Category: Dan Carew

14th Day After Pentecost

9/14/2025

By Dan Carew, Lay Preacher

We find ourselves at the beginning of the 15th chapter of Luke but it seems we’re jumping into the middle of something. Prior to this, Jesus had dinner at a religious leader’s home, and then moved along with a large crowd traveling with him. However it is hard to tell if he was having a meal and the large crowds followed him or if he was traveling somewhere after the meal.

Regardless, Jesus’ revolutionary actions and teachings continue to grate against the social norms, rituals and laws held by the religious leaders. Here those leaders are scoffing at Jesus’s hospitality towards tax collectors and sinners who were drawing near to him. Again, all the norm for Jesus. Luke documents four instances of Jesus eating with or in the company of “sinners and tax collectors”.1 His actions and words continually call for the changing of one’s mind - not only in those ancient times, but they are still speaking today.

In these instances where the religious leaders are being… you fill in the blank because what is running through your head and what is running through mine is probably not appropriate for the pulpit, even if they are the best descriptive nouns. In these instances, Jesus always seems to have a savvy way of responding, sometimes cryptic, sometimes scaffolded and sometimes explicitly clear. It is here that he tells them a 3-part parable, two parts found in our gospel selection this morning and one that appeared during Lent this year that we need to consider in the bigger picture of Jesus’s response.

He starts with a hypothetical mindset of a shepherd, who with 100 sheep loses one, and leaves the 99 other sheep in the wilderness to seek after the missing one. We know nothing about this sheep other than it went missing and the shepherd looked for it. What we can know is that the sheep most likely wandered away from the flock due to its own instinctual needs like thirst and hunger. Did the sheep sin? No, it’s operating on its instincts to meet its needs. Did it say to itself “I’m leaving the flock and going over here”? Mostly likely not based upon what research has told us of livestock intellectual capacities.

So, the shepherd sets out to find this one lost sheep. When he finds the sheep he doesn’t drive it back to where it belongs and there’s no mention of a sheep dog to guide it back to the flock. This shepherd lays it on his shoulders. Let’s think about this for a moment. I don’t know about you, but I have had some interactions with sheep in my lifetime. First, there is no easy way to wrangle a sheep so one might put it on their shoulders. This I know from the few times that my son and I have spent helping a friend shear sheep. Our job was to escort the sheep from the pen to the shearer - a distance of maybe 15 or 20 feet. Needless to say they don’t move willingly and they don’t come when called - they avoid and run away at every opportunity. Second, sheep are not small animals, on average they are between 100 and 200 pounds. The energy it took to move a sheep laterally is one thing, to pick it up and hoist it onto one’s shoulders - that’s a whole different level. This shepherd is exerting an extraordinary amount of effort, he had to navigate the wilderness in order to find this sheep and then the physical effort in getting it and carrying it. Once he has the sheep in his possession he rejoices personally and then returns home, where he calls “friends and neighbors” to rejoice with him. We’ll get to the celebration in just a moment but first let’s look at the lost coin.

In the second part of Jesus’s parable he talks of a woman who has ten coins and loses one of them. Historical research indicates that the coins were likely drachmas which were worth a day’s wages and about the size of a modern day nickel. So, something quite valuable but also relatively small in size. She, like the shepherd, takes great effort to find the lost coin. She lights a lamp. She sweeps the house. When the coin is found she calls together “friends and neighbors” to rejoice with her.

The third part of this parable is about the lost son, or the prodigal son. As you might recall, a son asks his father for his share of the inheritance, leaves the family and squanders his wealth. He is “lost”. The son has some humbling experiences and returns back home, where he is “found”. The father rejoices by clothing the son with luxurious items and hosting a feast.

Each of these parts ends with a communal celebration, which is implied with the lost sheep and the lost coin in the words “Rejoice with me for I have found…”. Each of these celebrations include friends and neighbors, or those that are near to the celebrant, but the celebrations are in excess. I mean, 1% of your flock is found and you’re throwing a party? And you are slaughtering another animal to supply the party with a meal!

10% of your money is found, and you’ve called the neighborhood to party with you? How are you funding that party? Oh, right with the ten coins you own.
With the lost son it makes some sense to be happy, but really? A party after he squandered half of the inheritance? Really?

No doubt when we hear this parable we liken the characters to God. In the ancient times, in the times of Jesus, those listening may have made the same connections. However, these depictions that Jesus has given are revolutionary. Jesus’s life and teachings continually cut away and open up our understanding of the divine, that is if we let them.

When Jesus hears the religious leaders grumbling, he uses the parable to further illustrate what Yahweh has been communicating through human history since the covenant with Abraham. They are grumbling because in those times, remaining righteous and clean meant adhering to laws and rituals that divided, excluded, and devalued other human beings who didn’t meet the criteria, were social outcasts, or ceremonially unclean. Humans of ancient times did these things to remain in favor with the gods, which in turn elevated their status among their tribes, their communities, and anyone who was not one of them. Oh, wait. This still occurs… today. Jesus’s life and teachings continually cut away and open up our understanding of the divine, if we let them.

In the ancient mindset, humans lived in fear of divine punishment. This mindset comes through in much of the Old Testament writings and in the actions of people recorded in the New Testament. In today’s reading from Exodus, the Israelites have become impatient with Yahweh, and have fabricated a new god, a golden calf, in hopes of altering their circumstances. The ancient divine consequence, what should happen, is that the Israelites would fall out of favor with God, then experience divine wrath and eradication. This looks to be the case as Yahweh’s wrath is flaming hot, but what really happens? Moses petitions Yahweh to spare the Israelites and Yahweh is convinced, thereby showing mercy and upholding the Abrahamic covenant.

In the 51st Psalm, we hear the words of David, a king who has committed adultery and murder. The ancient divine consequence, what should happen, is that David should expect a divine curse, to fall out of favor with god, and potentially be put to death. But what really happens? David asks for Yahweh’s mercy and for spiritual cleansing, thus showing that his relationship with God is intact. And if you weren’t sure, David is a great-, great-, great-, (25 times!) grandfather to Jesus. His lineage leads to Jesus.

In Paul’s letter to Timothy, we hear of Paul's escapades - a violent pursuer and persecutor of early Jesus followers. Ancient divine consequence, what should happen, is Paul would be condemned and potentially put to death, and while he would eventually die, it was not at the hands of an angry god. What really happened? Paul was shown mercy, and transformed by his encounter with God through Christ. He was “appointed” for God’s service.

Now returning to our Gospel selection, we have lost items. One of a hundred sheep, one of ten coins, and if we included the third part, one wayward child. Ancient divine consequence would say, abandon the items, they are not worthy of divine attention. Even the child that broke honor codes and brought shame to the family, especially the father. For the dishonor, he is disowned. Now remember we are likening the characters in the parable to God. So what really happens?

The sheep is chased down. The coin is searched for. The lost son is welcomed with open arms. Excessive celebration is had by all.

This God that Jesus depicts in the parable is radically different from the god the religious leaders adhered to. It’s one thing for a god of ancient times to potentially change their mind about a matter, but to pursue a lost and wandering human is far outside the norm of ancient beliefs. This God goes to great lengths. Finding takes time and effort. Searching a vast area is difficult. But according to Jesus, those that wander off, those that are lost, those that have strayed, God will seek and search. Whether it’s:

● a 50% loss, 1 of 2 sons;
● a 10% loss, 1 of 10 coins; or
● a 1% loss, 1 of 100 sheep;

regardless of the loss percentage, God still pursues. God will find, and when necessary God will keep watch for a return. And when they are found there will be a raging celebration!

Let me end with a quote from Brian McLaren, “to follow Jesus is to change one’s understanding of God. To accept Jesus and to accept the God Jesus loved is to become an atheist in relation to the Supreme Being of violent and dominating power. We are not demoting God to a lower, weaker level; we are rising to a higher and deeper understanding of God as pure light, with no shadow of violence, conquest, exclusion, hostility, or hate at all. … We might say that two thousand years ago, Jesus inserted into the human imagination a radical new vision of God—nondominating, nonviolent, supreme in service, and self-giving…”.

Amen.

Stories About Rule Keeping vs. Rule Bending

8/24/2025

By Dan Carew, Lay Preacher

Today’s Gospel selection from Luke might be filed under “Stories About Rule Keeping vs. Rule Bending.”

This encounter between Jesus, the religious leader and the woman with a crippling, and likely excruciatingly painful, physical ailment takes place in “one of the synagogues on the Sabbath”. This concept of the Sabbath is central to this story.

What do we need to know about the Sabbath to make sense of this interaction between Jesus and the religious leader?

First, observing the Sabbath is a long held Jewish custom dating back to Moses, Mt. Sinai and the ten commandments from Exodus chapter 20 (and again in Deuteronomy Chapter 5). In the list of commandments, “keeping the Sabbath” is the fourth commandment, and has its roots in the creation story from the book of Genesis. On this day, the 7th day, God commanded the Israelites not to do any work; no one in their family and none of their livestock, as well as “the resident alien” in their towns. During the Sabbath there are a number of forbidden labors - such as kindling a fire(Ex. 35:3), carrying a load (Jer. 17:21-22), making bread and acts of construction.

The purpose of the Sabbath is to emulate God, who after “working” six days, rested on the seventh day. It is a time for remembrance, reflection and consideration of God’s Covenant; a time to be with family and community; and a time to gather in the synagogue. All noble things and if you are a faithful follower, you would want to adhere to the guidelines set forth to preserve the sanctity of the occasion, or because you feared imminent demise, or a combination of both. And so our first point of tension in this encounter - What is allowed on the Sabbath?

So, here on this Sabbath day, Jesus is teaching in one of the synagogues. This is nothing out of the ordinary for Jesus or for the Gospel of Luke. Where we are in the timeline of Luke’s writing, we are in a new account of Jesus’ ministry, as prior to this encounter, Jesus had been speaking to crowds, and was chipping away at superstition, sin, and ill-fated circumstances; in this account in the synagogue, he is definitely chipping away, or rather tearing down something, but we’ll get that in just a bit.

During this time of teaching, a woman appears and is described as having a “spirit” that had “crippled” her. She was “bent over”, “unable to stand up straight”, and had been suffering this ailment for 18 years. In our modern day medical definitions she might be diagnosed with an inflammatory bone disease, something that poses great mobility challenges. According to the account, it seems she did not come seeking Jesus or taking any action to get his attention, nothing out loud and publicly that we know of. However, imagine how her gait and posture would’ve looked as she moved about along the fringes outside of the synagogue, at the edge of those gathered - she might catch one’s attention. This may be the cause for Jesus’ response, as he pauses his teaching to take action and call her over; our second point of tension in the encounter - a rabbi calling a woman to him … in the synagogue … a woman with a crippling disease … oh, and on the Sabbath.
At this point, the tension is palpable. There she is, right in front of Jesus. He speaks to her, “woman, you are set free from your ailment”, lays his hands on her, and then she immediately stands up straight and praises God. There is beauty in this interaction. He makes no commentary about her salvation or the cause of her ailment, only that she has been set free from it.

This beautiful moment is quickly soured by the leader of the synagogue. Who has become “indignant” - you know being angry or annoyed at unfair treatment! Then things start to get ugly. The leader turns to the crowd - not to Jesus and not to the woman, but the crowd, a classic marker for people who are passive aggressive. He complains to the crowd about Jesus’ infraction against the Sabbath and the woman’s intentions to be cured. Did you see what Jesus did? He cured that woman! On the Sabbath! That’s not right! It’s unfair! That’s not what we do! We cure on the other six days, not on the day of rest!

Let me be clear, the way power-hungry people respond to any sort of threat to their status, power or privilege manifests in nearly the same way. Regardless of whether we are talking about a human interaction 2000 years ago, or in recent history, there’s always some sort of gnashing of teeth, inciting of a mob, scapegoating, avoiding responsibility, or spinning the narrative so they are the victim. It is no different as we see with this religious leader. He rebukes Jesus for “working” on the Sabbath, and the woman for not coming on the “other six days” to be cured. Hearing this religious leader’s response makes me indignant! And maybe like me, you want to grab him by the scruff of his robe and give him a piece of your mind. But we can take a breath because Jesus comes with the verbal smackdown.

“You Hypocrites!”

We heard this phrase last week in the Gospel selection, and I think while it is to be taken as a rebuke to the actions of the religious leaders, I would also like to think that it is Jesus’ way of saying to the passive aggressive leader, “How ‘bout you say that to my face?”. It also should be pointed out that Jesus is responding in the plural - it is no longer one individual. Perhaps there are other religious leaders present, or he is including the crowd in this rebuke as they’ve become complicit with the leader.

“Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water?”

This part of Jesus’ response is the first part of a rabbinic tool known as Qal Va-Ḥomer, which is used for interpreting scripture logically, and means “light and heavy”. Here Jesus is pointing out a minor case where there is an exception to a rule in order to justify a major, or “heavier” case.

In this instance, is it ok for you to provide for the needs of your livestock on the Sabbath? Is it ok for you to do something in your own interest? Something that benefits you? Jesus might’ve had in mind the passage we heard read this morning from the book of Isaiah,

“If you refrain from trampling the Sabbath,
from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the holy day of the LORD honorable;
if you honor it, not going your own ways,
serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs;
then you shall take delight in the LORD …”

Continuing with the verbal smack down …

“And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the Sabbath day?”

Here Jesus closes out the Qal Va-Ḥomer logic with the “major” response. If you can give your livestock some water on the Sabbath, surely this woman, a “daughter of Abraham”, you know one of us, who has been suffering for 18 long years, doesn’t need to wait another day. She can be cured today, right now. Her value is greater than that of your livestock.

I would also like to note that I do not believe the woman is “demon-possessed” but rather suffering a physical ailment. In his commentary on this Gospel passage, Ira Brent Driggers states, “Luke goes so far as to call her condition a form of Satanic bondage (verse 16), which is an ancient apocalyptic way of saying her condition violates God’s will for her life (and is not her own fault!). To be clear, she is not demon-possessed.” 1

This response from Jesus is very much in sync with a couple of other instances where he challenged the conventions of the Sabbath. Earlier in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus encounters a man with a crippled hand. During that encounter he questions the religious leaders whether it is “lawful to do good or to do harm” on the Sabbath. In a similar account in the 12th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus proclaims “how much more valuable is a human being than a sheep!”(v.12) and, “the Sabbath was made for humankind, not humankind for the sabbath…”(v.27).

And in another encounter with the religious leaders, documented in the Gospel of Matthew and Mark, where Jesus and His disciples pick and eat grain from a grainfield on the Sabbath, Jesus responds to their rebukes with “something greater than the temple is here” (Mt.12:6).

Where do we go from here?

In a revamped version of Sunday Bloody Sunday, (in the documentary Stories of Surrender), Bono sings, “Is religion now the enemy of the Holy Spirit guide?” I think that is what Jesus is trying to point out in the encounter in Luke as well as others in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. In that time in history, the religious leaders (and followers) allowed the following of regulations, laws, cultural norms, and mores to supersede the value of human life and dignity. This still happens today. In the harassment and exclusion faced by our LGBTQIA+ siblings. In the targeting of our siblings from other countries residing here legally and illegally. It is happening to nearly every person on the margins, and outside of power, prestige and privilege.

We should be seeking a greater good by continually reflecting upon ourselves and the institutions we ascribe to, asking is it good for someone else and others? Or just me and my beliefs? Me and my community? Sometimes the “rules” we follow for ourselves are not the “rules” everyone else should follow. In his commentary on this passage of Luke, Emerson Powery states, “We must be diligent to recognize what theological ideas we hold dear that disallow full participation from others…And, do religious traditions help us to become that kind of community or do they hinder our desires?” 2

We should operate from an abundance mindset versus a scarcity mindset by emulating the God described in Psalm 103. We should be “full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great kindness.”

I haven’t always been Episcopalian. When I was in high school, I was attending a church of a different denomination and was relatively new to the Christian faith. I had decided that I wanted to be baptised, which was the full immersion type. However at that time, I was the only one in my family attending church - I was quite serious and intent on it. I did not have my driver’s license, and my mom was unable to give me a ride. I also think I was somewhat embarrassed to ask someone else for a ride… to my baptism. So, I did something I had done a number of times before - I asked if I could take the car to the church for the baptism. My mom said yes with one stipulation, if I got caught she would claim that I had stolen the car. So, I drove myself to the church, got baptised and drove back home, incident free, feeling more committed and closer to God.

I willingly broke a “law of the land” to pursue something that I felt spiritually was the next step in my journey towards closeness with God. And while what I did was ultimately between me and the Maker, we as God’s people are called to love, care, and support others. So, are there actions we should be taking that are Christlike and very much in line with God’s vision for humanity revealed through Jesus, actions that go against some regulation of the church or the state or some government entity?

To quote the prophet Micah, it's always a good time to “Do Justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God” (6:8).

Amen.

1 Driggers, Ira Brent, Commentary on Luke 13:10-17;
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-21-3/commentary-on -luke-1310-17-4

2 Powery, Emerson, Commentary on Luke 13:10-17.
https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/ordinary-21-3/commentary-on -luke-1310-17-3

Sermon by Dan Carew, Lay Preacher

10/27/2024

Good morning. As y’all may know the lectionary has been guiding us through the Gospel of Mark. We’ve been through many familiar teachings and accounts of Jesus, today's selection is no different. However, I hope to bring light to some interesting aspects of the passage and give us some things to reflect upon.

Where has Jesus been prior to this moment captured in the Gospel of Mark? Up to this point, Jesus has established himself as a teacher who brings enlightenment and is savvy in his confrontations and challenges. The latter is especially true when he is dealing with the religious leaders of his time. He has demonstrated having divine power displayed through healings and
miraculous acts. He’s done all these things in and around Galilee, and thus has a growing fame that has brought on the ire of the religious leaders. Today’s selection from Mark is the last account before the gospel shifts its focus to Jerusalem and Jesus’ predicted death and resurrection.

Here in October, our lectionary journey has taken us through Chapter 10 of Mark’s gospel. We’ve heard about the religious leaders questioning Jesus about divorce and the disciples denying people from bringing children to Jesus. We’ve heard of the man with many possessions asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. And last week the Zebedee brothers were asking to
be Jesus’ right-hand men. In this chapter of Mark we’ve bounced between stories of the selfish, those looking for personal gain, and those in faith, and possibly desperation, coming to Jesus.

Now we are here at this passage at the end of chapter 10 where a blind beggar encounters Jesus, or perhaps Jesus encounters the blind beggar, but before we get into the encounter I would like to take a moment to have us consider two thoughts about the beggar.

First, the beggar is identified as “Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus.” This is interesting because there is a repetitive nature to the identification. “Bar” in Aramaic means “son” or “descendent”. We have what looks like an Aramaic phrase, Bartimaeus, being attributed to him as his name, followed by a Greek description “son of Timaeus”. It essentially reads “son of Timaeus, son of
Timaeus”. All this to say, we may not know who this beggar was but he was connected to Timaeus, and those with early encounters with Mark’s gospel may have known who Timaeus was.

Second, the man was not just a beggar, but also blind which adds other layers to his situation and the encounter. We don’t know how he became blind, but we do know that he previously, at some point in his life, had sight. We gather this from his response to Jesus. Blindness, and other physical ailments in ancient times came with stigmas - maybe he sinned and was made blind as a
punishment, or he angered some deity incurring their wrath. However, I don’t believe this is how God, who is love, operates but rather ancient people trying to make sense and explain life occurrences. Either way, there are ramifications for the man. In his commentary on this passage, Luis Menendez Antuna states, “Although he is the ‘son of,’ men in his situation would not be able to form a family, work to sustain himself and his dependents, or fulfill some obligations
proper to civic and religious life.” You see, he was a beggar because he was pushed to the margins of society due to his blindness; how could he live normally in the community?

He’s forced to be a beggar because of a systemic problem and he therefore gets placed in the category “other” where he is left to beg in order to survive.
Alright, now let us dive into the encounter between this man and Jesus. I am going to break this account into 6 parts.

The first is The Pleading.
As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

While this man is described as a “beggar”, the action he takes is different from begging. He’s not asking for food, or money but something soul worthy; he’s asking for mercy. He is calling out in desperation with the knowledge of something deeper, and I suggest it is something deeper due to how the man refers to Jesus. The gospel writer identifies Jesus “of Nazareth”, while the man calls him the “son of David” implying a royal lineage and perhaps acknowledging prophetic statements about Jesus. I wonder how he came to this conclusion.

Does he hear others talking about Jesus before He comes through? Can he hear others murmuring in the crowd their suspicions that Jesus is the Son of David? What does he know of Jesus? What has Jesus done so far that this man knew of?

Regardless of how the man knew, his proclamation is a bold and potentially dangerous, political statement in Roman occupied Judaea.

Perhaps it is this statement that leads to the second part, The Rebuking.
Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Could it be that the crowd tried hushing him because of his statement? Or because he is being loud and they are annoyed? In his blog post about this passage, D. Mark Davis, describes the crowd’s actions as an “anti-healing: the crowd was trying to make the blind man mute.”

We’ve seen these types of actions before in the Gospel of Mark - People trying to runinterference or “assist” Jesus. In the beginning of chapter 10 the disciples try to stop people from bringing children to Jesus, and at the end of chapter 9 we saw a similar thing when the disciples complained about someone other than them casting out demons in Jesus’ name.

These instances remind me of a line from the U2 song "Stand Up Comedy" where Bono sings, “stop helping God across the road like a little old lady.” I think we humans think that we need to protect God as if God is fragile, or maybe we are the fragile ones, protecting societal standing and ideologies by excluding those that are different. Either of these could be the case for the crowd. However, for the man of desperation he shouts all the more and
louder. He will not relent. He is determined to get Jesus’ attention.

Part 3, The Stopping.
Jesus stood still Do you remember the last time there was shouting in Jericho? While the physical walls of the city do not fall down, the same city walls this man is probably accustomed to resting against, what does happen is Jesus, the son of God, is stopped in his tracks by the man’s pleading cries. In the entirety of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is continually on the go, so this man’s actions have done something extraordinary. His cries have also overcome the “gatekeeping” crowd to get Jesus’ attention, opening the opportunity for the encounter with Jesus.

Part 4, The Calling.
... and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

We humans are fickle. One minute the crowd is rebuking the man and now it’s gentle and encouraging. Those that were denying him just moments ago are now the ones being directed to engage with him in a positive way; “Call him here.” Once the man hears the encouragement of the crowd he is up and on the move. There’s so much faith happening here.

Imagine what this looks like. He tosses his cloak, most likely his sole and cherished possession. If you are blind you do not toss your possessions. You are deliberate about where you place things - you need to be able to find them again. This is reckless.

He sprang up indicating that he was eager and moving quickly towards Jesus. Most likely arms out in front of him to feel for obstructions and to brace himself for impact. Realizing that in this instance something grand was about to happen, perhaps the crowd parted, giving him an unobstructed path to Jesus. Maybe, they helped him along with a gentle touch or encouraging directions, “straight ahead”, “watch out for the hole”, “a little to left”, “almost
there”. If you are blind you don’t move quickly, you are tentative with your movements, otherwise you’ll likely injure yourself. This is reckless.
This blind man stands in stark contrast to Jesus’ encounter with the man with all of the possessions seeking eternal life earlier in chapter 10. The blind man tosses his cloak, whereas the other man couldn’t part with any of his possessions. One man with reckless faith, the other perhaps with faith that has been wrecked.

Part 5, The Asking.
Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.”

Jesus’ question is the same question he asked the Zebedee brothers earlier in chapter 10.

However this man’s request stands in juxtaposition to theirs. The Zebedees wanted a place of privilege and power, this man just wants to see again.
There are times when we humans operate as if God is a cosmic vending machine, or perhaps a cosmic genie. We put our prayers in and out pops an answer to our desire, or we “rub” sacred objects - the Bible, the book of common prayer, the communion cup, and ask, “oh god give me my wish”. Yet here is a situation that seems like it might be true. Jesus asks “what do you want me to do for you?”. The door of possibility is opened for the blind beggar; he could’ve requested anything. He could have asked for eternal life. Or to be elevated to a place of power. Or wealth. Or strength. He could have asked for revenge on his enemies. However, he does none of those things, he pleads for mercy and chooses to ask to see again.

Part 6, The Granting.
Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
We’ve heard Jesus say these words before - the woman with the hemorrhage in Chapter 5 of Mark, and the encounter with the 10 lepers in Luke chapter 17. The blind man’s faith as demonstrated through his actions: calling out, throwing off his cloak, leaping to his feet, running to Jesus, and his humble request - has brought healing to his body.

I would also suggest that he not only gained his physical sight, but he deepened his spiritual insight, because encounters with Jesus seem to do just that - change the person, and with this man it is no different. After regaining his sight he follows Jesus “on the way”. On the way to where? Jerusalem.

Now what? How should we reflect on this encounter between the blind man and Jesus? I’ve got three things for us to consider.
The first is that faith is powerful, it brings healing in different ways, be it physical healing, intellectual healing, social healing, spiritual healing, or emotional healing. It can assure us in moments of trial and stress. Faith can carry and sustain us. It can give us courage to do the audacious - like throwing off our cloaks and running blindly towards hope.

The second thing to consider is what is our “cloak”? What do we need to “throw off”? What is keeping us from a deeper encounter with God? We may not need to be as reckless as the blind man, but we all have places in our lives where we could use some liberation and freedom from the things that are hindering us. We all have areas where we can be and do better.
The last thing, which is more of a proclamation than a consideration, is that all can come to God. Jesus demonstrated this when he stopped and called the blind man to him. He demonstrated it with the children who were brought to him and through many other accounts in the Gospels. Despite what religious gatekeepers and holy quality control managers might say, despite what doctrine various church denominations ascribe to, despite the crowds that
try to mute and the disciples that try to interfere - everyone is welcome is approach and experience God’s love, and in that, God’s healing.

Amen.

Peace

6/30/2024

I first want to acknowledge today’s readings. We have a passage from the New testament, a couple of verses from a mystic in the Islamic tradition, an excerpt from an Arab-American poet’s essay about her father’s relentless hope that there would be peace - the absence of conflict- in the holy land and Jerusalem, and a blessing from the Carmina Gadelica a collection of works from the Gaelic-speaking regions of Scotland. It is wonderful that truth and enlightenment can resonate from all types of literary works, whomever the author and wherever the origin.
I also want to recognize a peculiar intersection today. Here we are in the midst of a Taize focused on peace, where moments ago we rang our bell in a call of action against gun violence, we are wrapping up a month of recognition and celebration of our LGBTQIA+ siblings, and I am going to attempt to provoke our thoughts about peace.
I’ve observed that the term peace in the English language is used in a number of contexts.
● Peace of mind
● Rest in peace
● At peace
● Laid to peace
● Keep the peace
● Hold one’s peace
● Make peace
● World peace
● Peace on earth
● Peace of Christ
● God of peace
● Nobel peace prize
● Peace officer
● Peacekeeper
● Peacemaker
So I think it is fitting to start with defining peace. A dictionary definition identifies peace as a noun stating that it is:
● “freedom from disturbance”
● “mental calm”
● “harmony in personal relations”
● “a time or state in which there is no war”, or
● “a ceremonial handshake or kiss exchanged during a service in some churches”
From today’s reading from Philippians, we get a sense that peace is an inner calm that is derived from God, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). The reading from Rumi also echoes the sentiment of an inner calm.
We have the dictionary definitions and some contextual clues from today’s readings, but to further our understanding of peace, I think it is important to think about what might be the opposite of peace. For some fear is the opposite of peace. For others, losing control is the opposite of peace. Or it is conflict. And yet for others violence is the opposite of peace. Consider images that do not represent or are associated with the opposite of peace - intimidation, blasting groups of people with a firehose, a sword(point to altar), burning an effigy, war, flags(point to the flags above), missiles, riot shields, tanks in the street.
No doubt the images listed have caused a number of you to flinch or to have some sort of visceral reaction, just as I have had in reading them. However, I believe that we need to acknowledge the darkness that resides in our world now and in the collective human history, in order to move us toward the light, and in the case of our focus today - peace.
So, how do we move ourselves towards peace? I would suggest there are two ways. The first is prayer. Now, you’ll need to bear with me as I discuss “prayer” as I think it is more than simply talking to God. I’m also not talking about (air quotes) “thoughts and prayers” being extended in times of horrific violence and tragedy. What I am talking about is spending time petitioning God to help us renew our minds, recognize our privilege, and empower us to be better human beings; reflecting on our thoughts, actions, and intentions; meditating and making mental shifts in our views of others, their value and our collective place in the world.
Our reading from Philippians speaks of some things that could be meditated upon - . In the Gospels, Jesus continually presents new ways to think about how we go about life - “you have heard it said, but I tell you…”; and likewise, the apostle Paul speaks of “renewing our minds” (Romans 12:2). We all have mental work to do, in and through prayer. And for those of us who are not the praying type, or perhaps don’t believe God takes action through human prayers, I would still say an exercise in self-evaluation and reflection will make us better human beings.
The second way we move ourselves closer to peace is through action. For this I want to draw upon Jesus’ teachings. In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells those that are gathered with Him, “Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be recognized as the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9) As you may know, this verse is part of the Beatitudes which is a 10-verse section that begins Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, a lengthy teaching, in which he lays out radically different ways to live and conduct one’s life. In this verse Jesus uses the word “peacemaker” as opposed to the word “peacekeeper”, a word I mentioned a few moments ago. I think there is a stark difference between a “peacekeeper" and a “peacemaker”. A peacekeeper protects what is already established, some sort of peace. The position of peacekeeper is that of defender, one who is on alert to repel forces that might disrupt the “peace”. If you were to do an internet search for “peacekeeper” you would quickly find the results populated are links to weapons, including a US manufactured intercontinental missile named… yup, the “Peacekeeper”. I think Jesus' use of the word peacemaker is very intentional. Jesus lived under Pax Romana, Roman peace, and from what we know of history that “peace” came at a price - war. So for Jesus to speak of peacemakers, he is indicating a way of living our lives in direct opposition to the governmental powers and the norms of society. In his book Jesus’ Alternative Plan, Richard Rohr states, “...Jesus defines peace in a different way. We call this the Pax Christi, the peace of Christ. …
The Pax Romana creates a false peace by sacrificing others; the Pax Christi waits and works for true peace by sacrificing the false self of power, prestige and possessions.” Jesus wants us to make peace not keep peace.
Being a peacemaker means we take action, we don’t wait for change to happen, we work to initiate it. We do this by drawing from our inner peace developed in prayer and passing it along to those we encounter. I know that this might seem like a large task, something that is unsurmountable, especially in light of the anti-peace examples I’ve stated so far and the turmoil that is currently in our world, but I don’t think Jesus is calling us to large-scale peacemaking, at least not on our own. His examples for peacemaking change were all individually based - turn the other cheek, carry the backpack an extra mile - they were from one person to another.
So, passing our peace to others, how might we do that? What has Jesus demonstrated for us?
In following Jesus’ examples of peacemaking we love one another, demonstrating value to those we encounter. We do this by supporting others in difficult times in their lives. We grieve with each other. We seek understanding rather than retaliation when we feel we are wronged. We learn about our micro and passive aggressions, and change the way we think, speak and act. We work to be active listeners, a less of “me” approach to those we interact with. We respect the differences in others even when their truth may not be our truth. We work to reconcile conflicts between ourselves and others.
As a community we draw awareness to the plague of gun violence. We become inclusive and accepting, turning none away - all are welcomed at God’s table, no exceptions. We affirm our LGBTQ siblings, loving them and recognizing their value. We recognize that Black Lives matter and we work for racial justice and true equality. We work towards social justice and creation care.
We might exercise our voting rights. We might sign petitions for legislation, change or protest. We might write to or call a government representative calling upon them to take action. We might peacefully march in protest for social change, for justice, and for peace. We might invite others to share a meal, sharing time and space together. We might choose to wear orange on the last Sunday of the month when we make a statement about gun violence. And in a few moments we will get a chance to practice “passing the peace”, so greet a person you don’t know, give a hug to a dear friend, a kiss to a loved one, move around the sanctuary to pass your peace.
Becoming and being a peacemaker is not a popular choice in our society, but it is the way of Jesus. Having inner peace and passing it on - it is the way. As Rumi says, “Be a precious donor of peace and hope. Give love to all you meet, for so many in this world are being torn apart.'' The blessing from the Carmina Gadelica calls for “deep peace… to you”.

Let me leave us with one more quote about peace and peacemaking, this comes from the journal of Etty Hillesum a murder victim at Auschwitz,
“Ultimately, we have just one moral duty: to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, and to reflect it toward others. And the more peace there is in us, the more peace there will also be in our troubled world.”
Amen.

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14th Day After Pentecost

Stories About Rule Keeping vs. Rule Bending

Sermon by Dan Carew, Lay Preacher

Peace

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