Proper16B, St Martin’s Episcopal
Church, Moses Lake, WA August 26, 2018 by Annette Fricke
If
you have been paying close attention to the gospel lessons, you would notice
that these past 6 weeks have been all about bread. A similar phrase is made in
this text as well, “This is the bread that came down from heaven.” This is the statement that the Jewish people
of Jesus’ day could not grasp. How could
it be possible that Jesus is from heaven and that he can give us his flesh to
eat?” The first of these gospel lessons
began the last time I preached where it was spelled out quite plainly that the
people wanted to make Jesus their king.
He laid it out for them in the synagogue. He said it enough times that “Because of this
many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.” Jesus turned to his inner circle of disciples
and asked him the question, “Do you also wish to go away?”
Jesus
appears to be one of us, just like us, no different and yet this claim that he
has come down from heaven and gives us his flesh and his blood to eat and to
drink? It is a very difficult teaching
to comprehend. It is that particular
teaching that the Jews found difficult. It
went against their already held beliefs. From a literal standpoint, Jesus is
bread and we are to chew on his flesh! Sounds like cannibalism to many. And
this Jesus dies and is resurrected! What
a claim! How can this be? Jesus is just too common. Not what was expected.
Probably
the closest thing we have to compare to what Jesus went through was the
American slave trade, where people were bought and sold, whipped and tortured,
beaten for disobedience to their master or some sort of disagreement that was
met with a far worse consequence than amongst the slave owners. It reflects our inhumanity towards each other
in an extreme case. Extreme though it
be, this type of behavior continues in physical abuse of children and animals. Although the majority of us do not
participate in this type of behavior, it is still our responsibility to call it
out and find solutions for a more humane society. Believing in Jesus is more than merely
saying, “I believe in Jesus.” It is more
than reciting the Nicene or Apostles’ Creed.
Jesus also expects us to follow what he has taught us; that we are to love
others in the same type of deep love that Jesus has for us. It is about integrity.
We must somehow connect what we believe with what we do, keeping our eyes on
Jesus as he comes to us in the Eucharist, considering carefully the words as in
Rite II, “Sanctify” the bread and wine to be the body and blood of Jesus. “Sanctify us also” that we may not only
receive this sacrament faithfully, but serve God in this life and the life to
come.[1] God’s help and presence is ever with us. Sanctify means to make holy; set apart as
sacred; consecrate. It is to purify or free us from sin.[2] It is erasure and clearing the slate, making
it clean and once again ready for use.
What
do people see when they come to see St. Martin’s? Do they see people who love each other? Or do they see this faction and that faction? Do they see people working together or
against each other? How have we shown
compassion today? Many people who attended
church in the past complain that church members judge and condemn each other
and therefore are not interested in coming back. Pretty sure there are other reasons, but that
one is probably the most prominent. We are
called to be open and inviting to those both in and out of our church
community. How can we do this here? Do we make a point of assisting those who
visit and invite them to Eucharist? When the regional fall gathering is hosted
here on September 29th, how can we best welcome our fellow believers
from across the region? How can we use
our time and talents to make this event one that they will remember with good
thoughts? Will they leave the gathering truly thankful that they came and had
fellowship with fellow believers? Or will they be disappointed?
A
psychologist I met at a training/workshop in Spokane, also a writer tells a story
about his wife, who piled the kids in the car to go out grocery shopping. She puts the groceries in the car and all the
kids only to realize that she has been given too much change by the cashier. She returns from the parking lot with kids in
tow, stands in line and returns the money. Needless to say, the cashier was flabbergasted
that someone would care enough to actually do that.[3] This is just one example of how we can
individually make a difference in our community. Yet Jesus loves us and empowers
us to do much more not out of selfish motives, but caring about other in a
genuine way. Most of you have probably
experienced for yourselves or known someone working that type of position where
if the till is too far off, the consequence is that how much it is off comes
out of the next paycheck. His wife truly
was doing a good deed.
As
we go out into the world this week, we are set free once again—our slates are
clean-- from our misdeeds towards and lack of response to our neighbors. Once again, we are challenged in our daily
lives with a few questions to be answered.
Where can we show compassion and how can we do that so that others may
see God’s love in our deeds as well as our thoughts.
[1]
Book of Common Prayer, Holy Eucharist Rite II, p. 363
[2]
Dictionary.com: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sanctify?s=t
[3]
The Drama Review, 08/24/18 by Alan Godwin
