Readings and Reflections

Why is the story of Doubting Thomas included in the gospel stories of Jesus’ resurrection? What do we learn from this story? One of the things we learn about God in this story is that God does not require blind faith but rather experiential faith. We are not to believe in God because of someone else’s story but are to enter into our own personal relationship with God, through Jesus and that is how our faith will be formed. Thomas represents all of us who doubt and all the times that we doubt and Jesus’ responding is how we overcome that doubt. We turn to Jesus, express our doubts, ask for assurances, and then learn from those assurances.

Questioning, doubting, learning, and growing are all really important elements of the Christian faith. Without them we remain in a very infantile relationship with God.

I have often had moments of doubt in my life, at one point completely walking away from God and the church deciding to see what life was like without them. It did not take very long for me to miss having God in my life and I realized that my faith was not some religious programming that I followed along thoughtlessly but was about my relationship with God. A very real relationship and I could no more decide that God wasn’t real then I could decide that my parents weren’t real. The church has for me always been a place where I could reorient my life to God’s life and will. Where I could be fed by God’s strength, guided by God’s wisdom and take part in God’s joy.

In Thomas’ story we see his relationship with Jesus deepened because of his time of doubt, we see Jesus not respond with anger to his doubting but respond with love and understanding and we see all this happen within the community of disciples and followers, the first ideation of the church. Thomas is not cast out because he doubts and in fact the community is strengthened and each person there has their relationship with Jesus experienced in a new way because of Thomas.

Questioning, doubting, learning, and growing are all really important elements of the Christian faith. Without them we remain in a very infantile relationship with God. A relationship which does not offer us the full advantages of deeply knowing God. It does not allow us to fully rely on God for all we need because we have not learned to trust God in all things. It does not allow is to be brave, truthful, and courageous in difficult situations because we don’t fully understand that we are children of God, deeply loved and very worthy of that love. We do not find comfort and peace because we have not fully opened ourselves to receive them from God.

Thomas didn’t doubt his fellow disciples, nor did he doubt Jesus or God but rather the incredible situation he found himself in. A few moments with Jesus though not only eased those doubts but allowed him to more fully understand and love Jesus.

Question and doubt but then learn and grow, take all the love and mercy and grace God is offering you and move into a deeper, more meaningful, more sustaining, and enlivening relationship with God. Amen

Collect

We exult in your love, O God of the living,
for you made the tomb of death
the womb from which you bring forth your Son,
the first-born of a new creation, and you anointed the universe
with the fragrant Spirit of his resurrection.
Make us joyful witnesses to this good news,
that all humanity may one day gather at the feast of new life
in the kingdom where you reign for ever and ever. Amen.

Readings

Isaiah 65:17-25

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-241

Acts 10:34-43

John 20: 1-18

The Resurrection of Jesus

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 removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Here we are at Easter already. It has been two emotional, stressful, confusing and just plain difficult years since we have been able to celebrate Easter in the church. We can possibly use those same words for the family, friends, followers, the betrayer of Jesus and Jesus himself all those years ago. For them, the past week would have very difficult. Holy week, as it is now called, can be emotional for some Christians today when scriptures are read, especially if it is done in dramatic readings.

We all want that one more moment when a friend or family member passes away, to hold them or say one last thing. I am sure Mary wants that chance too…

Just a week before, people were celebrating Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem for the Jewish holiday of Passover. They waved palm branches, laid them out on the ground along with coats, to set out a path for this king. I guess it would have been like rolling out the red carpet for someone special. Then we have the journey that Jesus made from Jerusalem to Calvary where he would be crucified. I wonder what would have been going through the mind of Jesus, as he walked, knowing it was a walk to his death, death on a cross. He was human after all, or did the fact that he was God, give him the ability to put those emotions aside.

Our Gospel reading for this week begins with Mary at the tomb, an empty tomb. The surprise and I suppose horror that she would have been thinking as she went off to tell someone what had happened. Rushing to the place where Jesus body was laid, the disciples find that it was true, the body of Jesus was no longer in the tomb and after looking around the tomb, realized that what they had been told, and heard from scripture that Jesus must have risen from the dead, that up until this moment they had not truly understood. Maybe we can call this an ‘A-ha moment’? Verse 10 in the Gospel reading says “then the disciples returned to their homes”. I really cannot imagine anyone who just had this experience just going back home. I would think they would have run to the others to let them know what had happened and what they had ‘figured out’. Or was it that they needed to process what they saw and understood to be true, that Jesus had truly risen from the dead?

This now leaves Mary standing weeping at the tomb, all by herself. Did the two disciples try to explain to her what had happened to Jesus? Had they reached the tomb, searched it and already left before Mary returned? In some of the stories we hear about Jesus and his miracles, Jesus tells the person to go and tell no one what had happened. Was this what the disciples did, realizing that Mary needed to understand the disappearance of Jesus in a different way?

I have always wondered why Mary doesn’t recognize Jesus when he speaks to her and appears before her. Having seen angels, in the place Jesus had been lying must have been pretty powerful and confusing and I guess since she would not have expected him to be standing there, that it makes sense that her mind goes to the fact that this must be the gardener who would have been there to tend the area. Once she realizes that this was in fact Jesus, I would think that she was overjoyed to see him again and want to hold onto the moment and actually hold onto Jesus. We all want that one more moment when a friend or family member passes away, to hold them or say one last thing. I am sure Mary wants that chance too, however, Jesus says to her that she could not hold on to him; that he needed to ascend to the Father and her Father, to his God and her God. She was told to go and tell others about what she had been told and “Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, I have seen the Lord, and she told them that he had said these things to her”.

Collect

Sovereign God, you have established your rule over the human heart,
not by force but by the servant example of Jesus Christ.
Move us by your Spirit to join the joyful procession
of those who confess Christ Jesus with their tongues
and praise him with their lives. Amen.

Readings

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Psalm: 118:1-2, 19-20

Philippians 2:5-11

Luke 19:28-40

After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden.
Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” just say this: “The Lord needs it.” ’ So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’ Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!’

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’ He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’

To let the mind of Christ be our mind means to be like Jesus, to live a Christ-like life, self-emptying and humbling, transforming and centring our heart, soul, mind and strength in God.

The Liturgy of the Passion includes a portion of Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi which helps our understanding of the events between the triumph of the palms and the tragedy of the crucifixion. This letter is one of the seven letters of Paul, which scholars agree were actually written by Paul. The letter to the Philippians is of special interest for various reasons: it’s known as Paul’s “farewell letter” because Paul wrote it from prison in Ephesus around 62CE, and he imagined it would be his last letter, for he knew the imperial charge against him could end in his execution. Furthermore, the church in Philippi is reputed to be the first Christian community Paul established in Europe, around the year 50CE, hence, the first Christian church in Europe. (Philippi no longer exists, having been destroyed by earthquake in the 6th century and after a series of foreign invaders, disappearing completely in the 14th.) But what is most remarkable about this letter is the deep affection Paul holds for the people in this community and they in turn feel toward him. Paul was an independent fellow, earning his own living as a tentmaker, refusing most offers of support from the churches, with the exception of the church at Philippi; Epaphroditus, their messenger, travelled to meet Paul in prison and bring him contributions from the community and this messenger no doubt carried the letter we now read back to the people in Philippi. In other letters by Paul to the churches, he addresses problems which have arisen since his departure; in the letter to the church at Philippi, he addresses no problems or issues. Instead, he sets out for them the characteristics of “life in Christ,” one of his favourite phrases.

Phillipians 2:1-13 is notable for the inclusion of a hymn, the earliest known Christian hymn, which may have been originally written by Paul but more likely pre-dates even Paul; however, it must have been sung often in the early church for Paul to include it, indeed, incorporate it into the fabric of his thoughts. The hymn emphasizes the twin pillars of Paul’s theology: “Christ crucified” and “Jesus is Lord.” Chapter 2 begins with guidance about behaviour for those who are “in Christ”:
2:1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy,
2:2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
2:4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.
The text continues by grounding the mind they are to have in what they see in Jesus: “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus” (2:5). And what kind of mind was that? Paul now quotes the hymn to explain. The hymn has three parts and presents a summary of the story of Jesus; it expresses Paul’s central convictions about Jesus (verses 6-11).

The second and third parts emphasize “Christ crucified” and “Jesus Christ is Lord.” In part two when Paul refers to Jesus becoming “obedient to the point of death,” he specifically adds, “even death on a cross.” For Paul, Jesus didn’t just die—he was crucified, executed, by the imperial power of his day, because Jesus advocated a vision of life quite different from what Rome considered normal and acceptable. Part three is perhaps the most triumphant proclamation of “Jesus Christ is Lord” in the NT. Immediately following the reference to Jesus dying on a cross, the hymn proclaims, “Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name.” Then the text refers to the three- storied universe of the ancient imagination: “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and earth and under the earth.” It concludes with language that explicitly countered Roman imperial theology: “and every tongue . . . confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God.” Jesus is Lord—the emperor is not. Jesus is Lord—the rulers of this world are not. Treasonous language in the Roman imperial world, and in many countries of the world today, perhaps even our own.

If we look closely at part one, we notice it is filled with contrasts. What we see in Jesus is very different from what we see in someone else, but what was the contrast? Who was it that regarded “equality with God as something to be exploited,” or as “something to be grasped at.” And what was the “emptying” of Jesus all about? Scholars suggest three ways of understanding this passage which complement each other. One contrast is with Adam. According to the creation story in Genesis, Adam and Eve were tempted by the desire “to be like God.” Adam, mankind, desires to be godlike; Jesus in contrast did not seek equality with God. Adam and Eve made themselves the centre of the universe, whereas Jesus emptied himself.

The second contrast in these lines suggests the preexistent Christ, or, to use the language of the opening of John’s gospel, the “Word” that was with God from the beginning and that became incarnate in Jesus. In this understanding, the Word emptied itself of its divine qualities in order to become human
in Jesus. Becoming human meant becoming vulnerable, even to the point of being executed by the powers that rule the world. The Christ, who was with God from the beginning, emptied himself in order to walk among us.

The third possible contrast is an obvious one. Who in Paul’s world claimed to be “in the form of God” and who saw “equality with God as something to be exploited”? The Roman emperor who was proclaimed by imperial theology as divine, who was given the titles, Lord, Son of God and indeed Saviour of the world because he brought peace on earth.

All three interpretations mean the same thing: God, self-emptied and incarnate in Jesus, was passionate not about power and control, but about justice and peace, right(eous)ness, and peace through nonviolence, in contrast to the Pax Romana imposed through violence. What we see in Jesus—Christ crucified and raised as “Jesus Christ the Lord”—is the way, the path, which we are to follow. This, Paul says in his text, is the mind that the followers of Jesus are to have. What we see in Jesus is the way, the path of personal transformation. The book of Acts calls the early Christians “Followers of the Way.” Paul advocates a way of life very different from, indeed, in opposition to, the wisdom of this world.

This letter of Paul to the Philippians takes us back to the very beginnings of the Christian movement. Paul’s conversion happened about 5 years after Jesus’ death in 30CE. For the next 25 years Paul travelled throughout the eastern Roman Empire. He writes his letters in the 50s, this one to the Philippians in the early 60s—that’s only 30 years after the crucifixion. This hymn takes us back to the earliest Christian thinking about Jesus, the roots of our Christian heritage. What does it mean to us 21 centuries later?

If we declare Jesus is Lord today, no one in authority challenges that claim; our authority figures declare the same thing. The Royal family, the Governor General, our political leaders—they all attend church as we do and declare Jesus as Lord. But to follow the way of Jesus is to voice the way of peace and justice, to urge our governors and our social conscience to care for the poor, to speak for the marginalized and downtrodden, to point out injustice wherever it exists. If we truly did that, individually and collectively, we would not be very popular, for the values of “the Way” contrast with, indeed are often in opposition to, the values of the society in which we live. It takes much courage to speak out against the normal, accepted values of those around us, to speak for equality and fairness, to speak for the marginalized, the homeless and the refugee. Often the characteristics of Christ’s kingdom are at odds with the prevailing values of our society, exactly the contrast between the procession of the palms and the cross of Calvary. To follow Jesus as Lord, to have the mind of Christ, as St. Paul wants us to, means to be as passionate about peace and justice, as self-emptying and vulnerable, as Jesus was and is. The late Bishop John Spong comments on Paul’s letter to the Philippians in this way:
“The people in the Philippi church had tensions in their lives over how to worship, what to believe and how to act . . . Paul urges them to let the mind of Christ be their mind. Then he explained that Christ did not grasp after a superior status but emptied himself. It was in the fullness of his humanity that he found the freedom to give his life to others and that was how God was seen in him.”

To let the mind of Christ be our mind means to be like Jesus, to live a Christ-like life, self-emptying and humbling, transforming and centring our heart, soul, mind and strength in God.

What follows may be seen as a harsh message but I hope it will be an ‘eye-opener’ in our quest for justice and mercy in the world around us.

The last line of today’s Gospel records what may be a familiar phrase: “The poor you will have with you always”. What did Jesus mean by this?—initially directed to Judas but used by many today as a statement of fact—the poor will always be there.

Poverty is not rooted in laziness or abuse of Social Support Systems. Poverty is rooted in our economic system which promotes consumerism and accumulation of wealth.

But should there be poverty in Canada? In the USA? In England? Or consider the countries of Africa where many more people live in poverty than not. So why is there such widespread poverty?

Poverty exists when individuals lack resources to provide the necessities of life—food, shelter, and clothing. Poverty impacts every aspect of a person’s life, from social matters to health.

For example, in Niagara some 17,000 students in 200 schools participate in a breakfast, lunch, and snack program operated by volunteers through Niagara Nutrition Partners. Funding is provided by the province, United Way, and contributions from a number of charitable organizations and individuals. For many students this may be the only food they see each day.

In Niagara last year over 73,000 individuals accessed a variety of community programs related to support for food, shelter, or clothing. That is about 1 in 7 residents of Niagara having housing and/or food security problems.

And this is happening in an area where (aside from Covid disruptions) there seem to be lots of jobs. The problem is that these jobs are imbedded in an economy that relies of cheap labour, lots of part-time work, rarely medical or dental benefits, no vacation pay or statutory holiday pay (only required if one works more than 24 hours a week) or paid sick leave. At the same time there is not a lot of affordable housing available. The average cost of a modest home in St. Catharines now exceeds $500,000 and such costs impact on demand and rates for rental accommodation.

And yes, to fix such work related matters the rest of us have to be willing to pay more for goods and services, and yes I know that the cost of food is inflating, and gas prices are astronomical. It is very much a matter of caring and sharing—living out the commandment to love our neighbour (all our neighbours) as best as we are able.

And yes, to fix such work related matters our politicians, particularly at the provincial level have to step up and ‘do for others what they would have done unto them’. After a 3 year delay the minimum wage in Ontario is finally rising to $16.00 an hour. However, a living wage in Niagara as calculated by the Ontario Living Wage Network is $18.90 an hour based on the cost of living and a 35 hour work week. Thus a person with a minimum wage job could be as much as $5,000.00 to $6,000.00 short of security per year.

There are at least 62 living wage employers in Niagara, one of which is the Church of the Transfiguration starting in 2022. But, there are thousands of employers in Niagara.

Poverty is not rooted in laziness or abuse of Social Support Systems. Poverty is rooted in our economic system which promotes consumerism and accumulation of wealth.

Jesus said that whatever we do to the least of these (people) we also do to him. He taught that we are to care for the hungry, the homeless, the sick and the lonely.

There are a myriad of ways we can and do help—for example food for community care, food for St. George’s breakfast program, clothing to Goodwill and the Salvation Army and so on. But we really need to participate in and press for changes to a system that can leave 1 in 7 people at risk in our own Niagara neighbourhood.

Collect

Eternal lover of our wayward race, we praise you for your ever-open door.
You open your arms to accept us even before we turn to meet your welcome;
you invite us to forgiveness
even before our hearts are softened to repentance.
Hold before us the image of our humanity made new,
that we may live in Jesus Christ,
the model and the pioneer of your new creation. Amen.

Readings

Joshua 5:9-12

Psalm 32

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

So he told them this parable:
The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother
Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.

‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’

As I was reading the passages for this week and also going over the sources I check to create my Family Focus, I was struck by the theme of “bad decisions” and the consequences of those decisions. If you’re anything like me, sometimes the choices you’ve made in your past – actions, paths, behaviours – can be haunting. As someone who deals with anxiety on the daily, I can often find myself spiralling into the abyss of memories and residual embarrassment over something I said or did while I was depressed, didn’t have the verbal filter on, was caught up in immaturity, or simply did without thinking about it.

In this story, the son who makes the “bad” choices is the one who receives celebration and praise. I think to truly understand what this story is trying to tell us, we need to think about how we frame the gifts we have in our lives.

The parable of the Prodigal Son, our Gospel reading for the week, is a story about two sons who make two very different decisions about what to do with the property/inheritance from their father. The one son takes the money, spends it all, ends up with nothing, and takes up a job tending to pigs. He still doesn’t make enough to survive, or at least isn’t getting enough to eat, so he goes back to his father and asked to be treated like a hired hand so that he can at least be able to live. When he returns to his father, he was treated with such joy and celebration at being back.

The other son, in the meantime, wisely tends his father’s property, and has never had any kind of celebration or gifts like his brother who had made the “bad” decision received when he returned. His father, interestingly, tells him that of course they need to celebrate the brother who left, because in doing so, he was “dead” and now he has found his way back and is alive to the family again.

This parable is kind of confusing, because we want to believe that if we make “good” choices and we do the “right” thing, then we will be rewarded and we will get ahead in life, whatever that might look like for us. But in this story, the son who makes the “bad” choices is the one who receives celebration and praise. I think to truly understand what this story is trying to tell us, we need to think about how we frame the gifts we have in our lives.

I come from a position of a lot of privilege in society. I was raised in a White, middle-class home with a Mom who stayed home to take care of my brother and I, and a Dad who worked extremely hard and often long hours building a medical practice and volunteering in various organizations. We never really wanted for anything. We took trips. We did extracurriculars. Our university education was paid for and we were supported every step of the way.

In comparison, my husband Josh had a very different childhood. By the time we had met, he had moved houses more times than he had had birthdays. He left home at 16, and moved to northern Ontario to support his then partner through her education. A big deal for him as a child was getting a brand new pair of basketball shoes because he had made the school basketball team. Money was often tight, but his parents worked (and continue to work) extremely hard to take care of their family.

I can look at the trajectory of my life, and where I am now, and feel unimpressed with myself. Could I have done more? Am I a disappointment? Given all the resources I had available to me, I could have done literally anything with my life. I’m blessed to be where I am, sharing ministry with my Transfiguration church family, but there are lots of ways in which I often think I could have done better, whatever that means. Then I look at Josh – he started with practically nothing, and now he runs a successful small business. We both received help along the way, and we both ended up in similar places, but we had different starting points, and I think that’s the key to understanding this parable. Josh didn’t necessarily do anything wrong to get himself into difficult circumstances, but because he had farther to go to get where he is now, it feels like a bigger achievement to be living a privileged life, as we do now. I might have made some bad choices, but I had lots of blessings along the way, and so it feels less remarkable to be where I am today. But, neither of our experiences or achievements is greater or less than the other’s, and I certainly have struggled with diminishing my own experiences in the past. We have both had challenges in our own ways, and blessings in our own ways, but just in very different ways.

Going back to the parable, both brothers end up back with and in the care of their father, but the son who left and ended up with nothing had farther to go to come back. The son who stayed was always there. He did what was expected, and was rewarded with stability and a good quality of life along the way.

Neither made a “bad” decision – notice I’ve been using quotes around the whole good/bad thing – they each made choices that took them in different directions in life. The son who stayed home was equally as blessed as his brother. Certainly he didn’t receive a fatted calf or jewellery or whatever other gifts his father might have given him, but he had lots of gifts over a long period of time. He was blessed continuously and received the reward of stability and a good life. The son who went away took a risk and had a lot of lived experiences that his brother didn’t approve of, but he made his way back and found the humility to ask for help when he needed it. He found his way back to the same kind of life – the same endpoint – but he gets showered with praise and gifts because he had chosen to find his way back.

I’m going to wrap this back into the concept of being haunted by past choices and actions. Our psalm today talks about how when we remain silent about our transgressions, they weigh heavy on us. But, when we ask for help and face our mistakes, then we are met with open arms by God and are forgiven, and even offered a place of safety. It is not worth holding onto the things in our past that we are haunted by. They only hold us back from finding our way. If we’ve done questionable things, harmful things, embarrassing things – we can ask for forgiveness and for help and still be met with joyful celebration. You can let those things go. Acknowledge the person you are now and be mindful of the choices you make today while also looking at how far you’ve come.

Collect

God of infinite goodness,
throughout the ages you have persevered
in claiming and reclaiming your people.
Renew for us your call to repentance, surround us with witnesses to aid us in our journey,
and grant us the time to fashion our lives anew, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Readings

Isaiah 55:1-9

Psalm 63:1-8

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Luke 13:1-9

At that very time there were some present who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, ‘Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.’

Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, “See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?” He replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig round it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” ’

Patience, we heard this in Sheila’s sermon last week and we find it again in this week’s reading from Luke. I see patience with the gardener who asks the owner of the fig tree to “let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down”. I think we are like that fig tree and God is our wonderful gardener. God knows that if given that second chance, a little encouragement and even some stinky poop, we too can bear fruit. However, there is no deadline with God. Unlike this gardener, God has no timeline to get things right or else. You will never hear God say to you that you have 1 year to get it right. He does not set deadlines, because God is always patient and willing to give a third, fourth and an unlimited amount of chances. It’s okay… I don’t think he is keeping count.

But is this a test? Does God test each of us in our lives? I have given this a lot of thought and ‘I’ think he does not but then again maybe. The word test is defined as a series of questions or problems that is used to determine a person’s ability or understanding of something. More generally, test refers to a trial, experiment, or examination that is designed to determine the qualities or characteristics of someone or something. (taken from dictionary.com). If I use this definition and if I believe (and I do), that God knows who we are and what we know, then why would God need to test us? Maybe it isn’t about his test to figure out more about our knowledge about things, but instead a test for us to understand who we are, for us to see the strength of our faith.

All gardeners know that if too much fertilizer is used it can burn and eventually kill the plant. So what about God, can he give us too much?

Let’s go back to the fig tree and gardener. The reading says that the gardener was going to give the tree some manure or fertilizer, but what if he gave it too much? All gardeners know that if too much fertilizer is used it can burn and eventually kill the plant. So what about God, can he give us too much? I have heard the phrase “God will never give you more than you can handle”. This would mean that what we get in life came from God. Yes, God gave us all life, the world around us and the gifts that we have, but does God give us our illnesses, our wars or fires? Each of these can and do kill people. What about mental illnesses that result in suicide? Obviously that was more than one could handle. In First Corinthians verse 13 it says, “he (God) will not let you be tested beyond your strength” and like a lot of sentences from the Bible, they can be forgetting the second part of it; “but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it”.

If you have been paying attention, you will notice the word ‘test’ or ‘testing’ in this reading from First Corinthians and I can hear some of you saying, “but wait Sandra, the Bible says that God tests”. Yes, I saw that too.

The Bible is confusing some times. What part are just stories to help us to understand the Father, Son and Holy Ghost better and what part is actual fact? Not all of us believe in the story of Noah’s Ark or Jonah and the Whale. Can words be there that were not translated properly and we have to remember this particular letter was written by Paul, who had his own beliefs.

In my mind, God does not give us all the things that happen in this world. Some, like wars can come from people with no care for others, just themselves; fires can happen through faulty wiring or an act of arson and illnesses can happen. But, when we are faced with anything that has us struggling, no matter where you believe it came from, God is there. He may not answer our prayers in the way we may want or in our timeframe, but remember, God has no deadlines, and we need patience. He may send people on his behalf, but he is always there with an outreached hand if we are willing to just grab a hold of it.

Collect

Hope beyond all human hope, you promised descendants as numerous as
the stars to old Abraham and barren Sarah.
You promise light and salvation in the midst of darkness and despair,
and promise redemption to a world that will not listen.
Gather us to yourself in tenderness, open our ears to listen to your word,
and teach us to live faithfully
as people confident of the fulfillment of your promises.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Readings

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18

Psalm 27

Philippians 3:17-4:1

Luke 13:31-35

At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” ’

Covenant People

The OT lesson emphasizes God’s Covenant with Abraham, and hence to us, his descendants. God’s promise to Abraham and to his chosen people invests them with a sacred responsibility. Our understanding of Covenant changes over time. M. Scott Peck in his book, A World Waiting to be Born, traces the changing concept of Covenant through the Bible itself, from God’s promise to Noah after the flood never again to destroy the world, to the Ten Commandments for his chosen people, to the New Covenant offered by Christ and preached by St. Paul, not restricted to a specific group now but open to all people. Even Jesus, in his confrontation with the so-called “uppity woman” at the well, came to realize that God’s mercy and compassion were available not just to the people of Israel, but to all those who truly trust in God. Thomas Berry in his book Dream of the Earth explains how mankind’s misunderstanding of the covenant relationship, seeing our species as special and superior over the rest of creation, has led to our negative attitudes to nature, leading us to exploit and subdue the earth in the mistaken notion that we were exercising God’s will, building God’s kingdom by forcing nature into our own image. The consequence of our misunderstanding was “to negate the natural world as the locus for meeting with the divine.”

“We don’t think ourselves into a new way of living; we live ourselves into a new way of thinking.” — Richard Rohr

Berry’s comment reminds us that the Bible portrays the Divine within natural images: God meets Her people in the wilderness, at a mountain; God speaks to them “from a cloud”; God confronts Moses in the form of a “bush burning but not consumed,” at one and the same time, earthly and holy. Creation is God’s first incarnation. All life is holy. All creation is divine. As fish swim in the sea, so we live and move and have our being in the Divine. If the human species dies out on this planet, it will not be God the Creator destroying humankind as in the story of the great flood, but rather mankind not assuming attitudes consistent with God’s true covenant. God is as faithful and true as the sun that rises every morning. If we are to save the environment, it is necessary to change our attitudes, and such changes are profound, reaching to our fundamental spirituality.

What is very important to understand about this covenant is that we cannot separate worship of God from the divine way of life. To quote Richard Rohr, “We don’t think ourselves into a new way of living; we live ourselves into a new way of thinking.” We know God by engaging in divine activity. Christianity traditionally understands God as a personal God and like any person the Creator has divine attributes which we can recognize: “where love is, God is.” Many Biblical passages make it clear that we know God if we live in love. To be God’s covenanted people we must act as mediators of the divine to the world by our attitudes and actions: “if any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Following the way of the cross, knowing God and knowing the divine way, are one and the same covenant.

Perhaps the best way to get a handle on just what it means to be the people of the Covenant in 2022, we could recycle and reuse Paul’s words from the epistle today: “setting your mind on earthly things.” In light of the environmental crisis facing us, it is necessary for us to “set our minds on earthly things.” Humus is the Latin word for earth. Humanity comes from earth (“dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return”). Humility is being close to the earth, hence, earthiness, honesty. In other words, we must see the earth with Divine eyes and realize it is precious in God’s sight. To fulfill our covenant with God, we need to care for Creation, not subdue it or “have dominion over it,” but love it. “For God so loved the world that he gave . . . life.” Rev. Lauren Van Ham wrote recently, “Unfathomable harm has come from misinterpretations of scripture . . . which never meant that our species had God’s blessing to use our power over other forms of life, but rather to take full responsibility for the power we have been given, to use the privilege we hold as humans, to care for all Creation and to develop intimacy with all beings.” To be God’s covenanted people is to live Christ’s way of selfless love so that others might live abundantly, including the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, indeed, the very sea and air which bring forth life.

Collect

God of deliverance and freedom, you taught the people of Israel
to acknowledge that all things come from your bountiful hand.
Deepen our faith so that we may resist temptation
and, in the midst of trial, proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, now and for ever. Amen.

Readings

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

Romans 10:8b-13

Luke 4:1-13

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’” Then the devil[a] led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written,
‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’”

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’
and
‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

By definition Lent is a 40 day penitential season of the Church Calendar, in preparation for Easter. In the early church, it began as a two day fast ending the Saturday night before Easter.

It was not until the mid-4th century that the two day fast became 40 days (not counting Sundays). The 40 day period was chosen because it shadowed Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness (today’s Gospel reading) and Moses’ time on Mount Sinai. The focus was a time to prepare baptismal candidates, and in some locales it was a time of penance. Grievous sinners sought restoration and a return to participation in Communion (having worn sack cloth and being marked with ashes for 40 days).

There was not universal acceptance of the practice for a number of centuries, but the basic nature of Lent was eventually solidified in the Roman Catholic Church calling for a solemn season of faith and sacrifice, fasting, study and alms giving, and daily attendance at Mass.

After the Reformation, Protestant churches adopted various practices from the Roman model, and today, we in the Anglican Church follow a variety of practices such as book studies, scripture readings, taking on new outreach tasks. (We, however, do not seem to emphasize the daily fasting from certain foods as we recognize that enjoying food is one of the gifts of creation).

…this Lent asks us to act—to act to preserve and care for creation, to be willing to change how we live—to help ward off the real threat of Climate Change and related environmental degradation.

This year, with direction from Sheila, we have a particular Lenten focus for reflection, study, prayer and action. Shelia’s chosen book for the Lenten Study is Saving us: a climate scientist’s case for hope and healing in a divided world. In addition Sheila asks the parish as a whole to look at our stewardship of the planet we call home and challenges each of us to find ways to be a blessing to the earth.

The idea is to thank God for all the blessings of creation—to use our reflections, study and actions to focus on changes we can make in our daily lives to show our love for God in our care for creation.

This is a change from the traditional focus of Lent which in many churches has tended to emphasize sin and our need for repentance and forgiveness. For example, the liturgy for each week could start with a Penitential Order found on page 216 of the BAS.

We need to recognize that God, the ground of our being, is to be found within creation—in each of us, in the plants, the animals, the earth, the sky, the water—all kinds of living things. And that loving God means loving creation and calls us to be caretakers.

Thus, this Lent asks us to act—to act to preserve and care for creation, to be willing to change how we live—to help ward off the real threat of Climate Change and related environmental degradation.

Change is possible—but change is rarely easy or cost free.

Collect

Eternal God,
you revealed to the disciples
the everlasting glory of Jesus Christ.
Grant us, who have not seen and yet believe,
the gift of your Holy Spirit,
that we may boldly live the gospel
and shine with your transforming glory,
as people changed and changing
through the redeeming presence of our Saviour. Amen.

Readings

Exodus 34: 29-35

Psalm 99

2 Corinthians 3:12—4:2

Luke 9: 28-36

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

This Sunday we celebrate the Transfiguration as the finale of the Epiphany season. Since Christmas our worship has been focused on the revelation of God the Creator through the person of Jesus Christ. The readings have focused on who Jesus is in his full humanity and divinity and how Jesus reveals who God the Creator is.

In our time of great division, of people turning more and more to the separation of ‘us’ and ‘them’ we need to experience God’s inclusive love and show that inclusive love to the world in our words and actions.

We began with the visit of the Magi where it was revealed that the gift of Jesus Christ and through him salvation was not a gift meant only for the Jewish people but for all humanity and in fact for the whole of creation including the stars and celestial bodies. The symbol of the guiding light of the star and the Magi feeling this pull to the Christ child point to this.

The next Sunday we celebrated the Baptism of Jesus where the voice of the Creator announces that Jesus is the Son, directed related and connected to the Creator in essence they are one and that the energy that connects them is love and that Jesus’ ministry and person are blessed by the Creator.

In the weeks that follow we hear of Jesus’ miracles such as turning water into wine showing the abundance of God’s overflowing gifts, we hear Jesus stating that he is the embodiment of the servant of God prophesied by Isaiah who comes 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 favour.” (Luke 4:18-19) this revealed that Jesus is the one the prophets spoke of who would be the Messiah, to bring hope and healing to a broken world. We hear of Jesus’ miracle of a catch of fish beyond anything Peter, James and John could understand but that reveal to them that this Jesus is someone who they are willing to give everything up for to follow and to learn from.

As the weeks go on, we hear the Sermon on the Plain where Jesus speaks powerful words about how God works in the world, bringing blessings in the midst of trials, bringing about justice for the powerless, rewarding those who stand for peace and for those who are persecuted for their faith. Jesus reveals God not to be a warrior king but a loving parent, watching over all people, aware of the hardships people face, aware of the evil that roams the world and affects every area of our lives, aware of the imbalances of power that corrupt the world and that God works in and through all that with love.

On Transfiguration Sunday we receive one more story of revelation, one more epiphany to open our eyes to a deeper way to understand Jesus. It is the story of some of Jesus’ closest disciples receiving and being overwhelmed by a confusing vision. They see Jesus in his full humanity and divinity a sight which frightens them and which they don’t fully understand until after the resurrection. More than that though there is a secondary revelation of Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah two of the great figures in Jewish history who represent God’s interaction with humans.

In their time Moses and Elijah were the mouth of God relaying God’s messages to the people, Moses brings to the people the Law, a way for the people to understand God’s expectations around how they are to understand and interact with God, the world and their neighbour. They are to know and love God above all else and the are to treat all people with dignity, respect and love, just the way they would want to be treated. The Law Moses brings reveals God through the relationship God desires with the Hebrew people.

Elijah on the other hand is the great symbol of the prophets, those willing to speak God’s truth into the world, challenging the people to return to a right relationship with God and with each other. Challenging them to be just, loving, respectful, fighting against envy, greed or collusion with the unjust rulers of the nations.

Both of these figures, Moses and Elijah symbolize God’s way of speaking and relating to the people of Israel until Jesus comes into the world. The reason some of the disciples witness this revelation is to help them understand that Jesus speaks of the same Creator God of the Hebrew scriptures even if the message seems different, this is further highlighted by the voice of God reminding the disciples who Jesus is and declaring to them that they are to listen to him.

Our readings today remind us of God’s great desire to have a relationship with us, God’s great love for us and God’s great desire that we know we are loved and that we in turn love others.

In our time of great division, of people turning more and more to the separation of ‘us’ and ‘them’ we need to experience God’s inclusive love and show that inclusive love to the world in our words and actions. This is a time when we need to hear God’s declaration of love for us and for all people loudly and allow it to wash over us and remove the fear which causes our divisions and fear is the root cause of those divisions and the opposite of love. We need to allow God’s love to calm our anxieties, to strength our resolves to do and say to others what we wish would be done and said to us. God is love and in loving God there is no fear. Jesus shows what the power of love can do giving him the strength not to fight back in anger or fear but rather to reach out in acceptance, understanding and love. Amen.

Collect

O perfect Love,
whose compassionate power transforms sin into health
and temporal dust into eternal glory:
grant us a gracious faith,
so that like Joseph, when he was sold into slavery,
we may face our trials with confidence,
and become a blessing
to friend and enemy alike in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Readings

Genesis 45: 3-11, 15

Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come closer to me.’ And they came closer. He said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvest. God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, “Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.” And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

Psalm 37: 1-12, 41-42

1 Corinthians 15: 35-38, 42-50

Luke 6: 27-38

‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.’

First of all let me start by saying we, who write these reflections, don’t get to choose which ones to write. I am slotted into the third Sunday of the month for February.

So, here I am writing about ‘Love’ again. That is the word or feeling that jumped out at me when I looked over the scripture readings for the week. Well, it was Valentine’s Day last week so I guess it is appropriate. But I also wondered how many more times would I need to convey to others about God’s love, the effects on us and the need to pass all of that love onto others; all others.

…all this comes in the name of love!

I looked up on the internet; how many times the word love was mentioned in the Bible and the answer was hundreds. It is not the most used word but it is one of the central themes and driving forces of God’s word. And this means that I will need to either write a reflection or preach about love again. But If I tried to preach to others about loving their neighbour, turning the other cheek or forgiving a past, hurtful event, then I had to make sure that I could do it myself. With that in mind, I decided to do an experiment. I sat at my desk and imagined a certain group of people in the room with me. (Don’t worry; none of them were any of you). I looked around the pretend crowded room and asked myself if I ‘loved’ them. For a few minutes I sped through the group without hesitation, very proud of myself of course, but then came one person, who stopped me from moving along. I decided to clear the room, so to speak and focus on why I could not say to myself that yes, I did love this person. After considerable thought and some prayer, I realized that yes I could love this person too, but why was it so hard? What had they done to me that I could maybe not forgive or forget? Oh, that’s it!!! The ‘forgive’ and ‘forget’ part. Forgiving the past and forgetting it may be the only way I can move forward. It is a burden to carry it so I needed to let it go.

And that my friends, brings us to the reading from Genesis and the story of the amazing Joseph, who forgave his brothers for selling him into Egypt. The path that his brothers sent him along would have been horrendous at times. However, just like most of us do when put in a difficult situation, Joseph came to the end of the path different than when he went in. He walked with God. We all know that it isn’t easy to find God in those extremely difficult times, or maybe we tend to forget to look for him. We are too busy, maybe being angry at God or asking why did this happen to us and although a natural response, it is a state that we cannot remain in for long. We must seek out God, pray, walk with him and let him carry us when necessary. Realizing that with God’s help we can get through all things and the faster we allow him on each and every path we take, the faster and easier it is to get through the difficult ones. We are never alone, even though we may think we are. We just need to reach out and grab that helping hand that is stretched out waiting.

Joseph took God’s hand and listened while God sent him back to his brothers to explain why he was there and who had sent him. To “preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep alive for you many survivors”. God uses Joseph in this way, to continue with his covenant with Abraham that he will have many descendants.

I hear the story of Jesus in this part of the story of Joseph. He (Joseph) is rejected by his brothers, imprisoned falsely, but ended up changing the course of events for many. Jesus is rejected by many, put to death unfairly yet ends up changing the world for ever.

And really, all this comes in the name of love!

Collect

God, you root those who trust in you
by streams of healing water.
Release us from the bonds of disease,
free us from the power of evil,
and turn us from falsehood and illusion,
that we may find the blessing of new life in you through the power of Christ. Amen.

Readings

Jeremiah 17: 5-10

Psalm 1

1 Corinthians 15: 12-20

Luke 6: 17-26

He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.

Then he looked up at his disciples and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God. ‘Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
‘Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
‘Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
‘But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation. ‘Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
‘Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
‘Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

“You who are hungry now”

When we read the beautifully written Beatitudes, we must read them in the context of the struggle between harsh poverty and great wealth existing in Jesus’ time. John Dominic Crossan has brought to our understanding the conditions of social life in first century Palestine. Powerful men built great cities to reflect their own glory and name, and these cities created a huge drain on the resources of the area. The poor, as always, were exploited even more than they had been, as resources, especially food crops, were redirected to feed the needs of the city–rural values exploited by urban values. To understand the dynamics, you have to imagine a despot building palaces for his own pleasure and pride at the expense of his poor countrymen: think of Saddam Hussein and his many palaces, or Ceausescu of Rumania. The farmers of Jesus’ time were little more than indentured servants, virtual slaves, paying larger and larger portions of the fruits of their labours to their landlords and overlords, surviving at near subsistence levels. In this social context the Lord’s prayer for daily bread takes on an intense urgency.

Like me, you are probably very familiar with the Beatitudes as found in Matthew’s gospel:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.

Those lines are certainly beautiful poetry, and the English teacher in me is ecstatic, but seen in the social, political context of the first century CE, the Beatitudes are not just pretty words, but a call to action, a call for social revolution.

This thrust becomes clear when we examine how the passage above is different from the version of the Beatitudes found in the earlier gospel of Luke. Luke presents only four Blessings, compared to Matthew’s nine, but they are less ethereal and more earthy:
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you and de-
fame you…for my sake.
Furthermore, the second half of the poem in Luke’s gospel contains a series of four “woes” to balance the four “blessings”:
Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

The New Revised Standard Version from which we read is very close in translation to the King James version; I checked to make sure the contemporary editors weren’t slanting the translation to fit their theological or political agenda.

When analyzing literature it is important to pay attention to repeated words; they are clues to meaning. In both gospels, there is, of course, the repetition of “Blessed,” and in Luke the four “blessed” are balanced with four “woes,” but the other repeated word in Luke’s version is significant–the word “now”:
Blessed are you who are hungry now…
Blessed are you who weep now…
Woe to you who are full now…
Woe to you who are laughing now…

The reference to “now,” to time present, is conspicuously absent from the Beatitudes in Matthew’s gospel: “great is your reward in heaven.” It is no wonder we know and love the Matthew version of the Beatitudes–far more comforting, far more politically and socially safe, for Luke’s series of Woes are also omitted. Matthew’s “Blessed are you who hunger and thirst after righteousness” is far more abstract and therefore less challenging than the very concrete statement in Luke: “Blessed are you who are hungry now.” The Beatitudes of Luke’s gospel are clearly a call to action, a warning to the wealthy: how long must the poor and the marginalized wait for the blessings of God? But the political and social context is nevertheless underlying Matthew’s version, just as they did in his version of the nativity.

In both gospels Jesus spoke to the wealthy about their obligations to meet the needs of the poor. Jesus talked more about money than he did about heaven or prayer; after “the Kingdom,” Jesus talked about money more than anything else. He was trying to make people, especially wealthy and religious people, realize that how they think about money is a major factor in determining their spiritual growth. “You can not serve God and Mammon.” The power of money was the number one idol in Jesus’ time, and it remains so in our culture. We really cannot grow spiritually beyond what we do with our wealth: “Woe to you who are full now.” We in Canada, in the Northern and Western developed nations, are richly blessed. We must share. The good news of Jesus is as simple as that. The actual bread and wine are to be shared. The multitudes are to be fed very real loaves and fishes. The gifts of God for the people of God, now.