Sunday, July 21, 2013 (full size gallery)
This past week was busier than expected at this time of year. On Tuesday, July 16, 14 went to the Sight and Sound Theatre in Lancaster, PA to see the "Noah" production. (Here is a link with Eunice’s reaction and some pictures.) The scenery of that area with the Amish farmers was an unexpected treat. Wed., 30 bald headed eagles were spotted in the Port Royal Area. During the week, the Parish bathroom project continued with new fixtures added. On Thursday, Catherine, Elizabeth, Becky and Nancy began the planning for VBS on August 12. Then on Friday, the weekly email was sent. The story on Rock Stop Farm involved several parishioners which was enhanced by Barbara Wisdom’s 19th century family picture of the site,
We had 33 church today with several families away. We celebrated BJ’s birthday and thanked her for her gift of the communion bread. The crepe myrtles were out throughout the village this week.
The key theme was hospitality. The choir prelude was "Mary and Martha" about the Gospel passage. Hospitality, sharing a meal in particular, is a prominent theme throughout Luke and how one is received or not. In the narrative world of Luke, hospitality is multi-dimensional. According to this gospel account, we see hospitality from the perspective of receiving hospitality as well as extending it to another. Hospitality in Luke’s world is not limited to sex, religious preoccupation or county – it is open to all. Mary has it and Martha has to learn it.
The sermon focused on a symbolic passage from the Old Testament lesson in Genesis 18 also about hospitality. (The readings are here.) Abraham is camped by the oaks of Mamre.
Today there is a site in Israel in the West Bank of the meeting of Abraham and the three Angels with a 5,000 year old Oak Tree. The tree was worshipped by Jews and Christians for hundreds of years, until Constantine in the fourth century stopped the practice by building a church there. The site of the oak was acquired in 1868 by Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin) for the Church of Russia, and the Monastery of the Holy Trinity was founded nearby Actually the main tree has been dead since 1996 but there have appeared new shouts. Near the great trees of Mamre several significant incidents took place in Abram’s life
"This story from Genesis is so powerful!—because not only does it describe the hospitality of Abraham, but it also provides for us a glimpse into the very nature of God. God’s very nature is one of hospitality, communion, and interrelatedness—God as Trinity, not a lone being, but three in one.
"In the early 1400’s, Andrei Rublev, a Russian iconographer, created an icon of this visit of the Lord to Abraham, and in this icon, he imagines the Trinity. Notice that the three of them could be contained in a perfect circle.Now let’s look at each of the figures individually.
Christ in the middle "Notice that the Christ figure has two fingers on the table—these two fingers representing his divine and human nature.
"And the tree can also represent the wood of the cross, or the Tree of Life in the center of the Garden of Eden, or the tree with its leaves for the healing of the nations that lines the banks of the stream of living water in Revelation—this tree in the icon is a rich image that can lead deep into prayer.
"To his right is God – Note that above this God figure is a house—which brings to mind Abraham’s tent where God has been welcomed.
"God looks toward both of the other figures, so let’s look across the table now to the Spirit.
This figure is clothed in green and blue; blue for divinity, and green for new life.
"We are invited into this circle. This circle reaches around behind the three figures and draws each one of us in as well, invites each one of us in to a place within this Trinitarian circle at the Lord’s table.
"But we must not rest within that circle with our backs to the world. "
"In today’s gospel, Mary has entered the circle, and Jesus calls Martha to put away all that is keeping her from entering this circle and to come and join Him too.