Didn't you know?!

 For Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Leesburg, FL

1 Samuel 2:18-20, 26; Luke 2:41-52

One day when my son Gary was about 3, his father and I were in a large store. I think it was Farm and Fleet, or something similar. I was looking at something at one end of the aisle, and Jim was looking at something at the other end. I looked around and realized Gary was not at my side.

I called, “Jim, is Gary with you?” “No,” was the reply. “Oh, no!” I thought. “Where is he?” Through my mind, flashed all sorts of terrible scenarios of stolen children. I tried not to panic.

Fortunately, within just a few seconds we heard a wail. “Ah, there he is!” Gary was just two aisles away, but he had lost sight of us as he moved to explore interesting stuff on other aisles. We ran to get him, and breathed huge sighs of relief as we hugged our little boy.

Jesus was old enough to know better than to wander away without telling his parents. At this point in his story, he is twelve, just the age when boys are preparing to become men in the eyes of the faith. In Lutheran speak, he is about to be confirmed. In Jewish speak, he is preparing for his bar Mitzvah.

Jesus and the family were in Jerusalem for Passover, a major festival, and Jerusalem was full to overflowing with tourists. The family would have been in town for several days, probably staying with extended family members. They would have traveled with many others in caravans, to be safe from robbers. It’s a about a 3- or 4-day journey from Nazareth to Jerusalem, and we can assume many of the travelers knew each other.

So, on the way home, families were mixed up, with adults and youth walking with other family members and friends. Suddenly, Mary had the same question I had for Jim. “Is Jesus with you?” “No, I thought he checked in with you!” They panic a bit as they check for him all the way to the end of the caravan, and then all the way back to Jerusalem. I imagine them checking with the relatives, to make sure he wasn’t in someone’s home. Then they began to explore the city, and finally – three days later! – they found him in the temple.

Gary was too young to understand the dangers involved in wandering away. Jesus, on the other hand, was not too young for a serious scolding! I imagine Mary and Joseph at first greatly relieved at finally finding him, and then wanting to wring his neck at the scare he had given them.

Jesus simply looks at them and says, “Didn’t you know I needed to be here in my Father’s house?” If Jesus were my 12-year-old son, we would be having a long, terse conversation all the way home, and some serious grounding once we got there!

I wonder what questions Jesus asked the rabbis in the temple. I wonder if he surprised them with his questions. And I wonder what questions they asked him and if they were they surprised by his answers.

I love this story because it reminds us that Jesus was a normal child with normal parents. We have to remember that little of Jesus’ early life is unknown. We are told by Luke of his birth and of this episode at age twelve. And Matthew tells us of the visit by the magi and the sojourn in Egypt. And that’s it! The next thing we learn about Jesus is his baptism in his late 20s.

Michael Card wrote a song called “Joseph’s Song/How can it be?” In this song, Joseph says he is afraid he won’t be a very good father. I imagine he and Mary had a lot of discussions about being the human parents of this special child for his entire life.

Certainly, they taught him how to be human; what it means to be in a family; what it means to be poor and powerless. They taught him to respect all people. They taught him to earn a living, as any good parents would do. And especially, they taught him about love.

On another Sunday, we could delve into the theological meaning of this event, how Jesus is both human and divine, all the time, at the same time. But let’s leave that for another day.

It’s the day after Christmas. Let’s enjoy the moment of celebrating the birth of Jesus as a human infant, and remember that he was also a little boy, and then a teenager. Luke tells us that just like Samuel, Jesus grew in wisdom and in divine and human favor.

When we are baptized, and then confirmed, the promises we make are designed to help us grow in wisdom and in divine and human favor. These promises help us to grow closer to God, to know how much God loves us, and to love others as well as we are humanly able to do so.

As we seek to model our lives after Jesus, let’s remember that Jesus was once a baby, then a little boy like my son Gary, and then a teenager who didn’t think he needed to tell his parents where he was. Let’s grant our children and teens some grace. And let’s grant ourselves some grace for not being perfect parents and grandparents.

What is most important is to stay connected to each other and to share the love we are first given by God. Because this is Jesus’ reason for coming: to teach us how much God loves us and to teach us how to love each other. Amen

Defective Mirrors Don’t Tell the Truth

 

John 8:31-36

I just read a portion of John, in which Jesus speaks about truth. He says we will know the truth by simply believing in him.

I want to add another brief text as a way to reflect (you’ll see, there is a pun intended) on Jesus’ comments. The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13: For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.

What do you see when you look in the mirror? … Are you happy with what you see? … Most people aren’t happy with the image they see. The person they see is too heavy or too slim; too tall or too short; having a bad hair day or having too little hair; too wrinkled or too many zits. Or, sometimes, we think we are just right, or even perfect.

Beyond our physical appearance, our self-image has emotional defects as well. We see flaws that are intentionally hidden from others. We know we have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We know the struggles we face. But the face we try to project to the world is one of confidence and perfection; or, we give up and hide from others, knowing they can see through our defenses to the imperfect heart that lives within us.

Our mirror is shaped by culture. We use other people as our mirror, and often, we assume we are less perfect in comparison. Except when we see ourselves as better than the persons we are comparing ourselves to. We look into a defective mirror. We see the truth dimly, imperfectly.

The Jewish leaders Jesus was talking with were using a defective mirror. They claimed to have never been slaves to anyone. I guess they were forgetting the early days of their history as slaves in Egypt, and Moses and that whole Exodus adventure that formed them into the people they were. They refused to consider that what Jesus was saying had merit, that he was speaking the truth.

Our mirrors don’t always tell us the truth, no matter how we look into them. It’s only when we use Jesus’ eyes that we can see the truth about ourselves and about others. Jesus’ truth tells us that the image we see in the mirror is not the image God sees when God looks at us.

The image God sees is God’s own image, adapted to human form. The image God sees is one of perfection. While we tend to see our imperfections, our sins, the image of us that God sees is colored with love and compassion and mercy. Jesus urges us to see ourselves and each other the same way, all of us made in the image of God. But we don’t, do we?

Here, I could mention all the ways we disrespect and reject people who are different from ourselves. I could mention all the ways we are a diverse people and we tend to not trust people who are different from us. That’s a piece of human truth told to us by defective mirrors. But, we don’t need to look at society’s differences to find the defective mirrors.

The truth is, there is plenty of disrespect and rejection within our own families. Our families don’t teach us that our family mirrors are defective, and they don’t tell us the whole truth.

An example from my own life proves this. When I was a child, we lived in a suburb south of Chicago. My father was an insurance man, the kind that ran a debit route. He drove into the city every day to collect small amounts of cash from clients. By the mid-1950s most of the people living in the South Side were black.

I have always been proud to know that one of his people was Mahalia Jackson, the singer. I saw her on the Ed Sullivan Show a couple of times. Wow! My dad knew someone famous! That she was black never mattered, only that she was famous for having a wonderful voice. 

In contrast, when I was in high school, my mom made it clear she was of a different opinion. Here’s a direct quote that has stayed with me my whole life. “You can date a black boy, but don’t you ever think of marrying one!” I am very proud of my dad. I like his mirror much better than my mom’s.

We all have broken mirrors that hide the truth from us. So, how do we wipe the mirrors clean? We look to Jesus who always speaks and demonstrates the truth. The truth is that when God looks at us, God only sees our hearts. God only sees us as we were first created, with love, for love. The ugly parts of us, the parts that come from painful moments and broken relationships and unhealthy choices – those parts don’t show up when God sees us.

Jesus says, “Love one another as I have loved you.” This love, Jesus’ love, will bring us to the truth. God sees us clearly and loves us dearly. There is no defective mirror in the way.

When we are able to find room for this truth in our hearts, we become free to love as Jesus loves.

We become free to see that the image in the mirror is free of the defects and imperfections and sins and ugly stuff that we imagine ourselves to have.

We become free to believe Jesus, and to believe in him. Amen

Asking questions

 Mark 9:30-37

Five-year-olds are notorious for asking a lot of questions. They are beginning to explore their own world and the world beyond their household. They are infinitely curious and are not afraid to ask questions.

By the time children are in middle school, they know what peer pressure is. Lots of questions are labeled “lame” – or whatever the current term is. So, they are more careful with their questions. By the time youth make it to High School, they are very cautious about asking questions unless they want to show off. 

As adults, the disciples have a lot of experience of being ridiculed for asking “stupid” questions. Now, as they travel with Jesus, they have a lot of questions. The story in our gospel text happens as Jesus is planning his final trip to Jerusalem. He is preparing the disciples for “what’s next.”

He has spent three years traveling, teaching, healing, challenging and inviting. The disciples still don’t always expect miracles. And they still don’t understand who he is. To make matters worse, now Jesus is talking about suffering and dying and rising again.

They have tons of questions, but Jesus is frustrated with them lately. The disciples seem particularly dense, lacking in imagination. In contrast, the foreigners and the demons know who he is. “I know who you are, Jesus of Nazareth!”

The disciples’ questions could start with our phrase, “Wait. What?!” “You are going to get betrayed, arrested, tortured, killed? Why?” “If you get killed, who will get rid of the Romans?” “Since we are your disciples, are we also going to get arrested and killed, too?”

The disciples never seem to pay attention to the last part of Jesus’ prediction, that he will be raised from death. Or maybe, they did hear this part, but there is no record of it. We can only imagine what questions they must have wanted to ask! In any case, in the end, they are stunned speechless that the tomb is empty. Their question might have been, “How did that happen?!”

At this moment in Jesus’ life, the disciples are wary of asking questions. They don’t understand what Jesus is up to, and they won’t until after his death and resurrection.

We have the advantage of knowing what happened. We know the tomb is empty. We know God has power even over death. We know Spirit brings Jesus back to us in amazing ways. And we, too, have questions. “Does Jesus hear my prayers?” “How was Jesus was human and divine at the same time?” “What does it mean to me that Jesus is alive?”

As a congregation, you have had questions for the last 2.5 years. “Who will be the interim pastor?” “What kind of congregation are we?” “What kind of pastor do we need?” “When will we have a new pastor?” Finally, you have answers to all these questions.

And now, there are new questions to ask. “Where is God leading us today?” “What kind of leader is our new pastor?” “Will our congregation grow?”

The answers to these questions will come over time. And then, there will be new questions, but one of these should be asked often. “Where is God leading us now?” is a good question to ask every year or every few months, or every time there is a major change. We have asked it monthly for the last year and a half as Covid made its impact felt.

You can be sure that the road ahead continues, and that it will not be straight. You can be sure that Pastor Nelson will lead differently than other leaders, but she is led by God. You can be sure that the congregation will grow if the members are willing to put in the work it takes to make growth happen.

I encourage you to be patient. I encourage you to trust God. I encourage you to not be afraid to ask Pastor Nelson questions. I encourage you to answer her questions, too.

And, always be as willing as young children to ask questions and to be curious, because there may be new and unexpected answers to old questions, and new ways of doing old things.

Amen

 

Evening Prayer (Vespers) for September 15, 2021

Evening Prayer (Vespers)

You may wish to light a candle and place it before you as you begin.

 

OPENING DIALOGUE

Wisdom shouts her warnings in the street.
We have come to forsake our foolish ways.
Wisdom longs to pour out her Spirit on all flesh.
We will not shrink from her blessings.
Wisdom imparts holy knowledge to save us.
We will not shut out the lessons she teaches.
Let us worship in spirit and in truth.

HYMN: Be glorified

YouTube link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1712QCYgOA

 

READINGS

First Reading: Proverbs 1:20-23

²⁰ Wisdom shouts in the street;
    in the public square she raises her voice.
²¹ Above the noisy crowd, she calls out.
    At the entrances of the city gates, she has her say:
²² “How long will you clueless people love your naïveté,
    mockers hold their mocking dear,
    and fools hate knowledge?
²³ You should respond when I correct you.
    Look, I’ll pour out my spirit on you.
    I’ll reveal my words to you.

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

Gospel: Colossians 3:1-4, 9b-11  

A reading from: Colossians

3 Therefore, if you were raised with Christ, look for the things that are above where Christ is sitting at God’s right side. ² Think about the things above and not things on earth. ³ You died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

Take off the old human nature with its practices ¹⁰ and put on the new nature, which is renewed in knowledge by conforming to the image of the one who created it. ¹¹ In this image there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all things and in all people.

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

 

REFLECTION:

 Proverbs: 

What strikes you in that text?  Why does it strike you?

I love the plain name calling in the CEB. Clueless people with naivete. We all know people who think they know everything about God.  But the way they talk and the way they live demonstrates that they really know nothing about God at all. 

 

What is God saying to you through this text?

Be careful whom I judge, because I may also be naïve and clueless. Later in the text, I am reminded that there are times when God needs to correct us, and does, through God’s Spirit, who may come through a person.

 

SCRIPTURE DIALOGUE

When Christ, who is your life, is revealed,

then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

 

PRAYERS

In Christ Jesus we meet the God who knows our weakness and bears the wounds of the world. Therefore, let us be bold as we pray, trusting that God draws near to those in any kind of need.

Individual prayers are offered silently or aloud.

Into your wide embrace, O God, we place all our prayers, spoken and unspoken, trusting that you will receive them into your heart of mercy, Jesus Christ, your Son, our Savior. Amen

 

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

 

HYMN: Great is thy faithfulness

YouTube link:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTKIqmdfHSk

 

BLESSING

As we go forth, may the words of our mouths be acceptable and true.
May the meditations of our hearts be loving and pure.
As we leave this place, may the actions of our lives be compassionate and just.
May the stirrings of our hearts be guided by God’s thoughts and wisdom. Amen.

 

Scripture from Common English Bible © 2012

Liturgy from ELW Annual Liturgy License 26504

And Abingdon Worship Annual 2021

Who do you say that I am?

 09 12 2021 Sermon

Mark 8:27-38

Today, we have two amazing moments in the story of Jesus. The first is when Jesus and the disciples have a discussion about his identity. He starts by asking what people are gossiping about. “Who do people say that I am?” They answer, “John the Baptist.” John had just been executed by Herod, and they thought maybe he had come back to them in some form or spirit. They answered, “Elijah or other prophets” also in some way returned in some form or spirit.

Surely, Jesus sounded like some of the prophets from several centuries before. We might say Jesus was “channeling” these forebears of the faith. Jesus spoke in the spirit of the prophets who were familiar to his people. He urged all people to be kind. He challenged leaders to offer justice and mercy to all. Jesus healed the sick and fed the hungry, as had some of the prophets, especially Elijah and Elisha.

But there is more to Jesus than the prophets. He has been sent by God, not just called by God. So now, Jesus asks the twelve who know him best, “Who do you say that I am?” Most of them were silent, afraid to speak what they believed. But Peter blurts out, “You are the messiah.” It surprises us that even though Jesus wanted them to know this, believe this, he then says, “Don’t say this to anyone!”

Then Jesus begins to teach the disciples that his future will not be as a military hero, but that he will be arrested, tortured, and killed. Peter declares, “No! That’s not going to happen!” And Jesus tells Peter he is thinking like a human, and this is a matter for God. We know, of course, that what Jesus predicted came true. We also know that his death was not the end, but a new beginning.

Over the centuries, who Jesus is has changed, with layers and layers of meaning and interpretation added on. The ancient creeds help define who Jesus is. Jesus is God’s Son, and also God. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, and is also one with the Spirit and the Father.

The three personas of the Trinity are interconnected and inseparable, even though we may understand them as different and separate. For today’s sermon, we can say this about Jesus: Jesus is God, and his presence for a time on earth helped us understand who God is and how God wants us to behave, to connect with the Divine and with each other.

Now, it is our turn to answer the question. “Who do you say Jesus is?” A better question would be, “Who do you believe Jesus is?” We can know intellectually what scripture says. We can remember Sunday School lessons and Bible studies. We can confess our faith in the words of the Creeds. These methods help define Jesus.

But, in your heart, who do you believe Jesus is? When have you experienced him in your life? When you pray, to whom do you pray? To God? To the Father? To Jesus? To the Christ? To Spirit?

But wait, there’s more! There is more to knowing who Jesus is besides identifying him. We know the most about who he is by following in his footsteps, by being his hands and feet and words today.

 In our text, Jesus explains that to really be his follower, we must take up his cross. What kind of a cross do you carry? In the congregation, and in our day-to-day lives, we follow Jesus by being kind and merciful to others, treating all people with respect. We are all called to use the gifts God has given us; we offer hospitality, we teach, we lead, we knit or sew or build. 

Yesterday, I watched much of the broadcast of the Commemoration of the Anniversary of 9/11. If you were alive then, you have a memory of that day. The Church (capital C), the Temple (capital T), and the Mosque (capital M) all showed up in the aftermath of these attacks on America.

As I heard the stories, I rejoiced that so many followed Jesus that day and in the days, months, years that followed. Neighbors helped each other exit the buildings. Neighbors led each other to safety and food and shelter. Neighbors hugged and searched and consoled. Neighbors still support each other, hugging and consoling. Churches, temples, and synagogues became places of refuge.

On Flight 93, knowing what was about to happen, the passengers and crew made the decision to save hundreds of lives and the leadership of our country. They followed Jesus in giving their lives for the sake of others.

Today, while we remember with sadness and pain the attack of 20 years ago, we also rejoice that America still exists. The speakers I heard all urged us to be united in the one purpose of being the democracy our forebears created. E Pluribus Unum. Out of many, one. United, not uniform. Justice for all, no matter our color, faith, country of origin, or political party.

And I heard hope. Hope that the future will bring more justice to the people of America, and around the world. Hope is what comes from following Jesus. It sounds counter-intuitive to say that bearing a cross, maybe even to death, brings hope and life, but that’s just how God works.

And now, one more time. Who do you say Jesus is? How do you follow him? Amen

 

Evening Prayer for September 8, 2021

 Evening Prayer (Vespers)

You may wish to light a candle and place it before you as you begin.

 OPENING DIALOGUE

Gracious God, to proclaim your Word is a holy action.
May we be open to your Spirit at this moment,
that we may be moved to boldly live our faith,
each and every day. Amen.

 

HYMN: Open your ears, O faithful people

YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdUsQN4L4Bs  

 READINGS

First Reading: Isaiah 35:4-7a

A reading from: Isaiah

Say to those who are panicking:
    “Be strong! Don’t fear!
    Here’s your God,
        coming with vengeance;
        with divine retribution
    God will come to save you.”

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
    and the ears of the deaf will be cleared.
⁶ Then the lame will leap like the deer,
    and the tongue of the speechless will sing.
Waters will spring up in the desert,
    and streams in the wilderness.
⁷ The burning sand will become a pool,
    and the thirsty ground, fountains of water.
The jackals’ habitat, a pasture;  
    grass will become reeds and rushes. 

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

Gospel: Mark 7:31-37

A reading from: Mark

³¹ After leaving the region of Tyre, Jesus went through Sidon toward the Galilee Sea through the region of the Ten Cities. ³² Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly speak, and they begged him to place his hand on the man for healing. ³³ Jesus took him away from the crowd by himself and put his fingers in the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. ³⁴ Looking into heaven, Jesus sighed deeply and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Open up.” ³⁵ At once, his ears opened, his twisted tongue was released, and he began to speak clearly.

³⁶ Jesus gave the people strict orders not to tell anyone. But the more he tried to silence them, the more eagerly they shared the news. ³⁷ People were overcome with wonder, saying, “He does everything well! He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who can’t speak.”

Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

 

REFLECTION:

Here are my responses to the prompts. What are yours?

 

What strikes you in this Gospel reading?  

Jesus sighed deeply  

Why does it strike you?

Essentially, Jesus breathes on the man, or into him. It is like Jesus breathed in deeply to be filled with God’s Spirit, then breathed out on the man while he was touching him.

But then, what of the mud and the spittle? Aren’t they, too, filled with God’s Spirit? Perhaps this is a reminder that everything is of and from God.  

Or, perhaps the mud and spit are for show, for the people who are watching. I notice in this image the eyes of the man behind Jesus. He is paying close attention! What is he thinking?

What is God saying to you through this text?

Breathe deeply, to draw in Spirit. Pray and breathe often. Pay attention, because we never know when the Spirit will show up, or how!

 

SCRIPTURE DIALOGUE

Christ’s followers eagerly shared everything in common.
May we be empowered and inspired to do the same!

PRAYERS

In Christ Jesus we meet the God who knows our weakness and bears the wounds of the world. Therefore, let us be bold as we pray, trusting that God draws near to those in any kind of need.

Individual prayers are offered silently or aloud.

Into your wide embrace, O God, we place all our prayers, spoken and unspoken, trusting that you will receive them into your heart of mercy, Jesus Christ, your Son, our Savior. Amen

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

HYMN: Healer of our every ill

YouTube link:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g446Nicwe2E

BLESSING

As you leave this place,
remember to walk in God’s ways.
Remember to dwell in the goodness of God.
Remember to be faithful.
May peace be upon you + this day and always. Amen.

 

Scripture from Common English Bible © 2012

Liturgy from ELW Annual Liturgy License 26504

And Abingdon Worship Annual 2021

New perspectives

 James 2:1-17; Mark 7:24-37

I had been in Northwood, Iowa, for just a few weeks on internship. Pastor Paul wanted me to start preaching and Matthew’s version of this story of the Gentile woman was the text for my first sermon. 

As I preached, I noticed a man taking notes. I had seen others take notes during sermons, so I didn’t think any more about it. At the door, shaking hands at the end of the service, the note-taking man introduced himself as Bill. Could he talk with me in my office in a few minutes? Sure, I said.

So, in my office, Bill pulled a notepad out of his pocket and flipped a few pages. He began, “I noticed when you read the Gospel, you made Jesus sound angry. You might want to change that at the second service. You know, Jesus was always kind. He was never angry.”

I thanked him for his comment, and we had a conversation about Jesus. I reminded him about the time he overturned the tables of the money changers. He certainly was angry that day. Or when Peter tried to tell Jesus he would not be betrayed and Jesus said, “Get behind me, Satan.” Yes, there were times when Jesus was angry.

Bill had never thought of Jesus this way. My words gave him a new perspective.

So, in this Gospel story, it is likely that Jesus spoke sharply to the woman. Jesus was a man of his own culture, a Jewish man who had grown up knowing that his people were the Jews. Yes, he welcomed others, but those times seemed to be his choice. He was in control.

At this point, Jesus is tired. He has been walking and teaching and healing for months, with little down time. He left Jewish territory for Gentile territory hoping he could escape the crowds and get some rest. Like a mother who tells her children, “Mommy is not home,” Jesus just needs some time alone, alone with God.

Even hiding behind the closed door of the house they were in, people, Gentile people, come to find him. He is not able to escape, even here. So, I can imagine his frustration when this woman kneels before him and begs him to heal her daughter. In his fatigue, he is not able to hide his frustration. He seeks an excuse.

“It’s not time yet, for me to heal your people. For now, I have come only to the Jewish people. Your time will come later. Now, go away!”

“Please,” she begs.

Jesus counters, “It’s not right to take the food off someone’s table and give it to the dogs.”

The word Jesus uses is not a polite word. But the woman will use it to her advantage. “But even the dogs get the table scraps!”

Suddenly, Jesus has a new perspective on this woman. She is so certain he can heal her daughter, she is willing to be called a bad name. In fact, she is so sharp, she uses the word against him in her reply. Without Jesus even seeing or touching the daughter, she is healed.

… The reading from James is also about new perspectives. Just because someone is wealthy doesn’t mean God has blessed them more and that poorer people are blessed less. God loves everyone the same, so wealthy people shouldn’t receive special treatment. On the other hand, poorer people should be assured that God loves them.  

For the people of James’ community, this was startling news. It is still startling news to many people today, wealthy and poor alike. Many people believe that if you have lots of stuff, God has blessed you, and if you don’t have lots of stuff, you must have done something wrong. In fact, James says, it is the wealthy people who are making the poor people suffer. That is a new perspective for many people.

Don’t we all need a new perspective? For example, as I drive around, I notice cars. Now, I like my car, but I wish it had more features, like my previous car did. I miss the larger console and the cubby holes my old car had.

So, I look with envy at the larger cars on the road with me, and wonder if I would like that car, and if I could afford it. But then, I notice that another car has some bumps and dents, there are children in it, and the windows are down, probably because the air conditioning isn’t working. Then, I get a new perspective on my current car.

Covid-19 has forced us to have a new perspective on lots of things. We never thought it was THAT important to have worship available on a phone or computer. We never even thought we would LIKE watching worship from home while the pastor did her thing in an empty sanctuary.

And, we never thought about how important it is to be able to have face-to-face conversations with other people, until it was unsafe to have them. Some people never imagined they would be asking for rent relief, and a box of free food, and an unemployment check. But, now we DO know. And we have a new perspective about giving and receiving help in a time of crisis.

What will we do in response? James cites a portion of the Shema, a prayer every Jew knows by heart. “Hear, O Israel. The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your might. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Then, James challenges us to not just pray for hurting people, but to put our money where our mouth is: loving our neighbor as we love ourselves!

Today, hungry people in our communities need to know they are still important to God and to us who believe in God. People about to lose their homes need to know we are willing to help them, through our contributions to Interfaith. People who used to work for large companies with big salaries need to know that they still have value, even though their new job pays a lot less, if they can find one at all.

Photo credit: Woodcut, Christ of the Breadlines, by Fritz Eichenberg (1951) 

It doesn’t matter to God how much money we have, how we worship, what language we speak, or where we call home. When we love God, we express that faith by welcoming everyone into the community, by taking time out to be with God, and by sharing what we have with others as an expression of God’s love for us. Amen