us to perceive our responsibilities from a different perspective

    Living for our own gain, our own success, our own wealth leads to ruin. One fault that many Christians have is that we believe in life after death, and so we live this life as if it was completely second from the next. Instead, Christ proclaims eternal life, in that our lives lived now prepare us for eternity. Christ tells us to be last of all and servant of all. Christ tells us to store up treasures in heaven, not worldly pleasures. Unfortunately, many have missed this message, living for the moment, ignoring the ones who need to be served, and instead, expecting to be served ourselves.

    What Mary gets that Martha doesn’t

    Colossians 1:15-29 – “Christ in You” “This mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but now is revealed to God’s saints… is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” —Colossians 1.27-28 A poem by Steve Garnaas-Holmes “Never mind the lonely trek across the desert to find your elusive teacher, nor does your Savior have to come to you. The Beloved lives inside you, breathing here, moving in you, moving you, the silence shimmering in your lungs, the heat rising, pulsing, pushing, straining to get out and love this crazy world. “The life in you is of God. The Chosen One is in your blood, your flesh, even your wounds, bleeding sometimes, and when you bleed you bleed glory, and when you are weary the splendor of God rests, and when you suffer the Gentle One silently accepts your lashes, and quietly rises again and again. “The Beloved lives inside you, working miracles, or speaking to you in that silent language, or sometimes sitting still, eyes closed, with a little smile, or maybe just relaxing, looking around, being at home. We have to look inside to see our own unique gifts that are a part of our community . These appear in soul searching as a result of our faith if we take the time to search them out. And we have to be ready to receive the gifts of others as well. Martha as well as May has the opportunity to receive God’s grace through faith through their identification with Christ. Martha needs to see that she needs nourishment. She needs to be “renewed in faith and strengthened for service.” Jesus is the host with many gifts to give. We have to take the time to “get it.” This scripture represents Paul’s dealing with those in Colossae who believe that obedience to the law through the Torah provided the basis for God’s promised blessings. Not so, says Paul. When a person believes in Christ, Christ enters into their being and they receive, as a gift, the full benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection. Thus with “Christ in us” we possess the “hope of glory.” We can all share in his glory It was his effort to preach and incorporate the Gentiles into the body of Christ.

    Christ in the House of Mary and Martha – Johannes Vermeer

    The painting is inspired by Luke 10:38-42 where Jesus enters the home of Mary and Martha. It happens after the Good Samaritan. The passage only occurs in Luke’s Gospel.

    Martha greets Jesus but is preoccupied with tasks. Mary chose listening to the teachings of Jesus over helping her sister prepare food. Jesus is friends with this family who live in Bethany. Later, just before the crucifixion, Jesus will raise Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus.

    The three figures are bound in a circular composition. Circular compositions were frequently employed to unite complex figure groupings and impede the viewer’s eye from straying aimlessly around the picture If, however, the implied circle becomes too influential, the observer may feel subliminally entrapped. As a remedy Dutch artists often included a sort of escape route Vermeer provided a similar visual relief in the half-opened doorway  to the dark recess of the upper left-hand corner of the composition.

    The work is known for the handling of light and shadow. The play of light on different surfaces such as the loaf of bread or the different fabrics  (Mary seated) is noted. There is color contrast in Mary’s clothing. Martha is statuesque with her downcast eyes. She seems to ignore Jesus pointing. The painting seems to be echoing the last verse. But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

    Dutch interior paintings are their own genre in the 17th century. Many of the paintings focus on love and/or the virtues of domestic life, the latter appropriate for this painting.  The Dutch had fought a ware for independence culminating in 1648 The new Dutch Republic was the most prosperous nation in Europe and led European trade, science, and art. A distinctive feature of the period, compared to earlier European painting, was the limited number of religious paintings. Dutch Calvinism forbade religious paintings in churches, and though biblical subjects were acceptable in private homes, relatively few were produced.

    This is one of the largest and  earliest surviving paintings by Johannes Vermeer (1632-1675). It is also his only known work of a biblical subject though he was a specialist of interiors. It was done between 1654-1656.

    Around the time that he painted this picture, Vermeer married Catharina Bolnes, the youngest daughter of a wealthy Catholic in Delft, Maria Thins. This match would have required Vermeer’s conversion to Catholicism, and the young couple soon moved in with the bride’s mother. Given its large size, it is likely that Christ in the House of Martha and Mary was a specific commission, possibly intended for a clandestine Catholic church in Delft or for a Catholic patron, perhaps even Vermeer’s mother-in-law.

    Van Gogh’s Depiction of the “Good Samaritan

    From Author of this article

    Vincent Van Gogh’s dynamic and intimate portrait of the Good Samaritan is based on the French painter Eugene Delacroix’s similar painting. Van Gogh painted his own version of Delacroix’s The Good Samaritan while recuperating at the asylum of Saint-Rémy after suffering from two mental breakdowns in the winter of 1888-89.

    At the time, Van Gogh was feeling spent and fragile and this sense of helplessness colors both figures at the heart of the painting. The broken and attacked man can barely get up on the horse. His muscles appear limp, depleted of any strength that could help him sit upright. All the man appears capable of is clinging to his rescuer. Likewise, the Samaritan seems to be barely able to summon up the strength to lift the man on the horse. By imbuing the painting with his own brokenness, Van Gogh creates a moving depiction of Christ’s solidarity with us in our human weakness. Christ humbles himself, taking on the form of a slave (Phil 2:7). And we, like this robbed man, can do nothing without Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13).

    In some of the earliest  interpretations of the parable by early Church theologians, most famously by Augustine, the Good Samaritan is an image of Christ. The two coins with which the Samaritan pays the innkeeper are the two commandments: to love the Lord Our  and to love our neighbor as ourselves. During this Lenten season, we strive to love God more through purifying our lives of distracting loves of lesser things, and we strive to love our neighbor more through positive actions of charity and almsgiving.

    As we meditate on this image of the Samaritan lifting up the weak robbed man, let us ponder what weaknesses we need Christ to heal in us this Lent. How is Christ seeking to reach us, even in our weakness? And how, through acts of almsgiving, can we be Good Samaritans for our neighbors in need this Lent?

    On May 8, 1889, exhausted, ill, and out of control, Vincent Van Gogh committed himself to St. Paul’s psychiatric asylum in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a small hamlet in the south of France. A former monastery, the sanitarium was located in an area of cornfields, vineyards and olive trees. There Van Gogh was allowed two small adjoining cells with barred windows. One room he used as his bedroom, and the other was his tiny studio. While there, Van Gogh not only painted the surrounding area and the interior of the asylum, he also copied paintings and drawings by other artists, making those paintings his own through modifications he made to the painting’s composition, the colors and, of course, the brush strokes.

    One of the artists whose works Van Gogh copied and modified was the Dutch Gold Age painter Rembrandt van Rijn. The Good Samaritan by Rembrandt drew Van Gogh’s attention: in which a Samaritan man hoists a wounded man with a bandaged head onto a horse to be taken to an inn for recovery.

    When Van Gogh was admitted to the sanitarium in St Remy de Provence, he had become so difficult, so sick that the townspeople of Arles, where he had been living and painting had given him the name “the red-headed madman.” After a psychotic break during the visit of fellow artist Paul Gauguin, Van Gogh was all but put out of the town. With the help of a couple of people, he eventually made his way to the sanitarium in St Remy de Provence where he copied and modified Delacroix’s painting of The Good Samaritan.

    If viewers were to see the two paintings – Rembrandt’s and Van Gogh’s side by side – the first thing that would strike you is the light in Van Gogh’s painting and the darkness in Rembrandt’s. Though not sharing the bright colors of his paintings in Arles, Van Gogh’s painting of The Good Samaritan, is well lit which means we can make out things more clearly in the painting.

    Commentary, June 26, 2022, Pentecost 3

    The 2019 sermon was derived mostly from Psalm 16 is about “True Freedom”, apropos with July 4 coming up this week.

    “True freedom is from God, the gift that God has freely given us through the liberating life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus…

    “In Psalm 16, the psalmist helpfully describes the true freedom that comes from knowing and living as if God really is our Lord.

    “When God is our portion and our cup, we will never go hungry.

    “When we accept God’s gifts to us, we dwell in God. Even if we have no place to lay our heads on this earth, we are at home in God and cared for by God.

    “When we bless the Lord, who gives us counsel, we come to know God’s wisdom, because God teaches our hearts, so that we are no longer are held captive by or distressed by the erratic and unpredictable tyranny of human wisdom that is uninformed by God’s love.

    “When people betray us and those tools of anger and revenge seem to be the only way out of our prisons of resentment and distress, remembering that the Lord is always with us will keep us from falling on our own swords as we try to take out our enemies.

    “Therefore, the psalmist says that even in the worries and sorrows of this life, “my heart, therefore is glad, and my spirit rejoices; and my body rests in hope.”

    Our readings this week are about focusing on the mission of establishing God’s kingdom presence in the world in contrast to a focus on one’s own desires and in an atmosphere of great change. Rev. Canon Lance Ousley of the Diocese of Olympia has said this about today’s readings. “Stewardship is not only about the giving of one’s self and one’s resources, but it is also about living our lives “by the Spirit” devoted each day to the presence of God’s kingdom here and now through sharing ourselves and our resources for this purpose. For those who do, they will find the nearness of God’s kingdom come on earth.”

    The readings show different responses to change. In the Old Testament reading, Elisha accepts the mantle of leadership from Elijah whose mission was soon to be over which he did not complain about. He seems sanguine about it. We sang today the hymn in Levas “Trust and Obey” relevant for this scripture. In the Gospel passage while Jesus knew what lay ahead in Jerusalem, the disciple did not and this became a learning process but it wasn’t as smooth in the Old Testament reading. Discipleship was not for cowards. Paul is the consumate teacher spelling out the role of disciples in the reading from Galatians and what is not discipleship. Discipleship is “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Discipleship is NOT “fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.”

    The Gospel reading begins a large section of Luke’s gospel, the great travel narrative (9:51–18:14) telling of Jesus’ journey from Galilee through Samaria towards Jerusalem. Today’s selection, which is filled with explicit and implicit references to Elijah, continues to broaden the sense in which Jesus was perceived as a prophet.

    It is the turning point of Luke’s account, where Jesus “resolutely set his face toward Jerusalem” and his destiny there. Luke packs the passage with explicit and symbolic statements about the costs of being Jesus’ disciple, in view of Jesus’ journey toward his death. To prepare us for hearing the gospel challenge, the church recalls the call to discipleship of Elisha.