Homily March 4, 2018 -- St Peter's, Great Falls 3

pHomily: March 4, 2018 – St. Peter’s, Great Falls

lectionary

There are various themes that guide the lectionary during the season of Lent. There is the wilderness that is evoked from the beginning of Lent as Jesus went directly from baptism into the wilderness. There is the theme of fasting, prayer, and alms-giving. There is the theme that by very long tradition Lent has been a time of preparation for baptism – so it is a time of teaching and learning, time to focus on the basics. We can also look to Epiphany as a time of announcing who Jesus was and is. Lent, which follows, can be understood to be a time when we turn to ourselves and ask who we are.

We tend to get bold and prominent lessons during Lent. Today that is certainly true. We hear one of two accounts of the 10 commandments (Exodus & Deuteronomy). Well, that’s a well-known passage if ever there was one. And this morning it is the 2nd time we have heard the 10 commandments.

I think that one of the best ways to understand the 10 commandments is as a kind of prologue to the stipulations of the covenant, which both in Exodus and in Deuteronomy is spelled out in some detail following the presentation of the 10 Commandments.

The 10 commandments are the beginning of the setting forth of the terms of the Covenant.

I have certainly heard many Christians refer to the 10 commandments as an overview of what is expected of us. To believe that is to aim far too low for what is expected of us as Christians. Perhaps the Great Commandment might be a summary of that: Love God with all we’ve got and love our neighbor likewise. There are plenty of places, though, where Jesus says quite explicitly what is expected of us to be his followers we must give up our very lives as he gave up his – in order that then we can know what the fullness of life might be – just as he lived the fullness of life only after his death.

From this perspective, then, if we hear the 10 commandments as a prologue – a setting of the stage – for asking ourselves who we are as confessed Christians, we will get the immensity and importance of this keeping of Lent.

In the second lesson we hear Paul give one particular striking overview of the basic message that he preached  – from the beginning to the end of his ministry – the good news of the cross is foolishness to the wise and religious-sounding ones. It is wisdom to those who have entered into the new covenant of the heart.

Through these words we hear something of the paradox of our faith, the topsy-turvy way our covenant is lived out. It turns out that when we look closely at who we are and whose we are – what we find is not what we expected. We don’t belong to ourselves. We belong to God and are intended to serve others – in particular the hungry, those who mourn, the meek, etc. – Jesus talks about that in his major sermon.

And so we are surprised when hear that Jesus has headed into the Temple – the great edifice symbolizing the covenant between God and man – he goes into the Temple and makes a whip of cords and proceeds to drive the money lenders out. The cleansing of the Temple. One of those events that everyone heard and knew about Jesus.

There are only about 10 or 11 events that are related in all 4 gospels.

1) *Baptism of John: Mt. 3:1–17; Mk. 1:1–11; Lk. 3:1–22; Jn. 1:15–34 2) Feeding of 5000: Mt. 14:13–21; Mk. 6:30–44; Lk. 9:10–17; Jn. 6:1–15
3) Peter’s Profession: Mt. 16:13–19; Mk. 8:27–29; Lk. 9:18–20; Jn. 6:66–71 4) Anointing by Mary: Mt. 26:6–13; Mk. 14:3–9; Lk. 7:36–50; Jn. 12:1–11 5) Triumphal Entry: Mt. 21:1–11; Mk. 11:1–10; Lk. 19:29–44; Jn. 12:12–19
6) Last Supper: Mt. 26:17–30; Mk. 14:12–26; Lk. 22:7–23; Jn. 13:1–35
7) Gethsemane: Mt. 26:36–56; Mk. 14:32–52 Lk. 22:40–53; Jn. 18:1
8) The Trials: Mt. 26:57–27:31; Mk. 14:43–15:20; Lk. 22:47–23:37; Jn. 18:2–19:3
9) The Crucifixion: Mt. 27:32–56; Mk. 15:21–41; Lk. 23:26–56; Jn. 19:1–37
10) His Burial: Mt. 27:57–28:15; Mk. 15:42–47; Lk. 23:50–56; Jn. 19:38–42
11) The Resurrection*: Mt. 28:1–10; Mk. 16:1–11; Lk. 24:1–12; Jn. 20:1–18

These events are a snapshot of what the early church held most dear about Jesus’ story – across different communities and different approaches to being Christian.

In the cleansing of the Temple, Jesus’ message calls for holiness not monetary profit. The cross as foolishness, the covenant is not for the proud and confidant but for the lowly and hungry. Come, come into my covenant says God, and learn who you are and whose you are.

Who we are and whose we are.

Buechner

Some years ago Frederick Buechner wrote a piece about what diving into Lent meant. He thought of it as an annual renewal of an ancient custom, an ancient covenant, really. Having witnessed Jesus getting baptized by John at the beginning of the season of Epiphany, during Lent we turned inward to look at ourselves, to ask who we are, and if we are who we as Christians claim to be, we cannot answer who we are without answering whose we are – because in the first place who we are is the Lord’s people.

"… forty days asking himself the question what it meant to be Jesus. During Lent, Christians are supposed to ask one way or another what it means to be themselves.

"If you had to bet everything you have on whether there is a God or whether there isn’t, which side would get your money and why?

"When you look at your face in the mirror, what do you see in it that you most like and what do you see in it that you most deplore?

"If you had only one last message to leave to the handful of people who are most important to you, what would it be in twenty-five words or less?

"Of all the things you have done in your life, which is the one you would most like to undo? Which is the one that makes you happiest to remember?

"Is there any person in the world or any cause that, if circumstances called for it, you would be willing to die for?

"If this were the last day of your life, what would you do with it?

"To hear yourself try to answer questions like these is to begin to hear something not only of who you are, but of both what you are becoming and what you are failing to become. It can be a pretty depressing business all in all, but if sackcloth and ashes are at the start of it, something like Easter may be at the end.

~originally published in Whistling in the Dark and later in Beyond Words

The Cross  – Easter

I hear Lent as an invitation. An invitation into a partnership with God. An invitation to look at our own lives and see how we measure up.

But if there is a measuring to be done, we have to have some kind of measuring stick. Some kind of ruler. Something to gauge our progress or our place at table. Our journey of Lent gives us a ruler and the ruler is the way of Jesus. It follows a way to the cross. It is, therefore, a way filled with disappointment and frustrated visions. It is a way where enthusiastic sermons turn to passionately whipping money changers in the Temple. It is a way of misunderstanding and resolute determination to be that person God created us to be. It is the way of the cross – which is our destination in the season of Lent. Palm Sunday. Good Friday.

But Easter comes next. You are committing to lilies around here. Because you trust and know, that Easter’s coming.