We live now, but not yet

Proper7A, June 25, 2023, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Moses Lake by Sr. Annette Fricke, OPA We live now but not yet. As you may or may not know, Luther loved the book of Romans because it helped him to understand the gospel as well as the underpinnings to the preaching of Paul. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? This was a misinterpretation that Paul was trying to correct. He would answer that as a ‘no.’ It’s like asserting, ‘well, I need something to confess, so what’s the point in keeping God’s law?’ People continue to distort what God would have us do and be. During Paul’s missionary days as well as today, we have experienced the splintering of the church. The splintering resulted in a West Church, an East Church, then Catholic, Protestant and the churches somewhere in between. Even the Jews separated into Orthodox and Reformed. As much as we may want to see unity and somehow feel right about it, there is much about the Church and our world that is not unified. The world continues to suffer from conflict and chaos. The Southern Baptist Church recently voted to oust 2 congregations they had because their leaders were women pastors. The countries of the world continue to practice on some level racism, sexism, discrimination, paying women less for the same job as a man. Justice does not have a chance if we don’t fight for it. The placement of this section of Matthew is known as the Missionary Discourse, the second of five major discourses in Matthew. This one is all about how the disciples might be received as they carry out their mission and what it means to be a disciple. The word disciple means learner, or student. Following Jesus is a commitment that exceeds commitment to family. This concept is also reflected in the other 2 lessons from Jeremiah and Romans. We should always follow this principle: “A disciple is not above the teacher, not a servant above the master.” Along the same lines, we should be like Jesus. Jesus frequently lived his life in conflict with others. Some would rather avoid conflict and engage in talking about people behand their backs, not wanting to engage in communicating face to face, fearing the worst. Even though Jesus came as the Prince of Peace, his interactions with people were not always peaceful. It is important for us to know where we stand as Christians. How can we be the hands and feet of Jesus? Be mindful that there is nowhere in the New Testament that Jesus tells us to go out and do our own thing. Remember when Jesus sent out the disciples two by two? There are practical reasons he did that. For one, we should help each other and support one another in ministry and pray for each other concerning our ministries. We are not called to do whatever we want. If a ministry is a product of just one person and it continues for years, burnout occurs. We are not called either to individually develop a ministry without discernment and other people to join in. If we leave, is there someone who will carry on a needed ministry? Or will it die with the person who left the congregation? Discernment and strategy should always be the precursor to any proposed ministry because it is not this or that person’s ministry, but the congregation’s ministry. Unlike Japanese culture, we, as Americans sometimes forget this because individualism is ingrained and preferred in our thinking. In academics, yes, we ought to be doing our own work to prove we are doing the work and learning the materials required to graduate, but the Japanese group think is a good model for congregations. But even when we discern and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, it doesn’t guarantee all will run smoothly. Jeremiah felt abandoned and overpowered. He assumed that God had left him, yet what he had to say about God was like a fire within him. He felt all alone in his suffering and said his friends were watching for him to stumble. The psalmist also looks for God to answer his prayers due to his distress. Jeremiah suffered. Paul suffered. David suffered. We suffer. But most of all we need to remember that Jesus suffered. God is always with us even when we are unable to sense God’s presence. Even when we feel that God has abandoned us. God is here and ever present. We have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father, so we too might walk in newness of life. Our lives are not brought to perfection in this life; even the saints have told us about their struggles, but that does not mean we should let sin reign. We are to live on, clothing ourselves in God’s righteousness, fighting for the salvation of the world, knowing that God is ever at our sides. We walk in the resurrected light of Christ knowing that some day we will see God face to face. We live now, but not yet. Feasting on the Word, Year A, Volume 3 Commentary on Romans, Martin Luther, translated by J. Theodore Mueller New Proclamation, Year A, 2005

Showing Mercy

Proper5A, June 11, 2023, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, by Sr. Annette Fricke, OP There is a glaring obstacle to interpretation of this gospel passage. We do not live in Jesus’ day and the scientific advances that have transpired between when this portion of Matthew was written and our own understandings of evil and healing, that which would bring us down and that which brings restoration are different. Some would use this part of Matthew to pit science against Jesus. This was a part of the heritage of a not-so-distant past. Groups of people believed that healing only came from prayer and scientific medicine was more miss than hit. Other folks believed that the cure for mental illness is not science, but exorcism. However, this is not the moment for debating something that will probably continue to be debated for some time. Jesus is not calling us to a debate. Following the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapters 5 through 7, is a series of healing stories and calling / discipleship stories. The gospel for today has 1) Calling the tax collector, Matthew (9:9-13), 2) Healing a woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, and 3) bringing back to life the daughter of a synagogue leader (9:18-26). Jesus is not only an inspiration but puts his words into action. There is a quote attributed to Carl Jung which states, “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.” We are called to be more than a cheerleader; we are called to be a player. But for those of us with a scientific and modern medicine understanding, it is crucial to focus NOT on the actions, but on the inter-actions - the relationships - between Jesus and those who come to him. Matthew, a leader of the synagogue, and the hemorrhaging woman are all people of faith. The voiced objection to the calling of Matthew and associating with Matthew’s friends is a social illness whereas the other two are physical illnesses. They believe that Jesus can and will heal them and Jesus responds with healing. But let’s back up a bit. There is a whole paragraph on the social criticism of Jesus. This is really the over-arching theme of today’s Gospel. What matters most is how we treat other people. Why? Recall that very first commandment given to Moses to deliver to the people, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” How would God treat others? Equally welcoming to everybody in every walk of life. Jesus treats us all the same just as he did the tax collectors, the synagogue authorities, and the women. Jesus saw the injustices of the world around him, but as always, the first step is developing a relationship, practicing hospitality. God desires mercy, not sacrifice. The religious rituals in Jesus’ day were restrictive and Jesus was known more than once to heal of the Sabbath. Healing on the Sabbath was against Jewish law. “Jesus demonstrated that the power of God's presence was embedded in mercy and not in religious rituals (Matthew 9:13). But one had to stop being hopeless and hapless, stop being isolated; and start connecting and trusting. Because ‘mercy’ is a relationship.” Jesus demonstrates how to push through social barriers and dare to go beyond the norm of this group and that group, this person or that person, pushing beyond our comfort zones. We too, can be the conduit of God’s love to each other and to the community beyond. We too, can be God’s compassion in our community and our world. If [we] stop and really think about it, the most difficult "miracle" in today's text is not the raising of the girl from death, nor the healing of the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years. The most difficult healing was including the despised tax collector, Matthew, back into community.” Matthew, the woman Jesus called ‘daughter’ and the synagogue leader had in common, not just their social and/or physical illnesses, but the belief that God can and does transform all of us, so that we, too can be in the transformation business. We begin with what we have in common. We are God’s children. We are all related. When we shake hands at the passing of the peace, look each other in the eyes. We don’t need to say much, just make a connection. This is what God’s example in Jesus is. This is how we bring healing to each other. We face each other, we are vulnerable to each other, we make amends when we have been the cause of hurt. This is our invitation to live as the people of God. Footnote:David Ewart, www.holytextures.com.