3 Pentecost/Year A
June 21, 2020
Genesis 21:8-21; Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17; Matthew 10:24-39
Our words from Matthew today…are difficult…difficult to listen to…difficult to imagine that Jesus would be telling us, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. It is difficult to imagine that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, standing among us, would cause divisions among family and friends…
But, what if we did dare to believe…that these words are truly words spoken by Jesus…to his first disciples…(and to us today)…words that were part of many teachings about what it might look like…to go out into the world…preaching the good news of God’s love, as Jesus had…especially to those in power, and to those who didn’t want to hear things that would challenge their current beliefs and comfortable way of living…uncomfortable words, perhaps, that would challenge them to think again, about whether or not they were truly following God’s commandment to love one another, as Christ had loved us and shown us…
What if we listened between the lines for a moment…to envision what Jesus was saying to us…about the long and difficult journey, of truly learning to love one another, as Jesus has shown us…working tirelessly in “a time such as this”, striving for justice and peace, and respect for the dignity of every human being…
What if we decided to begin this journey…what might happen if we did? Sometimes, others will not agree with us…and become angry with us…when we set off on this new journey, of listening to others more deeply, and educating ourselves on ways we can become better communicators and agents of God’s healing and reconciling work in our communities…
What if we could imagine for a moment…that this sword…was about cutting off the livelihood of the long-standing systems of oppression, that have been so ingrained in our lives for centuries, often unrecognized or clearly known…
Sometimes…people will turn against us, and fight with every ounce of their strength and power to prove us wrong and to insist…it’s not an issue anymore…it’s not my problem.
What if we could see in Jesus’ words…that this sword was about cutting off the systems of judgment, once and for all, that have been used to determine whose lives are worthy, and whose are not…
Sometimes…people will walk away from us…when we choose to take a stand for another person, and their ancestors, who have been unjustly judged and persecuted, and oppressed for a lifetime.
What if we could see the hope, in the midst of Jesus’ difficult teaching, that this sword was, and is, and ever will be…about the long and worthwhile journey of learning to respect the dignity of every human being, and striving for justice and peace among all of God’s people…a journey of learning to turn away from our fears of one another, that keep us separated from God and one another, and to turn our hearts back to God and to one another…..to make a new way forward, together, in this life….grounded in Peace, in Joy, in God’s Love, for all of God’s children…
Yes…We are in the midst of some very troubling times, difficult days…We see the human family turning against one another right now, but we are also seeing how people are turning towards one another, in love…Let’s hold onto that…let that be the light, in these dark days, that we look for and follow…
This is not the first time, God’s people have faced “a time such as this”..
We can look to those who have gone on before us… and be inspired by those even now, who have much to teach us…about a life of faith and hope that has led them through times of struggles and uncertainties…especially in times of struggles for justice and peace and respect for the human dignity of every beloved child of God..
We will assuredly learn from them…that it has been really difficult work…but it has been meaningful and hopeful work… to press on, with God’s help, for the day to come when all of God’s people…will truly be free to live and work and dream dreams for themselves and their children….and to fully share in the laughter and the joy and the delight in all God desires and hopes for all of God’s people.
I’m going to let our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry sum up this message for today… Habits of Grace Reflection - Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
(posted on June 15 2020) https://youtu.be/4TBujRjgN-g
Rev Julie Platson, Rector
St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church Sitka, Alaska