Christmas 2011
Let’s be clear we have not been called and gathered here together because we are better than our neighbors who are not here, or because God loves us more than someone else living out in the fields away from this enlightened city. Again there is no answer to the question why the angel went to Mary and not to Martha who promised to be equally as good a mother, who lived right down the street and was the best cook of latkes in the neighborhood. Christmas is not about God producing a gala award show just for those who show up first.
4 December 2011
John the Baptist balances the too often superficial stories of artificially sweetened angels, sanitized shepherds and domesticated magi. John the Baptist is the other birth story, the other beginning that warns that not only those who pave the way, but those who in turn take and follow on the way might experience the same fate as John. John shows the way, the way to rejection, to confinement and finally death by the powers of the world. The testimony of John warns that new birth is not without danger, not without pain, not without upheaval and threatening the powers that think they run things.
27 November 2011
The apocalyptic literature calls for repentance. It calls for preparedness, but it does not predict the end of the world. The end of the world is God’s decision and God’s alone, and that is why false prophets who use the Biblical literature to foretell the end and foreclose on the future are denounced for presuming on God’s prerogative.
20 November2011
Today’s Gospel passage in Matthew is not found in the other Gospels. It is a picture of a final judgment when all will be put right and Christ will reign in full glory. Yet like Ezekiel’s vision, while it uses the royal images of kings and kingdoms, it is about God bringing people together.
13 November 2011
Jesus was saying that life couldn’t be fully lived without taking a risk on trust, on hope, and on love. Otherwise, it is like hiding your light under a bushel basket. If all that motivates you is fear of failure and rejection you will never truly live and flourish as God intended for every single one of us.
6 November 2011
All Saints’ Day reminds us that God surprises us with the variety of people who have the potential to bless our lives. There is no stereotype of a saint. Saints both lived in the past and are living around us today.
30 October 2011
First and foremost the prophets were social critics who held up and compared the society they lived in, to the society they believed God had called them to form; God intended Israel to be like a city on a hill, rising from the miles of flat plains around them; a model and example for all humanity to look up to and emulate. The prophets did not set out to be predictors of events far off in the future, but they did warn of the inevitable consequences of an unjust society.
9 October 2011
In the opinion of Christians, those who rejected Jesus seemed to be like those who were invited but ungraciously chose to scorn a wonderful invitation. Hence they were like those who disregarded the King’s invitation to the feast meant for all people to partake in.
2 October 2011
In today’s Gospel Jesus’ sharp reply to those who question his authority is highly allegorical. There is a danger in us in spending much time discerning who Jesus was condemning as the bad tenants. It is far healthier to understand thay we the tenants today in this world, we are the tenants of God’s vineyard, sent out to produce a harvest that comes from the seeds of peace, justice, compassion and hope in the human enterprise.
25 September
Jesus rarely expects us to stand resolutely in place, digging in our heals, but rather invites us, as today’s church, to trust in going forward beyond known and comfortable borders, to witness in uncertain and unsteady times by being brave and courageous in the face of cynicism of the present and fear of the future, and to re-establish a sense of direction by serving as an explorer and moral mapmaker. That is why the strength of the character of our Christian discipleship is more important than where we now stand on any particular issue.
18 September
The story of Jonah was never written as an historical account or as a biography; it is a fifth century b.c.e. lesson/parable about the nature of God written with disarming humor so even older children would understand. From the first, it is clear that God wishes the city of Nineveh to repent rather than wishing to punish it. God intends to send Jonah because God believes that Jonah has the skills to convince the people of Nineveh. God intends success, not failure. Jonah says, “Yea, yea,” and then ignores God and goes in another direction from Nineveh.
11 September
Forgiveness is letting go of the demand that the past be changed. We may profoundly wish something in the past did not happen, but forgiveness is the choice to fully live in the present. Forgiveness doesn’t erase the past. Forgiveness doesn’t say that it doesn’t matter what happened. Indeed forgiveness claims it does matter, and when we let go of insisting the past be different and live in the present we maintain our integrity and carry our values forward.
28 August 2011
Most of us are under pressure, juggling all sorts of demands on our time, and trying to sort out how being a person of faith relates to being a teacher or student, a parent or caregiver for a neighbor, serving on the vestry or PTA. Someone once asked a reputed wise spiritual guide, "What am I going to do when I run out of time, when I have no further answers, and when my arms can hold no more?"
21 August 2011
In the past weeks, we have read in the Gospels, the feeding of the multitude, and Jesus walking on the water. Today we read Peter’s confession of whom Jesus really was. The three stories seem to be all linked together in John, Mark, and Matthew. Luke omits Jesus walking on water, but still connects Jesus’ feeding with Peter’s confession. The direct relationship among these three stories seems to have been established independently before any of the Gospels were written.
14 August 2011
This woman was different. She persisted until Jesus paid attention. She did not become distraught; she clearly focused on getting Jesus to hear her. More than anyone else present on that day, who had surrounded Jesus, she really trusted that Jesus could help her. Jesus didn’t catch on at first, thinking she would be easily dismissed. The woman was no pushover and was not intimidated. Again, the woman didn’t become angry or return an insult. Yet she had sized up Jesus pretty well. It was a teachable moment, and the woman made the most of it.
7 August 2011
In today’s Gospel, the disciples are crossing the lake to meet Jesus on the other side. A storm whips up and the disciples are again very concerned. Perhaps it was a small fishing boat, not built to hold anyway near twelve people. Again the disciples are close to panic. In the midst of the storm, there appears a figure, perhaps even a storm demon, and a bad omen, walking on the water towards them. Jesus assures them it was he who was coming to be with them. Peter, always impulsive by nature, asks Jesus if he could come to him.
24 July 2011
Jesus used terms such as the kingdom of God, the reign of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, or the establishment of God’s new world age on earth, virtually interchangeably. His teaching, however, cast a different perspective than the popular view on what the kingdom of God involved.
3 July 2011
Jesus used terms such as the kingdom of God, the reign of God, the Kingdom of Heaven, or the establishment of God’s new world age on earth, virtually interchangeably. His teaching, however, cast a different perspective than the popular view on what the kingdom of God involved.
26 June 2011
The Gospel passage today is part of Jesus’ instructions on what discipleship entailed. This is where Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to be my disciple, one must take up the cross and follow me and if you love your family more than me, you cannot be my disciple.” Such sayings do not lend themselves to warm, fuzzy, comforting preaching. Jesus’ followers were to practice a radically new type of hospitality.
19 June 2011
Psalm 82 contains a very early legend of God summoning all the supposed gods of the neighboring peoples who presumably were assigned to care and protect their respective creatures, and firing them precisely for neglecting to honor their relationships. God thunders, “no more mockery of justice, no more favoring of the wicked, let the orphan have justice, be fair to the wretched and destitute, rescue the weak and needy, save them from the clutches of the wicked. Ignorant and senseless, you carry on blindly undermining the basis of a healthy society, you are fired”. (That wasn’t Donald Trump talking that was God!)
12 June 2011
I wonder if Pentecost is not reminding us that God uses many languages and communicates in numerous ways. There is no official divine way of communicating, which is why insisting on one and only one definitive call of God can be very tricky. God seems to offer us opportunities and has given us freedom to choose. Some of our choices many be wise, others foolish. Instead of believing the Holy Spirit as determining our paths, perhaps it is helpful to understand God as affirming our choices when we decide to be on the side of life.
5 June 2011
Before we catch our breath, virtually all of us here, will be sent right into an ever-changing world. We can be assured that the future won’t be like the present, although what will seem the same and what won’t is always pretty hard to predict. The same thing goes for the church, be it this particular parish or the church at large. Ascension Day prepares us to face these changes without fear, for the living Christ is nevermore confined to our present morning of time or where our feet stand this minute.
29 May 2011
Like disciples of every age, we are often trapped with certain prejudices and assumptions of our immediate experience. We suffer from fear of a new age. It’s hard to imagine how profound change can very well be change for the better. Yet I suspect most of the anxieties and controversies that vex us now will likely be no more than mere footnotes fifty years hence. We are like those before us who anxiously asked, “Jesus, how can we know the way? With all the uncertainty and chaos of life, is it possible for the joy and peace of God to be with us?”
15 May 2011
Jesus warns us to be on our guard for leaders who are wolves in sheep’s clothing, bad leaders deceptively disguised as good. Disciples need to be well educated on ways to distinguish between good leaders and bad ones. As always, Jesus set the example. Jesus welcomed questions. Jesus didn’t put people like Thomas down. Jesus didn’t compel followers to have homogenous opinions. Jesus accepted reservations. The disciples were never molded into lock-step conformity.
8 May 2011
The appearances of Jesus right after the resurrection are always tied to persons being encouraged in going out and spreading the good news. The appearances are never anchored to one place. Jesus is always on the move, appearing in the cemetery garden, in the upper room in Jerusalem, on the road to Emmaus, by the shore on the Sea of Galilee, on a hill of the Mount of Olives, and on the Damascus Road. As minds are opened, scriptures make sense, past teachings fall into place, horizons are stretched and the risen Lord is recognized as being present.
1 May 2011
Today’s Gospel from John is a continuation of last week’s account. Some of the disciples had gathered in a room, with the knowledge that Jesus was alive, but they were still scared and wondering. Jesus entered through closed doors and the disciples sensed his presence and blessing of peace. Thomas was not present, and later expressed his dismay at having missed Jesus. Then a week later, Thomas was there when Jesus came among them again.
24 April 2011 — Easter
We live in a world that sorely needs to understand the universality of the Easter message. Forces attempt to fiercely polarize us in innumerable ways. We are urged to cast certain groups of people into the depths of Hades, to wish and treat them as good as dead. If only we could bury them and seal them up in an impenetrable tomb. But that’s an old way of thinking; it’s a way of thinking that only leads down a treacherous tunnel of increasing misery and further tragedy. It’s the dance card of death. Denial of our connectedness comes more and more with increasing peril. What seeps into the water table in one state, affects what we drink in another.
17 April 2011 — Palm Sunday
The Passion calls us in various ways to acclaim our savior, to join and find ourselves engaged in the great drama Jesus leads. Jesus doesn’t wait until all our lives are in order or hold back until the weather clears, the political climate is favorable, and the economy shows definite signs of improving. The taunts of the world will not drown out his invitation. Jesus will not be distracted by the stones hurled to wound him or the dust thrown in his face to confuse him.
10 April 2011
God's resurrection is not resuscitation. It is not bringing back an old life just as it was. God unbinds us from the forces of death in order for us to live, not the same old life, but a renewed life. The woman at the well receives from Jesus not only living water, but also a new life. In last week's Gospel the blind man who received his sight does not go back to being a cagier beggar now that he is able to see. The man born blind becomes a disciple and is given a future to live on an entirely different plane. In John’s Gospel all the great miracles that Jesus does are signs that when God interrupts our present life, our present life is transformed. We are never given just a repeat copy of the same old script.
3 April 2011
There is some irony in the story of the healing of the blind man because it’s so easy to become blind to the real importance of the story. The story doesn’t revolve around how Jesus did it. It isn’t really about how one deals with Jesus’ critics. The center of the story is about the transformation of the formerly blind beggar into becoming a full member of society. He no longer defines himself as a victim, helpless to change his unfortunate lot. He no longer feels sorry for himself or resentful that he isn’t like other people. The man’s response was an honest and wholesome one. He replied, “I don’t know how he did it and I don’t know why he chose me, but look how a gift of his has been such an agent of good in my life. I am so thankful that I have been touched by a gift I neither deserved nor expected.”
27 March 2011
The story of the woman at the well has always served to remind people of faith that the church is not called to confirm either the bias or the prejudice of its society. It wasn’t so long ago that gypsies were considered as Samaritans, or Mormons treated as American Samaritans, not to mention other ethnic groups, or people of different color. Today, depending upon certain circumstances, the phrase “illegal aliens” elicits the same blanket fear and condemnation as gypsies, Mormons, and Samaritans once did.
20 March 2011
Nicodemus must stretch his mind to comprehend Jesus’ metaphors. Nicodemus must process what Jesus meant, not simply what words he thought Jesus had said. Incidentally, it is likely that Jesus never said you must be born again, but that the correct translation is “one must be born from above.” After all, Jesus was seeking to lift Nicodemus’ horizons, not confine them. Jesus wants all humanity to move forward, not simply go round and round in circles.
13 March 2011
In today’s Gospel, the tempter first says to Jesus, "since you are the Son of God, you can do whatever you want so, turn these stones into bread”. “Give us bread!” That was the just about the first thing the tribes of Israel demanded of Moses after they had gained their freedom. “Why did you bring us out here in the desert? In Egypt we had bread enough to eat”. It was as if they had forgotten that they had been slaves, and now were free. They forgot all the signs God had done—they forgot the Passover, the pillar of fire, and the opening of the Red Sea. Incredible!
6 March 2011
Elijah was one of the greatest prophets. He had condemned the corruption of the kings at a time when the royal family had begun to abandon the worship of God. Elijah gave courage to a remnant that would remain faithful to God, who would survive the apostasy of most of their leaders, and reconstitute the true Israel. Down through the ages Elijah’s example of courage and faithful, unrelenting witness in turn gave future generations hope to envision a future when Israel would remember that it was called to be a instrument of God’s blessing. Hence Elijah was seen as a harbinger of a new age, the age when the messiah, the anointed one from God, would be manifest. Therefore at every Passover, in good times and bad ones, Elijah’s spirit would be invoked.
27 February 2011
Israel had been entrusted with a mission to be a light to the world, to be a people of blessing to all people and was specifically not to be like all the other kingdoms of the world. Now it was becoming just like another petty kingdom. While one of Solomon’s great building feats was the temple, it was known as Solomon’s temple, not God’s temple, and the royal palace was where important activity seemed to transpire. The nation was focused around Solomon’s exploits, not around God’s mission to the world.
20 February 2011
Jesus never promised to satisfy our desires. He never implied the Gospel was an easy and uncomplicated method to a well-rewarded and secure existence. Rather Jesus looked directly into people’s hearts and proclaimed, I believe in you to carry out God’s intentions for this world and to be a model of how God wishes us to treat and live with one another. The world inevitably will present many tempting models of selfishness and greed, but I have confidence that you have and will be strengthened to withstand and witness to alternative ways, that are infinitely more healthier and life giving.
13 February 2011
Jesus used many metaphors, and hyperboles, expressions of obvious exaggeration, in his teaching. Some of them are amusing, like the image of a camel straining to go through an eye of a needle, and some of them we strenuously object to when we initially hear them, and try to keep their meaning at arm’s length, scoffing that it is impossible for us. “Yes indeed, it is impossible for you as you are,” Jesus replies, “but not for God. The Gospel makes the impossible a reality.”
6 February 2011
Jesus says, “Blessed are you when people revile you, persecute you, and utter all things falsely about you on my account, for so were the true prophets treated.” Jesus is serving clear notice that the way of genuine disciples may very well lead to trial and suffering. The Gospel is not a ten-step process to guaranteed popularity and worldly success. Aversion to embarrassment, fear of persecution, and apprehension of losing the many social benefits the larger world bestows upon its favorites, weaken many would-be disciples and gradually destroy their faith and any ability whatsoever to witness to the Good News.
30 January 2011
Jesus reminded his disciples that they, following the example of people of faith before them, were to be people of blessing. What does it mean to give and receive blessings? Jesus taught using common Semitic expressions of the culture of their day. Perhaps we might translate them something like this: Blessed are the poor in spirit: How fortunate are those who are not so full with the insecurity and wealth of arrogance and surrounded by the richness of their pride that they cannot acknowledge an empty place within themselves for God’s love to be born or for greater vision to grow.
23 January 2011
I like to think that Jesus treated every one of his disciples as special. He likely had met and had dinner with their families, knew the towns that they grew up in, and was knowledgeable of their skills or trade. They weren’t chosen just to fill a slot. Part of Jesus’ strong appeal was that when he talked to you he gave you his full, undivided attention with no future agenda running through his mind competing with what you were asking him. That’s what made Jesus so different. Jesus made God’s word so clear, so close, so real and compelling. Like the trail of cinder dust and smell of the vapor from the steam lines as the trains passed, with Jesus, the Holy Spirit filled one’s senses. One’s whole body felt Jesus’ presence.
16 January 2011
Tomorrow is a national holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. I could not have picked better lessons for today. Like Isaiah, King could have succumbed and turned bitter and inward. King could have emphasized the mundane, the stuff the world gets hung up on. He could have emphasized being pelted by stones or hounded by dogs. He could have drawn back and nursed his wounds with narrow ideological rhetoric. Instead, he drew his inspiration from the Biblical record and rose to the occasion. King called not just black people, not just poor people, not just Southern people, not just people in whatever category you want to create. King offered a message and a vision for all people. The real legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. involves a vision thoroughly grounded in the signs of God's commonwealth of creation, a vision not necessarily apparent to the world.
9 January 2011
Epiphany is a season of epiphanies. The hymns we sing are full of the workings of God becoming more manifest in our lives. Discoveries and insights lead to eye-opening encounters like between Jesus and John the Baptist and produce dreams like Peter’s. God still calls, disclosures still happen. Some of us might even discover something amazing about ourselves today. Be hopeful, you can never tell. The star of wonder that led the magi to Bethlehem still shines guides.
2 January 2011
The birth account from the Gospel of Luke centers around the angels announcing to the shepherds living on the hills around Bethlehem and is what is commonly read on Christmas Eve, but Matthew's account centers around the visit of the magi, and hence is the Gospel emphasized for the feast of Epiphany. The foreign magi were seen as the representatives of wisdom for the greater, non-Jewish world. It was the magi's visit that fulfilled the promise that the messiah would also be a light to the gentile world.