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Sermon November 24, 2019
The Rev. Rebecca S. Myers,
The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen’s
Last Sunday after Pentecost, Track 1 Year C
http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearC_RCL/Pentecost/CProp29_RCL.html
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Luke 23:33
Please be seated
This seems like such an odd Gospel reading for this Sunday when we celebrate Christ’s life and teaching. Why would we need to hear about Jesus’ crucifixion? Isn’t that for Easter?
One Easter season I was quite prolific in writing poems. As I was reading about this week’s Gospel, I was reminded of a poem I wrote a number of years ago. I wrote it after reading about Palm Sunday in Matthew:
After reading Matthew 21:1-11
We are always looking for a
Savior to save us from other people
When what we need
Is a savior
Who saves us from ourselves.
Throughout our church year we hear so much about Jesus’ ministry. So many put their expectations upon him, didn’t they? So many thought they knew what God’s plan was for humanity and how best to carry it out. Some wanted Jesus to save them from the Roman occupation. Some wanted Jesus to save them from anyone who did not follow the rules for worshiping God as they saw it. Some wanted Jesus to save them from people who were poor, because of course they were poor because of the choices they made or because God had cursed them.
They didn’t understand Jesus. They didn’t understand why he wouldn’t save them from others. Because Jesus wouldn’t save them from others, they threatened him and ultimately killed him in a most violent and humiliating way.
What they didn’t realize is that they didn’t need saved from those they defined as “other.” Rather, they, and I would say we, need saving from themselves.
We need to be saved from our own ideas about life, about living on this earth with each other and with all of creation.
We need to be saved from our failure to work to end hunger and poverty. We need to be saved from our failure to address racial reconciliation and care of creation as we talk about it in The Episcopal Church.
Thinking in new and different ways is the transforming power of following Jesus. Like my good friend, The Rev. Canon Betsy Ivey said to me yesterday, “We need to let go of the way we’ve been thinking, because it’s killing us.”
That’s what Jesus was saying. Let go of the way you’ve been thinking and believing. Let go of the judgments we make about people and walk alongside and work for justice. Let go of the ways we think it is correct to worship God. Put people first. Work for the good of the community. Love God. Love your enemies. Love your neighbors. Love God’s creation. Deep love.
I receive a weekly email from Father Wes Williams, Cathedral Priest Scholar and Chaplain of Washington National Cathedral. He conducts a Bible study at the Cathedral and sends a weekly meditation about the readings for the week.
His meditation this week spoke to our misunderstanding about what being a king means…about what being a leader means. Father Wes closed his meditation this way:
“What I mean to express to you is my great fear of our failure to conceive of kingly status, or for that matter leadership more broadly, with the way Jesus envisioned. And how was that? We have heard it in lections recently. The Apostle Paul admonishes us over and over, that Jesus recommended humility, paramount concern for the welfare of his people, not for himself, and above all, in every way, always evidencing a love that earliest apostolic writing commends, namely, love that is universal, love that holds fast to the truth, love that does not mimic or shame, and love that is unconditioned, asking no quid pro quo.
What is our Church-endorsed manner of sovereignty? Daily bearing our respective crosses, holding everyone dear, listening to their needs and wants, and if need be, sharing in their cups of grief, remembering that Christ has borne all for us.”
Amen
