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

Advent 3 meditation 2012

Advent 3 meditation written by me: The Jews were given many conceptions of what the promised Messiah would be, and so John the Baptist asks the poignant question, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”(Matt. 11:3)  His question is very specific.  If I wanted to be sure of something, this is how I ask.  It is really very simple, as simple as giving a “Yes” or a “No.” Is this it or should I look for something else, someone else?  John really wants to know because John wishes to shift the people to the person he preached about.  John’s purpose in relation to Jesus is to not only point to Jesus, but shift to a lower gear.  Instead of followers of John the Baptist, John himself will become a disciple or follower of Jesus, but only if he is the long-awaited Messiah. If we back up just a bit, we read, “A disciple is not above the teacher…”(Matt.10:24) Just as the Jews of long ago waited and longed for the coming of Jesus, so we wait for him to come today.  As in verse one of Hymn 66, we seek his presence both now and in the future: “Come, thou long-expected Jesus, born to set thy people free; from our fears and sins release us, let us find our rest in thee.”

The Kingdom of God is like a Potato

Our new assignment from yesterday's formation/Bible class was to write our own parable.  We are also to read several passages of scripture from both the Hebrew scriptures and the New Testament.  So here goes.

The kingdom of God is like a potato.
It has many eyes, yet cannot see.
But once it is planted and cultivated, the eyes will grow and produce enough potatoes to feed many.
Copyright, 2019 Annette Fricke


I chose the potato because it is a regional crop of the county of Grant in Washington State where I currently reside and where my church is located.  Grant County is known as the largest producer of potatoes of any county in the entire United States.
Washington, although a very large producer of apples grows many more kinds of fruits, vegetables, and grains.  It has a very important contribution to the US economy.  However, the state of Idaho is currently the highest producer of all the states of potatoes. Washington and Wisconsin are behind that as large producers. https://www.statista.com/statistics/382166/us-potato-production-by-state/

Here is your challenge.  Write a parable that you would tell about the kingdom of God for your particular region of where you live and/or work.

A Horse with No Name

16PentecostProper21C, St Martin’s Episcopal Church, Moses Lake, WA Morning Prayer by Annette Fricke

This gospel snippet, like most of them in the gospel according to Luke is about reversals.  Note that the homeless man has a name and the wealthy man does not. It’s usually the other way around, isn’t it? I guess in some sense we all have names, but this passage is talking about power and prestige.  The people who have names, even in the United States, is because they are famous or known for something most in the society consider to be important.  One of the retorts people continue to use past childhood when they challenge the authority over them is, “Who died and made you king or queen?”  In other words, “What makes you better than me?”  That is really what this lesson is all about.  If a person has a name, they have recognition for something that they have accomplished in life, like being a celebrity, the mayor of a town, the Queen of England, or the first person to walk on the moon.  It makes them special compared to the average commoner. Another common expression is that someone should “get off his or her high horse!” High horse is clearly used as a metaphor and clearly implying that someone has decided that he or she is better than others.

Consider the words written by Dewey Bennell, lead singer that some of us know as words sung by the band America in 1971:

“I've been through the desert on a horse with no name

It felt good to be out of the rain

In the desert you can remember your name

'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain,” then later

“But the humans will give no love”[1]

            These words convey a view of life, the negative side of life, perhaps even depression, despair, and loneliness which is more clearly the view in the America song, “Lonely People” which came out in 1974.[2]

            The point is that relationships, although they may be difficult to form and maintain, are essential to living life to the fullest.  This gospel section is an example of how lonely it can be both at the top of society as well as the bottom.  None of us is better than someone else.  We are all human. Despite where we may feel we identify with this scenario; loneliness is common to most people at some time in their lives. We are called to make connections with people both from our weaknesses as well as our strengths, to help each other out no matter how big or small the task.  Be aware especially of the statistics for suicide and reach out as someone they can talk with, make the first step for those too shy or uncomfortable to initiate conversation.  We can make a difference.  Studies have shown that most people have had some sort of traumatic events in their childhood which has been shown to have a high correlation to problems with anxiety and depression later as adults, sometimes also Posttraumatic Stress symptoms.  Our veterans who have been in combat situations are another as well as teens and young males.  We can help bring wholeness.  God will empower us to do so.

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[1] https://www.bing.com/search?q=a+horse+with+no+name+lyrics&form=EDGSPH&mkt=en-us&httpsmsn=1&refig=2a41028bbb17493ab801514a008fc04d&sp=2&qs=AS&pq=a+horse+wi&sk=LS1&sc=8-10&cvid=2a41028bbb17493ab801514a008fc04d&cc=US&setlang=en-US

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm4BrZjY_Sg

Foxes have Holes

Proper8, Morning Prayer Rite I and II, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, June 30, 2019 by Annette Fricke 

We hear the words in our gospel lesson, “I will follow you wherever you go” and “Follow me.”  God is constantly beckoning us forward.  Following implies that there is an interest, like Facebook.  Following implies that we are interested or attracted to that person we are following.  In times past, it meant that we wanted to know the news from the person we were following.  We wrote letters or made phone calls in order to “keep in touch.”  Sometimes, when people move away or become older, we lose touch.  At other times, people ask us how a brother or sister is doing or how’s the family? Who is Jesus that we should follow him? 

There are many types of leaders. Many of you may remember the game called Simon Says.  The leader of the group is in control of what is said and whether it is just a statement or Simon Says.  When the group leader says “Simon Says”, that is the only time the group is to take seriously what they are asked to do.  It seems sneaky and even like pulling a trick even though it is quite straightforward. It is merely a test to see how well you listen or how long you are able to concentrate on the leader.  Jesus will not try to trick us. 

Teachers also fall into the leadership role.  They are tasked with overseeing the learning process and the academic discipline of a classroom of children or adults.  One is considered a good teacher, indeed a good leader if the students are learning the objectives of the class. In college or graduate school, the student is to take on more responsibility for his or her own learning, being less dependent on the teacher and doing one’s own research. Yet, teachers are there to help us if we don’t understand the material. Likewise it is that way with Jesus as our teacher. 

As time goes by, we learn to ask of ourselves, who, besides God, do we follow, admire, and/or emulate?  What values will we adopt for ourselves considering the choices we have before us and how will those choices affect those around us? How can we help? How do we balance self-care with tending to the needs of others? Maybe we need something like budgeting skills or help with viruses on our computers.  It could be someone here or someone here knows someone who can help us or give us a listening ear. 

Beyond the Jewish view which Tevye espouses in “Fiddler on the Roof”, we are to study who God is and seek to know what God expects of us.  We need to be mindful that our understanding of God and what God expects may be a bit different from how others perceive. At the same time, we are called as a community to respond with compassion. We are called to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. 

Our leader is Jesus, the one who had nowhere to lay his head just as there are people now in the same situation.  Poverty and homelessness, disputes about illegal immigrants and the separation of children from their parents, not giving them basic necessities continue to beg our attention. To follow God is to do and be like our leader, Jesus who rested and prayed as well as who went straight to the cross continuing to live life amidst many obstacles, with his eyes to the Father and to whole-heartedly embody God’s love for the world, the entire world.  No exceptions. 

“Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Yet Jesus said then and says now, “Follow me, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”  Proclaim the kingdom of God every day and to all. Pick up your cross and follow me. The world is waiting for God’s compassion to be delivered by us.  Keep doing what you believe God is calling you to do as an individual person and do not look back.  Keep doing what we as a congregation believe God wants from us. Do not dwell on what was said or done in the past.  Leave it in the past and move forward. Keep your eye on Jesus because he is our leader. And remember that no matter what, we will always be graced by God’s blessing. 

Don't give Thomas a Bad Rap!

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

This is the Sunday known by many as Doubting Thomas Sunday.  No doubt that it must be accurate since it has been several years that this title has stuck.  Not so.  The New Testament was written in Greek, koine Greek to be exact.  It is our translations that make an error when they use doubting to describe Thomas.  In fact, there is no word in Greek for doubt in the verse where this phrase is derived.  Therefore, Doubting Thomas should never be the title stuck to this Sunday, the second Sunday in Easter. The Greek word here properly translated means without faith or without trust, disbelieving or unbelieving.  A similar word in English, agnostic means without knowledge.  Most people know that agnostic means that when a person is described as agnostic, it means he or she is uncertain as to whether or not God exists. Furthermore, Jesus does not condemn Thomas for not trusting the word of the other disciples, but rather, Jesus invites Thomas to touch him and look at him. It seems that calling Thomas “Doubting Thomas” gives him a bad rap. Thomas is given a bad reputation and yet, among all the other resurrection appearances, the other disciples also do not have an immediate recognition of Jesus who was right in front of them until a particular action of Jesus.  Remember that Mary did not recognize Jesus until he called her by name. Recall also that when Mary told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, their response was like that of Thomas: they did not believe her.

Think about it.  This is how we verify the truth as human beings.  Remember Galileo who proposed that the sun is the center of the universe?  He was not believed.  Now that we have the evidence, it is an accepted truth.  We have been given by our creator at least 5 senses and that is how we determine what is true and what is not true.  We also follow the experimental method presented to us by scientific study.  If the same results come from repeating an experiment, the conclusion must be true.  Chemical reactions under the same conditions produce the same results.  Eyewitnesses are usually trusted more than second or third hand knowledge regarding a murder or crime scene.  

This part of John’s gospel tells us about eye witness accounts.  All of these stories are about people who saw Jesus after his resurrection.  But we do not have the benefit of seeing Jesus face to face as they did.  How is it that we come to know Jesus?  The writer of John hints that the stories of the signs of Jesus in the presence of his disciples are to somehow produce faith that Jesus is the Messiah, God’s Son and that through believing you may have life in Jesus’ name.  The details are not there.  We are left wondering and re-reading the Gospel of John.  What did we miss?

Perhaps it has something to do with Jesus saying to the disciples, “Peace be with You”, not once or twice, but three times in just eight verses.  Many will automatically think that this word peace means personal tranquility.  Nope!  This is from a Greek word that has to do with relationships.  The disciples must work together if they are to witness for Jesus.  Jesus says “Peace be with you” in two specific spots, when he first enters the room and just before commissioning the disciples and breathing on them as a giving and receiving of the Holy Spirit. The mission of the church does not happen if there are many arguments and disagreements among its members.  Bad relationships are a hindrance to mission.  The Church is a living, breathing organism which gets its life from God.  We always have the free will to go to the right or to the left—to lethargy or to pride, but we have been given the Holy Spirit to empower us to go out into the world and teach the world about the salvation of Jesus.

Jesus is about the business of forgiveness.  It pops up everywhere in the New Testament.  It’s not about morals, but relationships.  Relationships need forgiveness in order to be sustained and to grow.  If we journey back to the Garden of Eden, we are reminded that the relationship between Adam and Eve broke down as well as their relationship with God.  Humanity chose to take a different path, not following God.  God never gave up on us.  We gave up on God and in little or big ways we continue to do that.  Here God is reminding us that God is always there for us, like the prodigal son’s father—forever waiting for our return, always supplying what we need, always lavishing us with love no matter how undeserving we may feel we are, no matter how often or how badly we stray. It is in the power of that love that we can carry on the work of God in this church and out into the world. The love of the father of the prodigal son is the same love that we are to show each other and to the world.  We are to do as Jesus has taught us.  We are to continue to proclaim with Thomas, “My Lord and my God!”

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  As the Father has sent me, so I send you.  Receive the Holy Spirit.

Being a Follower of Jesus

7EpiphanyC, February 24, 2019, for St Martin’s Episcopal Church, Moses Lake, WA by Annette Fricke
The setting of this gospel lesson is part of what is termed the Sermon on
the Plain. Jesus preaches this to the disciples, but is meant for all the people to
listen to and to heed.
What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? For those of us who are
curious as to what was said in that secret meeting we had with the bishop after
the potluck last Sunday, this is what she said: “To be a follower of Jesus implies
movement.” It means that we do not stand still. The world is in motion and so
are we. We may sit for a while in one place, but then we get up and move around.
When we have a meeting or when we are here for Holy Eucharist, we don’t stay
for an indefinite time period for hours on end. There is a beginning and an end. It
is like doing other things. If we go to the library, we have to leave when it closes
and preferably before that because as much as we may like the library, there
comes a time when we need to move on to something else in our lives that begs
our attention. If we go to the grocery store, as much as we may like having
conversation with the cashier, there are others standing in line who wish to
purchase their items and go home to prepare dinner. Our lives are not like a rock
that simply stands in its place till someone or some equipment moves it. We are
2
not rocks nor are we islands. For the most part, we are people who are meant to
have relationships with several of the people around us at work, school, the store,
the library, with perhaps a caregiver or simply a friend.
Not only does being a follower of Jesus imply movement, it also means
transformation. If we are to allow our lives to be transformed, we need first of all
to listen, really listen. We are to listen to God. The opening words to today’s
gospel begin, “But I say to you that listen…” If we don’t listen, how can we be
sure that we are following Jesus? How can our lives be transformed, if we do not
listen? I am reminded of a scene where Poirot, a fictional detective is in his room
praying to Mary on a kneeler. As he prays, all the images and words of the day
come flooding into his brain. But amongst these, he hears another voice which
says to him repeatedly, “Where is the offense you’ve committed?” “Where is the
offense you’ve committed?” Being faithful to God goes beyond the mere
recitation of the prayers made to God for several thousands of years. It means
we are willing to be transformed. It means paying attention to what we do and
don’t do. For the detective, he listened to all the back talk of the other
detectives, how they put him down and he allowed them to have the last word.
They convinced him that there was no murder and left the story they told
unchallenged. They told him that there was a break-in, but they did not see the
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woman who lived there, assumed that she had gone to the bar as was her
custom, therefore there was no murder. Poirot listened and was compelled by
this exchange to go further and determined it would not be the end and he
insisted on proving this case to be otherwise. He went to the scene of the crime
to do his own investigation, and he was right. She was murdered. Even though
this is fiction, there are elements that apply to us as well if we would just listen.
Transformation means allowing God to take hold of us and change us. It
means not simply doing things the same way we have always done them before.
The culture has changed around us. The culture has different interests. God is
calling us to reach out and to challenge those cultural values of hatred and crime,
dog eat dog society. We are called to be helpers to bring about justice where it
has gone astray, to support the dignity of every human being, to have real
conversation face to face. It would be easy to simply retreat into the past, but
that is not what God has called us to do. Christianity is not easy because loving
our enemies and doing good to those who hate us is very difficult. And our
perceived enemies are everywhere. It is not just a matter of reconciliation among
friends and relatives, it is reaching out to that person or persons that are
different, that are radically different from us and forming relationships we have
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never had before. It is stepping out into a world many of us may only know a
little bit about.
Most importantly, Jesus is telling us that we need to go one step further in
our relationships. We are to go beyond the standard of the day which is to fight
back with the same negative treatment we get. The Old Testament maxim of an
eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth still lives today. It is a natural reaction to
retaliate, but it is not God’s way. Jesus communicates that we are not to judge
nor condemn, but to forgive and to be merciful.
When someone hits us or calls us names and talks about us negatively
behind our backs, we are not to strike back or do the same. Rather, we are called
to be the bigger person and set the example for others. We are called to give
from our hearts just as God loves us so very much, giving us everything necessary.
Let us always keep in mind the words of the prophet Micah who said and I
paraphrase, what is it that God requires of you but to do justice, love kindness
and walk humbly with your God?
God truly loves us beyond our imaginations, but that is not the end. We are
also called to be transformed by God to be our best selves, people who care
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enough to do more than the average person. God says to us, be merciful just as I
have been merciful to you.

I have an Announcement to Make!

Advent4C, St Martin’s Episcopal Church, December 23, 2018 by Annette Fricke    

            “I have an announcement to make!”  We have heard that statement made several times in our lives and today is no different. We always have announcements at the end of the service.  It is predictable.  What isn’t predictable is whether or not the announcement will be a joyful one, a sad one, or something somewhere in between.  Announcements are made to inform what may have already happened as well as something to come in the future.  Announcements are always considered to be important, if not to the audience, certainly to the person either making the announcement or the one who wants the announcement made.  Sometimes considering the source determines the importance of what is about to be announced. 

            Today, we have another kind of announcement.  The source is thought to be God or God’s messengers.  Jesus and John the Baptist are in the wombs of two women.  God is announcing the impending birth of the long-awaited Messiah and the Messiah’s forerunner.  This is the climax of the waiting period called Advent. Prophecy has once again been fulfilled, and in both cases.  These are not ordinary births by any means or rationale, if you believe that Jesus is God’s son and has the power to redeem us. If you believe that Jesus is God’s son and has the power to redeem us.  It’s a big jump to faith that some people have totally discarded or still struggle to make sense of it all—this Jesus who is God become human flesh.  Few people have seemed to embrace God’s direction and accepted his or her part with such purity and unwavering faith. At least, that is the portrayal of Luke.  By contrast, Luke says that Zechariah does not believe that Elizabeth will conceive in her old age and therefore becomes mute till the little JB is born.

            What does this all mean for those of us living in the 21^st century?  Who or what is our inspiration to continue to spread the faith of the gospel, that faith that began even before the birth of Jesus?  There are many things that would distract us and one of them is the constant barraging of the secular version of Christmas. The emphasis of spending a lot of money on friends, family and co-workers for items that, more times than not, they already have.  Some take the no-nonsense approach and opt out of particular activities in protest.  One opts out of the white elephant, fearing reception of an unwanted gift and another does not participate in the Secret Santa due to the unevenness of some spending way more than others.  It is not out of disrespect for co-workers as much as it is wanting to focus rather on the treasured relationships that have developed over the years. Many people in sub groups of communities have realized that it really isn’t about the gifts as much as the relationships developed in that context. But it goes beyond asking oneself—who can we count on to be a friend and who will appreciate us?

            In our Intergenerational Advent Gathering, we have studied St. Nicholas and St. Lucy for more than the reason that their feast days are between Sundays in Advent.  We have looked closely as to why they were deemed saints by the Church, the Roman Catholic Church long ago and later by other Christian groups.  Both St. Nicholas and St. Lucy are remembered for their generosity to others.  St. Nicholas was kind to and helped children, especially the children who lived in poverty.  St. Lucy helped bring food to her fellow believers.  Both lived under the rule of the Roman Emperor Diocletian who outlawed Christianity and demanded that everyone bow down to the Roman gods.  St. Nicholas survived.  St. Lucy did not.

            When we think of those who went before us, we realize that Christianity has withstood some very difficult times.  It seems odd in our world to imagine being killed for being a Christian in Sicily, yet surviving in what is now Turkey.  Our world has changed a great deal. The obstacles in the 200s and 300s AD are much different.  The question is once again raised to us.  How can we reach others with that gospel message of love and acceptance?  How can this announcement put a light into other people’s hearts?  How can we live our lives so that God’s light shines through us?

            The contributions of John the Baptist and Jesus are significant. John tells us that to prepare our hearts for Jesus, we must repent.  Repent, move on and repeat. A humble attitude towards others prepares the way for relationship, a relationship that lasts.  It’s not a magic formula; relationships are rarely without disagreements and rough patches.  Sometimes we figure out the fine art of knowing when to speak and when to listen.  Once we connect with others, many unexpected things can happen, some of them surprisingly good things.

            “I have an announcement to make!”  Jesus is ready to make entry into your life in a new way.  Leave yesterday and all its troubles behind. Make way for him, for his abundant grace that will lead you to be filled with grace to overflowing.  He’s at the door right now.  We are called to open that door. Allow him to do his work in our lives as a community; the community called St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Moses Lake, WA.  Allow Jesus to mend our relationships to move forward into the new year. Jesus has come to be with us, to walk beside us and lead us.  Rejoice, rejoice and let your lights appear! Take the love of Jesus with you everywhere you go!

Humility Helps

Proper24B, October 21, 2018, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church by Annette Fricke

            Abraham Maslow was a very influential Psychologist who lived from 1908-1970. He is probably best known for the concept of his model of the hierarchy of needs.  If you are not familiar with his hierarchy of needs, it is usually shaped like a triangle with the base at the bottom narrowing to the pointed top.  The triangle is the same length on all three sides.  On this schema, he posits that the lowest of humanities’ needs are of a physical nature.  This is said to include such basics as food, clothing and shelter.  The second level is that of safety, the need to feel safe in the environment.  The debate about guns, pepper spray and tasers in this society has to do with feeling safe and able to defend oneself. Level three concerns love and belonging.  An example of where this may go wrong is the development of gangs.  Young people who choose to be a part of a gang are generally from families of abuse and/or neglect.  They feel that they don’t belong.  There are few family connections or ties. Positive activities may include school groups or 4-H clubs. Level four is about esteem. “Esteem needs are ego needs or status needs. People develop a concern with getting recognition, status, importance, and respect from others.”[1]  This is where James and John come into the picture.  What do we know about them?  They are a part of the inner circle of Jesus who were with him at the Transfiguration.  They are also noted for wanting to call fire down from heaven as a sort of punishment. Their parents are Zebedee and Salome.  Zebedee was a fisherman of the Sea of Galilee and apparently quite well off.[2]  If we were to place him on Maslow’s hierarchy triangle, they would be near the top—self-actualization.  Good at the job.  So good, that he has probably achieved a good deal of mastery and made a comfortable living at it. At level five, “Individuals who are motivated to pursue this level are seeking and understanding how their sense of self partakes within their human behavior. Self-actualization can include” finding a mate, parenting, using one’s talents and abilities.” Although the levels overlap, it is generally thought that they also are a progression towards becoming more complete as an individual. Maslow notes that there are distinctions of quality in the self-actualization and later, he acknowledged that there is also a self-transcendence level, describing it as “giving oneself to something beyond oneself.”[3]  In other words, there is more to life than the satisfaction of oneself and one’s family unit and I would also say one’s congregation. A person might accurately interpret James and John’s request to be a selfish one, one that smacks of looking for a position of power to fill an egotistical need.

            So, what are we to make of this story?  Are the other disciples mad at James and John because it is an inappropriate request or is it because they also want important roles in the kingdom?  It seems pretty clear in the narration of Mark that Jesus has already told the inner circle of disciples what will happen to him, yet they still seem to have an understanding that Jesus’ dying does not fit in the picture.  Do they really understand what Jesus has told them?  Did they hear Jesus or not believe him?  Jesus seems to understand that they still don’t get it, but in spite of themselves, they will continue to be his disciples.  Jesus knows that despite their zeal and misunderstandings, they will defend following Jesus to the very end of their lives here on earth. Jesus is a pretty good judge of character. James and John are among the saints of God.  They were not perfect, so like Jesus, we should not be so hard on them, but understand that growth can occur. Humility helps.

            Do you remember when Derit preached in September?  He talked about the Transformation model which included worship, study, fellowship. I also would like to use that model to see if there is something we could do, something basic. For our congregation, we must answer the question, “What are we doing that takes our mission beyond self-sustaining to reaching out and growing?”  What can we do to foster growth that goes beyond our current outreach? When I attended the Congregational Development training/study at the cathedral, I thought that perhaps we could begin with an intergenerational gathering between the 8:00 am and 10:00 am services.  It is not much time, but it’s a start.  The proposal would be to study, sing, do activities, create, bake and pray surrounding the themes in Advent.  It would be something that would engage all the senses. We will use the outline of a curriculum and make Advent wreaths. It would be each of the four Sundays of Advent. Perhaps, doing this will provide an interest in spirituality for both the young and the not so young, a place where we can all share our thoughts and experiences and really listen to each other and encourage each other in the faith.  It can be a place of sharing ideas and will be open to all, hopefully at a time when most will be able to participate. I invite all of you to participate.  Afterwards, we will evaluate where to go next.

            I will post a sign-up sheet in the fellowship room with a list of books and the pamphlet we will be using.  If you have ideas for the Advent wreath making, please submit them to me.    

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James,_son_of_Zebedee

[3] Ibid., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs