A Sermon for the Fourth Sunday of Advent
December 23, 2007
Pastor Laura Gentry
Luke 1:47-55
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”(NRSV)
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
This morning, we have come to the fourth Sunday in Advent. Our Advent wreath is all aglow, save the Christ candle in the middle for Christmas eve. It’s light symbolizes how the light of Christ is coming into our world, into our darkness.
We are no stranger to this world’s darkness, are we? The darkness is all around us. It is so obvious this time of year in the over commercialism of the season. I made the mistake of trying to do a wee bit of shopping yesterday and nearly got trompled by the zealous shoppers. I heard on the radio that the number one stress of the Christmas season is finances. Instead of focusing our hearts on the coming Christ child, we worry about how we’re going to pay off the credit card bills incured in the shopping madness.
The second biggest stress of the season, I heard, is grief. People think about the loved ones they have lost and how Christmas just isn’t the same without them. Many people become overwhelmed with loneliness this time of year.
And the carols that fill the air sing of peace on earth, goodwill to all. Yet we look around and say: where is it? Where is the peace? Another Christmas and the military personelle in Iraq and Afghanistan won’t be spending it with their families. The people of the Middle East—on both sides of the conflict—have to live in fear and the constant reality of war. According to WikiPedia—the online encyclopedia, which people from around the world update regularly—there are 30 ongoing wars in the world right now, the oldest of which began in 1948.
With all of these things on top of whatever burdens we’re already bearing, it doesn’t necessarily make us feel in the Christmas Spirit, does it? Quite a few people have mentioned that to me this year. We just can’t seem to get into the Christmas Spirit, they say. We talk of Christmas being a blessing to all of us—that we are blessed with the gift of the Christ child. But how do we rejoice in this gift when we don’t feel like rejoicing?
But what does blessing really mean? Most of us understand blessing, at least on the surface, to be God answering our prayers with what we asked for, and of course we prefer the answers to be given in a timely manner. That’s what we want blessing to be. We pray to God for something, and POOF! Somehow, some way, God provides it, just like we wanted. It’s almost like we want God to be like a big cosmic Santa Claus who rides by on his sleigh showering all the good little Christians with goodies. After all, we’d like to think we’re on God’s “nice” list and so why shouldn’t we be blessed like that?
Yet if we dig into our Gospel text for today, we get a different sense of what blessing is. Mary, the mother of our savior is—we dare not forget—an unmarried pregnant teenager. She didn’t ask God for this. She never prayed to God to get pregnant and bear the Messiah. God chose this for her. This predicament could have gotten her stoned to death. That was the law of her time, and if her fiancé, Joseph, had not believe her angel story and turned her in to the religious authorities, she would have died for what would have been perceived as her sin.
Maybe that’s why she got it out of town so quickly. She went to spend time with her relative Elizabeth. Her older, wiser family member, who also shared an unexpected pregnancy by the word of God. Maybe together they could come to figure out how in the world to deal with being a “blessed women.” Maybe Elizabeth could help her put this blessing into perspective and perhaps even help her appreciate it.
Now Elizabeth’s blessing wasn’t exactly what we’d expect a blessing to be, either. Yes, God had answered her prayers—finally! From the time she’d gotten married, she had been praying for a child. She even promised to give the child back to God for service in the Temple, if only God would grant her a child. But the years went by and no pregnancies ever happened. Elizabeth must have felt that God was not going to answer her prayers. She must have gotten used to God’s painful silence. And then suddenly, when she was way to old to get excited about a prenancy, she finds herself pregnant. Like Sarah, she found herself in a position of dealing with a blessing that was way too long overdue. So Elizabeth, like Mary, has to cope with an unplanned blessing.
The angel Gabriel said to Mary, “Do not be afraid; you will have joy and gladness; you have found favor with God. For nothing will be impossible for God.”
Stunned by the angelic visitation, stunned by the impossible message spoken by Gabriel; stunned by the absurdity of their predicaments, no doubt Mary and Elizabeth asked what it means to be “blessed.” How can something be a blessing when it raises more questions than it answers? How do you live with a blessing that creates more problems than it solves? Mary and Elizabeth, no doubt, felt contradictory emotions. Pregnancy alone does that to women. But the strangeness of their pregnancies surely flooded them with expectations and apprehension; happiness and depression; confidence and nagging insecurities; hopes and fears. Elizabeth was old enough and wise enough to know (as Luke writes in Ch. 12), those “to whom much is given, much is required.” Together, these two women grappled with the irony of being blessed by God: namely, that behind every blessing there is burden.
Both these women were to learn that the sons they were blessed with, were not their own. Both their sons gave up their lives, literally, in service to God. Both mothers suffered the unimaginable and unspeakable horror of having their sons murdered; Mary, we’re told, witnessed her son’s brutal execution. This is the burden on the other side of blessing.
The blessings these women received had two sides: joy and burden. They had been given much, and much was required of them. For them, the meaning of God’s blessing had much more depth than a “Santa Claus” idea of God tossing happy blessings at us. God’s activity in human lives always is surprising; turning up where we’d least expect it; where we’d never think to look for it. God turns the world upside down, making us think again about what’s important, what’s real, what’s valuable.
So here is the interesting thing: if God’s blessings are two-sided (both joy and burden, requiring much from those to whom they are given) then perhaps the opposite is also true: those burdens that come our way in life have the hidden and surprising potential of becoming blessing. If we struggle with our burdens and refuse to let go of them until we receive a blessing, perhaps our upside-down God will turn our burdens over, in God’s time, and bring good out of them.
I think this is what St. Paul was trying to get at when he wrote, to the Thessalonian church, “rejoice always; pray without ceasing; give thanks in all circumstances.” And to the Roman church: “All things work together for good for those who love God.” This reminds me of a poem by Jan L. Richardson from her book "Night Visions: Searching the Shadows of Advent and Christmas":
With each of our breakings you break,
and with each of our woundings your own wounds grow deeper.
Yet you hold the pieces together
till we learn to make the new connections,
and you guard each throbbing wound
till we have had enough of pain.
You remind us that it is our delight you seek, not our suffering.
And you tell us it is not the wounds that give us life,
but the tending of them in each other.
And you say it is not the breaking that makes us whole
but the mending of the pieces that brings us life anew.
As the season of Advent comes to a close, we prepare our hearts to receive the blessing of the Christ child. God has blessed us richly in this shocking birth of low estate, turning the world upside down. We must open our eyes and ears to look for God being borne in unexpected places. What is required of us is that we open our hearts and arms to receive the both the burden that comes along with our blessings as well as the blessing that comes along with burdens, laying them all, as Mary and Elizabeth did, in the hands of God.
Now, may the peace of God, which passes all understand, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
© 2007 Laura E. Gentry
Showing posts with label blessings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blessings. Show all posts
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Sunday, September 30, 2007
DOGGIE DOS & BLESSINGS TOO
A Sermon for The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 30, 2007
by Pastor Laura Gentry
Luke 16:19-31
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house—for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (NRSV)
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Day spas with pampering massages and whirlpools are not just for people anymore. Doggie day spas and luxury resorts seem to be a new phenomenon and are popping up all over the country.
Citizen Canine in California, for example, has been named “The Bay Area’s first five star kennel” by the San Francisco Chronicle. Each dog, referred to as a “guest”, is treated to a private room built with walls and ceilings, glass windows and doors, and furnished with raised beds and bedding. Each guest enjoys a private indoor room furnished with a raised bed and bedding. Individually prepared meals are served up to 3 times per day depending on your dog’s age and appetite. Every dog enjoys at least two extended playgroups daily and can receive extra pampering for an additional fee.
Meanwhile, across the country New York's elite dogs are booked with the best hair stylists and enjoy luxury body treatments at the chicest spas. Over-the-top luxury is the name of the game on Manhattan's East Side. The Ritzy Canine Carriage House rivals even the Plaza Hotel for upscale furnishings. The lobby has European crystal chandeliers, antique wall sconces and period artwork. Overnight stays include room service spa meals, private suites and limousine service.
As if the lodging weren't fancy enough, the Ritzy Canine has a full selection of day spa treatments. Your dog can soak in a whirlpool and then indulge in a special massage which combines elements of Reiki, myofascial release and acupressure. Aromatherapy is, of course, available too.
At another spa in New York, Doggie-Do and Pussycats, Too, dogs don't just get soaped up and rinsed off. Instead, Doggie-do professionals provide a soapy massage aimed to relax the dogs and melt away stress. This deep cleansing process, using all-natural botanical products, stimulates skin and hair follicles.
Now, juxtapose this pooch-pampering trend with the message from Amos this morning: “Alas for those who are at ease...for those who feel secure...alas for those who lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches...who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, who anoint themselves [and their pets, I might add] with the finest oils!” While pet spas may be humorous to us, they are but a symptom of the growing and massive disparity in wealth in the United States. In 2006, the poverty rate for minors in the United States was 21.9%, the highest child poverty rate in the developed world. It is shocking that some American dogs have it better than many American children!
The Gospel narrative of the rich man and poor Lazarus is Luke’s way of summarizing Jesus’ teachings about the dangers of wealth. Luke’s Gospel is focused on the poor from the very start, when Mary sings about how through the gift of her son, Jesus, God will bring the mighty down from their thrones and uplift those who are lowly.
Here in the story of Lazarus, the contrast is established between the very wealthy man and the poor one. One is dressed in lavish purple garments of fine linen, the other is clothed in ulcerous sores. One feasts on sumptuous daily meals while the other scavenges for food while stray dogs lick his sores. They are polar opposites, living very different realities. Yet the poor man is given a name: Lazarus. Note that names are very rare in parables.
Then the poor man dies. But he is not forgotten by God as he’s been forgotten by his fellow humans. Upon his death, angels carry him to the bosom of Abraham. He is awarded a place of honor in heaven. Meanwhile, the rich man also dies and has a costly funeral, which is normally a sign of God’s favor.
The parable shifts dramatically with a surprising reversal of fate: the rich man is in torment in the Hades, while Lazarus enjoys the pleasures of heaven. When the rich man looks up and sees Lazarus, he begs Abraham to send Lazarus with a drop of water to cool his torment. It is only now that the rich man first sees Lazarus, who had always lain at his gate. During his lifetime, his wealth created a gulf that made him blind to the sufferings of the poor. Now the rich man finally notices Lazarus—but it is too late. Abraham denies his request.
Having realized how wrong he was to have lived so lavishly while Lazarus suffered, the rich man then begs Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, who apparently are living in the same lavish style. Abraham replies that they have the same opportunities the rich man had, namely the Law and the prophets—a reference to God’s commandment to care for the poor and the needy and the warnings of the prophets, like those we read today from Amos. Persistently, the rich man shows a deep blindness to God’s revelation. He begs for Lazarus to return from the dead in order to convince his brothers not to make the same mistake. Abraham again states that without listening to the Law and the prophets, the brothers will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead!
This parable demonstrates how wealth can take over people’s lives and make them deaf to the teaching of scripture and blind to the sufferings of their neighbors. Today, as many elite zip along the freeways from plush offices to their gated communities in the suburbs, it is no wonder they cannot see the poor at their gates.
But the problem is that it is easy to not see ourselves in this parable. Most of us here this morning do not consider ourselves to be excessively rich people. We do not live in lavish homes or work in fancy office buildings, and we most certainly do not take our dogs to pet spas—in fact, we don’t even use aromatherapies for our pets at home! But don’t be so sure that we wouldn’t be categorized with the rich man in this story. I read that if, for statistical purposes, you could shrink the world’s population down to 100 people, just 6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 of them would be from the United States, 80 of the 100 would live in substandard housing, 70 would be unable to read, 50 would suffer from malnutrition, and only one would own a computer (so if you don’t have a computer, don’t feel bad—you’re in the majority). That kind of puts things into perspective, doesn’t it? What we must recognize is that even if we think we don’t have enough and we still need more, we are tremendously blessed. We are called to use the abundance of these blessings to bless others, rather than allowing our wealth to blind us to the plight of the needy.
Also of importance in this story is the prominent role of the “Law and the prophets” to shape our understanding. Christians today believe in the risen Jesus, and, some in Luke’s community felt that this was enough. They thought they no longer had to take seriously the Jewish tradition of justice and compassion for the weak. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the victory that Christ won for us by his resurrection, so hooked on the free grace God offers us, that we can forget that this same Jesus, who offers salvation to us today, is the very one who listened to the voice of Moses and the prophets and offered love and acceptance to the marginalized of his day, while uttering sober warnings to the proud and prosperous. Like the brothers of Lazarus, if we cannot take notice of the mandates of the holy scriptures, the words of Jesus will fall on deaf ears.
This morning, let us take delight in the many gifts that God has given us. May we recognize our abundance—abundance which should motivate us to generously share our gifts and bless those around us, rather than letting these very gifts to be a stumbling block to our faith. It’s not about selfishly indulging in doggie-dos and other excesses of wealth, its about sharing. We are blessed to bless. That’s what we need to be about. And may the words of the Law the the prophets challenge us anew to speak out for justice and dignity for all God’s people.
Now, may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
© 2007 Laura E. Gentry
September 30, 2007
by Pastor Laura Gentry
Luke 16:19-31
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’ He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house—for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (NRSV)
Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Day spas with pampering massages and whirlpools are not just for people anymore. Doggie day spas and luxury resorts seem to be a new phenomenon and are popping up all over the country.
Citizen Canine in California, for example, has been named “The Bay Area’s first five star kennel” by the San Francisco Chronicle. Each dog, referred to as a “guest”, is treated to a private room built with walls and ceilings, glass windows and doors, and furnished with raised beds and bedding. Each guest enjoys a private indoor room furnished with a raised bed and bedding. Individually prepared meals are served up to 3 times per day depending on your dog’s age and appetite. Every dog enjoys at least two extended playgroups daily and can receive extra pampering for an additional fee.
Meanwhile, across the country New York's elite dogs are booked with the best hair stylists and enjoy luxury body treatments at the chicest spas. Over-the-top luxury is the name of the game on Manhattan's East Side. The Ritzy Canine Carriage House rivals even the Plaza Hotel for upscale furnishings. The lobby has European crystal chandeliers, antique wall sconces and period artwork. Overnight stays include room service spa meals, private suites and limousine service.
As if the lodging weren't fancy enough, the Ritzy Canine has a full selection of day spa treatments. Your dog can soak in a whirlpool and then indulge in a special massage which combines elements of Reiki, myofascial release and acupressure. Aromatherapy is, of course, available too.
At another spa in New York, Doggie-Do and Pussycats, Too, dogs don't just get soaped up and rinsed off. Instead, Doggie-do professionals provide a soapy massage aimed to relax the dogs and melt away stress. This deep cleansing process, using all-natural botanical products, stimulates skin and hair follicles.
Now, juxtapose this pooch-pampering trend with the message from Amos this morning: “Alas for those who are at ease...for those who feel secure...alas for those who lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches...who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, who anoint themselves [and their pets, I might add] with the finest oils!” While pet spas may be humorous to us, they are but a symptom of the growing and massive disparity in wealth in the United States. In 2006, the poverty rate for minors in the United States was 21.9%, the highest child poverty rate in the developed world. It is shocking that some American dogs have it better than many American children!
The Gospel narrative of the rich man and poor Lazarus is Luke’s way of summarizing Jesus’ teachings about the dangers of wealth. Luke’s Gospel is focused on the poor from the very start, when Mary sings about how through the gift of her son, Jesus, God will bring the mighty down from their thrones and uplift those who are lowly.
Here in the story of Lazarus, the contrast is established between the very wealthy man and the poor one. One is dressed in lavish purple garments of fine linen, the other is clothed in ulcerous sores. One feasts on sumptuous daily meals while the other scavenges for food while stray dogs lick his sores. They are polar opposites, living very different realities. Yet the poor man is given a name: Lazarus. Note that names are very rare in parables.
Then the poor man dies. But he is not forgotten by God as he’s been forgotten by his fellow humans. Upon his death, angels carry him to the bosom of Abraham. He is awarded a place of honor in heaven. Meanwhile, the rich man also dies and has a costly funeral, which is normally a sign of God’s favor.
The parable shifts dramatically with a surprising reversal of fate: the rich man is in torment in the Hades, while Lazarus enjoys the pleasures of heaven. When the rich man looks up and sees Lazarus, he begs Abraham to send Lazarus with a drop of water to cool his torment. It is only now that the rich man first sees Lazarus, who had always lain at his gate. During his lifetime, his wealth created a gulf that made him blind to the sufferings of the poor. Now the rich man finally notices Lazarus—but it is too late. Abraham denies his request.
Having realized how wrong he was to have lived so lavishly while Lazarus suffered, the rich man then begs Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers, who apparently are living in the same lavish style. Abraham replies that they have the same opportunities the rich man had, namely the Law and the prophets—a reference to God’s commandment to care for the poor and the needy and the warnings of the prophets, like those we read today from Amos. Persistently, the rich man shows a deep blindness to God’s revelation. He begs for Lazarus to return from the dead in order to convince his brothers not to make the same mistake. Abraham again states that without listening to the Law and the prophets, the brothers will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead!
This parable demonstrates how wealth can take over people’s lives and make them deaf to the teaching of scripture and blind to the sufferings of their neighbors. Today, as many elite zip along the freeways from plush offices to their gated communities in the suburbs, it is no wonder they cannot see the poor at their gates.
But the problem is that it is easy to not see ourselves in this parable. Most of us here this morning do not consider ourselves to be excessively rich people. We do not live in lavish homes or work in fancy office buildings, and we most certainly do not take our dogs to pet spas—in fact, we don’t even use aromatherapies for our pets at home! But don’t be so sure that we wouldn’t be categorized with the rich man in this story. I read that if, for statistical purposes, you could shrink the world’s population down to 100 people, just 6 people would possess 59% of the entire world's wealth and all 6 of them would be from the United States, 80 of the 100 would live in substandard housing, 70 would be unable to read, 50 would suffer from malnutrition, and only one would own a computer (so if you don’t have a computer, don’t feel bad—you’re in the majority). That kind of puts things into perspective, doesn’t it? What we must recognize is that even if we think we don’t have enough and we still need more, we are tremendously blessed. We are called to use the abundance of these blessings to bless others, rather than allowing our wealth to blind us to the plight of the needy.
Also of importance in this story is the prominent role of the “Law and the prophets” to shape our understanding. Christians today believe in the risen Jesus, and, some in Luke’s community felt that this was enough. They thought they no longer had to take seriously the Jewish tradition of justice and compassion for the weak. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the victory that Christ won for us by his resurrection, so hooked on the free grace God offers us, that we can forget that this same Jesus, who offers salvation to us today, is the very one who listened to the voice of Moses and the prophets and offered love and acceptance to the marginalized of his day, while uttering sober warnings to the proud and prosperous. Like the brothers of Lazarus, if we cannot take notice of the mandates of the holy scriptures, the words of Jesus will fall on deaf ears.
This morning, let us take delight in the many gifts that God has given us. May we recognize our abundance—abundance which should motivate us to generously share our gifts and bless those around us, rather than letting these very gifts to be a stumbling block to our faith. It’s not about selfishly indulging in doggie-dos and other excesses of wealth, its about sharing. We are blessed to bless. That’s what we need to be about. And may the words of the Law the the prophets challenge us anew to speak out for justice and dignity for all God’s people.
Now, may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
© 2007 Laura E. Gentry
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