Pentecost IV

By The Rev. Martha Frances+
Year C, Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 7
24 June 2007
8:00 only

Text: Luke 8: 26-39
Other Readings: I Kings 19: 1-4 [5-7] 8-15a; Ps. 42-43; Galatians 3: 23-29

       Jesus upsets the status quo wherever he goes in the gospels, doesn't
he?  In a culture where the Jews think God is only for the Jews, Jesus
encounters Gentiles like this man who is possessed by demons which are
of course unclean, who lives among the tombs—also unclean—because he
has been banished from society, & when Jesus exorcizes the demons,
they rush into a herd of swine—abhorrent to Jews—in what my husband
Bill always called the first recorded instance of deviled ham!
       Curious that it is the demons who recognize Jesus & are willing to
deal with him directly, isn't it?  The man's name is "Legion" which
may simply refer to the huge amount of evil he has possessing him or
may actually have political implications.  He is possessed by 6,000
evil spirits, a Legion in the Roman army, just as the Jewish people
are inhabited with legions of Roman troops.  But even that many is not
too much for Jesus to confront.
       The primary emotion in this story is fear.  The man full of demons
frightens the people so much they have banished him to live among the
tombs, & he's kept in shackles.  When Jesus heals him & he is in his
right mind, the people are frightened.  And as word spreads of what
Jesus has done, the people in the neighborhood are so frightened they
don't thank Jesus for healing one of their own but rather ask him to
leave.  How much in fear do we live for those things or people we
don't understand?  How apt are we to learn & accept them when our
dominant emotion is fear?
       The now-healed man wants to follow Jesus, to become his disciple &
travel with him.  Can't say that I blame him.  Would you like to stay
in that neighborhood full of fear?  But that's exactly what Jesus
tells him to do.  He says, in effect, bloom where you are planted;
witness right here in your own back yard to the healing & wholeness I
brought to you.  Although we might be called to go out into the world
to share the Gospel with others, we may be called to look around us in
our neighborhood where many do not know the joy of the good news of
Christ.
       Yet this story reminds us also that we're to go beyond our own little
group, not to be frightened of the Gentiles among us who are us,
actually.  None of us are of Jewish birth, I don't imagine.  Though
this congregation has accepted that there is no longer a distinction
between African-American & Anglo in God's eyes, we still have a long
way to go in reaching out to others who are different in other ways to
make our church truly multicultural or to care for those around us
whether they ever darken the doors of Hope or not.  St. Paul tells us
there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female, for we
are one in Christ Jesus.  In our world today, who are we called to see
is belonging equally to Christ, Abraham's offspring, heirs according
to the promise.  We're ever called to stretch our concept of who needs
us & who we need to be in community with.
       Finally, when we find ourselves feeling sorry for ourselves because
of some lack which we have, like air conditioning this morning, let's
heed how God did not respond to Elijah's pity party when he ran away
from Jezebel.  Elijah did not find God in earthquake, wind, or fire
but only in the sound of sheer silence.  God comes to us in strange &
often wonderful ways, but we must often be silent & listen for God's
voice & God's desire for us.  Listen!

By The Rev. Martha Frances+
Year C, Third Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 6

17 June 2007 

Text: Luke 7:36-8:3; Other Readings: I Kings 21:1-10[11-14]15-21a; Galatians 2:15-21; Psalm 5:1-8 

            Have you ever been invited somewhere & then really felt unwelcome when you got there?  Perhaps Jesus felt that way at Simon the Pharisee's house.  Why did Simon invite him to dinner anyway?  Was Jesus just a curiosity?  Perhaps Simon was mildly amused at this traveling preacher, anxious to hear him so then he'd be able to say he'd had him over.  Or maybe it was another opportunity for the Pharisees to try to trap Jesus.  We don't know.  What we DO know is that Simon invited Jesus for dinner yet did not grant him the usual courtesies offered a dinner guest in Jewish society.  Hospitality was an important part of this culture, yet it was not the righteous man who extended hospitality to Jesus but this "sinful" woman.

      Galilean homes in Jesus' day were open to the streets, & uninvited folks might come out to see someone as popular as Jesus.  Simon, Jesus, & the other dinner guests lie on pallets at floor level, holding themselves up on their left elbows with their feet stretched out sideways away from the food.  This woman, a known sinner, comes up behind Jesus weeping. 

      Isn't it interesting that many people have interpreted her sin to be sexual?  Do you see anything in the text indicating she is a harlot?  Though there isn't a word, either in English or Greek, detailing her sin, tradition has developed that, because she is a woman & a sinner, her sin is sexual.  Between Martha Stewart's inside trading conviction & the news stories we hear of mothers' bizarre methods of killing multiple offspring, perhaps we ought to reconsider the variety of sins of which women are capable!

      At any rate, this woman's tears are clearly those of joy, washing his feet with her tears & drying them with her hair responses to forgiveness already given her.  However, Simon's concern is her interruption to his dinner party, & he is indignant.  Doesn't Jesus know what kind of woman is touching him?

      Jesus does not criticize Simon directly for his lack of hospitality but rather tells a parable to reveal Simon's shortcomings.  In so doing, Jesus provides the opportunity for Simon to confront his own petty behavior toward Jesus as well as his judgmentalism toward the woman. 

      Jesus also frees the woman from guilt for her sins since she has shown great love.  The Pharisees still don't get it & try to turn the situation into a discussion of who Jesus thinks he is since he is able to forgive sins.  However, Jesus is confident within himself & goes ahead to forgive the woman's sins, meanwhile offering the opportunity for Simon & the other Pharisees to acknowledge their own self-righteousness so they can be free also. 

      Jesus says, "Simon, do you see this woman?"  The irony of Jesus' question is that, of course Simon sees the woman, sees her as an embarrassing interruption to this dinner party, but Simon does not see her as a woman, a person, a beloved child of God.  Jesus insists on Simon's seeing her—& our seeing her—in new light by contrasting her admirable actions with Simon's lack of hospitality.  This woman is responding out of gratitude for having previously been forgiven, caring for Jesus' feet with her own tears, hair & ointment—a detail which shows that she planned ahead to provide for him—& by kissing him—a common greeting to someone special then as now.  Clearly, a proper host would provide similar courtesies for an honored guest—respectful actions which Simon has neglected.  Jesus doesn't let Simon's holier-than-thou attitude go unnoticed.

      Isn't it curious that we know Simon the Pharisee's name yet this woman whose love & gratitude for Jesus' forgiveness bubbles over into such caring action is never named?  Each of us deserves to be known by name.  When I'm asked what a panhandler on the street should be given, I say I don't usually give money though I usually have crackers & a bottle of water to give, but the most important thing any of us can give is to look that person in the eye, smile at her or him, & acknowledge his or her presence.  Making meaningful eye contact gives more than whatever donation we choose to add.

      Jesus turns his full attention to the woman when he reminds her that her sins have been forgiven.  It's really important for us to realize that the woman doesn't earn Jesus' forgiveness by her actions.  Forgiveness is a gift Jesus has previously given to her.  Her loving actions are her response to the forgiveness that God initiates.  All she's done is to be open to God's gift of forgiveness.  When people can't recognize their own need for forgiveness—which Simon hasn't been open to in the past—then little is forgiven & they can't love abundantly.  Jesus dismisses the woman lovingly, assuring her that her faith—not her actions—has saved her, & that she will truly go in peace.

      The 12 Step programs of recovery including the father of all of them, Alcoholics Anonymous, teach us a lot about the power of forgiveness.  The 4^th of the 12 steps says we make a fearless & searching moral inventory of our character defects & then, in Step 5, we admit to ourselves, to God, & to another person the exact nature of our wrongs.  Many folks have said they don't need anyone between them & God to confess their sins.  However, the wisdom of the 12 Steps tells us that we're much more likely to let go of unhealthy behaviors & learn to live more abundantly when we've admitted our faults to another human also. 

      For many people, the General Confession they say at almost every Eucharist followed by the absolution is adequate to rid them of their guilt & shame & allows them to get on with more healthy living.  However, many of us find that at times in our lives, we need to take more complete stock of ourselves & make private confession to a priest or sponsor or another trained person.  In the Episcopal Church, we have a sacramental rite for confession.  We don't go into a confessional box to talk anonymously to a priest.  Instead, we make an appointment & come in for conversation followed by a short service found right in the prayer book starting on page 447 that can be said between you, the priest, & God.  Interestingly enough, we call that service "Reconciliation of a Penitent" because the purpose is to break down the barriers between you & God, you & another person, or within yourself. 

      Should you take advantage of such private confession?  It's certainly not required in the Episcopal Church.  We often say all MAY come, none MUST come, but many SHOULD come.  Many who take this step find that we can truly put the past behind us & lead a new life unencumbered by the ghosts of our past. 

      Does making confession mean you will never sin again & you'll have smooth sailing the rest of your life?  Absolutely not!  After all, not even Jesus side-stepped the cross.  But our being willing to recognize our faults & give them to God to remove them in God's time allows us to receive the forgiveness which God is always eager to offer us.  Each of us is in the process of becoming more like God in whose image & likeness we were made, so forgiveness of sins is a huge part of living into our baptismal vows, becoming more mature in our faith. 

      In closing, let me comment that we're each called to be the forgiver of sins toward us as well as asking God & sometimes other humans to forgive us.  As long as Simon was unable to see his own sin of judgmentalism, he could not fully experience God's grace & peace.  Isn't that what we truly mean when we say, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us"?  We can accept God's forgiveness & that of others only to the extent that we're able to truly forgive others.  I don't know about you, but sometimes, I'm only capable of that forgiveness because God forgives through me.  In those times, I count on the assurance Jesus gave to the woman who anointed him, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."  May we all go in peace today in full acceptance of God's forgiveness of us & committed to do whatever is necessary to experience that peace within ourselves & share it with others.  Amen. 
 

Trinity Sunday

By The Rev. Martha Frances+  
Year C Trinity Sunday - 3 June 2007  

Text:   John 16: 12-15. Also:  Proverbs 8: 1-4, 22-31; Psalm 8; Romans 5: 1-5  


Do you notice that none of our scripture readings this morning outlines the doctrine of the Trinity, whether that trio be defined as Father, Son, & Holy Spirit; Creator, Redeemer, & Sustainer; or my favorite monikers from the '60s—Big Daddy, JC, & Spook?   Those of us who have been immersed in hymns such as "Holy, Holy, Holy" & Apostles' & Nicene Creeds since childhood tend to forget that the Trinity as doctrine is not biblical but indeed developed over several centuries of controversy in the Church.   No, church controversy is not a new phenomenon.  

A church father named St. Athanasius gave us an incredible creed, & we have it reproduced in small print in the historical documents in our prayer book (see p. 864).  How would you like to affirm aloud each Sunday:   "The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, & the Holy Ghost incomprehensible;" & "And in this Trinity none is afore, or after other; none is greater, or less than another; But the whole three Persons are co-eternal together & co-equal"?   Trinity Sunday is the only holy day all year when we celebrate a concept, an idea.

Each year, I struggle to help us understand the Trinity as it relates to our daily lives.  And the word "relate" is helpful here.  Our God is such a relational God that God has provided relationship within the very Godhead, creating community in the three faces God provides for us humans.   No wonder God created us to be in community; God is actually communal in God's basic nature!

As our Catechism tells us (BCP 845), God first helped us when we rebelled & put ourselves in the place of God, by self-revelation through nature & history, through many seers & saints, & especially through the prophets of Israel .  God called the Hebrew people to return through 40 years in the wilderness as well as through numerous prophets & sages.  Finally, God sent a son, Jesus, fully God & yet fully human, an earthling, to live among us, to offer freedom & peace.   Jesus lived on earth about 3 decades, only 3 years in active ministry because the principalities & powers of his world could not tolerate his radical honesty & overwhelming love.   In our Gospel today, Jesus tells his disciples that he would like to teach them more but they could not bear it; & they were Jesus' closest followers.   Those in charge in his lifetime were so threatened by his radical gift of inclusive love that they had to destroy him.

A little crucifixion & then harassment of the small band of followers ought to take care of this annoying prophet & his movement, they thought.  However, God had a Plan C, & apparently began to hatch it even while Jesus, Mr. Plan B, was trying to convey to his disciples all his last-minute instructions.   Jesus explained that it was necessary for him to leave them in order for the Paraclete, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, to come to empower them to go into all the world to preach & teach & baptize.   Our passage from Proverbs today provides a foretaste of such a supernatural community as Lady Wisdom tells us that God created her, a delightful child, one translation puts it, as the first act at the beginning of God's work.   God had multiple faces even in the act of creation as John the Evangelist tells us at the beginning of his Gospel, "In the beginning was the Word. . . ."    

The Holy Trinity is our very model for community.  We celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost last week, & God comes among us as Spirit to make it possible for us to have unity despite our diversity, to be sign & symbol of God's love for various & sundry people, not only those who enter our doors for worship or Bible study or a book study or even to eat BBQ at a fundraiser.   In fact, the Spirit relishes our diversity, I believe, guiding us to appreciate each other's history & gifts all the more.

When Eucharistic Visitors extend our communion to those at home who cannot worship here in person, when Jackie sends pew bulletins & sermons to the homebound, when I provide prayer books for Episcopalians in prison, when teachers in the Day School or in Godly Play invite our young folks to wonder, when the Daughters of the King & the Brotherhood of St. Andrew faithfully pray for those on our prayer list, all are evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in our midst.    

As I admonish couples with whom I am preparing for marriage to recognize God's Spirit as the third person in their marriage trinity, I am inviting them to make God's blessing of their marriage real in the dailiness of their marriage.   You as a congregation who witness their vows promise to do all in your power to support the holiness of their marriage.  The 24 years of my marriage to Bill was undergirded not only by the Epiphany congregation who witnessed our wedding but each church community we've been a part of ever since.   Members of each of those parishes were present here last September for his funeral.  Not only those of us who were present last Sunday, but all who are parishioners here vow to help those who are baptized at that font out there, symbolically placed in the very middle of our nave.    

In fact, as you & I leave worship in this place, God's Holy Spirit binds us together & empowers us to share Christ's love with others whom we meet.  I'm a little more obvious when I make my way around town because I wear this backward collar most days.   The day after I returned from  Nashville, I presided at a memorial service for one of our friends who lived at the  Hampton  with us.  

When I took the service sheet into Kinko's to make copies prior to the service, the young man helping me with copies engaged me in a theological discussion.  He wondered if God would still bless him if he wanted to do right but found himself messing up anyway.   I suggested that was dangerously close to asking permission to sin, recognizing that God is slow to anger & abundant in mercy.  Instead, I offered, he might try offering the prayer which never fails, that he know & do God's will in his life.   If our energies & intentions are to grow into the person God created us to be in the first place, we're much less likely to find ourselves on a slippery slope.   Even with such good intentions, I told him, we are seldom able to sustain a private relationship with God—just the 2 of us walking in the garden alone.  God created us to worship & break open the scriptures with a community with whom we are accountable.    

As I finished my copying & paid him, he thanked me profusely, convinced I was there to bless him.  But he blessed me!  He gave me the chance to witness to him, to invite him to our worship, secure in being backed up by you, the Hope parishioners.   You were there with me, & I encourage you to carry us with you as you share God's love with others in your daily lives.  We need a small group which prays for us each day.   Who have you asked to pray for you?  Who have you invited to church this week?  

When we walk with each other, even when we are physically apart, we are modeling God's Trinitarian Personhood & offering that unity in diversity to those whom you encounter.  May we, too, learn to be one in three persons, blessed trinities.