| First
Reading | Epistle | Gospel |
| Jeremiah
23:1-6 | | Luke
23:33-43 |
There
is an old rabbinical saying that goes, "If we use broken vessels, it is considered
an embarrassment. Yet God continually seeks out broken vessels to use, for God
is the healer of shattered hearts." The
prophet Jeremiah was condemning the selfishness, pride and utter venality of past
leaders of Israel. They had led the land to ruin and cruelly exploited the people.
Israel's inheritance has been shattered. Jeremiah was searching for the words
to describe a new kind of leader, a leader who would protect the weak, not forsake
or sacrifice the welfare of the people for selfish purposes and lead back the
nation to health and prosperity. Jeremiah thought of a shepherd, because a good
shepherd cares for the whole flock, sees that all get water and grass enough,
looks out for wolfs, and searches out any individual lamb that gets lost, and
finally always has the foresight to anticipate when the flock needs to be lead
on to a greener pasture. Jeremiah knew he wasn't dealing with perfect images,
just as he knew he was dealing with a sorry record of disillusions and disappoint-ments
of past leaders. Yet he hoped the image of a shepherd would instill a sense of
political organization completely different from the despots and military tyrants
of his history.
The Gospel writers knew that Jesus too shared a vision of a completely new type
of world organization and way of exercising leadership than what people had suffered
under. In Jesus' time it was the Roman Empire with its military governors, harsh
system of taxation, and omnipresent control that seemed to be a permanent and
universal way of governing. The Gospel is very subversive in announcing no, things
do not have to always be this way, and people of faith do not have to accept things
merely how they are. Luke saw Jesus as chosen, the one anointed by God to offer
humanity a fresh start, a hope of how God intended people to live with one another.
Luke had difficulty describing what that would mean too. Luke used the broken
terminology of kingship, but it described a kingship completely reversed to how
kings and kingdoms of earth operated. That is why so many of the parables of Jesus
conclude with a total reversal of things, the modest and unselfish being raised
up, the powerful oppressors of the world being brought down, those satisfied with
the status quo sent away empty, those hungry for a better justice and a truer
peace, filled.
We
have come to the end of the church's year, and we are given a Gospel picture of
Jesus among the very destitute and lost. In the Roman world you couldn't be more
destitute than to be condemned to die by crucifixion. Who is the first one who
is invited to enter the new kingdom? Not a soldier highly decorated for valor,
not a rich benefactor and supporter of Jesus' ministry, and not the most faithful
of disciples. In the new order, Jesus lets in someone in totally desperate straits
who has nothing to offer. "Jesus remember me when God's new order is really established,"
is all he could plea. It was the plea of a dead man. Jesus replies, "today you
will be with me as it is established."
The
language of kingship, is a cracked vessel of broken language. It is still very
much a part of our prayer book and hymnal even though terms of royal hierarchy
in America became obsolete in 1776. We are still struggling to define in appropriate
words a description of the relationship God wishes to have with us. Yes, it is
an embarrassment to sometimes use broken vessels. Yet God continually seeks out
broken vessels to use, for God is the healer of shattered hearts and transforms
imperfect, half formed hopes, calling forth life out of the desperation of death.
That's the Good news from the cross on a Sunday, the last Sunday of the church's
year known by many as the Feast of Christ the King.
And I offer this to you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen
