Original Prayers, July 2022

July 3

Focusing on the deep desire of our hearts, to better align ourselves with God's will, we respond to the petition "Hear us, good Lord," with "Lord hear our prayer."

God of compassion, we ask you to bless all who lead in your church. Keep them steadfast in their faith and constant in their desire to serve you. Be in the hearts and minds of Bishop Sandra and all bishops, on all clergy and lay people who serve your people and your world. Hear us good Lord;
     Lord hear our prayer.
Strengthen all in authority; recalling our Queen and the Royal Family, our Prime Minister, Premier, Mayor, and all who serve in government. Guide their hearts to serve with justice and joy, overcoming adversity and conflict to bring peace to our world. Hear us good Lord;
     Lord hear our prayer.
We pray for ourselves, as your people. Deliver us, we pray, from all spiritual blindness, pride, and self-importance; free us from anger, envy, and closed-heartedness. Open our hearts and our lives to words and actions of kindness, generosity, welcome, and patience. Hear us good Lord;
     Lord hear our prayer.
We enter this summer season delighted to live in this town and county of Lunenburg; we ask your blessing on all who live here: keep our students safe in these summer months; surround with comfort those who are working in our hospitality and tourism fields; grant peaceful transitions to those changing life circumstances; rejuvenate those enjoying retirement. Hear us good Lord;
     Lord hear our prayer.
We pray for peace in our world: for the cessation of conflict; for the protection of the environment; for a home for those who are displaced and refugees; for safety for those experiencing trafficking and abuse; for reconciliation with our indigenous siblings. Hear us good Lord;
     Lord hear our prayer.
We ask your prayers for all who suffer and struggle this day: for those experiencing any need and sickness. As we pause to call to mind those whose names dwell in our hearts, we ask you to surround them with your healing. (pause)
We ask you to welcome home those who have died; and to comfort those who grieve and mourn. (pause)
We offer gratitude for the caregivers, the helpers, those known and unknown whose efforts alleviate pain and sadness.
Hear us good Lord;
     Lord hear our prayer.
Aware of the abundance of goodness in our lives, we ask you to stir up in our hearts a spirit of gratitude and prayer, of faithfulness and praise; that all we do may bring you greater glory, now and forever. Hear us, good Lord,
     Lord hear our prayer. Amen.

JULY 10
Let us pray for the church and the world, and thank God for the blessings of this life; responding to the petition Lord, hear our prayer with “and receive our praise.”

We pray for the church, that we may hear the call to live and move with faith, serving one another and responding to the opportunities before us with grace and Christian witness. We ask you to inspire our leaders and empower us all as ministers of your love. Lord, hear our prayer
     and receive our praise.
We pray for the leaders of the nations, those countries in peace and in conflict; those places experiencing stability and those in political unrest. May the whole world know the authority of kindness, justice, and peace. Lord, hear our prayer
     and receive our praise.
We pray for the world, for places near and far, and for all who live in them. We pray that all people may feel your presence guiding their lives, that our actions may represent the connections we have to one another and to your creation, and to you. Lord, hear our prayer
     and receive our praise.
We pray for our home communities; for a safe and joyous summer on the South Shore. We ask for traveling mercies for those coming here, and for those journeying elsewhere. We ask your blessing on our children in their summer break. We pray for a period of refreshment of mind and body as we bask in the summer glories. Lord, hear our prayer
     and receive our praise.
We pray for those who are suffering any need or afflictions of mind, body or spirit; asking you to comfort them in their need. (pause)
We ask for the courage to respond to the needs in our midst, with eager wills and helping hands; and we extend our thanksgiving for those who strive to make each day a better day. Lord, hear our prayer
     and receive our praise.
We pray our gratitude; for your majesty revealed in the world, for the beauty of each new day, for the promise of eternal life with those we love, and for the hope that you have given to us through your Son Jesus. Open our hearts with joy to the full potential of today. Lord, hear our prayer
     and receive our praise. Amen.



JULY 17

Setting our hearts and minds on those things that are above, we respond to the petition “We lift our prayers to you, O God” with “We declare the goodness of your name”

Shine your light on your church, dear Christ, that we may reflect your glory. Inspire our bishops, preparing to gather at the Lambeth Conference, that their ministry may be fruitful and beneficial to all your people. Be with those serving within their local communities, including ourselves, as we glorify your name. We lift our prayers to you, O God;
     We declare the goodness of your name.
We pray for the Queen and her family, for all our government officials and their families. We ask that they may be agents of peace and concord; and that we all find ways for civic engagement that is helpful and meaningful. We lift our prayers to you, O God;
     We declare the goodness of your name.
Your masterpiece is our earthly home; help us to treat all of creation with dignity and respect. Inspire us to find new ways of living with all of creation, that will sustain and renew our life on earth. Remind us of the privilege to create a world for generations to come where ecosystems are stable, nations are peaceful, and people are respected. We lift our prayers to you, O God;
     We declare the goodness of your name.
We find you so easily in the beauty of this region, and we are amazed at the wonders you continue to show us. As guests and visitors join us this summer, let our welcome, patience, and kindness be a testimony to our faith in you. We lift our prayers to you, O God;
     We declare the goodness of your name.
We pray for those who are sick in mind, body, or spirit: (pause)
We pray for those who struggle for life’s necessities, and for all whose hearts are heavy.
We pray for all whose work is to alleviate suffering and bring comfort. We lift our prayers to you, O God;
     We declare the goodness of your name.
You continually lead us by your Holy Spirit to offer prayers of thanksgiving; we raise to you our gratitude for the joys of the day, knowing that all good gifts come from you. We thank you for good weather, for the safety and comfort of home, for our work and recreation, for our families and friends, for music and arts and festivals; and above all for the pleasure of gathering together to praise your holy name. We lift our prayers to you, O God;
     We declare the goodness of your name. Amen.





JULY 24

Holy One, you inspire us to pray by stirring within us a desire to be closer to you. We pray now, as you taught us, that we may glorify your name.

We pray for the church, as the embodiment of your people. We ask you to bless our leaders, that they may be a blessing to us, guiding our spiritual lives into actions reflecting the nearness of your kingdom, and in all our actions may we glorify your name.
     Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.
We pray for those in authority, as their decisions impact and influence the lives of us all. Help us to engage within our political systems to be the voice of the voiceless, the helper of the helpless, the comfort of the suffering.
     Thy Kingdom Come.
We pray for the world, that you created and invite us to participate in. Inspire us to work for peace and justice, to respect the dignity of all, and to be beacons of your hope, your peace, and your family.
     Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
We pray for those who are suffering in mind, body, or spirit. (pause)
We ask you to comfort all who are experiencing any need: for the physical necessities of life, for the love and companionship of others, for the well-being of souls and hearts. For every nourishment that we all need for today, feed us.
     Give us this day our daily bread.
We pray for ourselves; asking your forgiveness when we have been short-tempered or used poor judgement; for times when we have spoken harshly or acted with closed heart; for times we have thought ourselves better than others. We ask your grace to amend our lives to keep our focus on you.
     And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us.
We pray for this and every community, as we strive to be faith-full and hope-filled people. Help us to welcome the stranger, encourage the unconfident, uphold the weary, and allow ourselves to grow and mature as your disciples. May our hearts open to see your Christ in everyone we encounter.
     And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.
We offer our prayers of thanksgiving, extending gratitude for the abundance of blessings. For every good gift in our lives, for challenges to overcome adversity, for your companionship in our earthly days, and for your promise of eternal life with all whom we love.
     For thine is the kingdom, The power, and the glory, For ever and ever.
We pray to you, Our Father, through Jesus, your Son, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Amen. 

Sermon, outdoor service of praise, 31 july 2022

An open-air service, scriptures cited include Isa 12.2-6; Ps 150; Eph 1.7-14; Luke 1.46-55

Praise!
Our theme this morning is one of praise. We have responded to God’s invitation to come together, and praise!

Now, the word ‘praise’ can have different understandings, different connotations… to some, it’s a style of music. To others, it can be a statement of admiration or approval. Some people praise in dance; To some, it’s an expression of gratitude as an act of worship. For others still, praise is a form of prayer.
Here’s the truth: they are all correct.

For praise is not something we can create or force; praise simply exudes from us. It is based in the core of our being – where it has always been and always will be!
When we praise God, we are not doing these things to obtain or acquire anything, but because God’s Being draws praise from us.
Yes: the very presence of God – who we acknowledge to be in all times and all spaces – God’s presence brings the praise out of us.

When the world is going our way: we praise.
When circumstances are not-so-great: we praise.
In happy times: we praise.
In sad times: we praise.
In exciting places: we praise.
In boring places: we praise.
In lonely times: we praise.
In joyous gatherings: like today! - we praise.

Because God IS with us. God is always with us, and God will always bring out the praise from within us.
It’s part of our relationship with God, and with each other.
And praise – there’s no singular way to do it – but praise is not meant to be limited.
The scope of praise is beyond our imagination, the potential of praise is bigger than we could ask.
We praise – how God is inviting us to praise, because God is with us.

Our readings today highlight this for us.
Isaiah proclaims our salvation from God Almighty: the narrative that is foundational to our faith. We are saved by the grace of God.
The epistle continues this assurance of salvation and of the power that comes to us through these eternal promises. Salvation has been given to us: gifted to us! We are redeemed, restored, reconciled – we are living in the eternal hope and glory of our Lord.
Praise God, indeed.

Our psalmist – obviously a musician – erupts within the community with demonstrated actions of praise. And – the people may or may not have considered themselves to be musical – but delighted in acts of musical praise all the same. Praise isn’t a concert – it’s praise. So if some of you today have been reserved with your voices and instruments – no need to hold back here; God loves hearing our joyful noises.

And of course: the Magnificat – this beautiful account of the Mother of our Messiah learning that she will bear the Christ into the world. We have heard the words; we have sung the words. We have praised with the benefit of these words.

And the praise is deep and profound – it is rich and all-encompassing.
My soul Magnifies the Lord: magnifies! It’s a signal boost – a viral trend. When Mary starts this phenomenal ministry, she is really making sure people know who she is, and whose she is.
For she praises the Lords: in words, in song, in action.
She is letting the world know that she is faithful to God, and God alone – not to the powers and principalities, not to the fickle trends of culture or the who’s-who of society.
My soul magnifies the Lord, she says. No one else.

In doing so, Mary details how she is coming from humble beginnings, and knows that she is putting herself at risk. But she journeys with faith to the opportunity that God has put before her: changing her mind and plans to be open to the movement of the Spirit.

She is blessed: not in the ‘favour and fortune’ kind of casual expression or hashtag that we see today. Blessed - for Mary recognises the blessing to all of humanity.
She herself will suffer, we hear time and again; yet the world will receive the Christ.
God has honoured her with this privilege to be part of the broader blessing, and she accepts and embraces it.
Praise God.

Mary sings of the way that God has always accompanied the people of faith – from the historical Abraham to her present day; and today we continue that praise, as we too believe and proclaim that we believe in God’s assistance for the faithful and for those in need, and his judgment for the haughty and naughty.
Mary is making a statement of faith – a confession – a creed. She’s with her cousin Elizabeth – she’s not just singing alone – and she is declaring “this is it: it’s all about God. And whatever happens to me doesn’t matter, because I’m going to follow God.”
This is what we celebrate this week. Mary’s courage, her willingness to listen to God and obey, her sheer joy in that decision, and her commitment shown out in her actions. We celebrate that she has decided to answer God’s call for her, despite the challenges that caused.
We know it wasn’t easy for Mary – this life-changing moment that changed life for Mary and the whole world – and we honour her humility in knowing her role and her wisdom in answering God’s call, regardless of what her family and society may do.
For she praised: her soul magnified God. And God alone.
And from this magnification, she praised – in song. Mary’s Song, the Magnificat, gives us holy words and holy practice, a stunning example of what is possible when we praise.
She was so overwhelmed that she couldn’t help but sing: and sing she did.

So imagine what *we* could do, if we opened ourselves up to God the way our scripture writers have today?
If we continued to share the narrative of the salvation of Jesus the Christ – not only on Sundays, but everyday – in honest actions, kind encounters, in respectful dealings – like what Isaiah and Paul speak of.
Or like the psalmist, who invites us to be keen in praise, without concern of tune or rhythm or any other skill – for praise is not a performance, but a celebration of the soul.
Or in Mary, who epitomises vulnerability: sharing of herself in profound life-changing ways, for the sake of others; putting aside her preferences and comfort in order to do what was right by everyone.

And: in all these cases – praising. With song, with words, with action.
Praising: with love.
Praising the God who loves us as we are, and who pulls us into who we CAN be.
Praising the God who loves our community – and every community – for communities make the creation whole.
Praising the God who welcomes ALL at all times, no matter how many times we turn away.
Praising the God of yesterday, and of today, and of tomorrow:

Let’s rejoice in our Lord…. Let’s delight in the assurances of our Saviour.
Let’s feel the love that God has for us…. Let’s let our souls magnify the Lord:
And our hearts respond with praise. Amen!!

Sermon, Proper 17 (Pente+7) (C)

 Lord’s Prayer

Today’s Gospel gives us this Beautiful, well-known, classic prayer.
Sometimes we get used to something and we forget how it may have been heard originally…
This prayer was prayed by a Jewish man – a rabbi, a teacher, a holy one who was skilled and practiced in leading prayer.
And it followed a format of prayer comfortable to the Jewish people. No wonder it was so easily grounded into the daily life and practice of the followers of Jesus.

But: as we know, there are 2 versions – from 2 different gospel accounts.
That’s why, in the morning prayer service, we pray 2 different versions.
And these variances are not by accident – these were written with unique circumstances and messaging.
The longer version of Matthew’s gospel is meant to be learned not as a new prayer, but integrating familiar words and rhythms within a new context – namely the Sermon on the Mount.
But in Luke – where we are today – we are given a shorter version – with a distinctive introduction.
Because here, we have folks who are not practicing Jews – it’s the request of one of the disciples. Remember, the disciples were folks who came from a variety of backgrounds – fishers, carpenters, tax collectors – not rabbis or politicians.
And they were asking: Teach us to pray. Teach us to be IN prayer.
They were so spiritually hungry that they even know what to ask for.
Teach us to pray!
Just like John did with his disciples – those other folks who didn’t yet have a sufficient prayer practice.
And I’m going to guess that John and his disciples obviously did this well, as it became known further and further – what a gift.

And this is the type of request coming to Jesus. Teach us to pray – these folks who have been Gentiles, are asking how to pray the way their Jewish rabbi would pray.

And again – it obviously has meaning, as it remains to this day to be foundational.
It has meaning because it touches on the basic content and context of every life.
Each and every one of us can see ourselves in these words – either version.
Each and every one of us is fortified, nourished, supported, and empowered by these words.
These words that echo through the entirety of the cosmos and the entirety of time – even before we could comprehend what those things mean, the prayer was there.
Teach us to pray.

This desire for learning comes from our souls. Learning to pray is not about memorising words, it is about living them.
Our prayers nourish us in ways that we can’t understand or articulate, but we know that we feel better when we have prayed.
Modern studies show that; prayer decreases anger and increases healing; it helps mitigate burnout and stress, it increases our empathy and compassion.
Prayer is important:
Lord, teach us to pray.

And this is where our friends in the Lutheran tradition lend their strength: their catechism includes substantial focus not just on memorising the words of the prayer, but in unweaving each petition into its own focus area:
Bite size pieces to savour, as it were, in the feast of the prayer entire.
So I’m going to borrow some of Luther’s works here as we journey a little bit deeper into the prayer.

Father
Our father – because we are a family. We have each other, we share the same father, who offers his full self to us. Hearing; listening; caring. Answering our prayers as may be best for us.
And – this is not dependent on location – for in Luke, heaven isn’t mentioned.

Hallowed be your name
Hallowed means holy – Holy God; your very name is Holy; everything about you is holy!
And when we pray this truth, we are asking for the holiness of God to be present in and among us.

Your kingdom come
It’s an interesting concept to ask for the kingdom of God to appear. Not because we don’t want it to; but because it’s going to come regardless of our involvement. But our involvement is what we’re asking for in this petition; that when the kingdom of God approaches, that we may aware of it and respond accordingly. We’re basically asking for God’s help to prepare ourselves – and our world – for the kingdom.

Give us each day our daily bread
Daily bread addresses the totality of our needs: not just the physiological food and water, but the safety of shelter and protection… the love and inclusion of family and friends… the dignity and value of being… and the fulfillment of self, as expressed in our own unique realities, our pleasures and skills and gifts and offerings.
Psychologists today talk about all these things as a hierarchy of needs: and in these needs we are nourished.
But so too, we are recognised as nourishing others – for these needs are not met in isolation, but in the community. We are all valued contributors in the household of God.

Forgive our sins, As we forgive everyone indebted to us
This petition, in our modern parlance, comes across almost contractually. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. But God’s grace here extends more than we can imagine – more than we can do alone. This petition, in the words of Susan Johnson: “is a gracious invitation for each of us to bask in the forgiveness of God, and to be as generous with others in forgiving.”
This reminds us that forgiveness is not transactional, dependent on the actions of another.
And it reminds us of the unique and personal reality of forgiveness – no one else can say where you are in your forgiveness journey – to do so would be quite presumptive.
And in the Lukan gospel account, Jesus even softens the concept of sin against one another – we ask God to forgive our sins – those times when we have turned away from God.
And we ask for help in forgiving those who are indebted to us… those who owe us something: Debt of course could be substantial or it could be minor; it could be known or unknown by the ower… but in all, we want to cleanse our hearts of the feeling of keeping score with someone else. Hence releasing the debt, in that biblical tradition of jubilee.

And finally…
Do not bring us to the time of trial.
This petition reminds us that God does not deliver us TO trial and temptation, but that as the world is full of it, we want help in avoiding it. And trials can be everywhere; yet God gives us the strength to overcome.

The concluding doxological statement about the kingdom and the power and the glory was later added by the Apostles, as they continued teaching this foundational piece.

So you can see: we are engaged in the prayer, when we ask Jesus to teach US how to pray.
For even when we know the words, our own context grows and evolves, when we approach it with the spirit to learn and grow.
And thus: the prayer engages US. It takes us to new places, deeper places, holier places. It moves in and through us, as it informs our daily lives in ways we could not imagine before.
Like Jesus, giving the examples of how to live a holier life right after the words of his prayer.
And like Hosea, whose prophetic message is (though graphic) meant to inspire faithfulness.
And like the Colossians, who are reminded of the power of God’s grace over any earthly or human tradition.

The power of prayer: it’s undeniable.
So we are encouraged to pray.
Not just the words of our lips, but the whispers of our hearts and the stirrings of our souls.
Not just once in a while, but through all of our actions.
Not just as a final accomplishment, but as a step on the journey.
For we all come to God, from whatever context and situation, asking:
Lord, teach us to pray.

Sermon Proper 16 (Pente+6) (C)

Have you ever been in the middle of a conversation with someone, and suddenly you realise they aren’t in the conversation anymore?
I remember chatting with some friends once as we were walking down the street, my eye was drawn to a shop window… and thus the deep conversations – maybe about the meaning of life – cut off mid-sentence as I blurted “OOOH! A BOOK SALE!”
It happens. The distraction was there – like a shiny object to a magpie.

And I know I’m not the only one that’s happened too. There’s a jokey meme floating around that says:
I started to sort laundry, noticed a missing button so went to the spare room for needle and thread – and saw the layer of dust on the shelf, so went for the cloth, and then the radio played a song that made me think of that trip in the 90’s …and that’s why 6 hours later I’m sorting photographs while the laundry hasn’t been touched.

We all get distracted. It can happen to the best of us.
In today’s scriptures, even Martha is distracted.
And when Jesus points this out to her, he does it in a very normal, kindly way.
He’s not putting her down for doing her work – for her work still needs to be done!
But she is distracted. TOO distracted to be fully present.
Her TO DO list loomed.
The shiny objects flitted past.
The brain was going in too many directions and too quickly to focus on Jesus.

It happens.
And it’s helpful for us to remember that Martha is not saying that she’s objecting to work:
The opposite is true, in fact.
She’s asking for Mary to help her with the work so that she too can then focus on Jesus.

But for that moment: she’s missing out.
She’s lacking a mindfulness in the moment.
And we can put ourselves into that position – times when we have struggled to be fully mindful;
Not getting caught up on what was, or what will be:
But the NOW.

And being in the NOW means having the presence of mind to be fully present in mind – despite the distractions.

Which gives us a great opportunity to consider our lives.
So what are our distractions?
What is taking our focus away from Jesus?

This becomes a deep question for summer pondering – as the distractions could be anything.
As one who walks with dogs – distractions happen. The pups certainly go wherever the nose
Watching a bee flit from flower to flower is fascinating and can catch our attention:
A phone ringing when we’re putting away the groceries may result in our car keys stowed in the fridge.

The thing about this – those are harmless distractions: things that temporarily took our focus elsewhere - No harm done.

Yet, what happens when the distraction is intentional?
When we ourselves take our focus away from Jesus?
Or if the world is overwhelming and our focus has been taken away from Jesus?
Or if someone else is wanting us to be distracted from our ministry and faithfulness?

It happens. Sadly, we know that it happens.
When we dwell in our anger or hurt and blame God, resulting in a broken relationship with the divine. We turn away from the source of healing, rather than seeking out ways to find health.

Or news stations that broadcast the same message over and over so our brains perceive multiple sensationalisms of the singular reality – and our stress levels increase.

Or technology that keeps us engaged, so that we continue to use that particular technology – like our social media accounts that pop up adverts to entice us, or streaming devices that want us to binge-watch; or even the basics like toys that make a noise or light if they’ve been left unplayed with for 10 minutes – to intentionally draw the user back.

Or: Folks who constantly interrupt with a barrage of questions, never fully waiting for an answer. Their intention to distract could be to avoid a necessary conversation, or to serve their own sense of entitlement and importance, or to prevent change that they personally disagree with.

Distractions can be intentional. And when they are, it’s a challenge. Because they are destabilising. And disorienting.
And it’s easy to get caught up in the spin.
Which is exactly what these people or stations or companies want. Because the more destabilised they make us, the more they seem to offer stability.
And the cycle continues.

BUT:
Jesus calls us back. We are always called back.
To re-focus; to re-stabilise, to re-ground ourselves in that way of truth and life that comes from God alone.
Jesus calls us back, to remember that there is need for only one thing.
And that is our role in the church of God.
We are called to listen to Jesus;
To put ourselves second.
To put the busy-ness of the world after that.
To acknowledge the distractions in our lives – let’s face it, we’re always going to have them. But we can choose to be intentional and prayerful about the ones that catch us up.

Because there will always be tempests. Storms brewing. Disasters occurring, tensions increasing, to-do lists waiting to be done.
And through it all, Jesus waits for us.
Patiently. Calmly. Encouragingly.
Waiting for us to get out of the distraction and to see his presence in the here and the now;
Waiting for us to recognise when our actions are distractions – and adjust accordingly.
Waiting for us to come home.
And sit at the feet of Jesus: and listen.

And so we are called to avoid life’s distractions…
It’s the purpose of the four prophesies that Amos receives: to avoid the famine of God’s word – instead to listen – to pay attention – to dwell in the comfort of God’s eternal promises. Because if we are distracted from what nourishes us, we suffer: the body without good food struggles; the mind without engagement withers, the Spirit without God: well, it darkens and distracts from the fullness of life in the Kingdom.

It’s the intention of the letter to the Colossians, to come together with a common focus on Christ: to support and uphold the building up of community rather than the bickering and egotistical posturing that the community was known for. It may feel good and powerful to be popular in saying mean things, but this is not the way of God; the humble way where the health and well-being of the community is more important than the power of the ego.

It’s the opportunity that we’re all being offered today, and every day.
To gather as the people of God – welcoming every guest, honouring everyone’s contribution, while accepting (as Martha did) that different people have different roles, and they may not be what they expected. And that our roles may change from time to time, as we are both Mary and Martha in the world.
And, the opportunity is to keep focus: with ourselves and with one another, so that together we can be finding new ways to listen to how God is calling us forward: as God is *always*calling all of us forward.
Then, the opportunity to live into the reality of God’s one true thing – which will never be taken away from us. For undistracted, at the feet of Jesus; we find our home.
Amen.

 

Sermon proper 15 (Pente+5) (C)

 MERCY:

Our modern use of this word seems to suggest surprise or an exchange of pleasantries – mercy me!
Or we hear of asking for mercy, in the context of requesting leniency or kindness.
The nuance here has roots in the deeper reality of the word:
To request leniency means there has been an offense. A wrong-doing has happened, and by
Not just niceness because we choose to be nice:
Kindness in the face of someone whose actions deserve a response, that is in some way punitive.

Two things I’m going to note: these actions are the focus, not the person – we should always focus on issue, not character.
And, that mercy does not excuse the need for accountability. Inappropriate actions need to be addressed.
But these responses are to be appropriate, proportional, and corrective. They can be merciful.

But mercy: mercy extends beyond benevolence, as an intentional choice of action performed from a desire to relieve suffering.

We receive hints about this theme of mercy in the other scriptures:
As Amos is given the third of four prophetic visions of what could happen unless a change is made. This vision warns about the perils of in-fighting – the crookedness of the plumb line shows the crookedness of the community. And God wants to correct this unstable reality before it crumbles and falls – hence extending an invitation to return to the Lord through community: the unity of the collected people.
What mercy to intervene before it’s too late; to make neighbours of the guests.

The psalm evokes a legalistic setting, whereby the pray-er is asking for mercy on the earth. There’s a humbleness to the request for help from God; asking for mercy – acknowledging the human errors and seeking divine intervention for correction from God – in the midst of the council, granting judgement.
Again, seeking merciful intervention ahead of dire punishment.

The epistle continues the power of God’s merciful presence in our lives: we as people of faith have need of mercy; we have need of prayer; we have need of strength: this is why communities of with pray with and for each other – that we may “lead lives worthy of the Lord” – with humility, kindness, and God-given love. Again – doing the best we can each day not just for ourselves but for all of God’s people and God’s world.

Then, in the not-at-all-subtle Gospel passage, as we continue the Lukan travel narrative, mercy is our layover (if you will).
Mercy comes to us in the interaction between Jesus and the lawyer:
When we hear that the lawyer tests Jesus, but ends up being tested by Jesus – it’s a shift from what the lawyer was expecting.
And yet, the lawyer is so concerned about his own ego and reputation in the community, he continues with his line of questioning.
Now, in Jewish tradition, it is not uncommon for folks to question and debate over God’s words.
But we are told that this lawyer is not entirely engaging in that practice for deeper knowledge and understanding - We hear that he was “wanting to justify himself”… seemingly by discrediting Jesus.
Anytime someone tries to make themselves look good by making someone else look bad – there’s a problem. that’s not a positive stance, nor even a neutral one.
This could have gone off the rails rather quickly, as Jesus rightly could have called him out on this behaviour, but instead invites the narrative to a different direction: through the parable.
It’s a narrative we’re all familiar with: the Good Samaritan. It’s even become part of our social system – Good Samaritan laws protect those who are giving reasonable assistance to those in need – it presumes we’re all trying our best to help, and wants to reduce bystander inaction.

So: the Good Samaritan is passed by the lawyer and the priest – two folks who knew the limitations of the law of the day: touching someone unrelated to you was a big no-no.
Touching someone else’s blood or bodily fluids was also a no-no; one that could render you as ritually unclean in the community. It initiated an immediate quarantine situation: we all know how popular those can be.
And the lawyer and the priest were busy people: important people in the community, carrying out important work.
While their humanity may have been moved by the image of the injured man, they had extensive commitment to their own community, and likely weighed out the ability to help one person versus the commitment to help many within the community.

Until the Samaritan comes by.
And often, we hear about the Samaritan in a we/they dichotomy. One of THOSE people – the outsider, the come-from-away, the not-one-of-us.
It certainly heightens the teaching of Jesus.
Interesting thing, however: The Lukan travel narrative connects Samaritans as part of the Israelite people – not as Gentiles. So it’s not a we/they;
We’ve long presumed the injured man is one who is US – even though we don’t know that from the scriptures.
But we DO know that in Luke, the Samaritan is one who is US.
A distant cousin, perhaps, the family from the other side of the county, maybe – but US.
Hmm. That can add a nice layer of nuance in our perception of the lesson, can’t it?
And it can spur for us some bigger questions:
• Who is our THEY?
• Who do we deem outside *our* inner circle?
• Who have we not treated as neighbour?

These aren’t easy questions; they’ll take some reflection, some pondering, and some genuine soul-searching.
And the answers may inspire us to re-evaluate the role of mercy in our lives – as we seek it, and as we extend it.

But as we do that, let’s consider the weight of the word neighbour:
Because Jesus doesn’t quote the scriptures as saying “love your guests” – guests are here for a time, they are welcomed, they are wanted, it’s lovely.
But the scripture invites us- directs us even – to love our neighbours.
Neighbours are more and different than guest.
They are here to stay, we have deeper connections, we share more of ourselves as we encounter each other for longer periods of time.
Neighbours can be invited to our homes as guests – or not.
They may become friends with us – or not.
They may be folks with whom we share common interests – or not.
They may dress and speak like us – or not.
They may decorate how we would do – or not.
Whether our relationships with our neighbours are long-standing or new, are quirky or conventional, are terrific or tolerated - they remain our neighbours.
They are us: we are they.
Together, we are community:
Together, we are neighbours.

Together, we are to love.
Love your neighbour. As yourself.
For together, we are living in the neighbourhood of the Kingdom of God: where all are welcome.

So as we re-consider and re-frame what it means to have neighbours – and to be neighbours –
Let us delve deeper into our own expressions of mercy:
requested and received, and given.

Let’s remember the rejoice in the grace that God has shown us mercy:
And to hear the call to Go, and do likewise.

Sermon Proper 14 (Pente +4) (C)

 Imagine, if you will, that we were in a shared space: from the same community, maybe a few guests; 6 or 7 dozen folks all coming together for some time together, some catching up, some prayer, some music, some idea sharing.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?
Actually, it sounds a bit like…. Church – doesn’t it?
And it is.
And this is the group of folks that are in the gospel passage today.
Normal folks.
Ordinary folks. Extraordinary folks!
Families. Friends. Neighbours.
Men, women, non-binary; young, not-so-young, old, not-so-old.
People that had lived there all their lives; and some that had just arrived in town.

Yup. It’s not a difficult mental exercise, is it?
Good! Because that’s the setting for our Gospel passage today.
And part of the focus that is often overlooked here is that the guests – the visitors – the newbies – were Jesus and his disciples.
Just before this, we heard last week, they were journeying from one village to another, seeing a place to stay and proclaiming the good news of God.
And today, we hear the very next part of this narrative.
Jesus and his disciples – one dozen people – join up with 70 others – about 6 dozen people – and they start some really exciting ministry.

And in order for this to happen, the joining part had to happen first. Jesus wasn’t just going to appoint people to go off into towns in his name if they were opposed to it: no, these were people who were willing to do this – knowing they would not always be well received – but they wanted to try anyway.
Because the Good News of God was more important than anything else in their lives.

Inspiring, isn’t it?
And despite Jesus’ commentary about what the road ahead (literal and metaphorical) would be like, they went. They carried no cash, no overnight bag, no spare pair of shoes. They were to make sure that they didn’t get distracted and off-course if they met up with friends along the way.
Instead, they were to go to places that they may or may not have already known; where they may or may not have already been known:
They were to go there, and rely on the hospitality of the people.

And this is a big thing:
Because the word hospitality was a little less complex in definition during biblical times; but it was more profound in execution.
Hospitality these days represents a field of industry – those places and practices to do with lodging and feeding, of saying welcome. We can be hospitable in our homes, but that’s generally when we invite family or friends over.

In biblical times, however, hospitality meant more than a polite welcome: welcoming was of course part of it, but the root of hospitality is hospital: a place of caring for others, whatever state they arrive in. Hospice is a place to tend to the most vulnerable.
The root of hospitality is HOST.
And in Jewish tradition, hospitality is a happy requirement; not a pleasantry.
Hospitality was woven into all of the lessons in the scriptures; going back to Abraham’s lineage God has called God’s people to welcome outsiders as guest; and to consider strangers as family.
In fact, throughout biblical times, to deny hospitality was an insult – as we saw last week – and the people who had refused hospitality were recognised to be unclean: figuratively, religiously, and literally.
For the practice of the time was to clean your feet as you approached the Temple or the Synagogue: removing particles of road dust, of course, but also removing from the body anything negative that was clinging: any grudges or hurts or negativity.
One did not enter a home of a host: heavenly or earthly: carrying that dust on their feet: just as we would want to prevent tracking dust into someone’s house, so too we want to prevent tracking in toxic mentalities or moods.

Hospitality: it’s a strong component of our faith.
And yet, sometimes we, too, like the disciples, miss the point a little bit.
And we, like the disciples, can be always reminded of our roles in God’s service: we are hosted; God is the host.

It’s why Jesus reminds the folks today – and us today – of being graciously received.
Accept what’s offered, rather than asking for something else. In biblical times, you planned your meals on a daily basis, so 2 unexpected guests could really thin out the evening meal. But it was always shared.
Share your peace: meaning carry it with you in the first place, and presume the best of people – if they demonstrate a lack of peace, leave it with them, behaving in a way that’s consistent with your values and morals.
Stay where you are: this is our proverbial greener grass on the other side – Jesus calls us to tend to our own grass rather than complain or covet the neighbours’.
And: stay off the high horse – the work of God is about God – it’s not about us. Jesus cites Satan as a cautionary tale of ego over hospitality; Paul’s letter to the Galatians goes into more detail of the problems of self-adulation.

So what about us?
What do we do – as today’s church – as the folks who have self-selected to be followers: how do we act as the church in a way that extends this hospitality to folks as they come to us? And as we encounter them?
Because hospitality is one of the spiritual gifts that we are granted; and it’s one of the spiritual practices that we’re called to live into: as individuals, as families, and as the church.
And, it’s both simple in what we do: and complex in how we do it.

Because hospitality is not merely saying welcome to someone.
It’s about truly welcoming them, to be disciples with us along the journey.
Which means welcoming newcomers into ministries and committees.
It means embracing new ideas – with an openness to success or failure.
It’s an act of joining together with a common mission – for God.
Hospitality can be easy! As easy as washing 7 times in the river, Naaman!

But it can be complex when we make it complex…
And that complexity comes because we are unwilling to be changed.
Again, just look at Naaman, refusing the healing hospital-ity of being cleansed because he didn’t want for it to be as easy as it was.
Hospitality evokes a change of heart and mind:
And that may mean a change in how we’ve always done things, or what we’ve always thought.
It means recognising that welcoming others means we will be changed: so that together we will all grow into better discipleship.
And we do this through love, and relationship, and adaptability: knowing that these are always, so long as we are hospitable, going to be evolving and growing.

Hospitality, after all, means being open to the movement of the Spirit; of the desire to welcome Christ into our lives in radical ways.

It’s why sometimes, the practice of biblical hospitality is called “Radical” hospitality.
Not because the acts themselves are radical, but because we become the radicals when we are hospitable in this way.
And radical doesn’t mean something shocking; it means an agent of change. In chemistry, a radical is “a group of atoms behaving as a unit”.
A number of individuals, coming together for a shared goal.

And when that goal is hospitality, we allow our own individual preferences to take a back seat – for the sake of the kingdom.
Just like the disciples in today’s Gospel, and the 70 that Jesus appointed:
AND it can mean us, too, should we be open to following Jesus on the way.

Bishop Robert Schnase of the UMC church says it this way:[Christian hospitality] involves seeing ourselves as sent out by Christ and going out of our way, even at the risk of a sense of awkwardness and inconvenience, to invite people into some aspect of the church's ministry.”

So imagine, if you will: a group of 6 or 7 dozen people.
all coming together for some time together, some catching up, some prayer, some music, some idea sharing.
All coming together to learn more about how to be radically welcoming, putting every effort and emphasis on making people feel not just that they are tolerated, but that they are fully engaged and embraced.
All coming together, with open hearts and open minds, desiring to open the church of God to the whole people of God: and thereby sharing in the ministry of God.
What healing can come;
What joy can grow;
What faith can blossom:
When we are all welcomed on our way.

So let’s BE radicals: sharing a true welcome as together we proclaim the Kingdom of God.