Reflection on the Wedding Day

Reflection on the Wedding Day

Ecclesiastes 4: 9 - 12

1 Corinthians 13: 4 - 12 

It is always a pleasure to be invited to officiate a wedding ceremony. Truth be told, more than once, couples have backed out of the invitation when I told them I required three meetings in advance of the service. A lot of folks have no desire to spend meaningful time stuck in a room with a clergy person talking about life, love, and commitment. 

I explained to Melissa that this requirement would also apply to her and Clinton, they agreed without hesitation. So you might be interested in what goes on in these sessions. 

In the first session, we talk about their relationship. We talk about the families that raised them. We talk about what it means to them to love and be loved. We also ask each one of them to express what “unfaithfulness” looks like in their eyes. 

I invite you to consider this idea. As individuals we are quick to justify and explain away our actions and behaviors from our own perspective. One of the greatest gifts human being enjoy, is to totally lie to ourselves and be very happy to believe that lie until it explodes and we are covered in our own BS, and that is not short for Bachelor of Science degree. 

When we listen to what unfaithfulness “Looks Like” to our partner, we encounter a shift in reality. If I want my partner to love and trust me, then I must be trustworthy in their eyes. The ability to deceive ourselves is greatly diminished - when we declare the opinion of our partner to be the determining criteria, not our own self-justification. This is a useful moment of awareness as we prepare to make a lifelong commitment. 

Yes, I am a clergy person. Yes, I believe that having a church home and a pastor are useful and important. Believe me when I say that I find a moment or two to speak to that. But what I find most important is to give the couple some hints that will help them get through some tough moments, and help their relationship last. 

In our second session, I provide them with feedback based on the information about their families of origin. Our position in the family among our siblings, the roles our fathers played in our upbringing, often predispose us to patterns of behavior within our marriage. 

Often folks believe that if they have lived together for a while, all of these things have been worked out. It can and does happen that way - with very secure and mature couples. For most of us ordinary humans, with ordinary levels of self doubt, making the promises of marriage really change the nature of the deal. At some internal level, our expectations revert to a life and relationship we have dreamed of, but rarely expressed. But now that we are married, we kind of thought that “happily ever after” would line up with our expectations. 

So I try to name the places where they are most likely going to find reality is less than dreamlike. We name out loud where natural frictions might come from. We try to make it seem normal, and in a way predictable, that these are the places where we might be disappointed in each other. 

The hope is that this bit of warning will make it possible to talk about these frictions when they appear. Instead of getting angry, or feeling like our partner does not care, or is being selfish, we can name the source of discomfort, and work it out. Love is working it out together when life turns out to be harder than we thought it would be. 

And Clinton and Melissa, I want you to know that life always turns out to be harder than we thought it would be. Everyone will encounter pain and illness and disappointment. You are not a failure when life becomes hard. When life gets hard, your relationship may carry you through the toughest moments. 

Then, when you survive together, friends will tell you that you have never known heartache. You can smile. Some pain can be avoided, but wisdom can allow us to use our strengths, and not make it worse. And as you trust and cling to each other, you may be able to survive together what would break you standing alone. From a distance, it may appear easy. 

The sober writer of Ecclesiastes, recognizes that for those who have been given a valued partner, and the wisdom to defend and preserve the health of that relationship, much can be endured. And you also chose the words from the apostle Paul, who was likely a difficult and maddening personality, but we find it helpful when reading his letters second-hand, when we are not defensive. Love exposes us to our partner, in ways that are both flattering, and embarrassing. 

In a relationship where our reality is known, the good and the bad, the grace-filled and the anxious, when we trust our partner to love us in that reality, we have a true blessing from heaven. A relationship like that, is the best description of the love of God for each of us. That is what I wish for you, and why I am so happy to share this moment of your life together.

Assignments End - But the Power of Love Goes On

This Sunday I completed my contract as Interim Pastor to the congregation at Union Congregational UCC in Somonauk. Several folks commented that they felt the Children's Time was an important part of the message this week, so I have included it here. 

Kids Time 

      What is a Pot Luck Dinner? 

Many times the church will have a Pot Luck. The word is shared that everyone should bring a dish to pass. In most churches, some of the leaders work it out that some will bring an entree’, like a casserole or chicken, some will bring salad, some will bring dessert. 

I was once part of a church where we called a new pastor. It was his first time being a pastor. The church planned a Pot Luck. People asked the Pastor what they should bring. He told all of the people who asked him, that he liked Brownies. There were more than 20 different kinds of Brownies, and not very much else. Nobody ever asked that Pastor what to bring to a Pot Luck after that. 

A Pot Luck means that we expect that everything will be ok - if we all bring something to share. We trust that there will be enough to go around. Even in my example, there were plenty of Brownies for everyone. 

A Pot Luck dinner is one of my favorite images of church. We are all hungry and happy to eat. We are happy to be hanging out with our friends. The whole scene is enough to make you smile. 

You will likely have a number of people in your life that you will call Pastor. Some will tell silly stories. Some will sing songs. Some will always be tasting the Brownies. All of them will have a way to help you understand God and life. You will have a rich life, when you have memories with different pastors in the midst of the memories. I am so happy that I have had the chance to be a Pastor to you. 

Let us pray. Dear God, thanks for the Pastors you send to love us. Thanks for the ways they teach us to love you. Being part of the church makes my life better, and helps me love you more, amen.

Love Is   

Acts 2:14a, 36-41

John 20:19-23  

You heard me tell the kids that I like a Pot Luck as an analogy for the local church. I told the confirmation kids last Sunday that the kitchen table is where the love learned in the church is most visible. 

When Martha and I were freshly married we lived in Ottawa. We visited the UCC congregation in town. I had become very interested in the UCC during the pre-marital counseling sessions we had at her grandmother’s church in Western Springs - where we were married by the Rev. Robert Kemper, one of the Illinois Conference’s most recognized saints. 

Rev. Kemper lost the greater part of his eyesight as an adult. This loss was a real sacrifice for a man of great education and wisdom. Despite that loss, the congregation rallied to his support, and he continued to lead as the Senior Pastor of that large congregation for many years. What impressed me most, was not so much the pastor, but the way that an entire denomination celebrated the love of God without the guilt trips and oppressive hierarchy that was the burden of being a Roman Catholic. So we went to the UCC church in Ottawa. 

The people in the pews were friendly. The pastor was warm, but very boring. He preached long sermons debating and contrasting fine points of theology written by men whose names were unfamiliar to me. But I appreciated that this church would allow, permit, and even encourage people to have their own opinions on matters of faith. 

The pastor called and asked if he might stop by. We talked a while. He indicated that he had heard from the congregation that I could sing. Choir practice was on Wednesday, for an hour, beginning at 7:00. I joined the choir. There were two other, more polished tenors in a very good choir. 6 or 8 months later, Martha and I joined the church. 

Renee Marks had intended to join the church today.  However, she has taken a job, and nearly all hourly pay jobs require folks to work 7-day schedules and a wide range of hours. We live in a 24/7 world. So she cannot be here today. Renee still intends to join the church. She thinks being a part of this faith community makes her feel close to God. It has given her the courage to join the Bell Choir, well outside of her comfort zone, joining the choir before joining the church. She is willing to help in any way she can. She wants to belong. 

She wanted to close the deal before I left. It was her way of tipping her cap, acknowledging that my service was a part of what made it easy for her to join. But it is my last hour as your pastor. No one is fooled. She is joining “your” church, not the church of Pastor Chuck. 

I tell you that her joining makes the perfect sermon. We belong to God. We are a part of the “great cloud of witnesses.” Each congregation has unique gifts and talents. Each congregation has its own traditions and perspective. Renee gets it, and Renee is signing on.  

My love for the church, is wider now than when I first came here. I brought with me the things I have learned from what is now Open Table in Ottawa, and United Church of Christ (Congregational) in Spring Valley, and the experiences I had serving the Church and Ministry Committee of the Prairie Association. 

As you opened your heart and shared your love and experiences, we grew together. I understand that the church I love is many congregations, complete with distinct personalities, all of them being faithful in their own way. 

Together we have made a point of noticing and commenting on the unique voices of the gospel writers. We have found ourselves noting the different ways the stories of Jesus are told and remembered, and have hailed that as a sign of the diversity that is an honored part of our faith. 

As I leave, I will change the settings on Social Media, “Unfriending” and “Un-Following” the folks of Union. This is not because I love you any less, but I came to be your Pastor. I leave, as you have called a new pastor. I will do everything I can to honor the position of your pastor, because the future of the congregation is best encouraged by your willingness to accept the new pastor, and share your future with him. 

Clearly the most distinct growth I have had in faith during my time with you, comes from a new understanding of the person of God. I came considering the Trinity - God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost - as a convenient handle for saying that the attributes of God are more diverse than the attributes of any one person. By identifying God as three persons, made it possible to accept what might otherwise seem like contradictory statements. 

Today I see God as love in action. The communication between the Creator to the Redeemer - and the way the expression of the Redeemer - is sustained in the Holy Spirit, is the flow of love. We are not idle observers of this divinity. When we are at our best, real power is expressed in the world, because the communication that passes around the Trinity - passes through this community of faith. We have a share in all that is good, all that is just, all that expresses love. 

The greater sin, is stepping away from the love God. When we make God a distant artifact of belief, and not a part of our engagement with the world, we isolate ourselves from the power of God. When we step out of the loop of God’s communication, we choose to turn away from God. Not only is that a sin, it is a darn shame, and a foolish choice. And the whole world is less loving. 

So I am not truly leaving you. You are being carried in my heart and you are part of my sense of who God is. I will never be the same after having walked with you. I have been touched by the faithfulness of Dealas Willey. I have appreciated how Debbie Matthews finds music that the choir loves to sing, making choir a joy in both practice and worship. I admire how Madeline charges forward, asking for opinions and listening well, but never stopping, never suffering from paralysis by analysis. I could go on marking the faithfulness of Cindy, Ginny, Jim Williams, Pam and Heather, but I trust you know what I mean. 

When I came to you in November of 2015, you were honoring the work Michelle Prentice-Leslie did in helping steady the ship after a turbulent parting of the ways with Pastor Moore. In fairness, Pastor Kirk was called during a boom time, when growth felt inevitable. When the economy tanked, all of the plans and intentions became moot. It just ended badly. While Michelle was here, with an endowment Fund that had suffered devastating losses, you still replaced the roof without taking on debt. You put a cap on your troubles. 

Today Union Congregational UCC celebrates a peaceful and pleasant Interim period. The Search Committee has found an experienced, ordained, UCC pastor - who wants to be here, and chooses to live in the parsonage right here in town. And that is very cool.

You have the peace of Christ, just as you have the power of the Holy Spirit. It belongs to you, not as a personal attribute. It belongs to you as a collective. As you are the church, you share in God’s love and God’s power. As you are the church, you sing your part in the choir, a physical and mental activity that expresses faith. As you are the church, you have a mission, and a future, and the ability to grow in faith and in practice. May God continue to bless you, as you have truly blessed me. Amen. 

Kitchen Table Associates  

Acts of the Apostles 2:1 – 21 

I called the Confirmation Class the Fun Faith Formation Experience. We met on Sundays after church. We began each class eating together, most often at the round table in the church kitchen. 

The heart of the family home is nearly always in the kitchen. In some families, it is even more specific, the coffee pot is at the center of gravity. But for matters of the heart, there is no place like the kitchen table. 

There is very little pretending that can stand the heat of the kitchen. In the kitchen, it has to be real. It might get spicy, it could get rich, but it must be real. 

Jesus promised his followers that they would receive his spirit, the Holy Spirit. Like the presence of God, we are always in the presence of the Spirit. What is lacking most often - is our awareness. Sometimes, our emotional response to the immediate issues of life, make it hard for us to feel the spirit. 

Today, we are conferring the sacrament of baptism and the rite of Confirmation on young people from our congregation. The congregation both grows in number and decreases in average age. The work of the church in the world is sure to continue, as more hands commit to sharing God’s love and forgiveness. 

The visitors to Jerusalem were amazed at the behavior and speech of the disciples on that first Pentecost. We had planned confirmation for Pentecost Sunday, June 4, the traditional birthday of the church. The families graciously allowed me to compress the schedule and finish the confirmation class with the kids. Like the first disciples, the class demonstrated their faithfulness when we met with the Deacons. 

What faith does for us is hard to define in only a few brief statements. Still, I think it is useful to consider where we stand in the greater sweep of humanity. 

We believe that there is a God, who created the heavens and earth, and believes that all creation is good. From that premise, we see how Jesus of Nazareth worked to relieve the people from their obsession with rules, and focus on love and forgiveness. Even saying that may seem strange, because so many churches continue to devote their time and attention to rules and judgment. 

This congregation, and the wider church that we are in relationship with, do our best to encourage each other to keep our focus on the gospel truth. The task can be a challenge, but we have the resources of the church to support us. Those resources include; the scriptures, the sacraments, our community worship, and the community itself. We bless each other with our faithfulness. 

Now let us be candid. Faith, in even the most faithful of human beings, is not an inanimate thing like a rock. We cannot take our faith, and stick it in a shoebox, and store it under the stairs, ready to be pulled out at full strength when the troubles of the world crash down on us. 

Instead, I like to think of faith as a living thing. It needs to be fed. It needs to exercised. It needs the promise of love. 

The church is not a museum full of the artifacts of faith, but rather the kitchen in the family home of the faithful. It is where the resources of the faith are used not displayed. The church is where the faithful coordinate their love for the world in ways that can be effective. 

But most of all, the church is where we can go in good times and bad. Some of us feel best when we can lend a hand, and be present for others when they are hurting. When we hurt, our faith can take a beating. In those moments, we lean on the faith of others. We pray in the name of the God that our community believes in, until that day our faith can sprout once more. 

There are subtle points of theology that may make us crazy trying to define and polish. The heart of the faith is less about the fine points of belief, and more about the living of life with grace and graciously offering forgiveness. 

Today we celebrate that the long line of saints being extended. The reach of God’s love continues and has a future. The promise of the new life, is carried into all of the places these young people will be a part of. 

In a good many of our homes, it is the kitchen table where the major decision of life were worked out. It is where the family gathers in good times and bad. It is where the wedding announcements are addressed, the baby showers are organized, and the funerals are planned. The food may not always be served in the kitchen, but it is where the potatoes are peeled, and in the end, where the pots are washed and put away. 

But the pots are not displayed, just saved for another day. Saved for another holiday, another baptism, confirmation, graduation, another chance to celebrate the ways we are connected. This is the church. This is a place of connections. 

You may grow up in one church, but then find yourself in another. It is the same spirit that is shared in that place. It is the same God that demands our faithfulness. The usefulness you learned in one kitchen, is recognized and welcomed in another. 

We are part of a greater community. I first learned the church life at St. Alexander, then Divine Heart Seminary as a boy; then First Congregational - now Open Table UCC in Ottawa, McCormick Theological Seminary, and shared what I learned in St. Luke’s in Downers Grove, Edward Hospital in Naperville, Spring Valley UCC and now Somonauk. 

No one knows where we will be called to represent our faith. But kitchen skills travel well. No one knows when the next wave will come crashing down, and anxious people look for the love of God. Still, we know that God is faithful. We know that there are saints, who love God, and share God’s love, and will move the chairs around to make room at the table for one more. 

Today we shuffle the chairs in the kitchen, where the Fun Faith Formation Experience started every class, to permit the church to grow with intention and joy. Amen.  

The Disciple the Jesus Loved

The Disciple that Jesus Loves  

10:00 am Acts 10:34-43 

John 20:1-18    

The story of the Resurrection in the gospel of John has a couple of unique features. The writer of this gospel associates himself with the apostle John, often referring to himself as “The disciple whom Jesus loved.” While much is made of Peter as the leader of the band, in this gospel at least, the apostle John is given most favored status. 

Even in the story of the Resurrection, the most important story in the entire gospel, the writer will not let the chance go by without throwing in one more, “the one whom Jesus loved.” He is not shy about self-promotion. 

But it does make one wonder, is he only seeing what he wants to see? Is he looking at the whole picture? 

None of the accounts of the Resurrection are actually accounts of the resurrection, but accounts of the female disciples discovering the empty tomb, and then getting the explanation. The key moment in our faith in Jesus the Christ, is completely left to a second-hand report. 

Mary Magdalen, Mary from the town of Magdala, goes to the tomb while it is still dark and finds the stone has been removed. She runs back to the Upper Room to report her findings to the apostles. Peter and John immediately take off for the tomb. 

They enter the tomb, and find the burial cloths of Jesus, but nothing else. The text says that John saw and believed, but he did not yet understand. Perhaps most of us are like that, we have to absorb new information in steps or pieces. New information cannot be swallowed in one gulp. 

The two of them, Peter and John, observe the scene and then leave. Like most guys I know, when there is no problem to be solved, they shrug and return home to ponder what it all might mean. Mary, stays behind. 

Now that the men have left, she is free to go into the cave and observe for herself. Two angels appear to Mary. She has a conversation with them. The men did not see angels. Were the angels present, but the men were not able to see them? Maybe, they saw them, but unnerved, they backed out and went their own way. 

Mary sees them, hears them, and converses with them. Then she turns and has a direct encounter with the Risen Christ. She does not recognize him at first. She is not expecting to see a man raised from the dead. It is hard to trust your eyes when you find the unexpected. 

The text is clear, Mary saw what the men could not see. Mary heard what the men could not hear. Mary was able to relate to the Risen Christ, before the great apostles could absorb what was happening. Maybe Mary Magdalene is “the disciple that Jesus loved.” And this is the stuff where imaginations take off, and a variety of stories and fables have their beginning. 

What is truly happening, is that we are being given an opportunity to see the world through the eyes of the divine. The creation includes both the physical world and the spiritual world. The resurrected Christ had a body, but it had characteristics that made it not immediately recognizable.

We can see that while the powers of this world dealt Jesus a violent and public humiliation and execution, the truth of God does not stop. The love of God alive in the world does not depend on the continued life and work in the world of any one person. Not even the person of Jesus of Nazareth. 

In time the disciples will be ready to see Jesus. In time the apostles will be able to talk with him. In time, they will be ready to live and act as Jesus lived and acted. 

You are “the disciple that Jesus loved.” The Risen Christ is here, in this room, to lift your spirits and make you ready for your mission in the world. As you are able to see the way that love changes our perception of reality, you will find yourself less anxious. You will be ready to respond with love, even to those who chose to be your enemies. 

Others around you might not be able to see it yet. Others around you may still be intimidated by the power of the world over our bodies. The public humiliation and execution of Jesus was meant to intimidate and silence his followers. But you are not silenced. 

So brothers and sisters, be of good cheer. Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed! And you have the power to bless all of creation, with no exceptions. Amen. 

The Grand Opening - of An Empty Tomb

The Grand Opening - of An Empty Tomb    

7:00 am Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 

Matthew 28:1-10   

The resurrection story in the gospel of Matthew is short and sweet. Here, there are two women who arrive at the tomb, and experience an earthquake and witness the angel rolling the stone away. Then the angel says the classic words of angel introduction - “Do not be afraid.” Angels nearly always say that. It is on Page One of the angel handbook. 

Then the angel tells them that Jesus has been raised from the dead. So we have a report of what happened, but no eye witnesses. But before the women can leave the garden, they have a direct encounter with the Risen Christ. 

You are here in this early hour of the morning. You came with certain expectations. You came to join in the company of these faithful people. You came expecting to hear this classic story. You came to renew your memory of Easter Sundays that came before. 

Maybe, if you would permit yourself a quiet moment, you too can feel the presence of the Christ. Perhaps we cannot see the Christ, but maybe you can sense the presence of the Spirit of the living Christ. 

Jesus appeared to the women, but promised to meet with them again in Galilee. Jesus promises us this morning, to be present with us in Spirit everyday, and meet us in the resurrected form at the end of the age. 

On Maundy Thursday, we paused at the communion table to make ourselves aware of the way the presence of the Spirit of Christ is essentially a way of being in the Kingdom of God, right now, right here. We have the living God. We have the community of the faithful. We have a clear reason to rejoice in the Lord, I say it again, Rejoice! 

This is more than a promise for tomorrow, it is a present reality. We can carry this reality as far as we are able to live in the presence of God. Certainly, the Kingdom of God extends to the Fellowship Hall. We can easily stretch it to the Parking Lot, or the spaces along Washington Street. 

With intention, we can carry the Kingdom of God all the way into Easter Dinner with the family. Maybe you will call members of the extended family later today, call the folks who cannot make it home. You can try out that presence of the Kingdom through the technology of the phone or remote video. 

The resurrection is not a one time event restricted to the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The point of the resurrection is the defeat of the entire expectation that this life is all there is. The resurrection of Jesus is our assurance that a life lived with love, is a life that does not end. The key to that life is the love of God. And the love of God is love for you, and the love in you, and most importantly, the love you share. 

The threat of death and the powers of this world have been revealed - in the empty tomb. There is no true death in the cave. There is no defeat in the cave. The real power is in the love of God. That is love is vital - and real - and it belongs to each of us. And better yet, it grows whenever we share that love. 

And so we celebrate, celebrate Jesus, and the new reality that Jesus has shared. We move forward, not made perfect, but made whole and empowered to live without fear. No matter how disturbing the powers of this world may be, the truth of God and God’s love lives on. 

As we live, aware of the presence of the Spirit, as we live, empowered by what we know of the truth, we can live with greater freedom and joy.  

Celebrating with Our Eyes Open

Celebrating with Eyes Open  

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

Matthew 21:1-11

Today marks the beginning of Holy Week. We call it Holy Week because it contains the events of Jesus in Jerusalem during the time up to and including; the passion, crucifixion, death and burial, and resurrection from the dead. This is the very core of our identity as followers of Jesus the Christ. 

Palm Sunday is an enigma. For people like me who prefer simple logical progressions, Palm Sunday is a detour. The mood of the Temple authorities toward Jesus had taken a turn towards the dark side. We have already noted through the Lenten scriptures, how Jesus of Nazareth fits the profile of a violent revolutionary who threatens the precarious balance of power between the Roman occupation, the puppet Jewish King - Herod and Sons, and the Temple Council. 

There is no greater proof of the validity of the Council’s concern than the historical record. In 70 CE, 30 to 40 years after the death of Jesus, Rome responded to an uprising by destroying the Temple and causing the Jews to scatter and abandon Jerusalem. While they misinterpreted the role of Jesus of Nazareth, the evidence is clear, the status quo relied on control of the population. 

Palm Sunday does not fit the straight forward progression. Jesus and his band of merry men arrive in Bethpage at the base of the Mount of Olives. They acquire a donkey for Jesus to ride. There is a humorous side to this. Matthew follows the same outline in discussing the life of Jesus as was played out in the gospel of Mark. In many places where Mark says there was one person healed, Matthew has two. Here he says Jesus rode both the donkey and the foal. 

It is no accident that a donkey was chosen. The gentiles would mock the Jews as being a lower or working class people. While an important gentile would ride a horse, only a Jew would make an entrance on a domestic animal. So Jesus fulfills the scripture, arriving on a donkey, but he also works in and through the cultural bias alive in the land at the time. 

I am sure that the crowd gathered rather slowly. The procession that takes place in Jerusalem today starts at the church at Bethpage, at the base of the south side of the Mount of Olives. The road leads up to the top. Today it is a narrow residential street with plenty of traffic, even our tour bus went up the hill to the Church of the Pater Noster. 

The walk down the west side of the Mount of Olives, directly facing the Temple Mount in the walled “Old City”, is a narrow, stone path. There is very limited vehicular traffic on any given day down this portion of the ceremonial path. Today the march ends at the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations. The Kidron Valley, between the Mount of Olives and the city, now contains the equivalent of an Interstate Highway, so it is no longer a part of the procession.

I imagine that the location helped feed the growing crowd - as the gathering would be visible for miles, as they made their way down the west side of the Mount of Olives. People who had gathered in Jerusalem for the Passover at the end of the week would be very interested in any diversion. When they heard it was the talked about prophet Jesus of Nazareth, the crowd would swell with the faithful and the curious. The whole thing took on a party atmosphere. 

They called Jesus the son of David. Being a part of the family of David is a requirement for being the rightful Messiah. David was the second King of the Jews. He was the leader of Judah, the south portion of the land for seven years after the death of Saul, before uniting the entire land. When he joined north and south together, he selected Jerusalem to be the capital. It was near the line between north and south, and it had never been the capital of either the north or the south. It was conveniently only 4 miles from David’s hometown of Bethlehem. 

So David selected Jerusalem as his capital. It became a holy city when he brought the Ark of the Covenant to the city. Later, his son Solomon, built the glorious First Temple on the prominent Temple Mount, with a commanding view of the countryside, and the natural safety of being situated on the side of a cliff, limiting ways in which it can be attacked. 

Jesus made his entry clearly within the view of the Temple Mount. The Palm Sunday procession, with all the shouting, echoed up the walls of the canyon, and the priests and scribes had a clear view of the arrival of the prophet. And their anxiety builds. 

The shouts of the crowd make a book end to balance the shouts of the crowd later in the week, imploring Pontius Pilate to “Crucify him!” The fickle nature of crowds is exposed by this sharp contrast, only days apart. Public opinion can be swayed pretty easily, at least in those days. It should be clear that when Pilate places the label “King of the Jews” on the cross of Jesus, he forever links the faithful and the political. For us, Jesus expresses the fundamental sanctity of all creation.  

So here we are. It is Palm Sunday. We wave our palms to welcome the arrival of our Lord and Savior, knowing full well that some in the crowd are just caught up in the moment. Some in the crowd do not have a genuine understanding of how Jesus represents the love of God, and represents the perfect way into eternal life with God. 

We live in a world where many profess to be Christians, but seem only to be attached to the cultural and sentimental values of the faith. The call to live with God’s love and forgiveness, the command to love our neighbors and our enemies, these are often lost in the translation. We are not judging others, but acknowledging that faithfulness requires that we do more than follow the crowd. 

We celebrate Palm Sunday with our eyes open. We know where we are headed. We know that being faithful does not mean that we get a “Get Out of Jail Free” card. We face all of the challenges and heartaches that everyone else goes through. We simply do not face our troubles alone. We count on the love of God, supported by the faith community, so that we can persevere no matter what pain and evil comes our way. 

We pray that the love of God strengthen our faith as we move through our own challenges. We pray that this year, as we walk through Holy Week, we are blessed with new understanding, greater appreciation of God’s love. We pray that the light of God’s truth within us, be enough to comfort and support those around us, who feel the call to faith, even while they are growing an understanding of what that might mean. 

Not What Is Expected

Not What Is Expected  

John 9:1-41

What are you afraid of? Does your known fear cause you to do or avoid doing things or saying things, just to protect yourself? 

We have all tiptoed around hot political topics, especially around the loudest and most aggressive our friends and relatives in these recent days. Some people are wound so tight that it does no good, even if you just stick to the facts and avoid inserting your opinion. Given an opening, they just flame out. 

While this is awkward in personal situations, there are times when these same kinds of issues have direct implications on your freedom of speech and movement. 

The nation of Israel is highly insulted by the movement, based on the international pressure that was brought to bear on the apartheid regime in South Africa, to use Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against businesses in either Israel or the Settlements in the West Bank. The BDS movement is now illegal, and Israeli citizens are under direct threat of prosecution if they encourage the movement against either Israel or the Settlements. The local people take this threat very seriously. 

A new law permits the state to refuse international visitors entry, if they are part of a group that promotes the BDS movement. Today the Israeli ministry is building a database of organizations that are no longer permitted to enter the country. Recent reports show that this ban has not been strictly enforced to date. 

The past two weeks, a new law has been hotly debated in the Knesset, that would permit the ministry to build a data base of Israeli citizens who are associated with the BDS movement. The very conservative faction within the Israeli government is taking an aggressive stance against their critics. This challenges the definition of democracy. 

In the gospel this morning, the parents of the man born blind are very careful when talking with the “Jews.” They are aware of threats made against those who speak in favor of this Jesus of Nazareth. When questioned, they carefully avoid speaking up for Jesus, or speaking against their son. They do not want to get in the middle of this debate and risk being shunned in their community. 

While the parents have fear, clearly the Temple authorities are very anxious about Jesus. We might want to understand their position better. 

The Holy Land in the time of Jesus was an occupied country, under the direct control of the Roman Empire. The people were heavily taxed. It costs a lot of money to maintain and deploy a huge army to police the world. Rome justified their taxation because the great local benefit was the “Pax Romana,” the Peace of Rome. 

Since Rome controlled the greater swath of civilization surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, all the typical squabbles between neighbors over control and access to ports, and shipping lanes, and trade routes were settled (or simply squashed) by the powerful and ever present Roman army and their conscripted soldiers. 

The Temple in Jerusalem continued to exist and have its own level of control, through a negotiated arrangement with the puppet King Herod, and then his descendants. The Temple and the priests, received a share of the taxes, and in turn, they were expected/required to help root out and eliminate violent revolutionaries. Over the years, there were many violent revolutionary responses to the heavy-handed occupation. Jesus of Nazareth fit the model of a political revolutionary. He also, took great delight in mocking the authority of the Temple. The Temple authorities were motivated to quiet him. 

In the gospel of John, it was the raising of Lazarus from the dead that prompted the Temple authorities to action. Chapter 11:47 - 50 reads, “So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, "What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation." But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed." 

These patterns of fear and repressive laws and aggressive enforcement, continue to exist with the world today. I have highlighted the response of Israel to the BDS movement, and you have heard news stories about the United Nations Reports, that are critical of the inhumane treatment of the people of Gaza and the West Bank. But these temptations exist wherever nations try to make a systemic response to threats, real or perceived. 

Jesus cured the blind man, on a Sabbath morning. The Jews could not accept that a holy man would do work on the Sabbath, in direct violation of the 10 commandments. You and I, do not live in a culture that supports the Sabbath with such a clear set of expectations. Although there was a time, when Sundays were treated very differently than they are today. As faithful people, we still have the option to honor the Sabbath if we choose. 

Jesus has set himself apart from the Temple authorities, by making compassion for the poor and sick more important than abiding by strict rules. Rules are a substitute for relationships protected by respect. Jesus has set himself apart from the Roman authority, by living a nomad’s life, with no taxable income. That can tick off the government. 

Jesus sets himself, and his movement - apart from the expectations of the culture. You and I know that he was not raising an army. You and I know that he was not building a cache of weapons in remote rural hiding places to arm the revolutionary forces when the time was ripe for attack. 

We even know that Jesus was not insulting the God of the Temple. He did enjoy mocking the pretentious who acted holy, but lacked humility and compassion. What are we to learn from Jesus, that can empower our living in this day and place? 

First, let us recall and embrace the story of Jesus. These narratives are rich with models for living in a charged atmosphere, but staying grounded in the truth. The truth is continually pulling on our own self-deceptions, helping us to be real with our selves, our friends, our neighbors, and in the political world. (This Lent we have taken to calling this “A Posture of Confession.”) 

Grounded as we are in the truth about our own limitations, we can see with fresh eyes, what are the legitimate needs of our neighbors, near and far, and what might be considered fair game for challenging and confronting. We are able to challenge the pretentious. We are able to “see” where unjust laws are used to prevent detection of greater systemic injustice, and overt lack of compassion. We can recognize the manipulation of information to foster prejudice and bias, build fear, and justify huge armies and the taxation required to support them. 

Like the Pharisees in the story, let us ask Jesus, “are we blind, too?” If we are blind to our own pride - and worse yet, blind to the kind of prejudice and fear that make us willing partners to injustice, may Jesus open our eyes. Let us trust Jesus enough, that with his love we can handle the truth about ourselves, and change our ways. Let us wash our faces in the pool, and with open eyes, be ready to worship the God of Jesus. Truth will set us free, free to love and share, without inordinate and inappropriate fear. Amen.