How Shall I live my life, Jesus?

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, Year A: St. Martin’s Episcopal, Moses Lake, WA by Sr. Annette Fricke, OP Last Sunday and the Sunday before that, we read in the Gospel lessons about the calling of Jesus’ disciples Andrew, Peter, James, John, and an un-named disciple. Last Sunday, the gospel was from Matthew, Chapter 4. However, the last two verses at the end of chapter 4 were left out. Chapter 4:24-25 reads: “So his fame spread throughout Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.” Jesus’ teaching had wide appeal. Worshiping at the temple in Jerusalem was a pilgrimage for Galileans that they despised because of the way they were treated by the Judeans. Unlike most of what we find in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, this is not a set of parables; this is direct teaching from Jesus. There is no disguise here. Here are nine beatitudes, short and succinct. The same first words are on each one, “Blessed are…” Blessing in Jewish thought is a divine action, sometimes coming through an intermediary, like a priest, a rabbi, or a parent. The pattern is similar for Christians today. However, much like long ago, we live also in an atmosphere when blessings come to those who succeed, often at the expense of others. To be poor in spirit, peaceful, merciful, and meek will get us nowhere in a culture that is grounded in competition and fear. At first glance, these teachings of Jesus seem to be quite impractical. How could anyone but the saintliest people live these out? And so, we look to people like Dorothy Day, who took in the poor for a long time without the blessing of the Catholic Church or Martin Luther King, Jr. who was shot and killed because he advocated for civil rights for all people or Desmond Tutu who worked for non-violence, justice, and against the oppression of the poor. All of them worked for some of the same things in a world that still ignores their positive mark on society. There are still poor people and people are still discriminated against, and countries still go to war. So, is it impossible to live the beatitudes? What are we to make of this teaching? What does all this mean? They are an invitation into a way of being in the world that leads to specific attitudes. There are three principles for living into the spirit of the beatitudes: simplicity, hopefulness, and compassion. Think about the three people I named. These people all defied the people around them. These people acted on their convictions. They were leaders in a society of people who either sat back, doing nothing for the causes they led or worked against them. How can we live in simplicity? One thing Dorothy Day did was to buy all her clothes at discount stores. She did not rely on her parent’s money for school but worked for her own living. Is there a way to see Jesus’ teaching in the simplest form without reading into it our own values and desires? What if we tried our best to be open to hearing this teaching for what it simply is so that we don’t obscure it’s meaning remembering Jesus’ promise, “You are blessed in this life whenever you demonstrate humility, bring a peaceful presence, open your heart to others, and show mercy on those who cry for it.” The second principle is hopefulness. Jurgen Multmann once said that the death of the church is when the overall attitude moves from anger to cynicism. Cynicism accepts what ever is, regardless of consequences. It is like the common phrase I still hear, “It is what it is.” Cynicism offers little hope that things will get better. Another word that’s equivalent is apathy. The beatitudes invite us to the opposite attitude which is hopefulness. Hope brings the possibility of change. When we are hopeful, we stand in the world sure of the possibility that the day will come when mercy, humility, peace, and love are the descriptions of what it means to live. The third principle of beatitude living is compassion. This is the overarching principle for every Christian interaction with the world as well as fellow believers. Everything that we do or say needs to be born out of compassion for the world in which we live and work. According to Henri Nouwen, compassion “grows with the inner recognition that your neighbor shares your humanity with you. This partnership cuts through all walls which might have kept you separate. Across all barriers of land and language, wealth and poverty, knowledge, and ignorance, we are one, created from the same dust, subject to the same laws, destined for the same end.” Finally, God’s reign is what matters. Persecution, insult, and even martyrdom may come from living a life united to Jesus. Those who receive God’s favor are those whom Gold deems worthy, not by virtue of their own achievements or status in society, but because God chooses to be on the side of the weak, the forgotten, the despised, the justice seekers, the peace makers, and those persecuted because of their beliefs. Here we see that the unvalued are at last fully valued as human beings.

Before Jesus....

Advent3A, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Moses Lake, December 11, 2022, by Sr. Annette Fricke Before Jesus, there was a very long line of prophets. I cannot tell you why the appointed gospels of Advent this year did not begin with the genealogy presented in the gospel of Matthew or that it in no way follows the chronological order of Matthew. The first Sunday in Advent was from Matthew 24, last Sunday was from Matthew 3 and today, it is from Matthew 11. The setting in today’s gospel is that John has been jailed. If we were the Jewish people of Jesus’ day, we would have a certain perspective. We would be the people who are looking for the promised Messiah of God. How do we recognize the Messiah? What is the concrete evidence that the Messiah is finally here? The Jews looked for signs. What makes a true prophet as opposed to false prophets? What makes the Messiah as opposed to false Messiahs? For prophets, if most of the prophesies come true, they are considered a true prophet. But if the people have never seen the Messiah, only prophets, how can they determine that Jesus is the Messiah when there are others also claiming to be the Messiah? From other sources, we know that there were others stating they were the Messiah at the time. However, those followers died out. Was it something they said or did that helped make the decision to follow Jesus? What makes Jesus stand out? “Jesus, are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” How can we know for certain? Can we know for certain? These answers that Jesus gave was enough for many to become his disciples: “Tell John what you see and hear. The blind can now see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them.” And we are going to add on to this another for the beatitudes, “And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” There is our clue, our starting point. We are to be in conversation with those who don’t take offense at Jesus. At our baptisms, we are to let our lights so shine before others that they may see our good works and glorify God in heaven. John preached in the wilderness about Jesus. At the in-person convention before this one, it was decided that the diocesan theme was “setting a table in the wilderness.” That theme served the diocese well through COVID. Like many people during that time, most of us didn’t really dress up to go anywhere and avoided going places. John, a prophet in a long line of prophets did not look like anything special either—probably wore itchy clothes, old sandals that were falling apart and ate locusts and honey because they were handy. We also do not need to be dressed a certain way to get others interested in Jesus. John is a good role model because he is being himself, not trying to impress the crowd, but giving them the answers they need, and keeps pointing them to Jesus. Now that John is in prison, it’s time for Jesus to take his place as the Messiah, the one who is not only close to God, but is God—both God and human so that he can bridge the gap between humanity and God. Jesus is saying to us, get on with it, go out from the wilderness and make disciples who love God enough to truly care about others. As our baptismal vows state, “Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify God who is in heaven.” Where do you see Jesus at work today? Tell what you see and hear. The blind can now see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them through us, his disciples. Go out from the wilderness and make disciples---make a difference to those who are seeking to find the Messiah and tell them, “The Messiah is here!”

Today Salvation has come to Your House

Proper26C, October 30, 2022, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church by Sr. Annette Fricke, OPA This is a rare set of lessons because Proper 26 is almost the most Sundays in ordinary time after Pentecost and before Christ the King Sunday. When was the last time you heard a sermon on Zacchaeus? But I bet most of you know the song about Zacchaeus. It does tell the story of Zacchaeus, well, the first part. And if you don’t know the Zacchaeus song, I can teach it to you. Just don’t ask me for the hand movements because I don’t remember them. Except for the obvious (to me) children’s song associated with this gospel lesson, another children’s song comes to mind. This gospel lesson takes place in Jericho. The song “Joshua fought the battle of Jericho” is now resonating in my mind as I ponder this text. Who was Joshua? He was an Old Testament prophet, the one who came to be a leader after Moses died. Jericho has a history, a history of being destroyed. Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and won. By contrast, the sycamore tree thought to be the one that Zacchaeus climbed to see Jesus still stands in the city center of Jericho. It is thought to be 2,000 years old. The sycamore tree has a sturdy trunk and low spreading branches, making it ideal for climbing. The tree was tall and strong. As a short man, he probably figured out many ways to overcome obstacles like not being able to see the person speaking to a crowd. He came to both hear and see Jesus. The crowd did not like him because he was a tax collector, the chief tax collector, and as with many tax collectors, thought to be asking for more than what he was to collect and keeping the rest for himself. Tax collectors are not listed in Hymn 293. But remember also that Matthew was a tax collector before following Jesus. To back up just a bit into the previous chapter, in verse 24, Jesus said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” The crowd now is accusing Jesus of going to be a guest in the house of a sinner! Is it any different today? Do we not still judge others by our own personal standards? Are there certain classes of people we consider to be sinners as opposed to us? On a previous candidacy test taken by me was a question that asked, “Does anyone consider you to be a stuffed shirt?” I had no idea what that meant. Coming from a background of small town/farming community, my idea of a stuffed shirt was a scarecrow. Many of us still struggle with trying to relate to people who are different from us. The point is, Zacchaeus was thought to be a sinner simply because he was a tax collector and a rich man. Yet despite what the crowd thought, not only did he want to see Jesus, Jesus in fact, recognized him. In the previous chapter, Jesus said to “sell all you have, distribute the money to the poor.” The man turned away sad. But Zacchaeus responded by giving away half his possessions and said if he has defrauded anyone, he will pay back four times the amount. Jesus responds, “Today salvation has come to this house.” This means that his whole household has been blessed and Zacchaeus has been deemed a child of Abraham. Maybe we should add tax collectors to the lyrics of Hymn 293. When we bless others with what we give, we, in return are also blessed. We may not have as much to give as Zacchaeus, but we do have some to give. We sometimes need reminding that God is inclusive of all people, not just certain groups. God loves all people, every one of us, adults and children, the poor, the short and the tall, those medically compromised. All of God’s people have a seat at the table.

The Ethics of God

Proper17 St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, by Sr. Annette Fricke, OP, The Ethics of God Luke is the gospel that often puts Jesus in the setting of a meal. Feeding people is important. Feeding everyone is important, both the feeding out on the grass and the more formal meals with those of importance in the community. A meal with important people is where Jesus is in this gospel lesson. Perhaps we should think of God as the one who provides food, invites others to a heavenly banquet. By now not only do the disciples know that Jesus sometimes bucks tradition, so do all the people with whom Jesus interacts. At first glance, this piece of Luke looks like a lesson in etiquette.[1] Etiquette, as you know concerns the seating chart. And of course, there are the placement of silverware, cups, glasses, napkins and who sits at the head of the table. Usually, it is the host who sits at the head of the table. If in a king or queen’s court, people are seated in line of importance of position in the palace. In the Jewish society of the time, apparently that mattered because the host decided where each person sat and gave the best seats to those who were considered the most esteemed and most deserving of honor. Jesus has decided to take this opportunity as a teaching moment. He brings up seating arrangements which have been in place since at least the writing of Genesis. In Old Testament times the Israelites sat at table;[2] and in the order of their dignity or seniority [3]. We also know that double and five-fold portions were given to distinguished guests. Food was given to the poor, but it was less and sometimes just crumbs.[4] In the backdrop of the Old Testament where a banquet is a frequent emblem of heavenly happiness,[5] Jesus brings us a vision of the kingdom of God that is the reverse of his day’s wedding feast. His day’s wedding feast is also a reflection of how many people of that day and age lived their lives. Basically, he is saying to them that they are focusing on the wrong things. If a tradition is not all inclusive where people are treated with equal dignity and respect, it needs to change. Luke, throughout his book continuously informs us from start to finish that Jesus turns societal norms upside down. Jesus says that we should not be honoring the powerful, but those who have nothing and are considered nothing in society. We should be honoring the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Also, of concern are those who have grown up in dysfunctional families of abuse and neglect, whose chance for normal relationships is severely compromised. Is the gospel lesson just about proper etiquette? Absolutely not. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer has written, “Your ‘yes’ to God requires your ‘no’ to all injustice, to all evil, to all lies, to all oppression and violation of the weak and poor…” “The ethic of God is honoring others above yourself, embodying God’s generosity. We are to be the ethics of God. We may be tempted to take a seat not meant for us, even though it is clearly marked at the place setting. We have seen that in the movies how someone will disguise themselves or obtain the ID of the person they are pretending to be. But there is one thing to keep in mind, in God’s kingdom, we are all God’s children and our role as God’s children is to invite and make friends with those we don’t know, those who have severe mental illnesses, those who may have a criminal background, take a healthcare job or work as a prison guard, feed the hungry who for some reason are not able to obtain food for themselves at this time, be a friend to someone who doesn’t seem to have a friend. We live in a transactional culture where giving expects a return. Yet Jesus talks about generosity. But the reward is being in a place where all are honored. Assessing worth is eliminated. Disregard questions of worthiness to be where you are---I did this and I did that, I earned my spot. When Luke talks about releasing the captives, we are all captives. We are captives especially to our own way of thinking, when we engage in comparing ourselves to others, and when we somehow think we are superior to another person. The truth is all of us are good at something. We all have something to offer the people of our communities and of the world. Remember that we are a role model to other people whether we know it or not. [1] Working Preacher for Proper17C August 28, 2022 [2] I Samuel 16:11 [3] Genesis 43:33 [4]http://www.biblehistory.com/links.php?cat=39&sub=413&cat_name=Manners+%26+Customs&subcat_name=Banquets+and+Feasts [5] Isaiah 25:6; Luke 14:15; Revelation 19:9

Lord, Teach us to Pray

Proper12C July 24, 2022, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Moses Lake, WA by Sr. Annette Fricke, OPA If you’re looking for a source to learn about prayer, Luke and its sequel Acts are the perfect primers. There are more references to prayer than either Matthew, Mark, or John. By the way, coming in dead last, there are only 29 references to prayer in John. Luke has 63. In that 63, Luke has 12 unique verses and 3 unique stories. Out of those 3 unique stories, the compilers of the lectionary chose for this Sunday, The Friend at Midnight. The Lord's prayer is found in just 2 of the 4 gospels. The form we use is taken from Matthew. Matthew begins the prayer with Our Father in heaven in English translation, in Greek, Our Father in the heavens. That’s right, it is plural as in more than one heaven. The change from plural heavens to just one heaven is found in a body of early Christian teachings called the Didache. In Luke, it simply begins, “Our Father.” Remember that the time in which these words were uttered by Jesus in Aramaic, then translated into Greek was a patriarchal society. Also remember the image of God as a “hen gathering her chicks” points to God being like a mother as well. We only have the comparison of what we experience ourselves and the images and traits ascribed to God by the experience of those disciples who have gone before us. God is like a hen gathering her chickens. God gives guidance on how to live our lives. God, through the Holy Spirit calls, gathers and enlightens the church, the baptized and probably others as well of which we are unaware. We are the recipients of God's grace, a grace made available to all. We are children of the living God. Note the structure of the 10 commandments. The first commandments are regarding our relationship with God. The rest is about how we treat each other. The 10 commandments are summarized by Jesus “You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and your neighbor as yourself. “. That is how the Our Father or the Lord's Prayer is also structured. Praying that prayer is saying to God, we want to be part of God’s kingdom! We also want to be baptized and participate in the Eucharist to be a part of God’s kingdom. And yet, the kingdom is not such a good analogy either. It suggests a world of kings and conquering which is quite the opposite of the image of a loving Father who listens to his children, helping them along each moment of life troubles and pleasures. But this is how it has been handed on to us, so much unchanged that nearly every funeral of a Christian burial, or memorial will have all reciting the Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 23 word for word. Listen and you will observe that these are both ingrained in the hearts and souls of those who learned them from childhood. We ought to be thanking Luke for taking the time to further explain who God is and what it means to be in prayer with God. “On one hand, we don’t have to be” concerned about approaching God “properly” by saying our prayers “with the right words or at the right time.” We can be bold and shameless in our requests to God at any time.” Because “the man’s request isn’t just for himself, but for his late-night-visiting friends, that he might properly care for their needs.” This “story [then] suggests that there is a similar friendship between God and us – we can approach God as a friend.” If we are interested in doing God’s will, we can approach God on the intimate level of a friend who will go out of the way to meet the needs of another friend. God does not need our prayers but invites us to enter that relationship whenever and with whatever we choose, and God will hear us. God also invites us to be persistent in our prayers. We should not give up on each other. We should not give up on God. After all, God does not give up on us.

Jesus' Urgent Call to Discipleship/3PentecostCProper8

A bit of background may be in order here. Remember that the Romans were very much in charge at the time of Jesus. Israel was not the dominant culture and Samaria was just a small Jewish community descended from only 3 tribes of Israel. Jesus thought it important to unite Judaism, not just Gentiles, but all people. God’s grace and generosity are to be made available to all. It is evident from Luke's writing that eventually, the early disciples did go to many places preaching the gospel. But that is not the case in today’s lesson. Luke begins his gospel with Jesus’ ministry in Jerusalem at the temple, moves to his ministry in Galilee, then back to Jerusalem. This gospel passage takes a dramatic turn in the story. This is not so much a geographical turn, but a theological one. Note the indicator which is in there twice for emphasis: ‘Jesus turned his face towards Jerusalem.’ This is an important statement indicating a new direction, again not so much geographical, but theological. Jesus is now on his way to the cross, no doubt about it, and Jesus is even more keenly aware of this than previously. He is tirelessly still trying to train his disciples in evangelism and discipleship. And once again, they are not received by the Samaritan villages and the disciples James and John again put their foots in their mouths. Surely by now they get it, but nope. They don’t get it. Jesus makes it very clear that he does not want them to call down fire from heaven as Elijah did. The kingdom of God is not about vengeance, but reconciliation. Just reading this part of the narrative, we know for sure that Jesus probably had a few more things to say than what was recorded here. I’ll bet he was deeply concerned about what would happen after his ascension and the disciples no longer had his physical presence to guide them every time they messed up. Indeed, the Church has messed up throughout history—burning so-called heretics at the stake, war against the Turks, Catholics killing Protestants and the other way around, Native Americans being forced to learn English and quit speaking their native language by Catholic schools, antisemitism, and a few other isms. And if we were to go out of our usual way to meet with others and tell them about Jesus, how would we do it? Would we be able to do it? And if we did and were rejected, what would we do next? How would we incorporate new Christians who responded positively into our congregation? What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? From this reading, it is going out of one’s comfort zone, meeting people, talking about Jesus to strangers. It also means showing no judgments when others reject us. I suspect many of us struggle as much or more than the very human James and John. Those two seem to think well of themselves to the point where they ask Jesus to sit on his right and left in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus is probably thinking—they did not listen to me before, did they listen to what I was saying just now? There are multiple excuses listed as to why people do not want to follow Jesus. Jesus’ answer to this is straightforward, “Follow me.” “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus’ call to discipleship is one of commitment and urgency. It is a call that goes out to all people, including people who don’t look like us, who may have a different lifestyle than us, who may live a different culture from us. Most of all, it is important that we listen to each other including people we know and people we do not know. It is only by listening to each other that we will be able to communicate with each other and thereby become more effective in our ministry, our many ministries. We are called to be disciples of Jesus, to teach, to preach, to evangelize in whatever shape or form it may take. May we be open to God’s guidance in this mission every day. The coming of God’s kingdom is now. Now is the time to act. Just as the earlier disciples, we learn by doing. Jesus says, “Follow me.” Jesus is still here to guide us and give direction. Let us follow his lead.

Prayer before Sermon Composition

It is a fact that sermons don't just fall out of the sky nor are they found under a stone on our morning walks. The truth of the matter, each preacher has his/her own method of sermon preparation. I don't know a preacher who does not pray before composing a sermon, but then, I have never asked. I suppose there are many things that the seminary I attended many years ago leaves me in some ways at a place where I find myself at a loss. For example, what should I ask of God before writing and most important delivering a sermon? I write sermons, but my writing style is frequently not my delivery style. I hesitate. I want to make a sermon fresh, airy, with life and something that will not put a congregation to sleep. I want it to waken minds and hearts to enliven and activate a Christian life. This all began in Grade 4. I had a teacher who inspired me to write. She gave me the courage to believe in myself. We all need someone who inspires. With this in mind, I offer a prayer for sermon preparation. It is a highly edited form of St. Thomas Aquinas' prayer before study. Prayer before Sermon Composition True Source of light and wisdom, graciously let a ray of Your brilliance penetrate the darkness of my understanding. Give me a sharp sense of these scriptures and the ability to grasp them fundamentally. Grant to me what is needed to explain and express myself with thoroughness what you would have me say about these texts at this time. I want to make a sermon fresh, airy, with life and something that will not put a congregation to sleep. I want it to waken minds and hearts to enliven and activate a Christian life. Point out the beginning, direct the progress, and help in completion. through Christ our Lord. Amen. ---St. Thomas Aquinas/Annette Fricke

Paul was in prison how many times? 7EasterC, 052922, St. Martin's Episcopal Church, Moses Lake, WA

You who love the Lord, hate evil! If I could just be certain that God is speaking through this person or writer, then I might believe that this person is speaking the truth about God. Have you ever thought that way? Like maybe some version of that? When you study the scriptures, you hear things like, “The first five books of the Bible were written by Moses.” Really? Moses was alive at the creation of the world? That is what people believed for a very long amount of time including Jesus and to this day. But the truth is, that upon critical analysis, you will soon discover that there are many writers. “Most scholars agree(d) (now) that the five books of the Pentateuch—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy—came from four sources: the Yahwist, the Elohist, the Deuteronomist and the Priestly source.” That has been determined by the style of the writing, the vocabulary used, all of the literary analyses we use today for anything “penned” by an author. Paul, for example, in the original Greek uses very long, complex sentences compared to other writings in the New Testament. I think his style shows up in our modern liturgy! Now that the subject of Paul has been mentioned, have you ever noticed how many times Paul has been imprisoned and why has it happened so many times? Clement of Rome, (one of the first popes) claims that Paul was seven times behind bars; Paul says simply that it was “far more imprisonments” than his rival apostles (2 Cor. 11:23). It has been suggested that the frequency of Paul’s imprisonment is not descriptive of a heroic political prisoner. It describes someone “poor, homeless, and of an ethnicity that marked him.” Paul “looked a lot like those who get overpoliced and thrown in jail today.” Furthermore, Paul is not following the Roman way of life, but Jewish customs which are not in line with that city’s ethnic values. Profiling by some police is still a real thing. If a person is in hoodie and sweatpants with holes and looking disheveled, that person should not cruise down a four-lane street in a brand-new car. The police will believe it is stolen. People I worked with in Pierce County will tell the same story if that person is black. So why is Paul imprisoned with his companion Silas this time? The story goes that a slave-girl was making money for her owners by fortune-telling. She was thought to be “possessed by a spirit of Python; she was a Pythoness. Python was the name of a snake which guarded the oracle of Delphi and was killed by the god Apollo. Apollo was a deity of the Greeks and Romans. “Python was used for ventriloquists” to utter “mysterious oracles which were believed to be the voice of Apollo.” Luke writes that Paul was annoyed. That seems to be an understatement. In fact, “Acts does not provide a significant rationale for Paul’s reaction. Perhaps the best we can argue is that the (slave) girl’s proclamation while true was also misleading in Paul’s eyes. That is, the ambiguities of her message, the source of her inspiration, and her role as a profitable fortuneteller corroded the full message Paul hoped to proclaim. If Paul was just annoyed, why didn’t he ignore her? The Greek word here actually means, “greatly annoyed.” As a Christian, Paul hates evil and decided something could be done. In Lukan style, Paul setting at liberty the slave girl who is oppressed. We also, can respond to the evil around us. Shootings of innocent children in our schools are evil and have been going on for far too long. We need to take action to address this situation. There are certainly several things we can do. And it is more than just praying about it, far more. Complacency is not an option. Complacency changes nothing. How we treat others matters and what we teach our children matters from the time they are born. If it takes laws and police to enforce what is fair, so be it. If it takes mental health interventions, we can help make it happen. Luke is spot on with his stated mission of the gospel: To set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim release to the captive. Justice must prevail and evil needs to be stamped out. We love the Lord by loving others. You who love the Lord, hate evil! Hate it enough to do something about it with me.

About Tabitha or do we mean Dorcas?

About Tabitha or do we mean Dorcas? The gift of new life, of eternal life, is the gift of the risen Christ. It is the promise of Jesus. It was true for Dorcas in Joppa. It was true for those “who have come out of the great ordeal” in the Revelation vision. It is true for us. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Let’s begin with a little about Luke. Luke’s is the third gospel, but he also wrote the book of Acts. Unlike other gospel writers, he is the only one who writes both a gospel and an account of early ministry happening after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. In Acts, he continues his style of placing stories of both prominent men and prominent women side by side. Today’s snippet from Acts is a story about Tabitha (otherwise known as Dorcas) which precedes the story about Cornelius. Furthermore, Luke is the only one who names a female disciple, and additionally, a female disciple whom he recognizes as one who is doing the work of a disciple of Jesus Christ. Tabitha is known to Peter and when he is called to come quickly, it appears that no questions are asked, and he comes. Their relationship, it appears, was one of mutual respect. Tabitha is a seamstress and sews clothing for the widows who are generally thought to be poor. She does this out of her own money. She is self-sacrificial. When she dies, the other widows of her group grieve much because, like Peter, they recognize her contribution to them. Peter helps them out because he cares about them. Peter responds, and when he gets there, he responds with compassion. Peter and his fellow disciples as well as the women believe in the power of prayer and the power of the Word. They have their own separate ministries as men and women, but they also interact. If you have studied the early church, you know that this is a long-standing pattern of ministry. In modern societal terms, categories of behaviors could be described as verboten, permissible, or “I should do what my conscience or best judgement tells me.” For those of you that don’t know what the word verboten means, it is a German word meaning forbidden. Societal norms often include a code of law that determines what behaviors are not acceptable. In this country, we have many layers of law at local, state, and federal levels. We have similar rules determined by the church also regarding what behaviors are not acceptable. Those rules can be more restrictive than that of society to assure appropriate behavior, mostly as it applies to adult behaviors. Next is permissible behavior. It is permissible if not encouraged to work towards the betterment of others according to both church and society. It is respectable to be polite, to show mutual respect to and for others. Permissible behavior is learning how to get along with others. Although as Christians we tend to think of “Do what your conscience tells you to do, use your best judgement” as being a rule of life, based, of course on scripture, there are times when we don’t take into account different age groups, those who work, those who are retired, men and women, divorced, children---or maybe we do, but can’t figure out a way to meet the needs of simply being supportive of each other, not just in times of crisis, but more often. It is important to provide for a support group. Activities, yes, but support for each other is paramount. We have new people in our midst, and we should welcome them. Now, nearly post-COVID, is a good time to re-group and consider how to incorporate what shape supporting each other will take. Consider being flexible and consider including in current groups and allowing for the formation of new groups. Remember most of all, it’s no so much the activity of meeting together, but getting to know each other and capitalizing on the support we can give each other in those activities. God works through us. It is the support that helps us grow as Christians, Christians who are called to go out into the world sharing the news that Jesus is alive and He is risen! Alleluia! *Connections, Year C, Volume 2, pp. 233-236. *New Proclamation Year C, Easter through Pentecost, 2004, p. 39. *Feasting on the Word, Year C Vol. 2, pp. 426-431. *Acts, Gerhard A. Krodel, pp. 184-186. *Connections, Year C, Volume 2, pp. 233-236. *New Proclamation Year C, Easter through Pentecost, 2004, p. 39. *Feasting on the Word, Year C Vol. 2, pp. 426-431. *Acts, Gerhard A. Krodel, pp. 184-186.

Prayer of loss of loved ones/PTSD for use on Episcopal/Anglican Rosary

Prayer of loss of loved ones/PTSD for use on Episcopal/Anglican Rosary The Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit Cruciform beads: Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry come to you. Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress. Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call. The Weeks: 1. Forgive me for what I did not do to stop what may or may not have resulted in a different outcome. 2. Forgive me for being ashamed of my own actions and feelings, for continuing to hold onto the past. 3. Help me to deal with my present, living to the best of my ability regardless of my perceived rights and wrongdoings of my past. 4. Help me to be gracious to others as you have been gracious to us, not so much judging, but trying to understand several points of view. 5. Help me to realize that all lives are sacred in your sight and that you created us all in your image, to walk in your love. 6. Give me the strength I need to continue my life here on earth without those I loved so dearly in the past. 7. Heal my heart. Comfort me. Help me remember that all shall be well. Assure me of your continued guidance through this life. Invitatory Bead: The Lord’s Prayer Crucifix: All praise to you, God of heaven and earth. Psalm 102:1-2 NRSV, Annette Fricke

Blind Bartimaeus is not so Blind

For those of you who perhaps do not like the Book of Job or have not studied it a whole lot, you may be surprised to discover that despite the age of that book, it has something to say to us. Job is distinguished from his friends in that they only come to argue or debate with him. Job is right with God, not because he knows as God knows, but because he prays. Praying to God is not a private, individual act, it is a communal act—one that acknowledges a relationship with the community around us. If there is one thing remembered from The Very Reverend Bill Ellis in my mind, this is the message. God is not my personal savior as much as God is the savior of all. The problem with thinking about God as a personal savior is the temptation to think that God thinks the same way we do regardless of our actual thought content. God’s salvation is available and accessible to all people and is especially promised to the baptized. But even in baptism, God invites us into community and the community promises to help us in our faith journeys. Our faith journeys are to be accompanied by prayer. That means that not only should we be listening to God, but God’s children who surround us. Job gains insight whereas Bartimaeus gains physical sight. Bartimaeus already has insight. He is seeking to become whole—both insight and physical sight. He believes that Jesus can give him sight and in a very public setting, he reaches out to Jesus in the context of a community who advocates for him. During my seminary years in Columbus, OH, I met a man who was a blind student. Now, 40 some years later, he is a bishop. Here’s what he has to say about being blind as a follower of Jesus: “I understand Bartimaeus as a model of faith and not someone who needs fixing. Jesus tells him his faith has made him well before he receives his sight. Bartimaeus calls to Jesus as Son of David, identifying who Jesus is. He will not be silenced by the crowds. He throws aside his cloak, something dangerous for someone who cannot see to do because he is likely never to find it again. In so doing, he does what the rich man of a few weeks ago might – gave up all his possessions. Bartimaeus knows there’s no going back. Mostly, Bartimaeus begs of Jesus for what he needs. If we personally, societally, and the church did more of that, beg Jesus for mercy rather than pretending we have all the answers and trying to fix things for ourselves, we might be in a better place. Then, having received his sight, Bartimaeus follows Jesus on the way to the cross. Society is largely like the crowd, trying to silence people with disabilities. A few years ago, he was walking through the theology building at Notre Dame. he’d not been there for years. An undergraduate saw him and moved a box out of the way that was in the hallway. He overheard this student explaining to a friend, ‘that’s Dr. S. He doesn’t see well.’ I’m not sure how an undergraduate who wasn’t there when I was would know this and react so quickly.” “So, thinking about Bartimaeus as a model of faith rather than someone who needs fixing might change us in profound ways. Perhaps understanding Bartimaeus in this way would give us the grace to beg for what we need, at least to Jesus, and maybe even to heed the cries of the beggars around us.” "We are all beggars. This is true." Luther knew that like the man born blind, we are all beggars in need of Christ to open our eyes. Like blind beggars we sit in darkness waiting for our eyes to be opened by God who is forever inviting us to follow the way of Jesus. And when our eyes are opened, we see the unconditional grace and love of God. *Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta, GA 3/2014, Dr. Craig Satterlee

In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Proper21BPentecost18, September 26, 2021, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Moses Lake, WA by Annette Fricke Jesus is running out of time. He is on his way to the cross. We understand that Jesus had a lot of disappointing moments with the disciples. Yet here they are again when they come back from a mission trip, not gleefully rejoicing that people are out doing works in Jesus’ name but trying to stop them because they were not following Jesus with them. They were a different group of followers doing exorcisms. If we imagine a close-knit community behind Mark’s gospel with a particular iteration and understanding of its heritage and tradition, then we might understand their anxiety or jealousy arising from encountering a community with similar claims. Mark has no time for such anxiety, jealousy, or elitism. Jesus’ response encompasses a rather expansive, universalistic view of the church. As long as something is being done in the name of Christ they will “by no means lose the reward” (Mark 9:41). It was the summer of 2008. Judy became a theology student staff camp counselor at the ripe age of 50. She was assigned to outreach, which meant being in a different congregation and staying with parishioners in their houses a week at a time. As the summer season of church camp was ending, she had the opportunity to see something she’d never witnessed before. This time, she was staying with a Roman Catholic family who babysat kids for the neighborhood and took the kids to several of the area summer Vacation Bible Schools. In the Roman Catholic tradition, grace before all meals was begun with the words, “In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” She marveled at the creative, inclusive Christian ministry of this family. It reached beyond Roman Catholicism. This summer experience was truly a ministry both given and received. Last Sunday the gospel lesson was about welcoming children. “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” By contrast, here, the admonition is from the negative—not about what we should do, but what we should not do in very graphic, strong language. Many people find it objectional verbiage. Keep in mind that Mark is writing to a specific audience and is likely doing what he can to convince his audience that what we say and do as Christians is important. Simply put, we are not to put a stumbling block before the ‘little ones’ who believe in him. The meaning of ‘little ones’ actually goes beyond the restrictive meaning of ‘children’. It implies all of those considered to be ‘lesser’ in our community and world. We are admonished to “take a hard look at our treatment of little ones who believe in Jesus. Are we supporting them as they totter, or strewing rocks and fences and walls that break them down?” I have a saying on my white board in my office that says, “Growth begins where comfort ends.” This gospel challenges us who may be too comfortable in thinking things are great just the way they are. We need a balance, so that we are welcoming to all. It is a call by Jesus to remember in whose name our actions are done. It is a reminder that we do not in any sense own Jesus or are part of an exclusive club. We belong to Jesus. From the very beginnings of Christianity, there were different factions, and each had their followers. There were those who followed Peter and those who followed Paul. At St. John’s, a Benedictine seminary in Minnesota, a professor pointed out that the Roman Catholic Church has newly discovered and is studying the books attributed to Paul. Reconciliation between the Lutherans and Roman Catholics has progressed by way of the work of the theologians for both sides of a once united church. Each church is learning from the other what beliefs they have in common and are learning to appreciate the others’ viewpoint. Professor Dr. Walter Bouman used to ponder a possible futuristic view of the “Lutheran Rite of the Roman Catholic Church.” Many things are possible when we are open to the working of the Holy Spirit. In our regional diocesan gathering, the question posed by our bishop was this, “How has God transformed us during the COVID pandemic?” A further question is, “How can God continue to transform us as the pandemic continues?” Maybe it can happen on an individual level. Perhaps, as we connect at a deeper level with each other, God’s transformation of us will have a chance. Perhaps that vision of reuniting former split-offs of denominations really can happen. God has already begun to work in us. With God’s help, we can transform the world, one life at a time, one family at a time, one congregation at a time. There is work to be done in the name of Jesus.

About this Blog

I don't know what happened to this blog. The format has changed and there is added content of what I did not originally put in my posts, making them difficult to read. I am saddened, but hang on to other, new things in my life which are not recorded here. Please be aware that since I am a licensed preacher for the Episcopal Church since 2014, all sermons written from that year on are the property of the Episcopl Church. However, I am not ordained in the church. I am not a deacon, priest, or vicar. I am simply a licensed preacher for the congregation of St. Martin's in Moses Lake, WA. I would welcome feedback on my sermons because I would like to make them better in any way I can. Thank you for your readership and please pass on the address of this blog to your friends.

What is Defilement?

14PentecostProper17B, August 29, 2021, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, by Annette Fricke What is defilement? The heading to this gospel passage in my “Synopsis of the Four Gospels is “Defilement---Traditional and Real.” This gospel text is another one of those confrontations Jesus has with the Pharisees. The Pharisees hold both written and oral tradition equally. This title is used to describe Jesus’ allowing his disciples to disregard the oral tradition of the ceremonial washing of hands before eating. A part of that gospel taken out of this reading, is where Jesus points out that “the tradition of the elders… is nothing more than ‘human tradition’ that seeks to evade the commandment of God.” The Pharisees saw it as disregarding the law, and therefore, sinful. Jesus disputed the whole matter of ritual purity and food laws. Now before we cheer on Jesus, the intent of the Pharisee teaching is to “mark a respect for every aspect of God’s created order.” So basically what Jesus is saying is that we can respect every aspect of God’s created order without that ritual. In August of 2012, I attended the funeral of my mother’s best friend from her childhood. As it turns out, she was a great friend of many others. The pastor went to visit her often and was strongly reprimanded if he did not bring her, each visit, the names of the congregation prayer list. If other people in the congregation did not know she prayed for them, they did now. The little church of both her childhood and mine was as full as any Christmas pageant I had ever seen there. I remember my mother telling me that her friend’s husband was an alcoholic. That was difficult for her. Defilement is descriptive of how people saw alcoholism, at least for that time and congregation, and was a shameful and shaming word. However, alcoholism was apropos to our family, although my mother never admitted it. I am just speculating here, but I think it was because it was considered sinful to be alcoholic. It wasn’t just her side of the family; it was Dad’s as well. For many years, alcoholism was considered to be a moral failure, and the only treatment in that day, was to attend AA meetings. Related to that, the new requirement for mental health counselors, begun at least as early as 2007, was to 1. Take classes in substance use disorders, 2. Pass the state test and, 3. Complete several hours under a substance use disorder professional. There was a time when only substance users themselves were qualified to be substance use counselors because it was believed that they knew what the struggle was and were therefore more appropriate counselors to address addiction. Sometimes defilement means denial; denial that defilement exists and denial that substance use is a problem in our society. How do we address problems in society if we deny their existence, have no education, and no resources? Now that we have access to these things, let’s continue to address substance use in our community. It is more than just making treatment available. To do justice in the world, we are called to be aware of the issues of jail time vs. treatment and help decide on a humanitarian, gospel-informed approach. Today, society is asked to address another very real problem. We are still in the process of addressing a global pandemic. It is once again mandated in certain situations to avoid the spread of the active virus in our midst, that we wear a mask and wash our hands on a regular basis. It is practical and it does help slow down transmission of the virus from one person to another. It is not a ritual cleansing, although, it is hoped that washing hands ‘religiously’ will become a habit and a way of taking care of those around us as well as ourselves. Washing hands has been the practice of healthcare workers for many years, especially since the discovery of the presence and role of disease-causing bacteria and viruses. It is not just for surgeons. Keep in mind the spirit of these guidelines and the intent, which is to stop the virus from infecting and killing us. We are all vulnerable. What is defilement? to make foul, dirty, or unclean; pollute; taint; debase. -to violate the chastity of. -to make impure for ceremonial use; desecrate. -to sully, as a person's reputation. Jesus was all about life and preserving life, that we might have life more abundantly. Jesus does not think that pure and impure are moral terms to be applied to life or thought to be sin. According to Jesus, “…sin is a matter of the heart, the will, rather than violating laws of purity. Sin involves principally acts harmful to the neighbor. These actions, arising from a corrupt will, are what defile.” ‘Go and sin no more’ is an admonition that means to fuse our wills to what Jesus wants for the world; to promote life, to live life with the love of Jesus in our hearts. It means that we do not live in a perfect world, but we do have the means to make it a better world. The God who forgives the sins of the world empowers us to do so. My references did not post. I used a couple of pages, namely 103. 104, and 106 from Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament, Mark, by Donald H. Juel, @1990 Augsburg Press, Minneapolis.

Jesus uses the title, “Daughter”

Jesus uses the title, “Daughter.” I do not know what the proper term is, but Mark makes use here of a literary style where there are two stories, making a whole. Think of a sandwich where the filling is in between 2 slices of bread. More specifically concerning this text, a miracle within a miracle. The stories are the final 2 miracles in a section of Mark that include a total of 4 miracles. In these 2 miracles, Jesus exercises his power over sickness and death. These 2 stories, because they are part of a whole, have things in common as well as sharp contrasts. They are as follows: THE BLEEDING WOMAN JAIRUS AND HIS DAUGHTER A woman A man A woman A girl poor probably wealthy a nobody a somebody no status status anonymous "Jairus" no support from others Father pleads for daughter approaches Jesus secretly approaches Jesus publicly excluded from the Synagogue a Synagogue leader unable to have children a father There is another difference I would like for you to consider. How many of you recall the story of the raising of Lazarus? How many of you recall the raising of Jairus’ daughter? And if you remember both, which comes to mind first? I bet for many of you, Lazarus is the first and I bet it has something to do with the way that story is written. Nowhere do we find a name for either of the females, only Jairus and Jesus. Jesus often goes outside of the societal dictates of proper relationships. Jesus tended to treat men, women, and children equally. As he does this, he is teaching us about relationships between male and female in society. It is about relationships being a two-way process. Note that Jesus reaches out to the woman AFTER she touched him, and Jesus reaches out to the daughter whose father has compassion for his daughter to seek help for her in her illness and continues to pursue healing. The suffering Jesus is also the healing Jesus. Our lives in society and more importantly, as the people called ‘Christian’ are all about our relationships with other people, both Christian or not Christian, male or female, those who fit or do not fit what we believe about any topic. This story composed of 2 stories is about accepting people where they are, both reaching out and allowing others to come to us. This is a reminder for us to be open to the opportunities God places before us each day.

Pandemic Musings

 We have come almost full circle.  I have written nothing.  But, I have been reading, watching way too much Netflix and Prime Video.  On this day, I grieve the loss of so many people, some to COVID, some to other causes.  We are now, as a state and a nation, in the process of vaccinating in the expectation of putting the brakes on this runaway train.  We have waited almost a year now and I know that I, for one have run the gamut of emotions from depression and anxiety to calm and learning to really think things out.  This pandemic has caused me to slow down, not be so impulsive in my wanting everything to be "normal" or whatever the term might be for where I once was.  I am certain that whatever I once was or where-ever I once was, I cannot return.  It is still a recognizable me, but this me has changed. This me has gained a new understanding of relationships and made some connections where they weren't before.

I have gained insight into myself in a way that was probably not possible otherwise.  I have learned to be patient and to trust God and other people in my life more, more than the "normal" track I was on to a new "normal."

To all who have read this blog, God's peace be with you.  God's love be with you.  Learn to cherish other people as God cherishes you.  You are a child of God and loved by God more than our imaginations could possibly conceive.

Masks

The governor of this state has issued a quarantine for the entire state.  In addition, each health department for each county has responded with their own recommendations for how to stop or at least slow down the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

People actually follow the advice of  "Shelter in Place" according to their own interpretation.  Some still believe that this is just a political thing and do not take it seriously.  (yes, there may be some strong political undertones regarding the funding and testing) Some act as though there is no information out there.  This is very real.  It is a real virus and despite the origin of it, it continues to make sick and take the lives of many.  We are asked something that is very simple: No non-essential trips.  That means groceries (don't make a bunch of small trips, but 1-2 weeks is sufficient).  Always wear a mask and keep social distance. We do know that the virus is spread through droplets and more forcefully through heavy exercise such as jogging and singing--therefore the mask and no gatherings such as church at this time.

Be aware of that story of the gatherings where people got sick and some died.  Many have been infected.  It may not be someone you know, but probably is someone you know who knows that person.  Many people have lived in this area for generations and many not only know people, but are related to many.

Try to go to the grocery store when it is not peak hours for shopping--early.  You can tell before you step inside by surveying the parking lot.  Take a list with you and follow the list, check out and leave the store.  This is not a time for browsing.

Best source of knowledge on the virus is your local health department (Each county has one), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO).  The CDC has even put out a video that instructs how to make a mask that requires no sewing.  Use those old t-shirts.  It may in fact, save your life as well as your loved ones.

Be safe!  Care for others by caring for yourself!  We will get through this and if we follow these guidelines, we will get through it sooner.

Pray for our nation (USA).  Pray for our people. Pray for those who have been infected and those who have died from the infection.  Pray for an immunization.

Thank you, God

Thank you, Gracious God, for the grace that you have given to us in this time of increased anxiety, panic and depression.  In a world that has turned upside down, we either learn to survive or give up.  Much of what we have is what we have to live with at this moment. We have to devise new ways of being and reassess what it means to be the people of God in a world that is now so different, so changed from what we have known up to this point.

If one were to write a book at this juncture of pandemic, what would be its title?  Perhaps the title would be something like, “Masks” and it would be about both the physical masks we wear as well as the social masks we wear---yet address that last subject with view to the past as well as the present.

Palm/Passion Sunday is coming up this Sunday, and we are not allowed to gather in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines as put out by the governor of this state, Governor Jay Inslee.  There are those who would have him taken out of office, but he has done well to ignore what President Trump has so loudly proclaimed about the virus.  Precautions should be taken, and taken now.  We all should be wearing masks because we are all at risk for contracting this virus and possibly also dying from it.  We also have the capability of carrying it without knowing and then passing it on to someone else.  It then becomes a chain of what appears to be unstoppable events.

If one looks at the numbers and compares it to past pandemics, it does not yet seem so bad, yet we are yet to see what happens.  This event is not over.  This pandemic has affected us in that we are all aware by the constant news reports, by the work environment, those who worry greatly about whether or not their business will be in operation when this is over.

We can only hope that somehow we will come out on the other end---after constantly checking on our family and friends, praying that nobody we know personally has become infected or worse yet, it has progressed to death.  Hope is all we have.  It is the only sustainer.

God of Hope, We ask for your presence in our lives this day.  That you would walk with us and assure us that for this day, you will be there.  We are thankful for our lives both past and present.  Help us always to be grateful for the present moment, to live in that moment.  Keep us from either looking at the past as being better or the future looking bleak.  Keep us one day at a time in hope.  For this day, we give you thanks.  Amen.

Listen to Him

LastSundayafterEpiphanyA, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church February23, 2020 by Annette Fricke

Today is the last Sunday after the Epiphany.  Some denominations

follow a different calendar and call this one Transfiguration Sunday.  It may be a bit confusing for those of us who were Lutherans.  The great orienting part to this is that the lessons and gospel are the same.  The Greek word that is used to describe what happens to Jesus translates into the English word meaning metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is defined as “a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.”^[1] Probably the most common way that people explain this five syllable word is the process of a caterpillar that becomes a butterfly. There is something similar to that in our Old Testament lesson where Moses also experiences this type of transformation also on a mountain top.  He comes out with his face shining which is interpreted by the people that he has seen God face to face.  In both instances, the chosen others to experience this are few in number.  For Moses, he took one assistant, Joshua; and for Jesus it was his inner circle among the 12 disciples of just James and John, the sons of Zebedee and Peter.  The response of these disciples is fear.  The text says that they fell to the ground. God wants to make sure that what is said is heard.  Remember the beginning of this liturgical season, The Epiphany?  You know when we talk about the magi bringing gifts to the baby Jesus?  And that Sunday is followed by The Baptism of Jesus? Now we are at the end of the Epiphany season, just before Lent.  The gospels are similar.  At Jesus’ baptism we read, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”  Today Matthew reports not only that Jesus is God’s Son, but what God expects us to do.  In today’s gospel, it reads, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”  Not only is this God’s Son with whom God is well pleased, but we are to listen to him.  We are to listen to Jesus!  This is the preparatory moment where Jesus will now be going to Jerusalem to the cross.  This is a time when people do not want to hear what happens to Jesus.  Crucifixion was the fate of thieves and other criminals.  It was a slow death.  There were no gas chambers or nuclear bombs.  Most of us identify with Peter at this point and don’t want this to happen to Jesus.  Most of us do not like hearing the recitation of Jesus’ trial or reading it on Palm Sunday or the story of the tearing of the curtain of the temple or the earthquake.  We don’t want to see that human side of Jesus because it is not comfortable.  We’d rather see the divine Jesus, not the human Jesus and we forget that Jesus is both.  It is difficult for us to wrap our minds around this one as it also was for the first disciples, even James, John, and Peter. It is a natural reaction to the story of Jesus at this point to go into the journey of Lent, to bury the alleluias, to experience a certain amount of the emotions of what we feel when we see someone we love very much suffer.  When we truly love Jesus and attempt to follow what Jesus taught and lived, those emotions will emerge. It will emblazon on our hearts just how much God loves all of us; so much that Jesus suffered and continues to suffer also with us as humanity of all generations in that faith journey.

          The transfiguration of Jesus is a true mountaintop experience which testifies to the glory of God.  It is fuel for the journey, a long spiritual journey as we contemplate the voice of Jesus in our everyday human lives here on earth. As we listen to the mission of Jesus and go about our mission to the people around us, those who are fearful like James, John, and Peter; remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  Unlike James, John and Peter, we know for sure that light is there, it’s just a matter of time--40 days.  That light is the resurrection.

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^[1] https://www.google.com/search?q=definition+of+metamorphosis&rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS854US855&oq=definition+of+metamorphosis&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l7.14981j1j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Come and See

2EpiphanyA St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Moses Lake by Annette Fricke

This gospel lesson takes place the day after Jesus’ baptism. There are just three points that are worth making from today’s gospel lesson and they are this: John the Baptist did not know Jesus before he came for baptism.  This is an important point because this is said twice.  Number 2, Jesus is identified by John the Baptist as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.  This is also said twice.  Note that sin is singular, not plural.  Thirdly, the result is that Andrew decides to follow Jesus and tells his brother Simon Peter who also becomes a disciple of Jesus. 

We might be puzzled at John the Baptist no knowing Jesus because stuck in the back of our minds is the account in Luke where John the Baptist’s mother and Jesus’ mother meet when they are both pregnant.  How is it that John the Baptist and Jesus did not know each other until now?  Aren’t they cousins or something?  We are not told how to fill in that gap.  John tells us that John the Baptist knows this is Jesus because he saw the Spirit descending onto Jesus from heaven like a dove when he baptized Jesus.  This is how John the Baptist recognized Jesus. The text says “the one who sent him,” but ultimately God seems to have told him that this would be the indicator, this would be the identified Messiah who had been prophesied for many, many years. This was the fulfillment of that prophesy.  And John the Baptist knows that even though he has gained prominence as a leader and maybe even seen as a prophet, he knows that Jesus is the real thing.  He knows that comparing him to Jesus means that Jesus must become the leader now in order to carry out the mission of God, of how God will through Jesus be the savior of the world, the entire world.

In that role of Messiah, John the Baptist says twice, just in case we didn’t hear or notice it the first time, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”  Note again that the word ‘sin’ is singular; it is not ‘sins.’ Jesus is not one of many lambs with lower case l, but is the Lamb with a capital L. The word sin that this Lamb takes away is our condition of sin.  One of my seminary professors describes it as “It is not possible to not sin.”  I know this is a double negative, but this is the condition of humanity from which we need to be saved.  We will continue to sin as in plural sins.  Jesus takes away the barrier caused by our sinful nature so that our relationship to God in a very real sense is restored.  Both the cause of sin is taken away as well as the effects, even guilt.  God does not see our sin as we do.  We forget this and need reminding.  God is always with us and everything God has is ours.[i]  That is the grace of God in which we are called to live every day, each day. That, my friends, is good news and a cause for celebration. 

And because this is good news, we have good news to share when we go out into the world, when we gather for worship, when we share what we have with people we don’t even know.  And just maybe our approach should be just that, asking what people are looking for in a church and then saying to them, “Come and see.”  Many people will say that they want to go to a church where they preach the gospel and because that can mean something different to different people, it is enough to say, “Come and see.”  Allow people to see for themselves without our pronouncements or explanations of what we may believe or think.  Simply put, “Hi. What are you looking for in a church?  And listen to what that person has to say.  If they ask if we have that, say that we are open to input. Then invite them—you can hand them one of the pens up front at the table where the greeter hands out the bulletins and crayons.  Tell them, “Come and See.”  You don’t have to say that Jesus sent you, even though Jesus did send you.

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[i] Frederick Dale Bruner, The Gospel of John: A Commentary, p.81