6 Epiphany (Year C)
Luke 6:17-26
St. John’s, West Seneca
February 16, 2025
20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22 “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
25 “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.
26 “Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.”
Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ. Amen.
These are not you mother’s Beatitudes. Rather, they turn the world upside down, and even have “woes,” which is akin to a curse. We are familiar with those, from history and literature. One that comes to mind is Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables, where a curse is place on the Pyncheon family. Of course, you have heard of the curse of Tutankhamun. There is also The Curse of the Knights Templar, where Jaques de Molay, as he is being burned at the stake, curses the Pope and King Philip the Fair. Both die within the year. There’s Dido cursing Troy in the Aeneid and so on.
Before we can get to that, the Woes of Jesus, and because curse is a strong word; we have to look at Luke’s Beatitudes. They are so familiar to our ears, or should I say Matthew’s are familiar. Luke’s version is entirely different. Just how different? There are the obvious: Luke has only four who are blessed: the poor, the hungry, those who weep, and the persecuted. Matthew has eight. In Matthew’s version, these blessings seem much more spiritual in nature:
- The “poor” are the “poor in spirit.”
- “The hungry” are those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness.”
- Those who “mourn” will be “comforted.”
- Then Matthew includes the actions that come from love: the merciful, the peacemakers, along with the pure in heart and those willing to be persecuted.
But…the biggest difference is that Luke adds something else to his. Luke includes his “woes” to those who are the opposite of the blessed: the rich, and the full, and those filled with laughter, and well spoken of. The location is different as well. Luke’s beatitudes come not from on high, the mount, but from “a level place,” indicating that God is going to do just that for his people. God’s desire is for a level playing field.
These beatitudes are a bit more difficult to hear. Difficult because they seem to hit close to home. Most of us have what we need, a roof over our head, food in the pantry, more than a few coins to spend, making us rich in the eyes of others. Oh, and we do enjoy our reputations. So, when we look to Luke and his Sermon on the Plain, we may find ourselves on the “naughty list.” Those who have – whether it is too much money, too much to eat, too much laughter, too much respect from their peers – those are the ones to whom Jesus warns: “Woe is you.”
It's enough to make you squirm in your seat. Hard words to hear in a nation so blessed, so comfortable.
Consider those Jesus sees as blessed: the poor, the hungry, and those who weep. It makes no sense to us. Aren’t those the very things we are to avoid? But if we know anything about Luke and his Jesus, it is that Luke is the gospel of the poor and of social justice. As I said at the beginning of Advent; he is the one who lifts up the poor time and time again. Luke tells the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man who ignored him. It is in Luke's gospel that we hear Mary's Magnificat where she proclaims that God "has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty".
As we look at the Gospel for today, one writer says that Jesus seems “unhinged tossing some bad language, poxes, hexes and curses. Whatever you want to call it, it’s not good. The four woes he announces sound like he’s casting a spell or uttering a curse upon evil doers.” Dramatic, yes, but take a look at those “woes.”
Jesus, to counter the blessings, also has four of these:
- “Woe to you who are rich …
- Woe to you who are full …
- Woe to you who are laughing …
- Woe to you when all speak well of you.”
What are we to make of all this?
Luke’s Beatitudes are bodily, physical. Jesus is in the middle of the sick, the possessed, anyone in the crowd who has come for help. The poor, the sick and the possessed — those who stood listening — could easily identify with the physical nature of Jesus’s blessings. The poor refers to those who are destitute, having nothing. Remember, Jesus's first announcement in the synagugue is “to bring good news to the poor.” Jesus does not find any blessing in being poor; he does say that God’s promise makes the poor blessed. The second blessing comes out of the first. Where there is poverty, there will be hunger. Again, Luke speaks of a bodily need, not spiritual. The third blessing is for those who “weep now.” This is the crying, the tears that come from daily life and the issues that all face. Luke contrasts this weeping with laughter in his that those with tears will be “comforted.”
Now the “woes.” And these today have special meaning, as billionaires seem to be calling the shots. I read that the richest one percent have thirty percent of the wealth. Oh, if only it would trickle down. Not that they are laughing at us, but they do have the joy of needing nothing. This woe brings to mind those who are self-satisfied, indifferent to the daily grind of so many. It is idolatry, isn’t it; this competition between the wealthy to see who can own how much. For now.
On to the next. Being “defamed” probably meant being tossed out of the synagogue. But for Jesus that is a blessing. It is the spirit of the law that matters, not the letter of the law. The “woe” that disciples are warned away from is the experience of being accepted and fawned over, as were the false prophets, who were praised. That did not turn out very well.
So where is the good news in this? Even though we lament the disparity of wealth, still, we seem to be with the blessed. But remember this. When Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor … the hungry … and those who weep,” he’s saying that God is in charge of creation, no matter who has the wealth. And God isn’t finished. Not yet. As “little Christs,” we have the luxury of being able to assist the poor, the hungry from the bounty we have. I remember that line from Forrest Gump, after he and Lieutenant Dan are the only shrimping boat after a hurricane: “Now, momma said there’s only so much fortune a man really needs, and the rest is just for showing off.” And if you remember, he repairs a church steeple, adds on to the hospital, and mows the lawn for free. If we can level the playing field…all will be blessed and we will reach beyond the bodily needs to work on and refine our spiritual lives. The good news is that if we do what we can do, there may not even be a need for the “woes.”
God blesses; that is what God does. And so we carry on. God will inevitably bless us if we have faith. God may bless us some day with what we most desire. Or, perhaps more likely, God may bless us through what we desire but don’t receive. What is that Garth Brooks’s song? "Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers…”
While these Beatitudes may make us squirm, Jesus here asks to stand with the poor and hungry and downtrodden. It is not conventional wisdom, not the wisdom of the world.
But…We are here not to make a difference, but to make the world different. What we need to do is throw out the existing order and replace it with another, not just to bind up the wounds, but destroy that which makes the wounds. We are here to level the playing field, so that all are blessed, so that the “woes” won’t need to be.
It’s a tall order, but as I have said before, we need to take seriously what Jesus took seriously. And to remember, that our God blesses, when we succeed and when we fail. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria
5 Epiphany (Year C)
Luke 5:1-11
St. John’s, West Seneca
February 9, 2025
Once while Jesus[a] was standing beside the Lake of Gennesaret and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to burst. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’s knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were astounded at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ. Amen.
Call narratives never fail to fascinate me, not because they are so varied, but the opposite. This is how it usually goes. God calls and the excuses are offered. Isaiah has a wild, dramatic calling, and Peter has a dramatic event after a long night of fishing.
Call stories – like those of Peter and Isaiah, remind us that we are part of God’s continuing story. God calls us to new ventures, new tasks and new opportunities.
Today’s Gospel has Jesus teaching the crowds. He needs a place from which to preach and so asks Peter, who was tending his nets, to put out a bit so he can teach. When Jesus is done, he tells Peter to put out into deeper water. If you noticed, with no invitation, but a command. Peter objects; he’s tired after a night with nothing to show for it. A bit of an excuse, but because Jesus asks, he does. The catch is so great; the nets are bursting at the seams, and the other boat is needed. Upon seeing all this, Peter falls to his knees, confessing his sin, so fearful is he. But Jesus utters those often said words in the Bible: Do not be afraid. And then Jesus gives Peter a new task. Luke tells us that Peter, James, and John left their nets and followed.
Like all call narratives, it doesn’t end there and leaves us with this question: What if Jesus got into our boat?
Like, what if Jesus came and began nosing into our business? Would we make any changes? Or would we be completely bowled over? Would we see ourselves as Peter so clearly saw himself? Would Jesus nosing into our business have the same effect, or would we turn away?
And after Jesus jumps in the boat with us, then what? Jesus says: “Put out into the deep water,” Jesus said deep water. For us, the deep is the unknown, a scary scenario. How many of us think of Jesus taking us out to deep water, out of our comfort zone? And why deep water? That’s where the fish are found, and we are told there was a miraculous catch.
When Jesus says “put out to deep water,” he uses the imperative, the command form of the verb. He is not asking, but commanding. Like Peter, we find that this order is directed at people who aren’t expecting it, and often, they seem to be unlikely choices — tax collectors, fishermen, skeptics, political zealots and the like — not the first people most of us would choose.
What’s more — on a side note — the people Jesus calls are usually in the middle of doing something else, totally unrelated — like making a living as professional fishermen. They generally aren’t the ones wildly waving their hands saying, “Pick me, Jesus!”
Now, there are people who volunteer to be disciples. However, Jesus is not so keen on them. He doesn’t exactly turn them away. He simply lays it on the line, as with the rich young man: Go, sell all you have, then follow me. He didn’t, did he? Very few did.
For Jesus, there is a difference between disciples and volunteers. In John, he says: “You did not choose me but I chose you.” Jesus calls us to be disciples. Maybe the problem is that you think you are called to volunteer when the fact is, you are to be a disciple within the many facets of your life.
Jesus still calls people to follow him today. Jesus calls unlikely people who are usually in the midst of something else; people who had no inclination to do anything different. And we need to understand that because it helps us as we go about our call as a disciple each day.
Jesus is not impressed by our natural abilities, appearance, talents or what we’ve made of ourselves. His call does not need a specific education, except for Pastors, of course. It can be at any age, from young to old. It can be dramatic. In this text, and in the Isaiah text, there is drama that overcomes Isaiah’s and Peter’s reluctance. The threshold trembling and six-winged seraphs would do that. As would a huge catch of fish. And it works.
“What Jesus asks us to do may or may not be in line with some skill we’re already comfortable with. It may be an extension of some talent we’ve already developed, but it may just as likely be a use of a talent we didn’t know we had (but Jesus knows).
"One more thing, Jesus’s call comes on his time schedule, not ours."
When thinking about today’s readings, I remember reading about that old hymn “Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling.” There’s an irony there in that the call is often not soft and not tender either. Jesus is not asking meekly, or like Oliver, “I’d like some more, please.” Nope, Jesus is working on our emotions, trying to get our attention, ignoring our excuses and telling us to put away our pride.
The idea of being called by God to a certain activity or task has been labeled our “Christian vocation.” Luther argued that no matter our vocation, we are doing God’s work. In his day, there were but two groups: the clergy and everyone else. Luther saw it differently.The one I most often hear is that the priest was as important as the village beer maker. Sometimes our vocation coincides with our employment, but sometimes it is something other. “John Calvin said that God gives Christians a vocation or calling so that we will not wander aimlessly in life. Our calling, said Calvin, is a kind of sentry post we are asked by God to staff.”
In her autobiography, Audacity to Believe, Sheila Cassidy, a British physician, tells of her experience in Chile during the time of Augusto Pinochet. She went to use her medical skills as a Christian. Because she treated any who requested her help, including one who was an opponent of Pinochet, who was a brutal dictator, she was arrested and spent several weeks in detention, where she was tortured. Eventually she was expelled from the country. She writes of the call:
“How can one convey the agony and the ecstasy of being called by God? At one moment one is overawed by the immensity of the honor ... and in the same breath one screams, ‘No! No! Please, not me, I can’t take it!’ That which seconds ago was a privilege becomes an outrageously unfair demand ....”
But then she adds, “I thought about it, and I knew that I did not want to say no and that, however much it hurt, I could only humbly accept.”
It is unlikely that her experience will be yours. Because sometimes, it is like the hymn, softly and tenderly: the call is soft and gradual, like the sun rising when eventually we see the light. Or the call may come because we’re uncomfortable in our current situation and cannot find rest otherwise. Or the call may come to us in some truly dramatic way.
In the end, it is all about accepting the call that matters. Not to volunteer, but to disciple. If you love Jesus, that is what you do. As Martin Luther said: “I can do no other.” And how do you come to love Jesus? You come here. You sing and pray, listen. Even if you are tired, as Peter was. You leave here with faith, enter into the field be His disciple, sharing the good news, using words if necessary.
We have seen week by week who Jesus is, baptized by John, proclaimed God’s Son, miracle worker, at a wedding, no less. Now calling disciples, sending them to “fish for people.” And when Peter, James and John followed, they left everything, including a miraculous catch of fish. That was their income. It just wasn’t important anymore, because something greater had come along.
That’s what we are to do, leave the worldly troubles behind, and follow the One who offers a joyful life with grace upon grace.
Jesus is calling. No excuse will do. So, go and tell. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria
Presentation of Our Lord (Year C)
Luke 2:22-41
St. John’s, West Seneca
February 2, 2025
Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ. Amen.
Christmas is over! Today’s Gospel is the final wrap-up of the season. While most of us finish with decorations around Epiphany, or January 6, technically, you can wait until February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord.
What is this “Presentation” all about? Under the Jewish laws concerning childbirth, a woman was considered unclean for forty days, and she would undergo purification rites. Along with that, there was a directive that the first born son was to be “presented” at the temple. And so, being obedient and pious Jews, Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple.
Luke tells us that they brought along their sacrifice of two small birds. And then, we are told, something remarkable occurred. There are two elderly regulars at the temple, who had been waiting for this day. One is Simeon; the other is Anna.
Many years back, Simeon heard the voice of God, the Holy Spirit, speaking to him. “You will not taste death,” the Spirit told him, “until you have seen the Messiah with your own eyes.” And so, Simeon has waited patiently, trusting that God will point out the Messiah when the time comes.
And God does. He sees Mary and Joseph and the child. Led by the Spirit, one wonders if his heart pounded as he saw the child? Perhaps. He does speak some words of prophecy, words that we know well.
The words Simeon spoke are called the Nunc Dimitus.
Simeon’s first words are a prayer: Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word, and “my eyes have seen your salvation.” This is an amazing thing to say, to speak of salvation, and the implications of salvation. Israel has seen many religious figures: prophets, like Isaiah and Amos, priests like Eli and Nathan, and kings. But this child is different. This child is all three. And he will not only lead the people to salvation. This child is their salvation.
Next, Simeon goes on to say that God has done this “in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Again, this is not a new idea or thought. Isaiah said much the same thing, centuries before, about the Messiah who is to come. Still, Simeon’s blunt language is startling as this is an infant who is going to change the world.
We know even less about Anna than we do about Simeon. All Luke tells us is that she’s a widow, and well up in her 80s. She comes to the temple each day to pray, and stays well into the night. On this day, she speaks. After years of fasting and praying, she praises God and all who look for the redemption of Israel. What she says is not recorded, but speak she did. Whatever she did say, Luke considered important enough to include her.
This text brings us back to the “light,” that Simeon speaks of. Jesus is the light of the world; we celebrated his birth forty days ago, as the light coming into the world. But now, during this season of Epiphany, this added emphasis reveals something new, another layer, if you will.
For the church, this day is also known as “Candlemas,” a designation from the fourth century. Rarely do we think of February 2 as anything but Groundhog Day.
Candlemas was a day set aside for the blessing of candles. The earliest reference comes from Jerusalem in the late 4th century, when a pilgrim named Etheria attended this celebration February 14, 40 days after Epiphany (then celebrated as Christ’s birthday). “It soon spread to other Eastern cities, and in 542 Justinian I decreed that its date should be moved back to February 2 (40 days after Christmas). By the middle of the 5th century the custom of observing the festival with lighted candles had been introduced, and the name Candlemas developed from this custom. In the Western church, Pope Sergius I (687–701) instituted the festival in Rome. In the East it is primarily a festival of Christ. In the West it was primarily a celebration of the Virgin Mary until the calendar reform of 1969.
Two other interesting tidbits highlight this day: First, in many Eastern European countries, the feast of the Presentation officially closes the celebration of Christmas. For this reason, Blessed John Paul II began the custom of keeping the Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square until Feb. 2.
Second, Candlemas Day also was important in the lives of farmers. An old English song went as follows:
“If Candlemas be fair and bright, / Come, Winter, have another flight. / If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, / Go, Winter, and come not again.”
So if the bright sun “overshadows” the brightness of Candlemas Day, there will be more winter. However, "if the light of Candlemas Day radiates through the gloom and darkness of the day, the end of winter is near. In America, Protestants decided we should replace Catholic Candlemas Day with Groundhog Day.” Obviously, this came from a Catholic biased publication.
There are also interesting food traditions around this day as well, such as eating pancakes.
All historical trivia aside, this day is about the light of Christ, first seen by the shepherds in Bethlehem, now recognized by Simeon and Anna, a light for all, including the gentiles. These words of Simeon signal that the Messiah has come, but that it will not be all light and grace. The child will grow into a man, and Simeon’s words to Mary are a reminder to us that Jesus’ life will end in death, with a sword piercing Mary’s heart. Our walk with Jesus may also include darkness and fear, especially as we enter into Lent. The exhortation of Ash Wednesday reminds us of our daily struggles and who we are to become as Christians.
“As disciples of the Lord Jesus we are called to struggle against everything that leads us away from love of God and neighbor. Repentance, fasting, prayer, and works of love—the discipline of Lent—help us to wage our spiritual warfare. I invite you, therefore, to commit yourselves to this struggle and confess your sins, asking our Father for strength to persevere in your Lenten discipline.”
So while the light to the nations revealed today is a celebration, it is tinged with a reminder of what is to come. More light, yes, but also shadow. As one woman writes:
“[W]e do the Light a disservice when we underestimate the darkness. Jesus entered a world plagued not only by the darkness of individual pain and sin, but also by the darkness of systemic oppression. Jesus' people, the Hebrews, were a subjugated people living as exiles in their own land; among other things, they were silenced, targets of police brutality and exploitatively taxed. They were a people so beaten down by society that only a remnant -- most notably Anna and Simeon -- continued to believe that the Messianic prophecies would one day come to pass. For many, the darkness of long-standing oppression had extinguished any hope for liberation.
"It was into this "worst world" that the Light-in-which-We-See-Light was born, liberating the people from the terror of darkness. So it is in the midst of our worst world that we, too, can most clearly see the Light, for light shines more brightly against a backdrop of true darkness."*
We do walk in the light with Jesus. But there are always shadows. We are to be the Simeons and Annas of our day, speaking boldly. As we continue in this season of Epiphany, we will see who Jesus is, and who we are becoming. My prayer is that we – as God’s people – will continue to be a light shining in the darkness. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria
*Advent/Night." Christena Cleveland, November 28, 2014
3 Epiphany (Year C)
Luke 4: 14-21
St. John’s, West Seneca
January 26, 2025
Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ. Amen.
When the title for your weekly reading is entitled "Taco Tuesday and Sabbath Spirit," well, you have to read it. My reading includes a main reading, plus the two things I look for: Commentary on the Text, with good Greek exegesis, and illustrations. But also included are prayers, other liturgy, a quick look at the other readings for the week.
“Every day of the week has a particular spirit. A distinctive state of mind.
"Start with Fish Friday. This comes out of the Catholic tradition of avoiding meat on Fridays. For centuries, many Catholics have abstained from eating warm-blooded animals on that day, as a way of honoring the sacrifice of Jesus on Good Friday. No beef, pork, chicken or turkey — just fish…
"How about Sunday Roast? This British tradition revolves around a big meal including roast meat, vegetables and gravy.
"And then there is Meatless Monday, often associated with vegetarian or vegan meals. But what about Taco Tuesday?
"‘No one really knows who first came up with the idea of Taco Tuesday,’ writes Jeff Beer in Fast Company magazine (March/April 2024). It is not rooted in an ancient Christian tradition, nor is it connected to a modern desire to eat a vegan diet.
"After doing some digging, Beer found a newspaper ad from 1933. The White Star Cafeteria in El Paso, Texas, invited people to come to the restaurant on Tuesday and enjoy three ‘Mexican tacos’ for 15 cents.
"What a deal.
"Beer says that in the decades that followed, the term began to appear in ads from Wisconsin to Arizona. In 1973, a South Dakota drive-in ran an ad in the Rapid City Journal with the line, ‘Stop In on Taco Tuesday.’
"Suddenly, Tuesday was the day for tacos.”
There is more to the story, of course, with lawsuits involving Taco John’s and Taco Bell, but for this, that’s all you need to know. In other words, on to the serious part….Sabbath Sunday.
In the gospel of Luke, Jesus starts his ministry on the Sabbath in Nazareth, his hometown. This passage ends Luke’s introduction, with the pre-birth and birth of Jesus, childhood stories, his baptism and epiphany and the temptations that He has gone through and won. He goes to the synagogue, picks up the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, and reads, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
He rolls up the scroll, gives it back to the attendant and sits down. Then he says to the people of the synagogue, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
For many of you, Taco Tuesday is a go-to dinner out, but the Sabbath is the day to hear the word, receive the Spirit, and then begin the real work of doing what God asks of us: bringing good news to the poor, release to the captivity of sin, recovery of sight to the blind and freedom to the oppressed. Today is the day to proclaim God’s favor to all who are in need.
Each of the gospel-writers describes the “good news” of Jesus in a particular way, and Luke does as well. He mentions women more than Matthew, Mark and John, and he has special concern for people on the margins of society, including the sick and the poor. Luke is the writer who speaks of God bringing down the powerful and lifting up the lowly, filling “the hungry with good things” and sending “the rich away empty.” For Luke, our task is always to be directed to the poor, those on the margins, the vulnerable. That is Luke’s signature.
Luke places this announcement of Jesus at the beginning of his gospel, whereas Matthew and Mark place it later. At this point, he has been baptized by John, and the Holy Spirit has descended on him. He has taken on the devil and beaten him. His ministry is just beginning, but he is clearly filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is saying that he is there to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. His mission is to free the oppressed and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. His ministry is one that reverses everybody’s expectations by focusing our attention to those who are usually overlooked: Women, the poor, captives, the blind and the oppressed.
And how do we do it? We do it by being God’s people, focusing, as Luke does, on the vulnerable, instead of material success, societal success, whatever we are using to fill that “God-shaped” hole that we all have.
So break it down: Jesus has been anointed to bring good news to the poor…release to the captives. The best example of that is Castro’s Cuba, as the state was officially an atheist one. Christian Faith cannot be destroyed, and because of economic distress, the Presbyterian Church began to grow.
“We are helping give the message of hope, peace and reconciliation,” said Cuban church leaders. “The people are coming to the churches to find in the Bible, and particularly in the gospel of Jesus Christ, an answer to their deep spiritual and existential needs.”
Jesus also offers “recovery of sight to the blind” and works to “set free those who are oppressed.” We know from Luke that Jesus is a great healer. He goes directly from the synagogue in Nazareth to the town of Capernaum, where he cleanses a man with an unclean spirit, heals the mother-in-law of Simon Peter, cleanses a leper and heals a paralytic. Jesus wants to heal any physical or spiritual condition that prevents people from living a life fully of joy.
Christ’s work continues today whenever Christians practice medicine or provide counseling, and when people who struggle with addictions find recovery in 12-step groups. Jesus wants to set us free from anything that oppresses us, and that includes addiction.
Finally, Jesus proclaims “the year of the Lord’s favor.” Jesus means for his kingdom to be here, in this moment. In other words, we don’t have to wait. God shows his favor…now. “Today this scripture has been fulfilled.”
The year of the Lord’s favor is nothing less than a sign of the kingdom of God. And we continue in that when:
- We support those who have less, no matter the reason;
- Those who may be homeless;
- Those who are poor in spirit and health;
- And anything that keeps others from enjoying that favor.
The best news is that it is not that difficult. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes: “The Sabbath is a focused, one-day-a-week antidote to the market mindset. It is dedicated to the things that have a value but not a price. It is the supremely nonmarket day. We can’t sell or buy. We can’t work or pay others to work for us. It’s a day when we celebrate relationships. Husbands sing a song of praise to their wives. Parents bless their children. We take time to have a meal together with family and friends. In the synagogue we renew our sense of community. People share their joys — a new child, a bar or bat mitzvah, an engagement, a forthcoming wedding — with others. The bereaved find comfort for their grief. We study the Bible together, reminding ourselves of the story of which we are a part. We pray together, thanking God for our blessings.”
That’s where we begin. How do we continue? Consider this example. One writer says:
“In our work, we are taking the bits and pieces of people’s shattered lives and opening ourselves up to God’s work of creating caring, discerning communities — just as happened after a hurricane hit a small town in South Louisiana.
"Walking around the area surveying the damage, it pained the pastor to see the houses torn apart and contents spilled on the ground in broken and tangled heaps. As he walked among the tree limbs, he saw in the dirt an image of a smiling face. Bending over to pick it up, he realized it was a wedding photo that the storm had ripped and discarded in the street. Someone, somewhere, was missing the photo. He wondered who it could be.
"So, he decided to open the basement of his church and allow the community to have a photo lost and found. He set up long tables and invited the whole town to bring in any pictures they had picked up out of the storm debris. People came with the bits of anonymous family histories: proud men standing in front of cherry-red Chevrolets, women posing in their Sunday best in front of bursting azalea bushes, anxious couples going to their high school dance, and small children playing on the park swings. Along with the crumpled bits of pictures, people began to pour into the fellowship hall, recognizing parts of their own lives and those of their neighbors.
"Years after the fact, people still talk about the church that opened its doors to all the torn bits of people’s lives.”
How about that? What if we were to reach out and invite others so they might have some spiritual home in the midst of chaos? Imagine all of us bringing our bits and pieces in, so that all could seek wholeness. That would truly be a Sabbath Sunday, every day. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria
2 Epiphany (Year C)
John 2: 1-11
St. John’s, West Seneca
January 19, 2025
Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our Gospel text has me thinking about weddings. For most of us, that is an eventful day, and rarely does such a thing as running out of wine happen. Of course, there are many, many stories of weddings gone awry and so, I went to the archives of The Sun, a magazine I subscribe to, in search of first hand accounts of weddings. The Sun has a feature called READERS WRITE, where subscribers are invited to write on a certain topic. Weddings had indeed been one subject, back about twenty years ago. So I read through them. Most were pretty depressing, a few were just odd, and one or two were lovely. It seems that there is no such thing as a perfect day.
It is disappointing that there are so many issues around weddings. Until you realize that there is nothing new under the sun. Consider today’s Gospel from John, the well-known wedding at Cana where Jesus performs his first miracle, or, as John calls it, a sign.
You know the story. Jesus attends at wedding at Cana in Galilee as a guest, and we learn that the wine is running low. This is not a good thing. So Mary goes to Jesus, and makes a request. Jesus rebukes her, saying “his time has not yet come.” However, there just happen to be six empty jars used for purification and Mary simply says: Do what he asks. Jesus tells the servants to fill them, then draw some out and take it to the steward for tasting. The steward is amazed, as this is not only good wine; it’s the best. And his disciples believed in him due to this sign.
Two things stand out.
First, there is the wedding banquet itself. Then is the replenishing of the wine and what that means for us. And no, it doesn’t means that you should have a winery on speed dial.
All though the Gospels, we should be alert and realize that wherever and whenever there is food or a banquet and Jesus is present, something holy is going to happen. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus speaks of the banquet to describe that God reverses the social status quo, as well as the religious rules. Not only does Jesus speak of this, he lives this by eating with sinners and outcasts. In all four Gospels, he feeds thousands with a few loaves of bread, and fewer fish. And he changes the meaning of bread and wine entirely at the Last Supper.
So today we have a holiness alert. This is John’s way of telling us that from the beginning of his ministry, Jesus is the Son of God, and everything he does must be understood in relation to that, that God is in the world and is transforming it.
You may have noticed that the changing of water into wine is a sign. That’s what he calls it. John avoids the Greek word for “miracle” — even though that’s the word most of us would use in retelling this story. As for whether a miracle or a sign, we tend to look at this and wonder how, focused as we are with natural and scientific laws. In John’s time, it was taken for granted that such a thing could take place. That is where the belief came in and the transformation began.
We need to re-capture that. One preacher speaks of miracles and why we tend to miss them. “God reveals and conceals at the same time. The rabbis used to say, ‘If a miracle occurs, and there's only one way to explain it, then God had nothing to do with it.’ God does not usually act in obvious ways. If a heavenly voice speaks to one person, the next person will not hear it. If God does something really amazing, some may see it, others will not. What's required is faith – faith that leans forward to listen, faith that imagines this is what God is doing…”*
This is a sign, for us, this day, this time. No matter how you think of it, for John, the most important feature of the water turning to wine is the reality to which it points — the reality of God’s redeeming love, already at work in the person of Jesus Christ. The wedding at Cana is a glimpse into what is to come, a sneak preview, if you will, of the final victory over sin and death.
For the early church, that celebration found its focus in gathering around a meal, specifically, in the sacrament of the Lord’s supper. In other religions of the time in the Roman world, there would be the smell of sacrificial meat, words whispered of a revelation, maybe even a re-enactment of some the drama of the gods. The center of Christian worship is different. At the center is a feast of bread and wine. The earliest symbols of the church were the wheat and the grapes that make up the bread and wine. Not the cross. That is what we celebrate each week, this transformation that God began in Jesus and now continues in us.
While we are far away from this text, it speaks to us in a beautiful way about what it means to have Christ in the midst of us. The gospel writers not only tell us of what Jesus did – once upon a time – but what Jesus continues to do for each of us.
Yes, Jesus, on one fine day did turn water into wine. How thankful those guests, especially Mary, must have been. A crisis had been averted and the celebration – which could last days – went on.
But the key to this miracle is not just to look at it as a one-time event, a spectacle, if you will, but as a continuous event. Whenever Jesus enters into our lives, there comes a new quality which is like the turning of the water into wine. Without Jesus, life is hard, often stale, like old bread; when Jesus enters into it, there is new life and celebration. The simplest molecule of H2O becomes the finest wine. A simple mixture of flour and water becomes bread. Without Jesus, there is a lack of provisions, with Jesus, there is always enough. With Jesus, there is a life filled with possibilities, and each day comes a new opportunity to be a part of God’s great plan.
This text is about our relationship with God. And if there is anything that we have to be grateful for, if we have any reason to count our blessings, it is because of what God offers us in the word and sacrament. That great quantity of good wine represents the joy between Jesus and each one of us.
And yet, how many of us are willing to enter into this relationship fully and joyfully? The truth is, we only want a relationship when it will work for us. We want it when it is convenient for us, when there is a problem at hand. To be transformed by God is to be freed from sin, the old ways and the old evil, and the transformed Christian life is marked with love and service to the God who provides everything that we have.
And faith is key. As I said, the people of John’s time had no trouble seeing this sign and then believing. When I first began at Mercy Hospital twenty years ago, I was often taken aback at the odd things that happen around an imminent death, at the coincidences that pop up. Now, I expect these things. The more faith you have, the more you see. So, when someone comes to me and says: “Chaplain, the oddest thing happened…” I am not surprised. That’s the best part of the job, calling attention to what God is doing to get your attention.
Where is your relationship with God right now? Is God the divine Mr. Fixit, called on in an emergency or a 911 call? Or is God so close that you can feel his presence and know that whatever happens, you are safe in his hands. God does not call us to a venture that He will not nurture.
The miracle of Cana is that God continues to keep giving and giving, even to sending his only Son. The miracle of Cana is that God is constantly calling us into relationship, relationships that are unconditional.
When Jesus transformed the water into wine, he did far more than avert a social disaster. Jesus replaced the old with the new, and it is a powerful reminder that Jesus changes all those with whom he has a relationship. All we have to do is lean in with faith. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria
*Bill Carter, from a sermon on John 2:1-11: "Miracles -- and why we miss them," January 17, 2010.
Baptism of Our Lord (Year C)
Luke
St. John’s, West Seneca
January 12, 2025
Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and the LORD Jesus Christ. Amen.
Last Monday was Epiphany, a day set aside to celebrate the arrival of the Magi. Our Orthodox brothers and sisters celebrate this day as Christmas. The first Sunday after is Epiphany; it is what we are celebrating today: The Baptism of Our Lord. This season can vary greatly in length, and this year, we are blessed with eight Sundays, the last being the Transfiguration.
We have just come from Bethlehem. We jump years into the future and meet Jesus again as an adult, except for one text on February 2. He is baptized today by John and declared as God’s beloved son. Now week after week, what God is up to in Jesus, how God is with us and for us, with each week revealing more of who Jesus is and what He has come to do.
This season has its own character. We are not preparing for the birth of Jesus, as in Advent, or His birth, which we just celebrated. We are not walking with Jesus to Jerusalem, as in Lent. We are not yet filled with Easter joy or fear, nor have we just experienced the fire of the Holy Spirit.
This season is unique. It is not just a set of weeks to mark time between Christmas and Lent, but a time to discover what God is doing in Jesus, and to place yourself within these texts not only to see, but especially to hear the words that are being spoken, to experience the times when God does … whatever.
This will be a time of new understanding, an unveiling, each week bringing into focus those Bible stories that may have been forgotten. By hearing them again, we can experience them, understanding again that when the waters rise, God is with us and for us with His son Jesus.
- We begin today with Jesus’s baptism, but not before John speaks of his greatness. In Isaiah, we see a God who accompanies us through thick and thin.
- The next stop is a wedding, in Cana, where the wine is running low, never a good thing at a wedding.
- Ezra will read from the Law, and the people will weep upon hearing it. Jesus will read from the Torah, and many will be amazed at this man from Nazareth.
- We will see an Advent text from Malachi. And hear the story of Simeon on the day we call the Presentation of Our Lord.
- There will be the great and awesome calling of Isaiah, with the thresholds trembling, and a live coal brought to Isaiah’s lips. “Here I am, Lord…” In a simpler setting, Jesus will call his disciples to fish for people.
- And, on the plain, Jesus speaks not only of God’s blessings, but also ”woes.” So different from Matthew’s version.
- We will learn of forgiveness, going back to the beginning, when Joseph forgives his brothers. Jesus tells us to love our enemies.
- Moses returns from the mountain a changed man. And then, Jesus will be transfigured on a mountain, changed before his disciples, and Moses will be there as well, along with Elijah.
These are the Biblical stories that change lives. And so, on that note, let me ask this: How many of us make New Year’s resolutions? Most of us. Here’s a new idea.
This past week I shared a Facebook post: THIS YEAR I WANT TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS.
There are six ways to do this.
- Hang out with sinners.
That’s not difficult. We are all sinners, if we take just a minute to think on that. Each of us falls short of the glory of God. Confront it daily. I like the Confession from the LBW: ”we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves… See, hanging out with sinners is pretty easy. Oh, as Luther said: “Simul iustus et peccator,” "simultaneously justified and sinful".
Upset religious people
That’s not difficult either. All you have to do is remind them of the Beatitudes, or the Great Commandment to love God first; then love one another as you have been loved. Too often, we get caught up in the minutae, finding errors everywhere, and forgetting that there is more to being a Christian than being “religious.” As Garrison Keillor once said: You can stand in your garage all day and say you’re a car. Doesn’t make you one.
Tell stories that make people think.
Jesus was the true master of this. He used familiar images and settings so that his listeners could understand. The Gospel writers took those stories down.
So, this year, listen with new, fresh ears and pass those stories on. No need to lecture, just share.
Choose unpopular friends
Jesus’s friends were not the most educated, the most wealthy, the most worldly. They were men with average jobs, like Peter and Andrew, James and John, who were fisherman. Matthew was a tax collector. His women friends may have had unsavory reputations.
Who are your friends? I imagine some of mine might surprise you: I have friends of African ancestry, friends who are Asian, some are Jewish, Catholic friends, Protestants friends of all stripes, a few agnostics, some wealthy, some poor. I have gay friends, married friends, single friends, divorced friends. No doubt some of mine might upset you. I’m just following Jesus’s example.
Be kind, loving and merciful
How does the old song go? They will know we are Christians by our love. And it has always been so. The first Christians modeled that. As for mercy, we are to try and emulate that.
For example, making the rounds on Facebook is: "grace is receiving something you don't deserve, while mercy is not receiving something you do deserve." That is certainly true of Jesus. And remember, “Grace is proactive: It's an act of kindness given freely, even when not earned. Mercy is reactive: It's the choice to withhold punishment or show compassion "To extend grace to someone is to show them compassion even when they have wronged you." "God's grace is abundant, and His mercy is everlasting."
Take naps on boats.
That’s easier said than done. But, Jesus could relax anywhere, and he was unafraid to take time for himself, frequently going off to pray alone.
They say most resolutions are forgotten and/or abandoned by the end of January. So many times, these resolutions are often not practical and we want instant success. By making the resolution to be more like Jesus, everyone wins. You win by acting out your faith, and those you meet, friends and strangers, will see what following Jesus is all about.
I have read that now, more people identify as “nones,” meaning no religion, than ever before. I see that weekly. Only we can change that. And we begin by being more like Jesus. Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria
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