Pentecost 2A

My sermon from yesterday.

Matthew 9:9-13

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 Matthew got up and followed Jesus.

And as Jesus sat at dinner in the house – Matthew's house – many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with Jesus and his disciples.

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

But when Jesus heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy; not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Here in the global North, we're one week into the halcyon days of summer, with sunny days, star-spangled nights, picnics, barbecues, music on the half shell, and feeling all of our dreams may come true, after all.

At the same time, the church's year of grace has opened wide the six month long season when we count Sundays after the Feast of Pentecost, a time of the Holy Spirit of Pentecost when the Church really comes into its own as we discern God's call and claim on our lives, and what ministries God may be calling us to respond to. Green is the liturgical color for these months, as we act in ways that help the world around us bloom and flourish.

This is the year of Matthew's gospel; today's gospel reading is Jesus' call to Matthew and Matthew's response. Although none of the earliest gospel manuscripts indicate an author, a community gathered around this disciple Matthew probably wrote this gospel.

As we just heard, Jesus notices Matthew at his workplace. Matthew collected taxes, tariffs, and tolls in the employ of the occupying Roman government. People generally hated tax collectors because – among other abuses – they added on their own charges to the amount required to return to Rome.

The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all contain this story. And, Mark and Luke tell us this tax collector's name was Levi, which means he was from the priestly tribe of Levites that ministered at the Jerusalem Temple. In other words, his life had fallen off the rails and he was in a profession opposed to his origins.

Today's reading from Matthew's gospel only mentions a house, but Luke and Mark tell us it was Matthew's house where Matthew/Levi made an extravagant banquet. Although we don't know the elapsed time between Jesus' invitation and Matthew's response, Matthew doubtless already knew a lot about Jesus. As part of his response to Jesus' invitation to follow him, Matthew offered an amazing feast to all comers, as if he already knew plentiful food was one of the signs of the presence of God's reign on earth.

Luke tells us everyone reclined at table. In that culture, reclining for a meal was a sign of shalom, of having "enough," no longer needing to scratch for life or be beholden to empire. Reclining at table meant everyone was an equal among equals.

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You know about the ultra-religious pharisees with their self-righteous attitudes, and how they separated themselves from everyone else to avoid contamination. Jesus references "sacrifice" of the ceremonial law that did nothing to connect anyone to God, nothing to benefit anyone anywhere. Jesus reminds us he wants mercy.

Long ago in a previous life I knew a young woman I'll call Cheryl, because her name was Cheryl. Life dumped a lot on her from outside, and she made some decisions that had negative outcomes. It felt as if everyone was giving her unhelpful suggestions. When a new dog came into Cheryl's life and she decided to adopt him, she told me she asked herself what trait or characteristic did people need most? Her answer was mercy, so she named her new canine companion Mercy.

Is God able to name and call each of us Mercy and Merciful?

* * *
Originally for this start of the season of Pentecost when we discern and engage ministries that help the world bloom and flourish, I considered asking all of us to divide our lives into our immediate home, workplace, neighborhood; this parish and any other church communities where you're involved; and the larger, greater world out there. I thought I'd ask each of us what God is calling us to do in each of those arenas—smaller, manageable acts of service. That still feels like a good idea, but it's clear to me that the past couple of months, last Sunday's guest from Global Refuge, the needs of the city and county of Los Angeles and beyond, and today's immigration focused retreat after worship all point us to a continued emphasis on immigration and immigrants.

Last week Karla from Global Refuge placed immigration in the context of the Pentecost of our baptism! Scripture tells us we all are strangers and sojourners everywhere we go, and God travels with us.

I don't have an answer or a suggestion for ways to engage and minister around immigration during the next few months. We know it takes prayer, thought, listening, time, and conversations to discern where God is leading us and the nature of our responses.

* * *
Again today Jesus invites everyone to the table of grace for a foretaste of the feast to come when…

…many will come come from the east and the west, the north and the south, and recline at table in the Kingdom of Heaven. Luke 13:29

Amen? Amen!

Our song of the day is "We Come to the Hungry Feast"

Five Minute Friday :: Accumulate

• Five Minute Friday:: Accumulate Linkup

what's an apt illustration for accumulate? Clutter piled high? Stacks of cartons and crates ready to go from one dwelling place to the next one? Books in every inch of a bookcase? A series of diplomas and certificates from kindergarten to post-doc?

And Jesus said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." Luke 12:15

This comes after he warns about coveting "stuff" or possessions; a grass is greener, keeping up with what you think other people own or have. Covetousness and greed are far different from desiring basic comfort.

life doesn't consist in the abundance of things. Stuff. Possessions. Or maybe that's belongings?

Psychologist Erik Erikson said to lose the sum of one's possessions is to lose evidence of who one is. Identity crisis! Ever had one? Of course we need physical objects. Many people delight in their collections. But the recent spate of decluttering and organizing articles and books reminds us how collections and collecting can accumulate to such an extent they impede life rather than enhance it.

We hear about the wisdom of accumulating memories rather than stacking up material objects we may not have space for and may not need on any level. That wise advice to grandparents also applies to parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and unrelated family friends. To everyone.

Give your grands, your own kids, your nieces and nephews, coworkers' kids, your Little Brothers—Little Sisters experiences rather than things. It's a perfect time for a shout-out to the Big Brothers–Big Sisters program because being a Big Sister or Big Brother will create incomparable experiences and endless memories for everyone.

A trip to the park or a nearby beach. An afternoon downtown with lunch and a museum. Bake cookies or bread together. Plant a garden and harvest the veggies, pick the flowers. Make dinner and serve it proudly. Take pictures of everything, of course. Accumulate experiences. Accumulate memories of your experiences.

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Five Minute Friday :: Path

• Five Minute Friday :: Path Linkup

A couple years ago we wrote to the prompt follow. We can't follow a better path than the one I wrote about then, and I couldn't express it as well today as I did during Lent 2023. Today I'm using a version of the same graphic because whatever path Jesus shows us; wherever he goes, we will follow.

You know it's about the journey and not about the destination. We talk about a walk by faith. Not a run, jog, sprint, or race. Not a leisurely stroll, either. Almost nine years ago we had Journey as a FMF prompt, too.


A Path

For today let's consider only a small part of the journey, a piece of the path with its switchbacks and surprises, because originally the word journey was about a single day.

Where one day's path begins and ends. What happens during the hours from sunup to sundown, or more realistically, when we get out of bed (any time from a couple of hours before sunrise to a couple of hours after) and when we go to bed and try to go to sleep, which usually is a few hours after the sun goes down.

How do we discern (to use that fancy spiritual term) each day's path? Is it a copy of the previous day? Do we follow an hour by hour schedule someone else outlined for us? Do we separate the path into segments that could be labeled individual, family, work, and other-elsewhere? Does one run into another? Do they happen in different locations? Do we have our list or someone's else's list that we check off as we finish each item?

How much a part of the larger whole does a single day feel? Does one day help hold your family together, help your workplace run smoothly, or maybe contribute a tiny piece to fulfilling your dreams? Does your path for any given day include physical paths like those in your garden or a nearby public park? Do you drive on city streets or urban freeways? Does an unpaved road or neighborhood sidewalk path play any part in your lengths of days? How would you illustrate your path in pen and ink, in pencil, in watercolor, with any kind of art? What would your journal or daybook say about your path?

I'm asking those questions for myself, and I'd love to talk about your answers and your path.

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"I will follow you wherever you go I will follow…"
Luke 9:57, Matthew 8:19

Five Minute Friday :: Journey

• Five Minute Friday :: Journey Linkup

It's about the journey, not the destination is a commonplace observation because it rings so true. I even have an Old Navy shirt that announces that reality! Do you think of it as a Journey or a Trip or an Adventure? After observing me for a while, a coworker told me I loved the thrill of the chase. Indeed I do. But is that a chase or is it a pursuit? (Check out last week's Five Minute Friday)! Is a chase or a pursuit an intrinsic part of the journey or is it an added after market component?

Any of us could write or talk forever about their journeys so far and their hopes for the days and moths to come. But right now the church is in the season of Lent.

As we prepare for Easter during this forty day long season, many slow down, become more intentional about study and service, possibly take on a meaningful project or activity and often relinquish a sensual favorite such as meat, wine, or desserts.

In Luke's gospel, the journey to Jerusalem and to the cross is particularly focused and incessant. Jesus first sets his face toward Jerusalem in Luke 9:51. Toward Jerusalem—the cross and the empty grave. Does knowing Jesus' persistence working through his calling and destiny help your Lenten considerations as we anticipate death, resurrection, and the possibility of a new creation?


• About my header picture: When we enjoy a recipe from a different culture or country, when we have tea, coffee, fruit, or condiments that actually originated elsewhere, is that a way of taking a journey, making a trip? As we receive a literal taste of Greece, a hint of the Caribbean, a portion of Southern Soul, it definitely is! The Koreatown Los Angeles coffee and tea stop with its international customers and international bill of fare felt perfect for today's topic.

• I've piggybacked parts of this from my scripture blog for this week: Lent 2 :: Reminiscere

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Five Minute Friday :: Favor

• Five Minute Friday :: Favor Linkup

Luke 4:14-21

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee. … He stood up to read in synagogue, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."

Then he said to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

• The year of the Lord's Favor!

Jesus was 30 years old and had been attending synagogue for a long time. He knew the texts of scripture well, so after the attendant handed him the Isaiah scroll, Jesus would have been able to pick and choose the passage he wanted to read that comes from the third section of the long book of Isaiah. But it's possible they had a set reading schedule, the way many churches follow the revised common lectionary.

Jesus combines Isaiah 61:1-2a
"The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."

And Isaiah 58:6
"To loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?" (Jesus leaves out words about vengeance.)

• The year of the Lord's Favor!

This is Luke's version of Jesus public ministerial debut. Just as for John who opens Jesus' public ministry with a party (on the third day, because?), it's also in his Galileean hometown, a working class place full of thieves, robbers, petty criminals, and gentiles! This passage highlights Luke's themes of Holy Spirit, the marginalized, the underprivileged.

• The year of the Lord's Favor!

Jesus tells his listeners right now, today, this Isaiah text has been fulfilled. Jesus mentions the year of the Lord's favor, the Jubilee 50th year – 7 years times 7 – from Leviticus 25: debts cancelled, captives released; although the land kept sabbath every seven years, during the jubilee that's not only holy to the Lord, but "holy to you" (that's us, the Lord's people), no pruning or extra harvesting. Plus, although all the land belongs to God, in the jubilee year fields will return to their original stakeholders.

And why? Leviticus 25:38 explains, "I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God."

During Advent we hear Mary's Magnificat, also from Luke's gospel where Jesus' mother announces great leveling and immense reversals of have-nots gaining essentials for life, with those who have-a-lot in a material sense losing some of their wealth in a massive re-distribution.

• The year of the Lord's Favor!

During Advent and at other times we sing Canticle of the Turning that paraphrases Mary's words. Jesus' announcement of himself as God's justice and restoration embodied picks up on Mary's themes of distributive justice and equality. Mary would have known Hannah's song from 1 Samuel 2:1-10 so well she could riff on it.

• The year of the Lord's Favor!

The year of the Lord's favor! A life that still would include usual stressors of family, work, decisions, disappointments, but it would be so much lighter because everyone would have enough money, no debts, enough good food and housing, reliable health care. Wouldn't the Lord's favor be a reason for a jubilee celebration?!

How does this gospel text call and claim us? To announce and enact the year of the Lord's favor?!

The Spirit of the Lord is upon us…

• The year of the Lord's Favor! Jubilee!

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Epiphany 2C

Intro

Tony Campolo, "The kingdom of God is a party." Not like a party, not some semblance of a celebration, but the reign of heaven on earth is the real thing.

This is MLK weekend. The USA and many other countries have been impacted with frightening political, social, and economic uncertainties. Unprecedented wildfires have leveled Los Angeles area neighborhoods. Wars and other armed conflicts simmer and explode across the globe.

John 2:1-11

¹ On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. ³ When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." ⁴ And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come." ⁵ His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

⁶ Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. ⁷ Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward." So they took it.

⁹ When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom ¹⁰ and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the best wine until now."

¹¹ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

Background

So far in this year of grace and season of revelation we've waited for God in our midst, we've been awed at the nativity of the infant Savior, we've met visitors from the East bearing gifts, we've joined a crowd alongside the Jordan.

After his riverside baptism by his cousin John the Baptist that all four gospels include, each gospel brings us a different version of Jesus' first act of public ministry. How can that be? Most likely they all happened around the same time, but each writer chose a particular one because it fit their perspective better.

The community surrounding John the beloved disciple writes about Jesus' signs rather than miracles. A miracle implies suspension of natural laws (which sometimes is the case, and sometimes there is a logical explanation), but a sign points beyond itself to a place, event, person, or idea—in this case, to Jesus. The Greek here is like our word semiotic that relates to signs, symbols, meanings. This gospel includes seven signs and seven "I Am" statements from Jesus. In Hebrew numerology, seven is the number of perfection or completion.


New Creation

In Matthew and Luke, after incarcerated John the Baptist wonders about Jesus being "the one who is to come," Jesus replies "go tell John what you see and hear: blind see; lame walk; diseased become clean; dead are raised! poor receive good news."

• Luke 7:20-22

• Matthew 11:2-5

These events fulfill John's signs.

John's gospel brings us the most explicit new creation.

• In the beginning … God –Genesis 1:1
• In the beginning … was the word –John 1:1

logos, word connotes both origin (where this came from) and immanence (what this might become). Does that sound theological?

On the seventh day God finished the work. –Genesis 2:2
"It is finished!" –John 19:30

• And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden… –Genesis 2:8

The garden of Jesus' burial and resurrection becomes the new garden of Eden

• Now there was a garden in the place where Jesus was crucified, and in the garden was a new tomb in which no one ever had been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. –John 9:41-42

The first day of the week is the eighth day of creation, the first day of the new creation.

• Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. –John 20:1
• Supposing him [Jesus] to be the gardener… –John 20:15b

Of the four canonical gospels, John brings us the most fully realized eschatology (protology is the word about first things, about origins; eschatology is the word about last things, about conclusions)—the clearest right here and right now of the reign of heaven on earth. A wedding party perfectly fits that worldview!


Today's Good News

This reading begins, "On the third day." In that place and time, the third day – Tuesday – was considered the best day for a wedding. But as Easter people, we also recognize the third day as the day of resurrection that initiates the new creation. And back then and there, an extravagant wedding party where everyone gets more than the dayenu or "it would have been enough" of the Passover song would be a primary indicator of the messianic age.

Cana in Galilee was disreputable gentile territory known for thieves and petty criminals. This wedding was not at an elite venue or an aspirational destination. Jesus performed this sign among regular, ordinary, working class people. Most of the guests and reception attendants probably lived nearby; some may have worked in the vineyard.

A wedding is an occasion to party; a wedding brings families together and gathers a community in one place for a single purpose. Whatever is happening elsewhere in the world, a wedding hopes for and promises a future. The couple getting married trusts that a future will arrive.

This isn't the old band Canned Heat Going Up the Country singing about "where the water tastes like wine." This is water that has become wine, and "you have kept the best wine until now!" –John 2:10


Where We Live

At the start of his public ministry Jesus attends a party and makes the party even better, in a preview of the rest of his time on earth. But two thousand years after Jesus' death and resurrection, we still experience death, disease, destruction, deadly fires, nations at war, a threat of government that is not by the people, of the people, or for the people.

Evidently a recent article in The Atlantic informed readers we need to party more. It was behind a paywall and no one provided a summary, but I agree.

After the 911 attack on the World Trade Center, although we didn't exactly rejoice with a block party, two days later on Thursday evening several churches in our neighborhood gathered to celebrate Eucharist, a meal with the risen Christ. Here's one of my reflections about it:

• 911 :: 22 years later

Literally in spite of everything we glanced into all creation healed and whole. We briefly lived in that future moment God dreams of and calls us to help create. Did you know the chasuble the person presiding at Eucharist vests in is the wedding garment of the messianic feast?

To paraphrase Cornel West, "We are people of hope. Why do we party on Friday night? Why do we go to church on Sunday?"

Because the Kingdom of God, the Reign of Heaven is a party!

Five Minute Friday :: Capacity

• Five Minute Friday :: Capacity Linkup

Boxes, dishes, buildings, digital storage—you name it: container capacity is an essential practical concern. When you're baking at home or in a commercial kitchen the capacity of your measuring cups and spoons needs to be accurately marked. The pan for your cookies, cake, pie, or casserole must properly fit your ingredients and allow for expansion. When you pack a box to send overseas or across town, capacity must be correct for all the items and usually for some cushioning, too. In addition, box measurements must align with capacity stated by the shipping company, whether USPS, UPS, Fedex, DHL, or another.

With the twin container ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach practically within hailing distance, I pay attention to all sorts of capacities related to international shipping. Default container length has increased from twenty feet to forty; you can imagine the increased weight and size they can handle. Then there's the ship's physical capacity in terms of weight, length, depth, and height; capacity of the water to contain how many ships at one time; how many can dock at once.

Aside from baking, shipping, and other everyday notions, as Kate observed, all of us have limited physical and mental capacity to do what we'd like to do, to pursue and attain our dreams. Each of us contains gifts God has given us for the good of community and creation.

In Jesus' time and place, people believed all resources were finite, so everyone assumed a zero-sum existence. If the rich got richer, the poor must have gotten poorer. If someone's social status increased, someone else's had to have decreased. Capacities were fixed and limited! If you believed that to be the case, wouldn't you hesitate to share your time, your talents, your financial treasures?

In his first act of public ministry recorded by Luke, Jesus announced the time of Jubilee when debts will be canceled, when all creation will thrive in shalom-filled "enough." When that time arrives, saving, investing, and stockpiling won't be considerations.

God has given us and we've received capacious talents and gifts, and we've been called to contribute. Do we fear our capacity is limited, the world's needs unlimited? Or do you believe God's capacity to give is unlimited and unchecked, that God will keep on giving to you so you can keeping giving to your community, your family, your church, your friends, the world around you?

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Five Minute Friday :: Hurry

Mid-June 2015 along Interstate Highway 8 in San Diego, California


• Five Minute Friday :: Hurry Linkup

Intro

FMF host Kate has been participating in a study of the gospel according to John at her church. When she mentioned they're using a book by Melissa Spoelstra, I lit up because I remembered Melissa's excellent study on Joseph and forgiveness I read and reviewed.

Although Kate observed that Jesus never seemed to hurry through his (three year long, according to John) public ministry, that really depends on which gospel account you're considering. John's Jesus feels focused, calm, and deliberate, because *even* more than synoptics Mark, Luke, and Matthew, John brings us realized eschatology of the right here, right now of the reign of heaven on earth. Celebrating at a wedding party is Jesus' first act of public ministry in John, so we've got the astonishing goods that happen "on the third day" at this very moment, in this very place, and it only will get better.

John is the latest gospel, and in many ways it's an outlier from the other three that made the canonical cut.

However, when we read Mark, the earliest and shortest gospel, all the action is urgent and the Savior moves nonstop. In Mark the transitional word "immediately, straightway/straightaway" occurs at least forty times. Just sayin'…


Hurry

As I write to Hurry alongside Kate's roadway traffic image, the vehicular freeway congestion and pollution that has emerged as an icon of American haste and ambition won't escape me. The worst part is that so few of us differentiate between ideas, activities, and outcomes that need to be treated as urgent, that must be attended to post-haste, and those that can take their time, those many that fare much better if they have time to wait, sprout, then finally blossom and bloom.

The day I took these photos along "The 8," or Interstate Highway 8 in Mission Valley, San Diego, I was on my way to a noontime meeting and intentionally captured the road without cars. That probably would have been impossible in Los Angeles, but San Diego is slower paced, hurries less, and leans into its small town heritage and personality more readily than places like ultra megalopolis Los Angeles (yet the city of LA has neighborhoods zoned for horses!). Does that mean San Diegans are better at discerning whether or not to hurry? To a limited extent, yes.

Whether within our family, at work, sharing the gospel, or caring for ourselves, we need to discern when to hurry ("time is of the essence!") and when hurrying is unnecessary or counter productive.


Heaven on Earth

Along with John's, the synoptic gospels all acknowledge the reign of heaven, God's Kingdom already is here on earth. A couple of proof texts, though God's presence, love, healing, and hope fills all the gospels:

• But if I cast out demons with the finger [power] of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Luke 11:20

The reign of heaven is here.

• But if it is by the Spirit of God I cast out demons, surely the kingdom of God has come unto you. Matthew 12:28

If. Since. Then. Surely. Without a doubt.

In the Spirit of Pentecost God's reign continues with the church in the world as the body of Christ. We often don't feel the calm deliberation of John's Jesus, but I love how we're slowed down and unhurried when we assemble on the Lord's day. In words from one of my favorite more recent hymns we acknowledge:

God is here!
As we your people meet to offer praise and prayer. …
Here are symbols to remind us of our lifelong need of grace;
here are table, font, and pulpit; here the cross has central place.

Written by Fred Pratt Green; please sing it to the tune Abbot's Leigh
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Five Minute Friday :: Far

Big Dig Boston Background from Y2K

• Five Minute Friday :: Far Linkup


This week's far prompt immediately evoked the parable of the Waiting Father / Prodigal Younger Son / Resentful Son in Luke 15:11-32 because more English translations than not tell us the younger son left home for a far country; you can review Luke 15:13 in different English versions on Bible Hub. As you'll notice, we get distant region, far country, distant country, distant land, foreign country, country far away from home, country far away.

With the letters far beginning or in the midst of many words, after I got curious about its etymology, I discovered "far" derives from Old English, Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Old Norse; it's related to Dutch, and it's from an Indo-European root shared by Sanskrit and Greek.

In whatever manner we use it casually, "far" is a great distance, way beyond, remote. Distant, beyond, remote from what or where? From home, from safety, from the familiar, from the expected.

On this Friday in late January 2024 I still feel far away from any normal I'd ever had, removed from the very minimum homecoming from exile I'd hoped for and trusted would happen. We have Luke's Prodigal (along with his Lost Sheep and Lost Coin Parables…). We know Israel's experience of exile and return to the Land of Promise only to encounter yet another empire, though amidst all the rebuilding and identity re-formation, Israel codified and canonized a great deal of what we know as the Hebrew Scriptures. Israel re-established worship. What does all that say about us and our being far away too often and sometimes even wanting to stay in the Far Zone because (come on, people, get real) it feels familiar and it feels safe?

If you offer to bring me near—why? Will we be close and not remote? Will you celebrate me or tolerate me? Will it be mutual homecoming, or like Israel, will I yearn for an Egypt that's now geographically far away? Will near be better than far?

Barbara Brown Taylor in Home by Another Way closely relates to our own experiences of far, of the prodigal son's homecoming, of each of our minor, major, traumatic, and secret departures from safety, from home, from the familiar. Her words resonate with times we go to far places on purpose or by accident, as well as our remote ways of being and acting that take us far from others and that distance us from the core of our identity:

What we may have lost along the way is a full sense of the power of God—to recruit people who have made terrible choices; to invade the most hapless lives and fill them with light; to sneak up on people who are thinking about lunch, not God, and smack them upside the head with glory.

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Five Minute Friday :: Turn

• Five Minute Friday :: Turn Linkup

I love to write about Advent! I love Advent music! I love Advent's promise of hope, of God among us is such a paradoxical way, God's promise of the end of the world as we've known it: the end of death, destruction, empire, violence, exploitation. The dawn of hope and possibility. Last week on FMF I wrote, "Hope for the death of death starts with the birth of Jesus of Nazareth."

In the wilderness alongside the Jordan River, John the Baptist preached a "baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins." Repent, turn around, the day of the Lord is at hand is classic prophecy. And "after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news [gospel] of God and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news [gospel].'" Mark 1:14-15

"Turn around and repent" is our daily action of turning toward the sunrise and trusting God through the new day. It may or not be factual, but have you heard how reformer Martin Luther reminded himself "I am baptized" as he washed his face every morning? Repent. Turn around. Umkehr. Metanoia. Live into your baptism!

During Advent, we hear Mary's Holy Spirit-inspired canticle called the Magnificat you can read in or sing from Luke 1:46-55. You may be aware of how well people memorized scripture – literally taking it to heart – two millennia ago; although we have the words Luke wrote, it's very likely Mary sang a very similar song because this passage is closely based upon Hannah's song in 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Mary would have been able to recite and make Hannah's words her own.

Paraphrasing Mary's Magnificat, Canticle of the Turning announces the world is about to turn! God turns toward us! God turns and comes even closer to earth! This is global change! As the world turns, the whole world changes!

Because so many YT videos aren't there forever, I no longer link to any, but you easily can find many wonderful solo and choral versions to enjoy. Maybe you've sung Canticle of the Turning in a choir or as a solo? Maybe your church musicians have sung it or you know it as a hymn?

Canticle of the Turning

1 My soul cries out with a joyful shout
that the God of my heart is great,
and my spirit sings of the wondrous things
that you bring to the ones who wait.
You fixed your sight on your servant's plight,
and my weakness you did not spurn,
so from east to west shall my name be blest.
Could the world be about to turn?

Refrain
My heart shall sing of the day you bring.
Let the fires of your justice burn.
Wipe away all tears, for the dawn draws near,
and the world is about to turn.

2 Though I am small, my God, my all,
you work great things in me,
and your mercy will last from the depths of the past
to the end of the age to be.
Your very name puts the proud to shame,
and to those who would for you yearn,
you will show your might, put the strong to flight,
for the world is about to turn. Refrain

3 From the halls of power to the fortress tower,
not a stone will be left on stone.
Let the king beware for your justice tears
every tyrant from his throne.
The hungry poor shall weep no more,
for the food they can never earn;
there are tables spread, every mouth be fed,
for the world is about to turn. Refrain

4 Though the nations rage from age to age,
we remember who holds us fast:
God's mercy must deliver us
from the conqueror's crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forebears heard
is the promise which holds us bound,
till the spear and rod can be crushed by God,
who is turning the world around. Refrain

Gary Daigle, Rory Cooney, and Theresa Donohoo
© 1990, GIA Publications, Inc.

• Mary Icon by Scott Ward

Five Minute Friday :: Follow

• Five Minute Friday :: Follow Linkup

• Luke 9:57 I will follow you wherever you go … I will follow you.

• Matthew 8:19 I will follow you wherever you go … I will follow you.

There have been saints and martyrs in all eras whose passion for love, mercy, justice, and the reign of heaven on earth has led them to follow Jesus to the extent of forsaking their earthly lives. Jesus told us to follow him; a classic perspective says we follow Jesus to the cross, then to the empty grave, which feels especially appropriate during this season of Lent.

My header image isn't quite a labyrinth, yet if you follow the words you'll find yourself at the center that's also source and destination. My footer photo is the labyrinth a friend in Previous City designed and built for his Eagle Scout project.

If a stranger asked, what would you tell them following Jesus is about? You could tell them it's like a labyrinth that guides you unimpeded without dead ends but typically has a few surprising switchbacks that momentarily make it look as if you've gone backwards. You could say it's like following words of life – love of God and love of neighbor – to create healthy local community and ultimately, a global commonwealth.

You could tell them both religious and political leaders in Jesus' imperial context with its violence, poverty, and despair considered Jesus a major threat. In that case, what would following Jesus here and now look like?

You could tell the inquirer to follow you into worship where the sacraments / ordinances of baptism and holy communion are politically, socially, and culturally subversive. If you follow the visible words of the sacraments you'll find yourself at the center that's also source and destination.

Exodus 24:3 Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, "All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do."

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Five Minute Friday :: While

• Five Minute Friday :: While Linkup

Sit a while and we'll while away some time. I'm not sure of the formal, technical meaning of while, but for me the noun "while" connotes an unspecified length of time that might or might not depend on circumstances; whereas "while" the verb is casual, unstructured, without stated purpose. Both noun and verb feel fuzzy around the edges.

They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. The stranger acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: "Stay a while and have supper with us. It's nearly evening; the day is done." So he went in with them.

And he sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared.

Then the two went over everything that happened on the road and how they recognized him when he broke the bread. Luke 24:28-31, 35

For the most part I consider whiling away time an unplanned, almost random activity with no real expectations. But we know God never wastes any experiences; God makes best use of every time, all the time. One of the best examples is Holy Saturday, the day after Jesus' crucifixion when from outward appearances nothing happens, yet from God's reality, everything does and leads into the fullness of redemption on the day of resurrection.

Here in Luke's gospel we have an example of close to unintentional staying a while to while away some hours—probably until dawn, since nights could get scary and dangerous in that time and place. Yet that while turned into the intimacy and nurture of a shared meal. The encounter became a reminder that Jesus, born in Little Town of House of Bread, is Lord who provides the loaf, the sustenance. This Jesus, who often comes to us as a stranger, after a while often becomes someone in whom we recognize God's presence before they leave.

Fuzzy around the edges with room for God to make a way? Yes! Purposeless whiling for a while?! I'd say not! Amen? Amen!

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Five Minute Friday :: Together

• Five Minute Friday :: Together Linkup

A few autumns ago just before Thanksgiving Day USA, the soundtrack to a too short Walmart TV commercial sang the Youngbloods:

Love is but a song we sing
Fear's the way we die
You can make the mountains ring
Or make the angels cry

Come on, people now!
Smile on each other
Everybody get together
try to love one another right now.

Via Luke 12:32, the lectionary gospel for this coming Sunday assures us, "Do not fear, little flock (flock of birds? flock of sheep?), it is the Father's pleasure to give you the kingdom." By the end of the scripture selection at verse 40, we've met a householder so generous he doesn't invite everyone (y'all y'all come) to the extravagant party, he takes the party to them and serves everyone himself. "Truly I tell you, the master will fasten up his belt and have the slaves recline to eat, and he will come and serve them." Luke 12:7

What a picture of the God who gifts us with the reign of life: food, drink, togetherness. I love connecting this narrative with the T-Day commercial, especially with so many immigrants in this area as well as across the country. But now in 2022 we're talking newcomers from other countries and other areas of this country, and a whole lot of people who've been here a very long time that Covid has displaced.

How about us? Of course, a lot of this relates to how much space we have in our homes and in our churches, yet how can we follow the example of the Divine Universe Owner and serve our neighbors? Maybe just as much, let's not neglect our own—in-house family and church communities?!

Come on, people now
Smile on each other
Everybody get together
Try to love one another right now
Right now
Right now


Chester Powers "Get Together" lyrics © Ivan Mogull Music Corp., Irving Music Inc.

"Kids Together" header is my editing of public domain clipart.

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Five Minute Friday :: Possibility

• Is anything too hard for the Lord? Genesis 18:14
• With God nothing will be impossible. Luke 1:37
• Possibility FMF Linkup

Photos and patterns, graphics and designs inspire us the same way as single word prompts. Come to think of it, so does music.

I love Kate's two lane highway to a possibility! Could that possibility be home? Either returning to a previous home or journeying home for a first time ever? Are we driving alone or together to a place we'll recognize when we're there? The road's not labeled, though (of course) it started somewhere and this particular one ends—wherever it does. Does it connect to an interstate or maybe arrive at a city or town? Streets and roads so energize our imaginations! Remembering ones we've driven and trod. Recalling old night dreams and faded daydreams and bringing them back to life. Do you remember Abraham? God told him "go to the place I will show you" …when you get there. Did Abraham's descendants know "this is the place" when they finally reached the edge of the Jordan?

This road isn't remote. It's paved, has a median strip and runs betwixt verdant fields. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Resurrection from the dead isn't. So even homecoming isn't too hard for God? With God no thing – even a broadly settled place – will be impossible. The good, the graceful, the bountiful, and the new will flourish as God leads the way to possibilities that aren't exactly remote.

Did you watch pre-Olympics skating last week? At some point someone said "it takes a village" to raise a skater. It takes a village to create any life, to make any dream a possibility. It takes a village to make a home. It takes a village to welcome someone home. Again or for the first time ever. Remember! With God everything will be possible! Amen? Amen!

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Five Minute Friday :: Expectation

• FMF Expectation Linkup

• In Shakespeare's Henry V: "For now sits expectation in the air!"

Luke 3

¹⁵As the people filled with expectation, and all of them questioned in their hearts concerning John the Baptist, whether he might be the Messiah, ¹⁶John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

Expectation, anticipation. From observing a few others and from knowing myself to a limited degree, it seems as if most humans spend most of their lives in a past that is over (to some extent) and in a future that hasn't yet dawned (though God already has gone there to ready it for us). Those enticing five minute fridays! Of course you can write to any prompt at any time, and I've done a couple of them too late to link, but isn't it more fun to join the weekly writing flash-mob?

With Advent well underway and Nativity drawing nigh, it's been yet another crazy week. I had to attend to formal and official projects so I didn't quite write about expectation, but I blogged my weekly Revised Common Lectionary reflection for Advent 2. In doing that, I retrieved and slightly updated a prayer I wrote fifteen years ago; I'll re-blog it here:

Prayer

God of all creation, again this year we anticipate your Holy Presence among us in the Bethlehem manger. We also find you in our neighbor next door, the homeless family in the park, the clerk at the convenience store, frontline medical and municipal workers, scientists studying COVID, and conflicts across the world, may we bring to all of these the joy of the Bethlehem baby. We pray in the name of the Bringer of hope and Author of peace, amen!

© Leah Chang, 2006, 2021
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Advent 4 2020

The Fourth Sunday of Advent 2020   The Mighty One
has scattered the proud
in the imaginations of their hearts
and filled the hungry
with good things!

Luke 1:51-53

Porch Story :: John the Baptist

Sonoran Desert Wilderness near Tucson, Arizona
Porch Story host Kristin features guest Beth Johnson this week.

My long ago previous city next door neighbor Sara blogged for the first time in ages with an amazing account; today's porch story expends my comment to Sara...

"The magic in the ordinary!" This entire post is so amazing! The song "Live Like You Were Dying" has it right—if we knew this was our last day on earth, what would we do? What would our concern be? New Zealand must have been a dream come true—and the power and grace of your Dad's priesthood blessing will stay with you forever!

True about living life in ordinary, small things. I teach the adult SS class at my church; next Sunday we'll be talking about John the Baptist in Luke 3:7-18 as he instructs people (a brood of vipers who need to repent) how to get ready for the arrival of God in their midst in the person of his cousin Jesus. Do you remember John and Jesus were very close in age? J the B's official church birthday is June 25, right after the summer solstice; although Jesus's birth likely was during the season of spring, we celebrate his birthday right after the winter solstice, on December 25. Birthdays of increasing and decreasing light symbolize nicely John's observation, "Jesus must increase, I must decrease." Actions of Jesus' followers – ordinary, everyday lives of those baptized with water and with fire – become a big aspect of Jesus' presence increasing and growing on earth.

Luke 3:7-18

⁷John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

¹⁰And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" ¹¹In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." ¹²Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" ¹³He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." ¹⁴Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages."

¹⁵As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, ¹⁶John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." ¹⁸So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

Your entire account reminded me:

Maybe especially smart people (like us!?) imagine doing things the world will consider amazing—teaching elementary school in the inner city, serving as a mostly pro-bono attorney for marginalized populations, serving a non-English speaking mission in a semi-exotic place, parenting a bunch of kids all of whom go on to get a PhD or MD and save their corner of the world... you know!

But Jesus' cousin tells us to get ready for The Coming One by living life simply where we already are and sharing essentials like clothing and food. He doesn't even advise tax collectors and soldiers who are in the employ of the occupying Roman government to quit their jobs that potentially oppress and even could bankrupt people. We basically need to bloom where we're planted, and do everything the best we can with fairness and righteousness.

Two Sundays ago in my intro to Luke's gospel, I said Luke emphasizes:

• neighborology – the word about the neighbor! During Luke's Year C the lectionary includes quite a few readings from jeremiah and Deuteronomy that also center around the neighbor, the other, living together faithfully in covenantal community.

• Starting with John the Baptist down by the riverside counseling people to share what they have with others in order to prepare for the arrival of God in our midst, we find a lot of "social gospel" throughout Luke,. However, this isn't let's see how many good works we humans can accomplish on our own; it's always about the indwelling and outgoing power of the Holy Spirit.

I added Luke's...

• Sermon on the Plain – Luke 6:17-49 – is about re-distributive justice and material well-being. Matthew's parallel Sermon on the Mount is more about spiritual well-being.

Would God among us not be an alleluia moment, a time to sing praises?! In this riverside narrative, John the Baptist has people preparing for God's arrival in their midst by starting to live as he knew Jesus would teach us to be and to act; when that happens, everyone will shout alleluias!

This scripture passage anticipates the same Luke's Acts of the Apostles where everyone has everything in common, where members of the nascent church literally provide for the common good. In the way Jesus showed us, economic and distributive justice is very spiritual! Acts includes some pretty amazing accounts of missions to fairly distant places, too, but more than anything, it's about serving the people, people, people, right here in this very place, giving of ourselves and our excess. This is the outcome of the presence in our lives of the One who baptizes with cleansing water and purifying fire. We become part of the magic of the ordinary for our neighbors.

Just as Matthew never lets up on justice and righteousness, Luke never lets up on living for the other, for the neighbor, correcting the imbalance of some having more than they need, others trying to get by with less. Early on in Acts 2:

⁴²And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³And fear [the Greek here is an awe-filled type of fear, not fright] came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴And all that believed were together, and had all things common; ⁴⁵And sold their possessions and goods, and distributed the proceeds to all, as any one had need.

Luke (and Jesus!) never let up until everyone gathers as equals around the welcome table of a bountiful eschatological feast that is the reign of heaven on earth.

Can you tell I'm preparing for Sunday?