There is no them

Today’s reading from The Gospel of Luke continues Jesus’ sermon on the plain.   It’s the one that began with the Beatitudes of blessings and woes . In last week’s reading we heard Jesus tell his disciples that the poor, the hungry, the weeping, the hated and the defamed are blessed. Those in trouble, and those pushed to the outside who do not have the power to control things...Jesus states, without a shadow of doubt...that they are God’s beloved no matter what judgments other people make about their life’s situations. And then Jesus further shocks the disciples by saying that prosperity is not a sign of divine favor. Jesus refers to a Creation when instead of wanting more or being envious of those who have, and seeing those without as woeful, we are to decide that it’s unacceptable for others to be destitute...without shelter, good water and good food, and a means to make a living.   Instead of forcing our way of life on others, we are to use our power, our voices and ou...

The Beatitudes are found in Matthew and Luke’s Gospel in the midst of what is now called a sermon. In Matthew’s arguably more famous Sermon on the Mount , the focus is on the gathered crowd of people who journey to hear Jesus the Jewish Rabbi preach on a faithful relationship with Torah and scripture. In Luke’s slightly less famous Sermon on the Plain ,   the most obvious difference is that this Gospel writer has Jesus follow up the Blessed statements with a slew of woes.   There are more subtle differences as well. The text tells us that, in addition to the disciples, the crowds had come to Jesus 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. It’s not a stretch to imagine that many of the people who flocked to see and hear Jesus were considered destitute:   rejected by society for a multitude of reasons. ...

Today is the Feast Day of Absalom Jones.   Episcopal News Service covered the Presiding bishop’s visit to Absalom Jones' spiritual home at Philadelphia’s historic Church of St. Thomas this past Sunday. “Absalom Jones was born into slavery in 1746 and released from bondage in 1784 in the wake of the American Revolution. He is listed on the Episcopal calendar of saints and remembered liturgically on the date of his death, Feb. 13. He died in 1818 at the age of 71.”  The readings for the Feast Day of Absalom Jones includes Isaiah 42:5-9 These lines struck a cord in me: See, the former things have come to pass,    and new things I now declare; before they spring forth,    I tell you of them. How often I look back at history at “former things” and feel a sense of guilt and shame that I (or my ancestors) failed to notice the damage that was being done in the moment.   When it is in hindsight that we see what was done as injustice, the call is...

In the calling story of Jesus’ first disciples, c atching people is the payoff: the memorable line from this story, and it’s what those in the story are ultimately to do.   The story’s base comes from Mark.   It is chapter one, right after the opening words of Jesus’ ministry. 16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.    Matthew’s version is nearly identical to Mark’s in words and placement.   It is a simple story on the surface, calling Jesus’ first disciples, that can lead to a provocative conversation ab...

I’m not preaching today, so I thought I would reshare an old post on Groundhog Day, which is a go to movie for discussion on faith, religion, and ethics in film. Groundhog Day is the engaging story of an egotistical, self-centered weatherman from Pittsburg named Phil (like the famous groundhog) who experiences one of the worst days of his life:   his assignment to cover Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, PA.   That would be bad enough, but he wakes up the next morning at 6AM to find that it's still Groundhog Day:   he is living out the same day, over and over again! I believe that it is Phil's progression that is so fascinating and informing to the viewer. First, he has to figure out what is going on.   He starts in denial of the situation:   this can’t be happening...he remembers Groundhog Day happening...someone must have set him up. At the end of this first repeated day, he seeks proof: breaking a pencil in two and leaving it on the nightstand.   He wakes u...