WORD of LIFE: Matthew 5:17-20
‘Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter,* not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks* one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus is the fulfillment of God's law. This means that to know what pleases God, what completes God's ultimate intentions for the human being, we are to look at and listen to Jesus. He fully embodies God's justice, God's goodness, God's truth and health. The law of God is defined as God's good and perfect will for all creation. And we know that we cannot fulfill or complete it. We fail to do the things we know we ought to do; we do the things we know we ought not to do; we do and say the wrong things or fail to do or say the right things without actually knowing it. Nevertheless, we are not exempt from the threat of the law of God. There are conditions for life on earth, set by God, with which we fail to comply. Thankfully, Jesus of Nazareth embodies and demonstrates for us what it means to live fully into God's will, God's hope and intentions for us all. And he challenges us to live more like him, to imitate his life, and to do what is right and good and true even if it kills us.
Today, I received a call from a woman. A mutual friend referred her to me. She and her family (husband and 3 young kids) are stranded about an hour east of Lancaster, near Philadelphia. They have no working vehicle, no money, and no housing for tonight. She sought assistance. I am reluctant to spend money to help them. I found out that they have a bad history with transitional housing in Lancaster county. They did not follow the rules. They destroyed property. And the reason they left for Philly was to seek shelter with family after their situation fell apart here. They will not be welcomed back here by some parts of the homeless relief community. They may face criminal charges for their behavior, according to social service professionals who dealt with them recently.
They tell another story; That they were mistreated here; that they are trying to do what is right and judged wrongly by relief organizations ans churches. That they care for their children. That they were misunderstood and misguided by people who were supposed to help and support them.
Given their situation and the concern for the children, I called law enforcement in their current location. A police officer arrived and is intervening as I write this blog. After hearing the story I heard from social service agencies today, I was reluctant to provide any assistance at all. But I spoke with both of the adults on the phone and realize that, even if they have broken rules and failed to comply with systems of assistance, they and their children do not deserve to be cast out and left homeless.
Fulfillment of the law means to love as Christ loves, to show mercy, to bear the grief of others with them, to be close to those at the bottom of the human pyramid, to make peace, to admit spiritual poverty and failure, to do the right thing even when it is hard or unaccepted. Today, calling on reinforcements in the police department was the right thing to do. Some might think any intervention on my part was excessive. I didn't have to do anything. I could have said, "Sorry, we can't help you." Some would not have any problem responding in that way. But I chose to do something because they are human beings in need of mercy. Hopefully, this family will experience mercy tonight and a desire tomorrow to set things right.
Prayer
Jesus, you complete the law of God by means of sacrificial love. You provide healing mercy for those who suffer. You care for the homeless and those in distress. Be with this family and any family experiencing homelessness tonight. Amen.
Thursday, August 04, 2016
Tuesday, August 02, 2016
Salt and Light
Matthew 5:13-16.
"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt becomes tasteless in what way will it become salty again? It is no longer any good, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. You are the light of the word. A city on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under a bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to the whole house. In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven."
Hiding out and blending in. The followers of Jesus are supposed to have a distinctive flavor, a brighter light in dark times. But, when we love justice and show mercy and walk humbly with God, we will stand out. I think the church is too often silent about and absent from the hard things, the ugly and broken things. We hide in our sanctuaries and in our homes. We hide ourselves, our own hearts and minds. We keep silent in the face of critics and detractors. We do not stand with those who experience the cross of shame and suffering in their lives.
Today, I'm going to a meeting of the NAACP chapter in Lancaster. They have invited clergy to gather and discuss racial tensions, violence, and law enforcement. I go to listen, to share my hope in the God of justice and peace, and to walk with others who are deeper in the struggle than I. It would be easy not to go, to say its not my thing. I have plenty of other acts to accomplish today. White privilege and suburbia largely shelter me from the struggle. I don't have many black friends. I can easily say, "This is not my problem, my concern."
But what if I don't show up? About the Good Samaritan story Dr. King said,
"The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: 'If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?' But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: 'If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?'
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/martinluth105663.html.
This is the church's mission, to stop and help, to show up, to be present in the struggle, to accompany the suffering, to confront the violence and hatred with acts of love and mercy. I will bring my distinctive experience and wisdom and compassion to the table.
Salt and light. If you're in a dark place, you know when the light comes in. When your food is salted, you can taste the difference. What difference does it make others that I am a child of God and a follower of Jesus? What does my presence expose or enlighten? What darkness does my presence confront? Today, I intend to be salt and light--to make a difference in the lives of those around me. I intend to do all that I can to share the light of Christ. To me this light-sharing involves participation in the community struggle for racial justice and reconciliation. What can you do today to be salt and light, to bring the distinctive flavor and vision of the gospel to others? How can you share a hopeful word, a brave act on behalf of someone else?
On my way, I think I'll sing:
"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine; this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."
"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt becomes tasteless in what way will it become salty again? It is no longer any good, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. You are the light of the word. A city on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under a bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to the whole house. In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven."
Hiding out and blending in. The followers of Jesus are supposed to have a distinctive flavor, a brighter light in dark times. But, when we love justice and show mercy and walk humbly with God, we will stand out. I think the church is too often silent about and absent from the hard things, the ugly and broken things. We hide in our sanctuaries and in our homes. We hide ourselves, our own hearts and minds. We keep silent in the face of critics and detractors. We do not stand with those who experience the cross of shame and suffering in their lives.
Today, I'm going to a meeting of the NAACP chapter in Lancaster. They have invited clergy to gather and discuss racial tensions, violence, and law enforcement. I go to listen, to share my hope in the God of justice and peace, and to walk with others who are deeper in the struggle than I. It would be easy not to go, to say its not my thing. I have plenty of other acts to accomplish today. White privilege and suburbia largely shelter me from the struggle. I don't have many black friends. I can easily say, "This is not my problem, my concern."
But what if I don't show up? About the Good Samaritan story Dr. King said,
"The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: 'If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?' But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: 'If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?'
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/martinluth105663.html.
This is the church's mission, to stop and help, to show up, to be present in the struggle, to accompany the suffering, to confront the violence and hatred with acts of love and mercy. I will bring my distinctive experience and wisdom and compassion to the table.
Salt and light. If you're in a dark place, you know when the light comes in. When your food is salted, you can taste the difference. What difference does it make others that I am a child of God and a follower of Jesus? What does my presence expose or enlighten? What darkness does my presence confront? Today, I intend to be salt and light--to make a difference in the lives of those around me. I intend to do all that I can to share the light of Christ. To me this light-sharing involves participation in the community struggle for racial justice and reconciliation. What can you do today to be salt and light, to bring the distinctive flavor and vision of the gospel to others? How can you share a hopeful word, a brave act on behalf of someone else?
On my way, I think I'll sing:
"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine; this little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine."
Monday, August 01, 2016
Summer
After a couple of months of blog silence, I decided to return in the month of August. Sometimes, I need time and experience to inspire the writing process. And I needed a break from the daily grind. June included our annual synod assembly, a week of church camp, and time with my parents in central New York. During that visit, we acquired a new puppy. She has taken up the last month, like having a baby in the house again. Church camp provided a week of restorative play, teaching, and rest. After camp, my family picked up a new labrador retriever puppy. She has brought joy and puppy mischief back into our house. I forgot how cathartic it is to walk a dog. Its one of my favorite daily activities again.
This summer has been strange. The American political story is unfolding for 2016 and it becomes more bizarre every day. The contrast between the two primary political parties cannot be more clear. The leaders of the respective parties cannot be less similar. One of the presidential candidates is a lifelong public servant and political figure. She is unpopular, but doggedly determined. Her candidacy includes scandal and concern over her record as Secretary of State and first lady. One thing we cannot say about Hillary Clinton, however, is that she lack political experience. She knows how politics work, from the executive and the legislative branch of government. And she has spent time under harsh scrutiny. She has enemies. Some people want her to be indicted and imprisoned for what they perceive as treasonous, illegal abuses of power. She comes with a public record, some of which is unflattering--none of which disqualifies her to be president. And I have to say, she is the first woman in U.S. history to be nominated by one of the two major parties to become president. It only took 240 years. And 100 years since women's suffrage. She must be commended for her courage in the face of adversity. She has been defeated and she has fought back.
The other candidate is Donald Trump. He has won the Republican nomination amidst bigotry, violence, and a darkly negative almost apocalyptic view of the country. He has tapped into a dark nationalism fueled by anger and fear. He believes that he alone can fix all that is wrong with the country, perhaps the world. He is anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, and pro "law and order" (a phrase from the Nixon era of politics that led to the failed war on drugs and the systematic mass incarceration of racial minorities. His slogan, "Make America Great Again", has a pre-Roe v. Wade, pre- Civil Rights era, male dominating, white privilege nostalgia to it. He is anti-politics, an outsider hell bent on ignoring the rule of law and the constitution to protect his self interests. Every day he says something that would disqualify other candidates from public office. He's a walking, talking scandal.
The public life has taken on new meaning now, because the nature of discourse has become so uncivil. Freedom of speech has been misinterpreted as license to verbally abuse, malign, attack, and intimidate those with whom you disagree. There is little room for conversation or compromise.
In June, the country was rocked by more gun violence. A mass shooting in a gay night club in Orlando, perpetrated by a Muslim American, with a variety of semi-automatic weapons opened up the debates about guns and terrorism and the LGBT community. America's vulnerable underside was revealed again. Bigotry, violence, and fear attack us and threaten freedom. I spoke out on social media in opposition to gun violence. I experienced slander and attack from angry people who do not want their 2nd amendment rights violated because of mass murderers using semi-automatic rifles to kill unarmed people. White police killed unarmed black men in separate incidents. Then an angry black man killed five police officers in Dallas. One cannot help but think that we are in the throes of a national crisis. Fueled by fear and prejudice (institutional racism), we cannot admit that we have a problem. Like an addict, we react to gun death by purchasing more guns and ammunition.
The violence, politically and socially, compels us to retreat from public life. This is a time when courage is essential to face injustice with the power of Christian love. To that end, I intend to offer commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, the teaching of Jesus, over the course of the next week. If people adhered to the teachings of the Gospel of Matthew, chapters 5-8, what would the human community be like? What would change?
Matthew 5.
Jesus blesses the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek, those who hunger and thirst for justice, those who show mercy, those with pure hearts, peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for saying and doing what is right before God. The world may not perceive greatness or power or blessing in those who embody this humble way of life. But God blesses what the world curses or rejects. God blesses what the world hates. God blesses human goodness. To be blessed is to thrive, to prosper, to live in contentment, to live in the wellbeing of God.
This summer has been strange. The American political story is unfolding for 2016 and it becomes more bizarre every day. The contrast between the two primary political parties cannot be more clear. The leaders of the respective parties cannot be less similar. One of the presidential candidates is a lifelong public servant and political figure. She is unpopular, but doggedly determined. Her candidacy includes scandal and concern over her record as Secretary of State and first lady. One thing we cannot say about Hillary Clinton, however, is that she lack political experience. She knows how politics work, from the executive and the legislative branch of government. And she has spent time under harsh scrutiny. She has enemies. Some people want her to be indicted and imprisoned for what they perceive as treasonous, illegal abuses of power. She comes with a public record, some of which is unflattering--none of which disqualifies her to be president. And I have to say, she is the first woman in U.S. history to be nominated by one of the two major parties to become president. It only took 240 years. And 100 years since women's suffrage. She must be commended for her courage in the face of adversity. She has been defeated and she has fought back.
The other candidate is Donald Trump. He has won the Republican nomination amidst bigotry, violence, and a darkly negative almost apocalyptic view of the country. He has tapped into a dark nationalism fueled by anger and fear. He believes that he alone can fix all that is wrong with the country, perhaps the world. He is anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim, and pro "law and order" (a phrase from the Nixon era of politics that led to the failed war on drugs and the systematic mass incarceration of racial minorities. His slogan, "Make America Great Again", has a pre-Roe v. Wade, pre- Civil Rights era, male dominating, white privilege nostalgia to it. He is anti-politics, an outsider hell bent on ignoring the rule of law and the constitution to protect his self interests. Every day he says something that would disqualify other candidates from public office. He's a walking, talking scandal.
The public life has taken on new meaning now, because the nature of discourse has become so uncivil. Freedom of speech has been misinterpreted as license to verbally abuse, malign, attack, and intimidate those with whom you disagree. There is little room for conversation or compromise.
In June, the country was rocked by more gun violence. A mass shooting in a gay night club in Orlando, perpetrated by a Muslim American, with a variety of semi-automatic weapons opened up the debates about guns and terrorism and the LGBT community. America's vulnerable underside was revealed again. Bigotry, violence, and fear attack us and threaten freedom. I spoke out on social media in opposition to gun violence. I experienced slander and attack from angry people who do not want their 2nd amendment rights violated because of mass murderers using semi-automatic rifles to kill unarmed people. White police killed unarmed black men in separate incidents. Then an angry black man killed five police officers in Dallas. One cannot help but think that we are in the throes of a national crisis. Fueled by fear and prejudice (institutional racism), we cannot admit that we have a problem. Like an addict, we react to gun death by purchasing more guns and ammunition.
The violence, politically and socially, compels us to retreat from public life. This is a time when courage is essential to face injustice with the power of Christian love. To that end, I intend to offer commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, the teaching of Jesus, over the course of the next week. If people adhered to the teachings of the Gospel of Matthew, chapters 5-8, what would the human community be like? What would change?
Matthew 5.
When Jesus* saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely* on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Jesus blesses the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are meek, those who hunger and thirst for justice, those who show mercy, those with pure hearts, peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for saying and doing what is right before God. The world may not perceive greatness or power or blessing in those who embody this humble way of life. But God blesses what the world curses or rejects. God blesses what the world hates. God blesses human goodness. To be blessed is to thrive, to prosper, to live in contentment, to live in the wellbeing of God.
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