Sermon: Proper 22 RCL A - "Listening"

Podcast available here.

 

Matthew 21:33-46

Jesus said, "Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, `They will respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, `This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.' So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" They said to him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time."

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures:

`The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone;

this was the Lord's doing,

and it is amazing in our eyes'?

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls."

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet.

Back when the telegraph was the fastest method of long-distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse Code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the office address that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a large, busy office filled with noise and clatter, including the sound of the telegraph in the background. A sign on the receptionist’s counter instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office. 

The young man filled out his form and sat down with the seven other applicants in the waiting area. After a few minutes, the young man stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right in. Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what was going on. They muttered among themselves that they hadn’t heard any summons yet. They assumed that the young man who went into the office made a mistake and would be disqualified.

Within a few minutes, however, the employer escorted the young man out of the office and said to the other applicants, “Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming, but the job has just been filled.”

The other applicants began grumbling to each other, and one spoke up saying, “Wait a minute, I don’t understand. He was the last to come in, and we never even got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the job. That’s not fair!”

The employer said, “I’m sorry, but all the time you’ve been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message in Morse Code: ‘If you understand this message, then come right in. The job is yours.’ None of you heard it or understood it. This young man did. The job is his.” They weren’t listening… they weren’t listening to the message that was right in front of them the entire time.

Our parable today could be summed up in one phrase... “How many times do I have to tell you ____?” - Little Johnny got in trouble once by answering that question, “Once more might do the trick,” but we’ve all heard it or said it... “How many times do I have to tell you to turn off the lights?”... “How many times do I have to tell you to clean your room?”... “How many times do I have to tell you that chocolate and peppermint don’t go together?”... Maybe that one is just me.

In the parable, Jesus is talking to the Pharisee - the religious leaders… we have the owner of the vineyard who is God the Father, the vineyard represents the people, and the caretakers of the vineyards are the religious leaders.  The parable tells us that God gave the care of the vineyard / his children into the hands of the caregivers / the religious leaders.  He gave them freedom.. He entrusted the people’s spiritual well being to them, but over time, they religious leaders got it wrong, so God sent His prophets to bring correction, yet - like the applicants to the telegraph job – the religious leaders weren’t listening to the message that was right in front of them the entire time.. so time and time again they didn’t properly respond to that message.  God says, “how many times do I have to tell you?”  so He sends His one and only Son to say it again.  But as we know.. the religious leaders will end up killing Him.  So... what was this message that God kept trying to get across to His children?  We heard it this morning in our Old Testament lesson... it was The Law... the Law given to Moses and written on the tablets of stone by the very finger of God.  That was God’s message, but they did not hear it as it was intended.

Instead.. the religious leaders took the Law of God and interpreted it… For example.. we have the US Constitution – even with the amendments its not that long of a document – but all the various laws that come from the interpretation of the Constitution go on for volumes and volumes… The religious leaders of Jesus’ time and before did the same thing with the Law of Moses.. and instead of teaching it as God intended, they used it to enslave the people and get around the true intent of the Law…  Today, Jesus spoke to the religious leaders using a parable to condemn them for their actions.. in two more chapters.. He is crystal clear... “Woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!... Woe to you blind guides!... You snakes!  You brood of vipers!  How will you escape being condemned to hell?”...

I can’t imagine the religious leaders intentionally unleashing this kind of wrath upon themselves, but it happened just the same.  Why?  Because they weren’t listening.  Jesus said to them, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written, ‘The people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  they worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’  You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men.”....“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.  You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”  God says, How many times do I have to tell you, the Law is not about rules and regulations that can be numbered and written down in books... the Law is about justice.. mercy.. faithfulness... The Law is  about the heart.... and that was what the religious leaders were not hearing.

Now what you will find very interesting is that I know what you are thinking... You are saying to yourself, “Well this is the religious leaders problem... this here is Fr. John’s issue - not mine.  God will smite him if he goofs, but I’m off the hook.”... Well.. if you’re going to take that attitude, may I remind you that I am an imminent scholar and that your knowledge of Holy Scripture is a mere pimple on the backside of cow compared to mine.. so please allow me to retort..  1 Peter chapter 2... “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ... Peter goes on.. you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” - Can I get an “Amen.”

The things of God are not some arbitrary knowledge locked up in the heads of the priests... for as Luke says, “the kingdom of God.. is within... you.”   This is not just an issue for religious leaders… It is for God’s chosen people, His royal priesthood, His Holy Nation.. and His special possession… It is for you… and it is within you.  The Gospel of Thomas has been classified as heretical by the church.. and perhaps by quoting from I make myself a heretic, but it would seem to contain some truth.  There was one bit that surfaced in the movie Stigmata that is particularly beautiful... Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is within you, not in buildings and mansions of stone.  When I am gone, split a piece of wood and I am there... lift a stone and you will find me.”... understanding the things of God is not some secret knowledge to anyone.. it is within the heart of every believer - you need only to listen.

It would seem that the Law of God was not originally intended for scholars and theologians.. for books and ivory towers -- the Law was for the heart.  It was not about whether you could recite it verbatim.. but can you live it.... Paul said in the letter to the Philippians... “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection...”.. He wants to know Christ by listening to the things of God.. not up here - in his head -  but here - in his heart.  That boxing great Rocky Marciano reportedly once said, “Hit the heart and the head will follow”… he also said, “Why waltz with a guy for 10 rounds if you can knock him out in one?”… we can try all sorts of ways to know God, but the quickest way to this knowledge is to listen with our hearts.

Let’s close with part of a prayer attributed to St. Augustine.. I encourage you to make his words your own... Let us pray...For your mercies' sake, O Lord my God, tell me what you are to me. Say to my soul: "I am your salvation." So speak that I may hear, O Lord; my heart is listening; open it that it may hear you, and say to my soul: "I am your salvation." After hearing this word, may I come in haste to take hold of you. Amen.

Sermon: Proper 21 RCL A - "Water, Water, Everywhere"

Podcast available here.

 

Exodus 17:1-7

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. The people quarreled with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?" But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?" So Moses cried out to the Lord, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me." The Lord said to Moses, "Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink." Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"

Crawling through the hot Nairobi desert, a guy is crying for water. “Water! Water!” he cries. In the distance he sees a man, and slowly crawls towards him. As he approaches the man he cries: "Water! I am in need of Water!" ... To his surprise the man replies: "I don't have any water, but I have some really beautiful neckties."... “NECKTIES?!?”, the guy screams, “I don't want a tie, I need WATER! WATER PLEASE!" ― and he crawls off… Shortly after he comes across another man in the desert. “Water! Please! I need water!” the guy pleads to the man.... "Sorry, I don’t have any water, but I have some beautiful handmade silk ties.” the man says.... “What do I need ties for?!? I need water!” the guy cries, “I don’t need any ties! I NEED WATER! WATER!!”... “Sorry, I only have ties” the man says. The guy, disgusted, crawls off…. He makes it over a sand dune, and sees a building in the distance. He keeps on crawling and sees it is a restaurant ― right in the middle of the desert! He struggles to crawl up the front steps of the restaurant, pleading for water. A maître d’ in a tuxedo is standing at the doorway. “Please,” the guy says, “Please! I need water!”... The maître d’ looks down at him and says “I’m sorry. I can’t let you in without a tie.”

I could be wrong about this.. but I suspect that most of us think about our bodies in the same way we think about our cars... as long as its running smoothly we don ‘t give it much thought.  Sure, we might kick the tires and change the oil, but it is only when things start going wrong that we begin to pay attention... We treat our physical well being pretty much the same... the occasional run through the gym when things begin to double up - a chin for example - and the once per decade check up when the spouse won’t stop harping on it... yet when things go wrong.. its a bit like fixing the car.. expensive, time consuming, irritating, and the desire to trade it in for a new model becomes very strong.

I’m no doctor, but when it comes to health, one of the things I read that we all need to be doing is drinking a bit more water... supposedly that can help with a great many issues, which only makes sense because almost 75% of our body is water... This water in our bodies does everything from transport nutrients and oxygen to regulating body temperature.. to lubricating joints and tissue... If you don’t get enough water you can end up with all sorts of problems.. the least of which is a dry mouth... There are muscle cramps.. nausea.. heart palpitations.. lightheadedness.. weakness.. and in extreme cases.. death.

Today in our Old Testament lesson we read about the Israelites as they trekked across the desert and found themselves in a difficult situation – there was no water.  Being a desert people, they may not have known what percentage of their bodies were water, but they were familiar with the harsh realities of not having any, so they complained against Moses, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?"

This need for water is a very basic one… We may not be a desert people, but like the Israelites we know when we are getting thirsty – it is natural.… yet I was reminded of something Jesus said to the crowds… “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does.  And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is.  Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?... In other words.. you know how to interpret the natural physical world around you.. but you fail to understand the things of God.  In the same way… we know when we are physically thirsty.. when it is time to have a drink of water, but so many times we fail to notice that we are spiritually thirsty.. in fact we can be spiritually parched.. yet we do not come as often as we should and drink from the source of Living Water – Jesus – Why? 

I don’t remember which grade I was in when we read The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner... It is a wonderful poem that I recommend.. but there is a point when the sailing ship the mariner is travelling on becomes stranded in open water.. there is no wind at all... he says, “Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean... the longer they sit the more desperate the situation becomes as they soon run out of water... Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink.... They are surrounded by water.. but it is sea water.. unfit to drink... and so they are dying of dehydration... And every tongue, through utter drought, Was withered at the root; We could not speak, no more than if We had been choked with soot.

Forgive me for seeming a bit overly cynical.. but it seems to me that we live in a world that is very similar to the situation that the mariner found himself in... When we are spiritually thirsty.. the world around is filled with water.. places to drink from.. flip on the TV.. open a magazine or newspaper.. heck, drive down the road.. and you will encounter all sorts of things and places that promise to slate your thirst... exotic vacations.. sporting events.. younger looking skin.. unsightly hair removal for some and hair restoration for others.. Trouble is.. we become spiritually parched when we try and drink of this water that the world offers… like the sea water in the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner.. these things are unfit to drink...

.. Instead.. our souls need the Living Water.. the water that comes from Jesus.  There are various sources for this water.. Holy Scripture.. prayer.. both being excellent sources... but the greatest source.. is right here.. in church.. on a Sunday.  It is where you receive the Word of God not only read, but proclaimed.. it is where you have the greatest fellowship with the saints of God.. it is the house of worship.. and it is here that we receive the sacraments of our Lord.. primarily in His Body and Blood... these are things your soul needs so that it won’t become spiritually dehydrated...

.. As we said earlier.. when your body becomes dehydrated.. you can end up with muscle cramps.. nausea.. heart palpitations.. lightheadedness.. weakness.. and even death... when you become spiritually dehydrated you will experience similar issues... your body more easily falls into sin... your heart is not right toward God and others... your perseverance in the face of temptation weakens.. and if you go too long.. you run the risk of becoming spiritually dead.

Your church attendance is vitally important to this community of faith.. it is vitally important to this church.. and it is vitally important to your soul.  It is very easy to make excuses for not coming to church.. I stayed out too late last night, so I’ll just miss this week... It was a hard week and I could just use some down time.. or maybe even something like.. well, it’s only Morning Prayer.. or the priest won’t be there, so it’s not really church... but it is.  Where two or three are gathered is the church… When you all gather it is the church… and when you are missing.. a part of the church is missing.

The parable that Jesus taught us today about the two sons who were asked by their father to go work in the field was about obedience.. and part of our Christian obedience is in our participation in corporate worship.  The trouble with being disobedient is that once you start.. the easier it becomes.  Once you’ve missed church two, three, four Sundays in a row.. then the next time it is whole lot easier to skip. 

I do my best to try and not lecture you on a Sunday - and the ones who need to hear this sermon the most.. well.. they’re not here, so I need you to share this with them… our Sunday Attendance is something we are becoming too lax about and it is therefore something I need us to work on correcting, because it is our Christian duty.  It is our duty to God, to ourselves, and to each other to participate in weekly worship.  Speaking on the communion of the saints, St. Josemaria said, “You will find it easier to do your duty if you think of how many brothers [and sisters] are helping you, and of the help you fail to give when you are not faithful.”  But more important than duty is your soul’s need to be present at Sunday worship – You must have that Living Water that you can only receive here.. in order to have life.

Be obedient.. become faithful in your church attendance.. drinking deeply of the living water that comes from Jesus.. and keep your soul filled – overflowing – with the presence of Jesus.

Let us pray… O God! our refuge and our strength, look down with favor on Thy people who cry to Thee; and through the intercession of the glorious and Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Saint Joseph her Spouse, of Thy blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the Saints, in mercy and goodness hear our prayers for the conversion of sinners, and for the liberty and exaltation of our holy Mother the Church.  Through the same Christ our Lord.  Amen."

Sermon: Proper 20 RCL A - "Your Reward"

Podcast available here.

Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, `You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, `Why are you standing here idle all day?' They said to him, `Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, `You also go into the vineyard.' When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, `Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Charmaine came down the bayou paddling furiously.  She ran the pirogue up on the bank and jumped out, she didn’t even tie it off before running in the house… “Pack your bags I just won the lottery!” she yelled as she ran around the room… Boudreaux started running around and dancing too, “We won.. we won.. we won the lottery!”… Charmaine pushed him in the bedroom saying, “Pack.. pack.. pack.. hurry, hurry, hurry!”… Boudreaux grabbed his suitcase and asked, “What should I pack?  Beach clothes, city clothes.. cowboy clothes?”… “I don’t care Boudreaux,” Charmaine said, “just put something in there and get the heck out!”

Some of the funniest and at the same time cruelest videos on America’s Funniest Home Videos are the ones with the fake lottery tickets.  There they are scratching away.. then the sudden realization that if that last number happens to be right they win… the frantic scratching.. followed by the stunned silence.. and then.. the dancing.. the shouting.. the tears of joy.. the hyperventilating.. and within seven seconds of scratching that number, they have the money spent.. they know which bills they are going to pay off.. the new truck they will buy.. the family vacation they will take… then a pause as they read a bit closer the “rules”.. and then you can see it come over their faces when they realize they’ve been had… It is at this point that your TV suddenly sounds like a video game gone wild… “You [beep] [beep] [beep].. if I get my [beep] hands on your [beep] [beep] [beep] and the horse you road in on!”

In our parable today we are told about workers who have gone into the field for the harvest.  Some are called at the beginning of the day.. and others at the end.  The master of the vineyard knows the Law of Moses which says in Leviticus 19:13, “Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.”.. So.. at the end of the day the workers come together for their pay.  Those who came last receive their’s.  To their astonishment and everyone else’s.. they receive a full day’s wage… the second to last group hired also receives a full day’s wages… but can you imagine what the first group hired was thinking at this point?... “Holy jumping dreidels, we’ve hit the lottery!... If they’re getting the normal daily wage, we must be getting three, four.. maybe even five times that!”… and like those with the fake lottery tickets, within a few seconds, they’ve got the money spent… “Oi!  There will be no sharing a lamb at Passover with those nosey neighbors the Weinsteins this year… We’ll have enough money for our own!”

But.. when only a day’s wages is placed in their hands, they likely experienced the same let down as those who had the fake lottery ticket, “What do you mean?  We worked ten times longer than they did.  [beep] [beep] [beep] We deserve more!”… In the world’s economy.. the world’s way of doing things, that may be true, but not in God’s… “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD…. So what are the Lord’s ways in this case?

A woman has two beautiful young children and an adoring husband.  For her birthday the husband goes out to find something truly special… he searches this store and that, but finally comes across a beautiful ruby bracelet.  It is expensive, and just out of the budget, but he buys it anyways.  When she receives it.. she knows in her heart that it is the most beautiful gift she has ever received.  That same year, her little children make her a birthday card… colored construction paper with a binding made of yarn.. the holes clearly punched with a pencil.  On the cover they have made a heart out of elbow macaroni.  “We [heart] mommy” is the message on the front.  On the inside they have made hand prints out of  - well – the only thing she can think they used for paint was possibly some of her nail polish… On her birthday 50 years later her husband has died and her children are grown and living across the country… She is now alone.. She remembers the bracelet and the card.. finding them both she sets them out on the kitchen table to admire them… The bracelet has lost none of its beauty.. It sparkles just as it did on the day she received it.. the card on the other hand looks a bit rough… most of the macaroni is missing and in its place is some dried Elmer’s glue in somewhat the shape of a heart… the yarn binding is barely hanging on by one hole… and their small hand prints on the inside have all flaked off… As she looks at these two gifts, which does she love the most?  Does she pitch the card in the trash and ask, “Why did I keep that garbage?”.. Which brings her the greatest joy?  Which has the greatest value?

There are some in this world who live “ruby bracelet” lives for God and my goodness they do sparkle… and by comparison.. we look at our own lives and think we are nothing more than an old tattered card… It’s like that old joke, “How would you like to find yourself in line at the Pearly Gates of Heaven, only to discover that Mother Theresa is directly in front of you?”… But as God looks at the two.. which does He love more?  Which brings Him the greatest joy?  Which one has the greatest value?

Jesus had been teaching in the temple when scripture says, “As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.  He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.  “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”… In both cases.. the amount that was put into the treasury was irrelevant… what was most significant to Jesus.. was what they had leftover… The rich had plenty leftover.. but the widow had given it all.

In the parable.. those who worked in the field thought they had given a ruby bracelet kind of days labor.. knowing that they had earned their reward.. their pay.  We often think of our lives in the same way.  We have a job.. we work.. we get paid.  The harder and longer you work.. the more you get paid.  And so we mistakenly think the same is true about our life with God.  We go to church.. say our prayers.. do a bit of outreach.. put something in the offering plate.. and we get our reward… If we do this for a lifetime.. we think that our reward from God will be all the more grand… We see someone else who might darken the doors of the church on Christmas and Easter – and can you believe they only put a fiver in the plate then – and think their reward should be far less than ours…. Is God going to look at that second life and think, “Why did I keep this piece of garbage?” and pitch it in the trash… or is he going to look at those two lives in the same way that the mother looked at the ruby bracelet and tattered card?... Whether you agree with it or not.. you know the answer.

To this.. someone may ask a very logical question… “If that is the case – if God sees both as the same – then why the heck am I working so dang hard?”  I’ve got things I could be doing on Sunday morning – if nothing else I could sleep in.  If I hadn’t put that much money into the offering plate I could have bought that new toy I wanted!.. If that’s the case.. shouldn’t we all just back off and slide through.. you may barely get into heaven.. but Hey – you’re in!.... Thing is.. as a Christian people.. we are not working for rewards.. we are not working for pay… We live our lives for the pure joy of serving the One we love.. and serving each other… Khalil Gibran made an excellent point when he wrote, “Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.”

Regardless of what others are doing – or not doing – live your life as a beautiful gift to God.. if in the end you’ve given your all.. and there’s nothing left but a pile of bones – so what… You didn’t give your life for a reward.. you gave it because you loved.

Let us pray… Father in Heaven, ever-living source of all that is good, keep us faithful in serving You.  Help us to drink of Christ's Truth, and fill our hearts with His Love so that we may serve You in faith and love and reach eternal life.  In the Sacrament of the Eucharist You give us the joy of sharing Your Life.  Keep us in Your presence.  Let us never be separated from You and help us to do Your Will.  In Christ Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Sermon: Proper 19 RCL A - "No Understanding Evil"

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Matthew 18:21-35

Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

"For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, `Pay what you owe.' Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

When I entered the 7th grade I tried out for the football team.  You wouldn’t know it by looking at me now, but when they weighed me to see if I met the requirements I came in at 99 pounds.  The coach laughed and I made water boy.  Truth is.. I’ve never had that much interest in team sports - that is likely sacrilegious to some, but to watch an entire football, basketball, any other-ball game is... boring.  Needless to say, I know very little about sports and thus.. you get very few sporting analogies during the sermons.  However, that may change this year.. as I now have a Fantasy Football Team.. I’m in a league with the in-laws.  Since I don’t know what I’m doing, I opted to go for a scary name... The Pintler Rapturnators... I don’t know that St. John will appreciate the addition to the Book of Revelation, but its all I’ve got.  I’ll keep you posted.

Now back in the day when I tried to watch football, I do remember one specific game - I’m sure many of you will remember it as well - It was played on November 18, 1985 between the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants... for one play.. the Redskins attempted a flea-flicker (whatever that might be).. and the Giants blitzed.. sacking the quaterback Joe Theisman.  The Giant’s player that sacked Theisman was Lawrence Taylor.  When he did.. his knee came down at about the middle of Theisman’s lower right leg breaking both the tibia and fibula.  It was a career ending injury for Theisman.

An ESPN poll showed it to be the NFL’s most shocking moment in history and the Washington Post dubbed it "The Hit That No One Who Saw It Can Ever Forget"... the Linebacker Lawrence Taylor says he never watched the tape of that play and says he never will.... Now.. if I’m remembering correctly the TV station was trying to figure out what was happening.. when they suddenly showed the reverse camera angle - it was bad - Today you can go on the internet and watch it in triple high definition with enhanced slow motion or something stupid like that.. but at the time, after showing the replay, the announcer came on and said something to the effect of, “In case you are wondering, we won’t be showing that again.”

Joe Theisman breaking his leg couldn’t be shown again.. but I remember a few days after September 11th.. the same networks had enhanced footage of terrified individuals jumping to their death out of some of the highest floors of the World Trade Center.  And they didn’t show it once and say, “Oh, that was too terrible, we can’t show that again.”  Instead they showed it over and over.  There were the planes crashing and buildings falling - scientifically analyzed - to show us all how horrible it really was.  When that footage got old, they got some computer techie to draw up some computer animated scenes on what it would have looked like from every angle, so you could almost watch it in 3D.

Now here’s the thing... for most, watching Joe Theisman’s leg break once was enough.  We saw what happened, we comprehended the how and why of the event, in our minds we felt and understood the pain and tragedy of that event... but watching those planes slam into those buildings.. the people jumping.. the buildings fall - we had to watch that over and over again.. even today.. we have to watch, because in our minds.. those events will not process themselves.  We fail to comprehend that kind of evil.. and so we watch.. and we hope to catch a glimpse of understanding and reasoning...

You can watch as much as you want, read the reports and so on.  In the end you will come to understand how the fiends were most likely able to get into the country, receive the necessary training and even take control of the planes, you will know how the buildings structurally failed causing them to collapse.. you can find out the names of the victims.. and even find pictures of them all on the internet... If you like, you can travel to NYC and see the site and the memorial... You can do all this and more... but you will never be able to understand the “Why” behind it all… What kind of wicked mind even thinks of something like that?.. Maybe I’m just naïve.. have lived too sheltered of a life.. but other than calling it “evil”.. I have no explanation.

Now.. here is the kick in the pants… Does anyone remember the challenge I gave you last week?... It went something like this... the next time someone sins against you.. the next time someone or group is sinning in your eyes.. or the eyes of two or three – I want you to set aside all your motivations for doing or saying anything about it and I want you to say to yourself, “I will love them… and I will die for them”... When I see the images of September 11, 2001.. or if I dwell on those events for too long, then someone will need to bring me a fork, steak knife and a large bottle of ranch dressing, because I’m probably going to have to eat those words.. but I can say, “I’m working on it.”

And I suppose that’s what it comes down to… You.. are not going to be able to change them.  They are going to do what they do and other than increased security in order to try and prevent such actions.. we will not stop them – and in this case “them” is not limited to any certain race or religion.. We had our Oklahoma City.. that mess in Norway.. England.. “Them” comes in many shapes, sizes and colors – and whatever their shape, size, or color.. you will not be able to change them… but you can change yourself and you can be an example to many others.. You can stand above it.. You can show the rest of the world – whether they see or not.. whether they walk in the light or the darkness – that there is another way… Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”…. They may see your good deeds and still fly an airplane into your house – but you did your part… God will judge their deeds… you all know the verse… Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord… and He will… Just make sure that His wrath is not directed at you.

Think of the wicked slave in the story Jesus told today… When the slave couldn’t pay.. his master had mercy on him and forgave him all that he owed.  Yet the slave did not extend that same mercy when he encountered someone who owed him; therefore, the master withdrew his mercy and threw that wicked slave into jail… that parable has many lessons, but for today it shouts the words of Richard Baxter in The Reformed Pastor.. and those words are.. “Take heed to yourselves.”.. “Take heed to yourselves.”.. There will always be evil in the world.. but make sure it is not originating with you.. and in addition don’t be idle in reflecting God’s light… St. Josemaria writes, “Don’t let your life be sterile.  Be useful.  Blaze a trail.  Shine forth with the light of your faith and of your love.  With your apostolic life wipe out the slimy and filthy mark left by the impure sowers of hatred.  And light up all the ways of the earth with the fire of Christ that you carry in your heart.”

There is still a god-awful sinner within me… and so when we approach this day.. I still sometimes think that it would have been a great pleasure to have been in hell on the day that the September 11^th terrorist arrived.. because I would have loved to have seen their faces when they opened their eyes and found themselves there and not in their idea of paradise.. but I also know that the evil that was within them.. heck.. all the evil in the world..  is truly nothing .. when compared to the goodness and greatness of our God... Our eternal life is with Him.. and these evils will be done away with by the most casual - flick - of His mighty hand… It was declared in the Songs of Moses and Miriam..  Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power--your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy… It was true for them and it is true for us also… The Lord will shatter the enemies.. let us shine forth His Light.

Let us pray… God of steadfast love, who led your people through the wilderness: Be with us as we remember the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. By your grace, lead us in the path of new life, in the company of your saints and angels; through Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. Amen.

Sermon: Proper 18 RCL A - "Two or Three"

The podcast can be found here.

Matthew 18:15-20

Jesus said, "If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them."

Mildred, the church gossip, and self-appointed monitor of the church's morals, kept sticking her nose into other people's business. Several members did not approve of her extra curricular activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence.

She made a mistake, however, when she accused George, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his old pickup parked in front of the town's only bar one afternoon. She emphatically told George and several others that everyone seeing it there would know what he was doing.

George, a man of few words, stared at her for a moment and just turned and walked away. He didn't explain, defend, or deny. He said nothing.

Later that evening, George quietly parked his pickup in front of Mildred's house ..walked home....and left it there all night…. I like George.. and we’ve all probably encountered a Mildred or two.

According to our Gospel reading today, this is not the way we as a Christian people should go about correcting one another, but it does seem to be the norm more times than you would like… As the desert fathers “used to say: In the beginning when we got together we used to talk about something and it was good for our souls, and we went up and up, and ascended even to heaven. But now we get together and spend our time in criticizing everything, and we drag one another down into the abyss.”

However, in keeping with the teaching of the Gospel, there are times when the church must take counsel and decide when certain actions must be taken in order to maintain the integrity of the community… In our Gospel, this is reflected when two or three come together.. or when the church itself comes together to decide an issue… but I’m curious… do you think this always works?... Jesus said, “Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.".. but when two or three Christians get together.. do they always come up with the right answer?...

Let me give you an example… a particular person detested the Jews… here are some things he wrote about them along with his suggestions on what should be done with them.. he refers to them as  “miserable, blind, and senseless people…. wherever they have their synagogues, nothing is found but a den of devils in which sheer self­glory, conceit, lies, blasphemy, and defaming of God and men are practiced… one should toss out these lazy rogues by the seat of their pants… What shall we Christians do with this rejected and condemned people?... set fire to their synagogues or schools… I advise that their houses also be razed and destroyed… their prayer books be taken from them…. their rabbis be forbidden to teach henceforth on pain of loss of life and limb… safe­conduct on the highways be abolished completely… If this does not help we must drive them out like mad dogs.”

Who spoke all those lovely words about the Jews?...... Anyone want to take a guess?  Ah.. well it was none other than Martin Luther.. the identified head of the Reformation.. A good Christian man by anyone’s standards.. the leader of many – There were at least two or three Christians that agreed with what he had to say – He got many things right.. but did he get this one right?  Do you think that Jesus was in the midst of that.. in agreement with what he proposed?... do you think that was something Jesus wants His most Sacred Name attached to?... When two or three come together.. do we always get it right? 

What about the crusades – carried out in the Name of Christ – were they always on the right track?  How about David Koresch.. Jim Jones..?  What about the Ku Klux Klan.. nice burning crosses.. always quoting scripture.. are they right?  Were all these folks right?  Was Jesus in the midst of them?

What is curious.. is that we look at them and say, “No.  They were not right.  They definitely got it wrong”…. But.. if you ask them.. they were spot on.  They would tell you that they had heard the voice God.. they had come to agreement in the name of God.. and therefore.. if you could ask any of them.. they would tell you that they were correct and that Jesus was in the midst of them.

So how can we know that we are on the right track?  That Jesus is in the midst of those things we believe he is calling us to?  I’m not at all convinced that we can know that with 100% accuracy, but we can move in the right direction.  Take a look at what Jesus says to do when someone sins against you.. “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone.”… that is a good and holy way to act, but one of the first things you must ask yourself before confronting that person is “What is my motivation?  Why do I feel the need to go to that person?”

Why ask that?  So often our motivation is not as pure as we would like to think… They made me feel bad – so I’m going to make them feel guilty – I want to hurt them like they hurt me – I want them to know they didn’t get away with anything – or worse.. I’m going to tell them so that I can do what the Bible said, but then I’m tellin’ everyone!... Ever done any of that?  Of course you have, we all have.

The same is true for when two or three of us come together in an attempt to understand the will of God for ourselves and our community.  We must first ask ourselves the same question, “What is our motivation?”  -- If we do such and such, we might get our picture in the paper – People will look at us like we are some kind of hero – If we live in a certain way, associate with specific likeminded people, place a wall around ourselves forbidding all that we perceive to be unclean.. sinful from entering in.. then the world and God will see that we are the holy ones.. the chosen of God --- Isn’t that how Jesus lived?

John Bosco writes, “Meekness was the method that Jesus used with the apostles.  He put up with their ignorance and roughness and even their infidelity.  He treated sinners with a kindness and affection that caused some to be shocked, others to be scandalized, and still others to gain hope in God’s mercy.  Thus, he bade us to be gentle and humble of heart.”

Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”.. and I tell you that you must first bind the sinful nature within yourself.. and loose the love of God that is within you .. before you can seek to bind and loose the same in others… The Apostle Paul wrote that the commandments are “summed up in this word, "Love your neighbor as yourself." … "Love your neighbor as yourself."… I found myself in trouble with certain groups by saying this in the past, but I’m sticking with it… "Love your neighbor as yourself.".. and until you can figure out how to do that.. then you need to leave the details alone.

There are times when the church should.. and must act in order to preserve the faith.. even to the point of excommunicating a person or group, but until we can learn to see that person or group in the same manner as Jesus does – and that is nothing less than seeing them as someone worth dying for – then our motivation is not pure.. and it is not only their actions that may or may not be sinful.. but ours as well.

Here’s a challenge for you.. and you may think I’m crazy – but the next time someone sins against you.. the next time someone or group is sinning in your eyes.. or the eyes of two or three – I want you to set aside all your motivations for doing or saying anything about it and I want you to say to yourself, “I will love them… and I will die for them”… “I will love them… and I will die for them”… “What would Jesus do?”… That’s what Jesus did… It is the way of the Cross.. and it is the only way for us.

Let us pray… These are words from Thomas a Kempis and I invite you to pray them as your own…  "My God, my love, You are all mine and I am all Yours. Give me an increase of love, that I may learn to taste with the inward lips of my heart how sweet it is to love, how sweet to be dissolved in love and bathe in it. Let me be rapt in love. Let me rise above self in great fervor and wonder. Let me sing the hymn of love, and let me follow You, my Love, to the heights. Let my soul exhaust itself in praising You, rejoicing out of love. Let me love You more than myself, and let me not love myself except for Your sake. In You let me love all those who truly love You, as the law of love, which shines forth from You, commands.".. Amen.