Faithful Conversations #19

Note to readers:  Wow! Grappling with this week’s readings is not for the faint of heart! Jeremiah appears to be a deeply troubled guy, the desperate author of Psalm 69 says his zeal for God has made him an object of gossip and shame in his community, Paul talks about us being dead to sin, and Jesus’ words in Matthew emphasize the high cost of discipleship. Take a deep breath as you walk through them, and pray for understanding! My reflections this week will focus on the Gospel.  Thanks for your continued interest in exploring the Bible through the Lectionary!

Readings for Pentecost 4: Jeremiah 20:7-13 Psalm 69:7-10(11-15)16-18 Romans 6:1b-11 Matthew 10:24-39

The Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:24-39 ²⁴ “A disciple is not above the teacher nor a slave above the master; ²⁵ it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! ²⁶ “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered and nothing secret that will not become known. ²⁷ What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. ²⁸ Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰ And even the hairs of your head are all counted. ³¹ So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. ³² “Everyone, therefore, who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven, ³³ but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. ³⁴ “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, ³⁶ and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. ³⁷ “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, ³⁸ and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. This Week’s Reflection: “Our Better Selves” One of my favorite aphorisms concerning history comes from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus (6th century BCE):  “No man ever steps in the same river twice. For it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” In other words, change is a constant in the human experience. After my third go-round on this week’s Gospel passage from Matthew, Heraclitus’ words surfaced, and reminded me of our faith journey. Let me explain. First, some context. In chapters 4-9 of Matthew, we are walking with Christ and his earliest followers through his public ministry — the calling of the first disciples, the Sermon on the Mount, and a series of miracles lead us to this week’s Gospel. In chapter 10, we experience a transitional moment. Jesus is coaching his team of apostles as they prepare to carry his message into the surrounding territory. He offers clear directions on how they should proceed (verses 5-15), and then in ominous language, cautions them about the road ahead, the persecution they will face (16-23). And while it may be hard for us to grasp their first century fears as they ventured out, it is important to remember they were certainly heading into mortal danger amidst the intense religious differences of the time (not unlike many of our Christian brothers and sisters in far-off lands today). And then, this week’s Gospel. Christ’s words in 24-39 at first blush are disturbing and dark, even puzzling. The last thing I want to hear in June of 2023 is about more division in our world! And, how do we square his harsh words in verse 34, for example, with the 7th Beatitude from the Sermon on the Mount (“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God.”)? And what of this division within families and this “losing of our lives” for his sake (35-39)? Tough stuff indeed. But, should we be taking Christ “literally” here? Is he — are we, his followers — bringing a sword into this world? Are we fomenting division? Or, are we missing some larger point here? Let’s consider another view. As Christ prepares his disciples to venture into the countryside and villages, perhaps the “sword” he is suggesting is this: they must be willing to separate themselves from their former lives, their former way of thinking.** That separation will be uncomfortable, it may be painful. Many in their midst will not understand or accept their words and actions. But, it is this separation from their former selves and their willingness to be “all in” that is necessary to fulfill their task — it is that important! And that’s where Heraclitus’ quote about “stepping in the river” seems entirely relevant. Our faith journey is not a static thing, but rather a process. Similar to the many “coming of age” experiences of our youth, (including various moments of often painful separations), our Christian journey is about growth, about becoming. And it often involves moving beyond any number of things that hold us back, that prevent us from becoming the person our Creator intended us to be. The exciting message we carry is life-altering, to be sure, and more radical than many are willing to hear. The Apostle Paul articulated this in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” Like any healthy relationship in our lives, our journey with Jesus is dynamic. He lovingly guides us to confront new challenges, to be courageous in sharing the Gospel (note verses 26-31). He gracefully encourages us to grow, to evolve, to arrive at our better selves — it often takes a lifetime. Soli Deo Gloria. **Note: I am indebted to Father Mike Marsh, a priest at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Ulvade, Texas (yes, Ulvade, where 19 students and 2 teachers were fatally shot a little over a year ago), who helped me gaze into these verses in a completely different way after reading a marvelous homily he preached in 2017. He, in turn, was inspired to reinterpret Matthew 10 by Sister Joan Chittister. I have mentioned her before. You may want to look her up!   Prayer (inspired by Romans 6:1b-11 and Luther’s Large Catechism): Lord, you encourage us to “walk in newness of life” each day, a reminder of our baptism. You have liberated us from our sin, our “old self,” in order that we may be “alive to God in Christ Jesus,” and “united with him in a resurrection like his.”  We humbly thank you for this. Amen. Postscript: In a previous post, I introduced you to Henri Nouwen, a Dutch theologian whose life and work remain inspirational. This daily reflection from the Nouwen Society (20 June 2023) seems especially relevant to our time, and a good reminder that we must be “people of prayer.” “People of prayer are, in the final analysis, people who are able to recognize in others the face of the Messiah. They are people who make visible what was hidden, who make touchable what was unreachable. People of prayer are leaders because precisely through their articulation of God’s work within themselves they can lead others away from confusion and toward clarification; through their compassion they can guide others out of the closed circuits of in-groups and toward the wider world of humanity; and through their critical contemplation they can convert convulsive destructiveness into creative work for the new world to come.” If you are interested in knowing more about Henri Nouwen, or would like to receive the daily reflections, I have linked the website here.