Faithful Conversations #20

Note to readers:
The Lectionary often presents us with passages that require more than a little background. In college days, my basketball teammates and I would pretend to pound on the glass if we encountered friends in conversation beyond our grasp (“Let me in! Let me in!”). That signaled the need for an explanation, and, of course, always brought a good laugh (so much of our humor was repetitive and it never seemed to get old!). I often find myself pounding on the glass when reading from the Old Testament prophets, and that certainly happened this week while wading through the strange encounter involving Jeremiah and Hananiah. I will drill down on that in my reflections, including a reference to the Gospel reading. Once again, “mange tak” for your continued interest in the spiritual discipline of exploring the Lectionary!

Readings for Pentecost 5:
Jeremiah 28:5-9
Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18
Romans 6:12-23
Matthew 10:40-42

The First Reading: Jeremiah 28:5-9
⁵Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord, ⁶ and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord fulfill the words that you have prophesied and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord and all the exiles. ⁷ But listen now to this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. ⁸ The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. ⁹ As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.”

The Gospel: Matthew 10:40-42
⁴⁰ “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. ⁴¹ Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous, ⁴² and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”

This Week’s Reflection:
The prophetic books of the Old Testament are rich in history and mystery. First, some quick background. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, prophets served as messengers for God who offered warnings of impending doom in the face of idolatry and injustice, summoned people to repentance, and cried out for change.  Based on length, there are four Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel), and twelve Minor Prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi). The prophetic books were written over a period of three centuries (760-460 BCE), and centered on Israel’s exile  and eventual restoration (click here for a good map if you want some geographic references for context).

The prophet Jeremiah (c. 650-570 BCE) came of age in turbulent times, witnessing the fall of the Assyrian Empire and the rise of Babylonian King  Nebuchadrezzar. Thousands of Jewish people living in Judah (the southern kingdom) experienced a series of deportations and exile known as the Babylonian Captivity (c. 598-538 BCE). Further, Nebuchadrezzar destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, the center of Israel’s spiritual life built by Solomon in 960 BCE. Ultimately, the surviving exiles were allowed to return to their homeland by the Persian King Cyrus, something prophesied by Jeremiah (you may want to look up Ezra 1:1-3 for a reference to that prophecy!).

Called by God before he was born (noted in Jeremiah 1:4), Jeremiah, a reluctant prophet, interpreted the chaos of these events as Israel’s punishment for unfaithfulness to God and called for repentance. In doing so, he experienced both isolation from family and peers, and derision by his contemporaries. This is the backdrop for this week’s fascinating exchange between Jeremiah and the false prophet, Hananiah.

The opening scene in Chapter 28 takes place in 593 BCE, the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah (c. 618-586 BCE), the last of the kings of Judah prior to the Babylonian Captivity. The prophet Hananiah has come forward to assure the king and other leaders that the captives will be returned within two years (verses 2-4), breaking Nebuchadrezzar’s rule. Jeremiah, in what seems to be a sarcastic tone, questions Hananiah (verses 6-7), while others welcome his prediction. Then, in what must have been an odd moment, Hananiah takes the yoke Jeremiah is wearing (symbolizing the Jewish captivity in Babylon), and breaks it, making the point that this is what God will do to Nebuchadrezzar (verses 10-11). Jeremiah then leaves the scene, but God confronts him, directing him to confront the false prophet Hananiah for his rebellion, foretelling his death (verses 15-16). In a chilling and terse line, we learn that Hananiah dies in a matter of months (verse 17).

What are we to make of this ancient story?  What is its relevance in 2023? I’m still pounding on the glass, but let’s try these. First, though he takes us out of our comfort zone, we should heed Jeremiah’s words, especially concerning our relationship to God and neighbor (take a few moments and read from chapter 7:1-7, for example). Keeping God first in our lives is essential — idolatry is a serious matter (Jesus, in fact, references Jeremiah 7:11 when he throws the moneychangers out of the temple in Matthew 21). Repentance is required. Treating our neighbors with love and kindness, and pursuing justice for the oppressed — these are fundamental to our lives of faith. Second, there is clearly a lesson here regarding false prophets in our midst. Hananiah told the Jewish leaders what they wanted to hear, perhaps to gain their favor. He did not tell the truth. We live in an information-soaked and social media driven environment today that is rife with falsehoods. As Christians, it is critically important that we remain discerning consumers of the news of the day, and that is a big challenge! There are “Hananiahs” in our midst who assume the prophetic mantle, who cunningly mix religion with politics for their own ends — a not so subtle form of idolatry. And finally, a reminder that we keep Christ at the center as we explore the scriptures. Often misunderstood in their time, the mighty prophets of old, like Jeremiah, glimpsed the future and the coming of the Messiah (we will read more about that next week!). This was the throughline in history and is part of our heritage. That comes to mind as Jesus speaks to us across time in this week’s Gospel, reminding us of his eternal presence: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” 

Soli Deo Gloria.

Prayer (inspired by Psalm 89 and Matthew 10):
Lord, your steadfast love for us is unending, though we may not always feel deserving of it, and your faithfulness to your creation is as firm as the heavens. Grant us your grace, Lord, that we may courageously stand up for the most vulnerable in our midst with the same steadfast love you have shown us. Strengthen us as ambassadors for you within our communities. Amen.

And . . . from my father’s library of humorous books from the 1950s and 60s, I can’t resist sharing this cartoon from Charles Schultz. Yes! The same guy that did Peanuts! This kid clearly has some big ambitions!  

 

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.      

Faithful Conversations #18

Note to readers:
Thanks for your continued interest in exploring the Lectionary! On page 13 of the LBW (Lutheran Book of Worship), we find this introduction to an explanation of the church year:  Time is a gift of God’s creation. People order time in various ways, often based on the rhythms of nature. The church organizes time by the Christian Liturgical Year. It tells the story of God, who is beyond time, acting in history – above all through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. . . . The church year includes the Christmas and Easter cycles of seasons and the periods of time after Epiphany and after Pentecost. We are now in the period after Pentecost, also known as Ordinary Time. See pages 14-15 of the LBW for a concise overview of the calendar. My weekly reflections are drawn from conversations I have with Pastor Jen, fellow parishioners, friends far and wide, the day-to-day news environment, and various things I am reading. I have a bent toward history, and I suspect that comes through from time to time. This week’s edition is inspired by the reading from Romans and the Gospel.

Readings for Pentecost 3:
Exodus 19: 2-8a
Psalm 100
Romans 5: 1-8
Matthew 9: 35 – 10:8 (9-23)

The Second Reading: Romans 5:1-8
5 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. ^{3 And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6} For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. ⁸ But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.

The Gospel: Matthew 9:35-10:8 (9-23)
³⁵ Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

10 Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. ² These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon, also known as Peter, and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee and his brother John; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Cananaean and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. ⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not take a road leading to gentiles, and do not enter a Samaritan town, ⁶ but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Cure the sick; raise the dead; cleanse those with a skin disease; cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. ⁹ Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, ¹⁰ no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for laborers deserve their food. ¹¹ Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. ¹² As you enter the house, greet it. ¹³ If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. ¹⁶ “I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. ¹⁷ Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues, ¹⁸ and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the gentiles. ¹⁹ When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you at that time, ²⁰ for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. ²¹ Sibling will betray sibling to death and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, ²² and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ²³ When they persecute you in this town, flee to the next, for truly I tell you, you will not have finished going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

This Week’s Reflection: Hope for a World in Despair

“Harassed and helpless.” This description of the crowds in Matthew 9 has gripped me this week. Let me explain. It seems to me that in 2023, many in our midst are feeling “harassed and helpless.”  In recent polling (linked here) for example, nearly 70% of respondents say our “country is headed in the wrong direction” (and, by the way, this number has been roughly the same for the past 20 years, regardless of who is in power). Our politics, and especially the echo chambers in which we reside, seem to envelope us in an atmosphere of pervasive cynicism and, dare I say, despair. Listen to how we interact with one another.  Listen to our news coverage. Spend a few minutes on social media.  “Harassed and helpless.”

As a Christian, I am challenged by this state of affairs on two levels. First, it makes me feel ashamed. Think of it. We live in a nation of abundance, and certainly with more privilege and more freedom than 80% of humanity. Relatively speaking, we are incredibly fortunate. My mother, bless her memory, liked to remind us of that, especially it seemed, at mealtime! (My parents generation experienced true deprivation in the 1930s, and it certainly impacted their worldview). Clearly, the things we complain about pale in comparison with so much of what our brothers and sisters across the globe are dealing with day to day. May God grant us the wisdom to understand that. And second, I am not surprised by the cynicism and despair. We have lived with them for a long, long time. These impulses are as old as the hills. And though I claim no special expertise in this regard, my take on all this is that what many are experiencing today is a spiritual void, an emptiness in their heart, a loss of hope (the word “despair,” by the way, derives from the Latin verb dēspērāre, meaning “to be without hope”). For a variety of reasons, many of our fellow travelers have walked away from the faith experience — they have shrugged their shoulders — leaving them adrift, feeling “harassed and helpless.”

This is why as Christians we need to continually return to our roots, and why we need the community of faith. Like he did with those twelve disciples more than 2000 years ago, Jesus calls us to venture into that spiritual void with open hearts and discerning eyes –– be wise as serpents and innocent as doves — sharing the good news and “making God credible in the world” (see note below). And his model for us is compassion! Will it be easy? No, it will never be easy. But, we are equipped with God’s grace for the journey, as Paul tells us in the letter to the Romans. Further, we are encouraged to press on because, affliction produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. And, it is this hope, this antidote to humanity’s despair, that is our great gift. Let’s share it!  

Soli Deo Gloria. 

** I especially like this phrase — “making God credible in the world” — and borrowed it from Debi Thomas, an Episcopal Priest, who quoted it in a powerful reflection she wrote in June of 2020 (linked here).    

Prayer (Inspired by Psalm 100):
Heavenly father, you made us in your image and we are yours. At times, the cares of this world cloud our vision of you, but we know that your steadfast love endures forever. Amen.

And, one more thing . . . . 

Sunday is a day when we think about our fathers. I suspect that for many of us, our faith may have first been nurtured by our father, or mother, or both, depending on our situation. I won the lottery in that regard. That said, take time to reflect on your faith journey in the coming weeks. We are hoping to offer elder members of our parish the opportunity to share the story of their faith with others. The plan is to do this in an informal interview setting, recorded and transcribed for posterity. Our goal is to preserve stories of faith as part of our congregational legacy. Stay tuned for further details!

 

 

 

Faithful Conversations #17

Note to readers:
Perhaps you have heard the name Dorothy Day. She was a social activist who helped found the Catholic Worker Movement in the 1930s. I ran across this quote from her this week and it struck a chord:  “We have all known the long loneliness and we learned that the only solution is love that comes with community.” As you reflect on the readings this week, consider someone in your life who may be experiencing the long loneliness and how you might reach out to them.Thanks for your continued interest in exploring scripture! My reflections this week will be primarily drawn from the Gospel and Jesus’ reference to Hosea.

 

 

Readings for Pentecost 2:
Hosea 5: 15-6:6
Psalm 50: 7-15
Romans 4: 13-25
Matthew 9: 9-13, 18-26

 

The First Reading: Hosea 5: 15 – 6: 6
¹⁵ I will return again to my place until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face. In their distress they will beg my favor: (6) “Come, let us return to the Lord, for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck down, and he will bind us up. ² After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. ³ Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord; his appearing is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the earth.” ⁴ What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early. ⁵ Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have killed them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. ⁶ For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

The Gospel: Matthew 9: 9-13, 18-26

The Calling of Matthew
⁹ As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax-collection station, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. ¹⁰ And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with Jesus and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹² But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³ Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners.” 

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed
¹⁸ While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” ¹⁹ And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. ²⁰ Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, ²¹ for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” ²² Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that moment. ²³ When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, ²⁴ he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. ²⁵ But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. ²⁶ And the report of this spread through all of that district.

This Week’s Reflection: Restoring Dignity
One of my favorite observations about the nature of history comes from the opening lines of L.P. Hartley’s 1953 novel, “The Go-Between”: “The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” I have been thinking about that this week while exploring these readings, especially the Gospel. Wandering through the Lectionary each week draws into a world vastly different from our own, yet amazingly relevant.

The initial encounter with the tax collector named Matthew (referred to as Levi in Mark’s Gospel) was a fascinating moment in Christ’s three year ministry. Matthew, the namesake of the first New Testament book, was the fifth disciple to be directly called into ministry by Jesus (those fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James and John, were the first four). Jesus said two words to Matthew (verse 9): “Follow me.” And, Matthew simply followed. The Caravaggio painting included here embellishes that moment, and emphasizes Matthew’s surprise at being summoned by Christ (I included a link if you want some further analysis of the painting). And here’s where historical context is important. Tax collectors were considered outcasts within the Israeli culture (apparently, agents of taxation were no more popular then than today!). This was due, in part, to their collaboration with those detested Roman authorities who held sway over the people. And yet, Jesus broke bread with Matthew and other “sinners,” much to the chagrin of those Pharisees who always seemed to be lurking about, confronting this young Rabbi who challenged convention in so many ways (verse 11). We can almost sense Christ’s frustration with them in verses 12-13, and my sense is that his response was a real zinger. First, he reminded them that he has come to heal the “sick” (think outcasts); and second, he challenged these upright religious leaders to “go and learn” the meaning of Hosea 6:6:  I desire mercy (or “steadfast love,” depending on the translation) not sacrifice. Can you imagine their reaction to this young upstart telling them to go study this passage from the prophet Hosea? After all, they were steeped in the scriptures! (Note: this reference to Hosea only appears in the version of these events we find in Matthew, and you may want to compare to Mark 2: 13-17 and Luke 5:27-32).

Beyond this dramatic scene, verses 18-26 provide us with two clear examples of Jesus “practicing what he preached.” While walking through a crowd, he healed an anonymous woman who had been hemorrhaging for many years and followed that by restoring the life of a twelve year old girl. In both instances, he mercifully responded to desperate people, the bleeding woman and the synagogue leader whose daughter had died. Both exhibited a pure and simple faith.

What lesson should we draw from these encounters in Matthew 9? One thing that strikes me is that we live in a world that marginalizes people — strips them of their dignity. That word — dignity — derives from the Latin “dignitas” meaning worthiness. And that reminds me of a story. You may remember the name June Carter Cash, wife of Johnny Cash. In her elder years, when this woman of music was asked by a fan how she was doing, she allegedly replied, “Oh, I’m doing okay, I’m just trying to matter.” We can all relate to that, I’m sure. All people crave that sense of worth — it is fundamental. As Christians, we get that. Christ is about restoring dignity (worth) to the outcasts in our midst. He did that over and over again throughout his three year ministry. When Jesus looked at Matthew and said, “follow me,” Matthew did not hesitate. Jesus restored his dignity. We are called to carry out that witness in our day to day interactions, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to do that. We are called to welcome all in the name of our loving God. Are we up for that?

Soli Deo Gloria

Prayer (Inspired by Psalm 50: 7-15):
Heavenly Father, you assure us time and again that all you desire from us is steadfast love. Your grace is like the spring rains that water the earth — it knows no bounds. Help us to press on to know you more fully and to share your love with all we encounter today. Amen.

 

Faithful Conversations #16

Note to readers:
Bible study is an essential part of our Lutheran heritage, and I appreciate your involvement here! If you know someone in our parish (or outside) who would benefit from this weekly process, please recruit them — one on one conversations are key! And, a reminder this week as you work through the readings: keep Jesus Christ at the center — all scripture points to Christ. One of Luther’s tenets regarding Bible study was, “Scripture Interprets Scripture.” In a nutshell, the New Testament allows us to witness how Jesus and the Apostles interpreted what they referred to as “the scriptures” (think, Old Testament). The Lectionary offers believers a great tool for doing that!  Keep this idea “front of mind” as you tackle the readings for Trinity Sunday! My reflections will focus on the creation story from Genesis and the Gospel. And, one more thing. You will note a text of the Nicene Creed below for reference purposes as you get into the reflection.

Readings for the Holy Trinity Sunday:
Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a
Psalm 8 (a response to the first reading)
2 Corinthians 13: 11-13
Matthew 28: 16-20

The First Reading: Genesis 1:1 – 2:4a
When God began to create the heavens and the earth, ² the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. ³ Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. ⁴ And God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵ God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. ⁶ And God said, “Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” ⁷ So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. ⁸ God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. ⁹ And God said, “Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. ¹⁰ God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 

¹¹ Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. ¹² The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. ¹³ And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

¹⁴ And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, ¹⁵ and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. ¹⁶ God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. ¹⁷ God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸ to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹ And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

²⁰ And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.” ²¹ So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. ²² God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” ²³ And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

²⁴ And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so. ²⁵ God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind and the cattle of every kind and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. ²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make humans in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the cattle and over all the wild animals of the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” ²⁷ So God created humans in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. ²⁸ God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” ²⁹ God said, “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. ³⁰ And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. ³¹ God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all their multitude. ² On the sixth day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. ³ So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. ⁴ These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

The Gospel: Matthew 28: 16-20
¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Nicene Creed (think about the concept of the Trinity as you read this):

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

This Week’s Reflection: The Eternal Trinity

The confessional writings that govern the ELCA include three ecumenical statements of faith: the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds. We say the Apostles’ Creed each Sunday and occasionally the Nicene Creed (you may have heard of the Athanasian Creed, but I will leave that to your further exploration!). Creeds embody our essential belief statements and historically arose from disputes among early Christians, primarily related to the true nature of Christ. Trinity Sunday is significant in this regard because it focuses our minds on the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The Nicene Creed has been on my mind this week, especially while grappling with the creation story from the first chapter of Genesis. Hold that thought for a few moments!

My formative years (born 1957) neatly coincided with NASA’s Saturn, Gemini, and Apollo space flights and the race to the moon. Exploring the stars crackled with excitement and our heroes were those daring astronauts. Among my flashbulb memories from those years, one stands out. It happened on Christmas Eve, 1968 during the flight of Apollo 8.  Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders traveled to the far side of the moon and were the first human beings to view (and photograph) an “Earthrise,” from space. In a stunning live broadcast witnessed by millions, the three explorers, overwhelmed by what they were experiencing, used the moment to share those ancient and poetic words from Genesis (Chapter 1: 1-10). What a powerful moment for my eleven year old self! (You can find that moment on-line).

Reading the creation account this week reminded me of that beautiful moment, and also those endless debates about the creation story I heard growing up (frankly, I never saw a conflict between the Biblical creation story and the world of science). Further, I was intrigued that the creation account is included with this week’s readings (remember, “Scripture Interprets Scripture”). Clearly, the message for us to ponder is that the Triune God was present from the beginning. God, of course is mentioned immediately (verse 1), followed by the Holy Spirit (verse 2 — note the “wind from God” which is translated as “Spirit”). But, what about Christ? In our understanding of the Trinity, Christ was present from the beginning. And this is where the Nicene Creed proves helpful:  We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. Though the mystery of the Trinity is beyond my grasp, I am now hearing those words from the Nicene Creed differently (you may also want to look up John 1: 1-5 to see how the Apostle understood the creation). In addition, I’m intrigued by Genesis 1, verse 26, in which God speaks in the plural. So much to think about here! My understanding is limited!**

And that leads me to this week’s Gospel reading from Matthew. We are with Jesus and the disciples on the mountain and he offers them what has come to be known as the great commission. This passage is meaningful to me because I chose it for my Confirmation in 1972. Along with Luther’s Explanation of the Small Catechism, we had to commit a passage from scripture to memory. I suspect many of you had a similar experience if you grew up Lutheran, and, yes, I do think memorization is a powerful tool for young learners (and old ones!).  Notable to me in the verses from Matthew, is the emphasis on the Trinity and also the EXTENT of the commission to all nations. Quite a challenge! Interestingly, the corresponding passage in Mark says this: “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” I like that interpretation even more. Clearly, we are charged to share Christ’s love widely and deeply in the name of the Triune God. Would you agree with me that our community and wider world need this message in 2023 more than ever? We have much work to do.

Soli Deo Gloria

Prayer
Note: Beyond the reading from Genesis, Astronaut Frank Borman offered this prayer during the journey of Apollo 8. It is especially poignant considering the turmoil humanity was experiencing in 1968. It is a timeless prayer and is equally fitting for 2023!

Give us, O God, the vision which can see Your love in the world in spite of human failure. Give us the faith to trust Your goodness in spite of our ignorance and weakness. Give us the knowledge that we may continue to pray with understanding hearts. And show us what each one of us can do to set forward the coming of the day of universal peace. Amen. 

 

 

 

**Note: For further references to Christ being present at the creation of the world, spend some time with the first chapter of Hebrews and also Colossians 1:16.

Faithful Conversations #15

Note to readers: As is the case this week, the Revised Common Lectionary often offers choices in the readings. Pastor Jen and I are in ongoing discussion regarding the Lectionary and we will match up most of the time, but perhaps not always, particularly as other “preaching series” may arise. I bolded those that will be emphasized at ELC on Sunday (remember, one service at Hatfield). This week’s reflections will focus on Acts and 1 Corinthians and inform your reading of the Gospel.

Readings for the Day of Pentecost:
Acts 2: 1-21 (or Numbers 11: 24-30)
Psalm 104: 24-34, 35b
1 Corinthians 12: 3b-13
 John 7: 37-39 (or John 20: 19-23)

The First Reading: Acts 2: 1-21: The Coming of the Holy Spirit
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. ⁵ Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶ And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. ⁷ Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” ¹² All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” ¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Fellow Jews and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. ¹⁵ Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

“Come, Holy Spirit” – Sister Joan Chittister

May the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
bring fire to the earth
so that the presence of God
may be seen
in a new light,
in new places,
in new ways.

May our own hearts
burst into flame
so that no obstacle,
no matter how great,
ever obstructs the message
of the God within each of us.

May we come to trust
the Word of God in our heart,
to speak it with courage,
to follow it faithfully
and to fan it to flame in others.

May the Jesus
who filled women
with his Holy Spirit
fill the world and the church
with new respect
for women’s power and presence.

Give me, Great God,
a sense of the Breath of Spirit
within me as I…
(State the intention
in your own life at this time
for which you are praying.)

Amen.

Faithful Conversations #14

Reminder to readers: The Lectionary includes four scripture passages for each Sunday:
1. An Old Testament reading (Acts is featured during the Easter season);
2. A Psalm that is intended as a response to the first reading;
3. A New Testament reading;
4. The Gospel reading from Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

My reflections this week will focus on the second reading and the Gospel. 

Readings for the Ascension of our Lord Sunday:
Acts 1: 1-11
Psalm 47 or 93
Ephesians 1: 15-23
Luke 24: 44-53

Second Reading: Ephesians 1: 15-23: The Prayer of St. Paul
¹⁵ I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason ¹⁶ I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers, ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, ¹⁸ so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may perceive what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, ¹⁹ and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. ²⁰ God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. ²² And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, ²³ which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

The Gospel Reading: Luke 24: 44-53: The Ascension of Jesus
⁴⁴ Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, ⁴⁶ and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day ⁴⁷ and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” ⁵⁰ Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. ⁵¹ While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵² And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, ⁵³ and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Today’s Reflection: Changing Hearts and Minds

Ho-Chunk elder Gordon Thunder visited my classroom a number of times during my tenure at BRFHS.  He said something I never forgot during his first visit in the early 1990s: “Education is much more a matter of the heart than of the head.” Pointing to his heart, he recounted his childhood memory of walking in the woods with his Cooka (pronounced “cho-ka,” meaning grandfather) who would periodically stop and teach him things along the path. A beautiful memory, and a reminder that authentic learning starts with inspiration.  

Gordon’s words resonated with me this week as I read the passage from Ephesians and the Gospel. In the first chapter of Ephesians, Paul asks God to grant believers the spirit of wisdom and that the eyes of their heart be enlightened. I’m intrigued by Paul’s language here. One commentator I read suggests that the heart represents our core — our inner self — encompassing our mind, will, and emotions (is this our soul?). Thus, utilizing the eyes of our heart means to fully perceive, to become enlightened. It strikes me that we should recall this prayer every time we read from the scriptures. 

And while Paul PRAYED FOR the believers to become enlightened, Jesus GRANTED such insight, as noted in the Gospel reading (Luke 24:45). First, some context. Recall that in the immediate aftermath of his resurrection, Christ appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, then vanished while breaking bread with them in the village. In this week’s passage, he reappears to them in Jerusalem where they had gathered. He again identifies himself as the fulfillment of the prophecies from the Jewish scriptures (verse 44). Then Luke interjects that succinct statement in verse 45: Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. Read this passage in conjunction with the this discussion on the road to Emmaus — Luke 24: 13-35, and take special note of verse 31. Further, in verses 46-49, Jesus provides a summary of the Christian faith and, in effect, sets up the work that will be undertaken by those first generation Christians as documented in Acts. After naming them as witnesses to his reality, he promises the gift of the Holy Spirit (stay tuned for that next week!).  Luke ends with that stunning vision of Jesus ascending to heaven, and repeats that scene in the first chapter of Acts. Interestingly, Matthew, Mark, and John do not present the ascension story in this manner.

How should we interpret Luke’s account of this dramatic and mysterious moment?  I have much yet to reflect on regarding the ascension story — I need to know more. The Copley painting I included here reminds me that we often attempt to place the mysteries and wonders of our Creator into our imperfect understanding of space and time. A commentary from philosopher Stephen Davis of Claremont University resonated with me this week and is helpful:   

“I do not believe that in the Ascension Jesus went up, kept going until he achieved escape velocity from the earth, and then kept moving until he got to heaven, as if heaven were located somewhere in space. The Ascension of Jesus was primarily a change of state rather than a change of location. Jesus changed in the Ascension from being present in the realm of space and time to being present in the realm of eternity, in the transcendent heavenly realm.”

Clearly, our spiritual ancestors experienced something miraculous two thousand years ago. Like them, we are witnesses to God’s reality in our time and in this place. Guided by the Holy Spirit and praying that the eyes of our hearts be opened,  we  are called to be a light for those around us. Yes, the world desperately needs the message of Jesus Christ.  

Soli Deo Gloria.    

Prayer (inspired by Psalms 47 and 93): 

God, our Creator: You grant us life and are are an awesome God. There is nothing in this world that can separate us from you. While everything in our lives is fleeting and transitory, YOU are everlasting. You are more majestic than “the thunders of mighty waters.” Grant us strength when we falter in our faith and open our hearts and minds to your word. Amen. 

** Note: If you want to spend more time on the ascension story, this link will take you to a terrific reflection by a man named Dan Clendenin. He founded the website, Journey With Jesus in 2004 and writes extensively on many topics related to the Christian faith.    

Faithful Conversations #13

Note to readers: My reflection this week focuses on the Gospel and the reading from Acts. You will also note that I have included the Apostles’ Creed and will be referencing that.           

Readings for the Sixth Sunday in Easter:
Acts 17: 22-31
Psalm 66: 8-20
1 Peter 13: 13-22
John 14:15-21

The Apostle’s Creed 
(First Article) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
(Second Article) I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. (or, into hell)
On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
(Third Article) I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Gospel: John 14: 15-21: The Promise of the Holy Spirit
¹⁵ “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. ¹⁷ This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you. ¹⁸ “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. ¹⁹ In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. ²¹ They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me, and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”

The Reading from Acts 17: 22-31: Paul in Athens
²² Then Paul stood in front of the Areopagus and said, “Athenians, I see how extremely spiritual you are in every way. ²³ For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. ²⁴ The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by human hands, ²⁵ nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mortals life and breath and all things. ²⁶ From one ancestor he made all peoples to inhabit the whole earth, and he allotted the times of their existence and the boundaries of the places where they would live, ²⁷ so that they would search for God and perhaps fumble about for him and find him—though indeed he is not far from each one of us. ²⁸ For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we, too, are his offspring.’ ²⁹ “Since we are God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the deity is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of mortals. ³⁰ While God has overlooked the times of human ignorance, now he commands all people everywhere to repent, ³¹ because he has fixed a day on which he will have the world judged in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

This Week’s Reflection
Let’s all picture the most enthusiastic person you know. One of my college friends, Steve Clute, immediately comes to mind for me. He naturally spreads infectious laughter and joy in any situation. As mentioned in a prior post, the word enthusiasm derives from the Greek “entheos,” literally meaning “God in us.” As Christians and Lutherans, this makes perfect sense and we are reminded of this throughout the scriptures. Like many of our brothers and sisters in the faith here and across the globe, we believe in the doctrine of the Trinity — that God is manifested in three persons, God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The belief statements in the three articles of the Apostles’ Creed illustrate this. Sunday’s Gospel reading prompts our thinking in this regard, especially regarding the Holy Spirit.

We are hearing from Jesus after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem and he is foreshadowing what will happen when he is gone. In verse 16, he speaks of the gift of the Holy Spirit, one who will be alongside us — an advocate — and what a beautiful image that conjures in my mind. His Spirit, in fact, will be in us as the Spirit of Truth (verse 17), something the “world” will not understand. He further assures us we will not be orphaned (verse 18).  And, take a few moments and meditate on verse 20, a powerful passage alluding to the Trinity! (And, if you’re interested, take time to look up Luther’s explanation of the Third Article of the Creed — maybe you learned it many years ago!)  

Let’s carry the idea of “God in us” as we reflect on the passage from Acts. This has always been one of my favorite moments in the life of St. Paul. First, some context. Paul converted to Christianity in 34 CE (one year after the crucifixion), and roughly 12 years later began the first of several missionary journeys. It is estimated that between 46-60 CE, he traveled more than 10,000 miles throughout the Mediterranean world, most on foot!  In this week’s reading, we catch up with him on his second missionary trip (51 CE) and he and his companions are in Athens (prior to this, by the way, they had been run out from both Thessalonica and Berea due to the various controversies swirling around them!). Let’s imagine what it would have been like to travel with Paul and these early Christians!

In Athens, we see Paul carrying the story of Christ to the “wider world.” He preaches in the local synagogues, and bustling marketplaces of the famous city. In chapter 17, we find him preaching at the Areopagus, a famous site northwest of the Acropolis, addressing a diverse crowd of curious people. Ever the missionary, Paul appeals to them on their own turf, challenging their belief in many gods (which he has witnessed in the various shrines around the city), and pointing them toward God and his son, Jesus Christ who “gives to all mortals life and breath” (verse 25). He further reinforces the idea that we are God’s “offspring,” (verse 28) by referencing lines from ancient Greek poetry (Epimenides and Aratus), a crafty move on his part. If we read on a bit (verses 32-33), we learn that some were converted that day, including Dionysius and his wife Damaris, two of those fascinating characters that briefly appear in scripture (these individuals always intrigue me because of their brief “cameo” appearances).  

What practical lessons can we draw from this week’s Gospel and the story of Paul at the Areopagus? First, God’s love extends to all people and the gift of the Holy Spirit is open to all — we are all “God’s offspring.”  This is an incredibly challenging truth for many of us to accept. We live in a broken world that promotes division and hate, and we must somehow navigate that grim reality. Second, it is that same Holy Spirit that moves us beyond ourselves and into the wider world — we cannot do it on our own! If we become insulated as Christians, if we spend all our time talking to people who are “like us,” if we isolate ourselves, we fall into self-absorption and become frozen with indifference and susceptible to the divisions that surround us. The Spirit says GO! Go into all aspects of our shared lives and “practice what we preach.” We were made for that work. We have a powerful story to share. 

Soli Deo Gloria!    

Prayer (in response to events of this week and inspired by 1 Peter 3: 14-15)
Dear God, Our hearts are broken and souls pierced by the violence afflicting our nation and world. We pray for the victims of violence, including wars and mass shootings, and those that have lost loved ones, and all those who mourn. We pray for community, state, and national leaders that must grapple with the challenges imposed on them by tragic events. We also pray for the broken souls that perpetrate such violence in our world — may you change their hearts and minds. We ask, Lord, for strength and courage, not to be intimidated by the circumstances of this world, but instead to share the hope that we have in you with those around us. We rely on your Spirit for courage and realize that we cannot do this on our own. In your strong name we pray, Amen.

And finally, a bit of humor for today . . .  Another installment of 1950s and 60s Lutheran humor! These come from the world of Charles Schultz, the same guy that did the Peanuts comic strip for all those years!

 

Faithful Conversations #12

Note to readers: Remember to read through the entire set of readings, in whatever fashion you are doing that. I include the text of one of the readings, or perhaps parts of several here, for easy reference while reading the reflection. This week I am focusing on the reading from Acts and parts of the Gospel.     

Readings for the Fifth Sunday in Easter:

Acts 7:55-60 (Below)
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
1 Peter 2:2-10
John 14:1-14

The First Reading: Acts 7: 55-60: The Stoning of Stephen 
⁵⁵ But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” ⁵⁷ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. ⁵⁸ Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died. ( ¹ And Saul approved of their killing him). 

The Gospel Reading: John 14: 1-10: Jesus the Way to the Father
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to the place where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” ⁸ Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe because of the works themselves. ¹² Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

Today’s Reflection (focusing on the first reading and a portion of the Gospel)
Grappling with the lectionary week to week reminds me of the line attributed to Albert Einstein: “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” Someone told  me once that grasping the scriptures is like being handed a small cup and being told to move Lake Michigan — seems apt. Anyway, I’m reading a book right now that is causing me to “think anew” — a good process. The book is A More Christlike Word: Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way (2021) by Canadian theologian Bradley Jersak. In a nutshell, the “Emmaus Way” of exploring the Bible focuses on what is known as the Christotelic view, meaning reading all of scripture as pointing to Christ (“telos” refers to the end or completion of something). Keep that concept in mind for the next few moments.

So, what is going on in this gruesome story from Acts 7? As always, context is key. Stephen, one of seven men chosen as deacons to aid the disciples in their work, comes under suspicion by members of one of the various Jewish sects in Jerusalem, and is arrested. His speech in chapter 7, the longest among the various speeches recorded in Acts,  provides a Christotelic interpretation of Jewish history, harshly calling out the leaders of the Sanhedrin (elders) who have charged him — I especially like the part where they cover their ears! (verse 57) In turn, they call for his death by stoning (verse 58). Stephen is dragged “out of the city” and put to death (verse 58). At a moment of high drama, he gazes into heaven and asks God to forgive his executioners (verse 60). And, in one of the chilling moments in all of scripture, Saul (later Paul), the great persecutor of the early Christians, approves of Stephen’s death (Chapter 8:1). The death of Stephen, by the way, is one of three executions recorded in the New Testament. The other two are John the Baptist and Christ.

What are we to make of all this? Stephen is known as the first Christian martyr (protomartyr) and his arrest, trial, and execution mirror the crucifixion of Christ, including his call for mercy on his executioners. Much has been made of his gaze into heaven, his singular fixation on God at the moment of his death. The renowned Dutch artist Rembrandt, in fact, highlighted this gaze in his first painting in 1625 (I have included the image here, but if you want to see it in greater detail, click on the image).

 

 

A bit of research on this painting proved enlightening. First, note that the face of Stephen and the face of Paul are the same (Paul is seated in the top center of the painting). The artist seems to be foreshadowing Paul’s conversion to Christianity, as documented in Acts 9. In addition, Rembrandt included a self-portrait in the scene, placing himself within the story (he is peeking out from behind the man who is ready to strike Stephen). The painful expression on his face suggests to me that the artist was implicating humanity in our unwillingness to confront injustice in our world. Just a thought. You may have other ideas.

But, back to Stephen’s gaze and what it symbolizes. I’m intrigued that at the moment of his death, he did not fixate on those who were about to kill him. Instead, he focused on God. Further, he has a vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God (verse 56). One commentator I read emphasized in a compelling way, that Christ’s posture of “standing” and not sitting, indicated his willingness to “stand with us,” as opposed to sitting in judgement.

And, here seems to be a clear link between the story of the first Christian martyr and this week’s Gospel from John. In an intriguing exchange with Thomas and Phillip, Jesus utters those famous words, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him” (John 14: 6-7). Clearly, Christ identifies himself as “the way” (remember that those first generation Christians were called “People of the Way”). Our gaze needs to remain fixed on him. All scripture points to him (Christotelic). In the world of 2023, a world filled with so much division, hatred, violence, and despair, we need to hear this. This is the message we are compelled to share in our community and in our world. We have a powerful God who loves us, who gazes into our hearts, restores our souls, and fills us with hope.   

Soli Deo Gloria

Today’s Prayer (from the Book of Common Prayer, Church of England)
“Almighty God unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no Secrets are hid: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Finally, on a personal note today . . .
My father was a consummate teacher, and it is impossible for me to read Acts 7 and not be reminded that Unk (his nickname) named me (Paul Stephen) for this passage of scripture (such is the life of a PK — preacher’s kid!). He first explained this to me around the time of my confirmation in the early 1970s. “I want you to be reminded of the power of conversion,” he said. He affirmed this in a conversation I had with him two weeks before he died in 2013. We were talking about names, and I asked him for permission to add his first name (Thorwald) as a second middle name. He laughed and said, “Are you sure you want to do that?” I said yes, and I did. 

Have a great week!

 

 

 

Faithful Conversations #11

Note to readers: Take the time to read through the four readings in full so you can see the connections — sometimes they are clear, other times not. I include the text of one of the readings, or perhaps parts of several here, for easy reference while reading the reflection. This week, I am focusing primarily on the reading from Acts and utilizing the 23rd Psalm as a prayer.    

Readings for the Fourth Sunday in Easter:

Acts 2: 42-47
1 Peter 2: 19-25
Psalm 23
John 10: 1-10

The First Reading: Acts 2: 42-47: Life Among the Believers
⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³ Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ All who believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵ they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Today’s Reflection (focusing on the reading from Acts)

As Christians, how do we balance the three time dimensions — past, present, and future — in a healthy way? This question has been on my mind this week. Let me explain.

For more than 40 years, I have been engaged in teaching history — I spend much time journeying into the past. That said, history can be perilous, particularly if we get stuck there. For example, wallowing in the dark chapters of yesteryear, individually or collectively, often prevents us from moving forward with our lives. Instead of a liberating source of knowledge providing context for our present reality, history becomes a crushing burden. In addition, looking back often prompts feelings of nostalgia, a painful homesickness for a “better time” when life seemed simpler (you may want to look up the derivation of that word — nostalgia). While some nostalgia is fun, it can be debilitating. In either case, it seems to me, history may prevent us from meeting life head on in our present circumstances. The converse is also true, of course. How many times do we experience fears and anxiety about the future? Fear of what is lurking around the corner, especially in light of the challenges humanity is facing in 2023, can produce a sense of cynicism and, if unchecked, despair. 

As I read (and reread) the passage from Acts this week, the line day by day (which appears twice) jumped out at me. Among other things, it took me back to high school days (1973) and the movie, “Godspell.” Perhaps you remember it. It was a contemporary take on the story of the first Christians, wrapped in the vibe of the early 70s counter-culture movement. (“Godspell,” by the way is where we get the term “gospel,” and it means “good news” or “good story”).  The third song in the movie, and most memorable to me, is “Day by Day” (linked below). The lyric clearly references this week’s passage from Acts and, so I learned, also the “Prayer of Saint Richard of Chichester” (1197-1253), the patron saint of the sick, lepers, and travelers (note the picture on the right). The relevant portion of Saint Richard’s prayer is this:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. ² He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; ³ he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. ⁴ Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. ⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. Amen. 

Soli Deo Gloria.

 

And, a bit of history for you today regarding the worship space at ELC:

The chapel off the sanctuary, I have learned, was originally called the “Pioneer Chapel,” a nod to the original Norwegian settlers in Jackson County that established the parish (originally, Little Norway). The statue and altar are from the original church structure, built in 1876, that was located east of the Courthouse on Third Street, at least that is the best information I have on it now.  In 1953, ELC moved up the hill to its present location.