Sharing salt through prayer and campus ministry

Continuing a theme of Christian hospitality and prayer that we’ve been hearing through some of our lectionary readings lately…

I don’t remember what age I was chronologically, perhaps 9 or 10, but I remember the opportune time that my maternal grandmother said to me, “don’t worry about anything… pray about everything… bring it all to God and an amazing peace will protect your heart and mind.”  I didn’t know she was quoting from Paul’s letter to the faithful in Philippi (Phil 4:6-7).  All I knew was that this motherly figure who I adored and admired was giving me more than just advice – she was conveying a life lesson about which she was fully convicted.  I believe it was at the end of my visit with her that time that she went over to her recliner, where she sat at read at night, and retrieved what looked like a bookmark from the big book she always had open there on the side of the chair she sat in every night before going to bed.  She presented to be a scrap of paper with a handwritten note, this verse from Philippians.  It would be years before I’d appreciated the verse citation on the note – for years I kept that scrap of paper as a sacred momento – a symbol of my grandmother’s love and what she wanted be to understand about the faith that had sustained her throughout life.

This morning, I feel my grandmother’s faith coming through the final words (the writing ends with verse 20) we’ve heard that are attributed to James (James 5:13-20).   Tradition is that this letter was written by Jesus’s brother.  And, some scholars believe that it is one of the earliest writings that we have record of, perhaps dating even a few years before the Gospel according to Mark (note: other scholars believe James was written much later).  We don’t know much about the context for his writing, other than that he addresses it to ‘the twelve tribes scattered’ (read: kin everywhere) and that he is presenting practical advice for how to live out Christian faith on a day-to-day basis. 

James is clear that for whatever ails us, we should pray.  And, not just pray privately ourselves, but involve the elders of our community in praying for us as they anoint us with oil.  Citing the efficacy of his ancestor Elijah’s prayers, James proclaims that “prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” 

James is commending a community of prayer.  He encourages us to be honest with each other about how we’ve missed the mark or gone astray and then have faith and confidence that we’re healed of the consequences of these sins through mutual prayer.  I don’t believe he’s saying that we have power; more James is pointing us toward the restorative power of God’s grace that we experience individually and collectively through our prayers.

His letter concludes with a compelling statement about the salvation found in seeking each other out when we wander from the truth, “whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”  What I’m hearing is that when we seek out those who are lost or wandering, and bring them back into the community of God’s Word, we’re participating in their salvation and restoration – both here in our earthly community and in God’s heavenly family.

The image of bringing back sisters and brothers who are wandering from truth resonates with what I believe we’re up to in our campus ministries. 

[anecdotes about our current ministries and the role of cultivating prayer practices.  E.g., weekly prayer services at KSU and KU; prayer request box; ‘praying in color’ exercise in Emporia; instinctively circling to pray in Wichita when we received word someone was in a car accident en route to our fellowship activity]

One of the greatest gifts we can provide young-adults is opportunities to cultivate their prayer life and help strengthening their prayer muscles through practice.

Lesson’s from today’s Gospel (Mark 9:38-50) also resonate with our mission in campus ministry.

[anecdotes to complement the following concepts]

“Whoever is not against us is for us” - radical openness we have to honoring people where they are on the journey in a relationship with God.  Most of our mission field is outside the boundaries of our Episcopalian tribe and is not following our particular tradition.  Just as Jesus encourages his disciples keep a wider view of who’s included in his mission, so are we encouraged to mission beyond our little clique and keep the boundaries that distinguish us permeable and charitably fluid.

‘Gives you a cup of water…”  We’re all thirsty and hungry for good news.  In our campus ministries, we begin building rapport and trust by satisfying physical hunger (hospitality meals) aware that we’re aiming to lead people to living water.

Remove stumbling blocks and things that cause you to stumble… Our ethos of reasonable and critical conversation about faith and discipleship encourages honesty about what stands in our way and distracts us.  Helping young-adults help each other grapple with stumbling blocks in the college years equips them with skills of discernment  and discipline for the challenges that continue to present later in life.

“Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”  Salt was an essential and valuable commodity at the time Mark was written (ref: preservative power and ‘salary’ used as payment to Roman soldiers).  Salt preserves skin from spoiling and protects flesh from rotting.  In like manner, through more authentic fellowship, where young adults are invited to share what is really eating at their hearts and troubling their minds, and prayer for each other, our campus ministries are seeking to preserve and protect against the corrosive elements that otherwise eat away at us and break us down.

[anecdote about Tisha Lynn May’s persistent invitation to me throughout our college years together to pray and to invite Christ into my heart… and her subsequent assistance selecting a Bible, etc.]

Modeling what James is commending to us, and mindful of what we’ve heard in today’s Gospel lesson, let us remember that at their best, our campus ministries provide a radically welcoming and safe space for young-adults to confess what ails them, pray about it individually and together, and renew faith in forgiveness and healing through demonstration of constant concern for each other.

A year and a half ago, I went to visit my grandmother (who celebrated her 94^th birthday this month) in the care facility where she’s been since the death of her husband and her suffering a stroke that has left her unable to speak well.  When I walked in to see her, it was the first time she had seen me in my clerical collar.  We were both overcome with emotion.  After a big hug, we sat down and I said, “I want you to know that your faith was one of the primary inspirations for me opening up to my own sense of God’s call for my life.  One of my earliest memories of your life instructions to me was ‘pray about everything’” (she grinned and nodded in recognition of what I was saying). “Thank you for setting the example of me and for being so persistent and consistent in your own prayer life… it has been a gift of love from you that I’ll always have with me in my heart and will want to share with others.”  We both started to tear-up again and gave each an even bigger hug.

Upon my ordination to the priesthood, nearly twenty years after her ministry to me in college, I put the word out to my network of friends that I was trying to locate Tisha Lynn May – essentially, through cyberspace I launched a message in a bottle for her, “And, finally, to my beloved grandmother, Frances Green, and my college friend, Tisha Lynn May (wherever you are today), know that you each have been angels in my life, showing me God’s love by example and teaching me to pray – may my life serve as such a positive influence on the lives of others.”

A little while later, I received a reply from Tisha (now Tisha Cottman) which read, “I just wanted to say "Hello" and offer to you my heartfelt congratulations on your upcoming ordination. Arlette Gilmore forwarded your announcement to me, along with your very kind comments. I am extremely happy for you, and I know that the Lord has wonderful things in store for you, your parish, and your ongoing ministry.” And she closed with a quote from Proverb 3:5-6, “ Trust in the LORD with all of your heart. Lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Our campus ministries are also an opportunity for us to renew our convictions of faith and exemplify what sustains and encourages us.  By so doing, we are able to scatter seed to this next generation and encourage them to cultivate their own faith and discipleship.

Thank you for your continuing sowing in the field of campus ministry.  It might be years from now, but some of those seeds will mature, blossom, and bear fruit for others in Christ’s name.

“God of welcome, your people are called to be distinct not by width of separation but by depth of hospitality and peace within our lives; root out our resentment and free us to welcome all who work for life and liberation, whatever path they tread; through Jesus Christ, the companion of many ways.”

(Shakespeare, Steven. Prayers for An Inclusive Church (NY: Church Publishing, 2009) p.72)      

AMEN

Cravings at war within us

The prophet Jeremiah and the Psalmist are both lamenting to God and seeking God’s protection… and even God’s might against those who are doing them harm.

“Let me see your retribution/vengeance upon them…” (Jeremiah 11:20)

“save me / defend me / vindicate me…render evil… destroy them”  (Psalm 54:1, 5)

We can relate, no?  Who among us hasn’t wished that someone more powerful than us would step in and defend us against those who seek to do us harm?

Indeed, in cases of outright violence against us, pleading for protection makes sense.

But what about this notion of pleading with God for vengeance, retribution, evil, and harm against are enemies? 

Does Jesus encourage us to feel and pray that way?

No; of course not.  Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matt 5:34-48)… and to put away our swords, do not seek to return violence for violence (Matt 26:52; John 18:11).

So much easier said that done.

Why?

Because as the author of James says succinctly, conflicts and disputes among us come from cravings that are at war within us.… that we have devilish envy and selfish ambitions within us that lead to disorder and wickedness of every kind (James 3:14-16, 4:1-2). 

In our Gospel lesson, Jesus has exemplified unbelievable feats of charitable love and generous grace… so unbelievable and provocative, perhaps, that his disciples are having a hard time really getting what this means to them personally and the mission that they are each called to.  They seem to be instead defaulting to an easier question among themselves that is rooted not in concern and sacrificial love for others, but in love of self – who among them is greatest… more religious than… smarter than… better than… etc.

We can get relate, no?  How often do we have moments of spiritual insight about God really wants from us… only to find ourselves by the end of the day shaking our heads and wondering how we ended up so caught up in worldly stresses about what we don’t have and anxieties about self-preservation?  

What about what we notice going on in the world around us?  What about arguments and conflicts in our country right now? 

Eugene Peterson paraphrases of these verses (in The Message), “Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.”

Whew [wiping brow]… is it hopeless?  What’s the good news today?  What does the Holy Spirit want us to hear?

The author of James calls us to focus on wisdom from above that is pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits… explaining that a righteousness is  reaped by those who make peace [not just talk about it].  (James 3:17-18) 

Or, as Eugene Peterson says it, “You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor."

In today’s Gospel lesson (Mark 9:30-37) Jesus pulls an innocent child from the crowd, puts it among his followers who are arguing about something non-essential and selfish, and says essentially, whoever welcomes and embraces the innocent, those vulnerable and without standing, also welcomes God.   

Jesus even says that if we want to be first of all, we should intentionally take last place and be servant of all.

That’s good news?! 

That I should willingly give up my privilege and standing and go sit in the back of the bus, the end of the line, the seats in the back with the worst view…

That I should serve others, even those boastful, proud, and arrogantly entitled people who I both loath and sometimes secretly envy… even those who are so difficult and so dirty that if I touch them, or am even seen with them, I might become unclean myself?

Ummm…. Yes!

Two of the verses from James that are skipped over in today’s lectionary selection are verses 4:5-6 which say, “…do you suppose that it is for nothing that the scripture says, ‘God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us’?  But he gives all the more grace; therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ [quoting from Proverbs 3:34]

Jesus has shown us this way of humility in sacrificial service.

I invite you to close your eyes and seek, with me, to draw nearer to God in prayer…

God, we have seen what your love looks like in action through the actions of Jesus Christ. [imagine a scene in the ministry of Jesus that has always spoken to you about God's love for us]

It was shocking then, and it’s still troubling to us now, that you, the creator of all that is, humbled yourself to the point of serving us, even those who didn’t seem to deserve it… and that your counter-cultural, loving actions and lessons of radical hospitality and justice generating such resentment and bitterness among us that we couldn’t stand it and had to get rid of you.  We’re sorry our ancestors did that… and we’re sorry that we still do it every time we turn away from you and our neighbors, and focus only on ourselves.

Help us each day get more of a glimpse of the social order and type of society that you desire for us  - helping us hold that vision in bright contrast to the darkness we so often see taking place around us.

In our own lives – in the actions and opinions that we can influence among our family and friends – give us the strength and courage to speak about your will, even when that reduces our popularity / social-standing or causes others to want to silence us. 

Protect and defend us as we speak of your Word and act toward others with unreasonable love in your name.

Today, we’ve heard Jesus say to us:

1)    Whoever wants to be first [in God’s eyes] must be last of all and servant of all.  [Note that focusing on the needs of others more than self-serving aims is represented in all three synoptic Gospels: Matt 19:30, 20:16; Mark 10:31, 44-45;  Luke 13:30]

and

2)    whoever welcomes one such as this – a lowly, worthless, otherwise un-valued and invisible person – also welcomes Christ himself.  [Note also in Matt 25:40]

Today, James has reminded us, “draw near to God and God will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)

“God, who draws near, who comes to our level, whose nature is revealed in lordship laid aside: give us grace to welcome you in the one who tests the bounds of our community: in the child, the outcast, the one who comes with no power, save that of remaking our heart…”

(Shakespeare, Steven. Prayers for An Inclusive Church (NY: Church Publishing, 2009) p.71)      

AMEN

Who do you say AND show that I am?

"Preach the Gospel at all times… and when necessary, use words”

(attributed to St. Francis of Assisi… who’s Feast Day is coming up in a few weeks)

“What you do speaks so loudly that I can’t hear what you say.”

(a common paraphrase of words of Ralph Waldo Emerson)  

Perhaps you’ve heard these phrases before.  Pardon the pun, they ‘speak’ to our awareness of the cheapness of hollow words in this day of buzz and spin.  They seem to ‘show’ us that actions speak louder than words.

Our biblical lessons lately, however, are reminding us that as Christians we’re called to both speak the good news with our words as well as show the good news with our actions. 

In last week’s lesson from James, we were told “faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17).  In this week’s lesson from James (James 3:1-12) we’re vividly instructed to be a good stewards of our tongues and the words they articulate because they are very much related to the fidelity (or lack of it) in our actions.

And, our readings from the Gospel of Mark up to this point have really been emphasizing the demonstration of who Jesus really is through his actions.  A few weeks ago we heard Jesus himself invoke the words of the prophet Isaiah to call out the hypocrisy of those who honor God with their mouths while really being more obsessed with what we put into them rather than showing a true heart for God through their actions.. and Jesus went on to say that our cleanliness is really better determined by what comes out of our mouths, because that reveals the truest intentions of our hearts (Mark 7:1-23).

In today’s lesson from Mark (Mark 8:27-38), at the midpoint in Mark’s narrative, there’s a critical shift in focus – Jesus moves from showing to telling…. from showing who he is to saying explicitly what his mission is about.  And, we hear with words the profound profession of Peter who finally says aloud what he believes to be true about Jesus – “You are the Messiah” (Mark 8:29).   This of course is followed immediately by Peter attempting to persuade Jesus away from the dangers of the mission Jesus has articulated… and then Jesus using strong words to rebuke the temptation that Peter’s words represent.

James Tissot, Get out of my sight, Satan, Brooklyn Museum, 1886-96

Jesus teachings and the verbal professions of the disciples are important… yet, as the disciples’ actions will reveal, they still don’t quite get it – they’re saying the right words, but their actions initially don’t reveal that they understand the implications of what has been said… at least not in light of the meaning of Jesus’s teachings as revealed his own actions.

Yes, Jesus is the Messiah… but, not the militant leader who will redeem chosen people through military or political force; rather, he’s a suffering servant who will save people through joining with them in humiliation, suffering, and even the ultimate sacrifice of himself through surrendering to a brutal execution on their behalf.  He calls people to follow his example of compassionate and just actions demonstrable of the ultimate love of God and promise of new life especially for the ‘least of these’ even when doing so diminishes our own status in the eyes of the world around us.

Preach the good news at all times… and, it’s necessary to reveal the truth of our words through the fidelity of our actions. 

Christian discipleship is far more than an intellectual exercise in which we ‘get it right’ by properly articulating our beliefs out loud using a specific formulation of words.  It is about sharing the good news as we understand it AND continuing to evolve our understanding of it through getting our hands dirty doing the work of Christ with and for our neighbors. 

Talk the walk while walking the walk, being open to talking a new talk or walking in new ways as we learn more about what it means to truly follow our Lord.

It is the faithful words of our ancestors recorded in our sacred scriptures, accompanied by the profound witness of their actions – what they did to demonstrate their faith – that speaks to our hearts and shows us ‘the way.’  Our lives – in actions and words - should be models for others.

So, which comes first in our lives?  Hearing or speaking the truth… or acting according to the truth?  Both are necessary – faithful words and faithful actions – but which influences which more?

Though there’s something compelling about focusing on actions speaking louder than words.  In this post-modern age of deconstructive relativism and subjectivism, it’s often easier for us to believe in what we see in action rather than what we hear people say, no matter how convincing their words may be.

And, there is real power in words… particularly in this age of globally shared social networking technology.

Rather than simply concede that words are cheap and focus more on actions, what if we hold fast to the truth of this morning’s Epistle lesson and become more vigilant in our use of words, exhibiting more determined discipline around the use of words believing that they have power to influence actions in profound ways.

The author of James uses many metaphors to illustrate the role of our tongues in shaping the reality around us: a horse’s bit/bridle directs the animal; a small rudder moving a ship slowly; a small flame that can stoke larger fires; like poisonous creature (restless evil, full of deadly poison); a wellspring that either gives forth living or toxic waters.  Using contemporary images, we might speak of a single virus capable of turning into a pandemic or a single atomic shift capable of producing a widespread radioactive meltdown.

And, just as “loose lips can sink ships”, it’s also true that a single word spoken at just the right time can alter someone’s sense of worth and purpose for the rest of their lives.

Let’s try an exercise to help us get closer to the power of our words and what they reveal about the conditions of our hearts as well as how they can influence our perceptions and actions. 

If you’re comfortable, I invite you to close your eyes and participate in this as a form of prayer.

[1: Words that hurt or destroy- do you remember what was said? If you had to summarize the feeling or intention in a single word, what word would you use?  Speak that single word either silently or aloud as an offering up to God – please lift this from us and forgive the trespass and sin.]

[2: Words that heal or build – do you remember what was said?  If you had to put the power of that transformative moment into a single word, what would it be?  Speak that single word either silently or aloud as an offering up to God – we offer this as thanksgiving for the power of words spoken in love.]

[3. Words of faith and praise - Jesus stands here with us, telling us who he is and the mission that he is on.  It might be difficult initially to believe what he’s saying to us or to accept that he’s calling us to.  What one word represents the fear or the hope that you have in who Jesus is and what he calls us to do?  Speak that single word either silently or aloud as an offering up to God – we offer this as prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to work with what this word represents in our lives in order to bring us close to knowledge and love of God and neighbor.]

God, you know what is on our hearts even before words come out of our mouths. 

Please use the words we’ve offered, and all that they represent, to help draw us close to true knowledge and love of you and our neighbor.

-or-

We ask in the name of your Son, our Messiah, that the Holy Spirit shape our hearts… breaking them open at the right times so that we can feel more deeply the suffering as well as share more freely what you’ve so freely given us.

We ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in greater discipline of our mouths, being more mindful of what we speak, to whom, when, and where.  In a word, let our lives be exemplary of your living Word, exhibiting your love incarnated through sharing the teachings and actions of Jesus our Christ.

AMEN.

Getting our hands dirty doing the good news with Jesus

We’re continuing to hear in today’s lessons that we are to be doers of good news, not just speakers about the good news.  Also, we’re continuing to hear about how abundant bread (there were leftovers after the miraculous feeding of thousands, Mark 6:43) is to be shared and how our hands will need to get dirty to participating in the healing work of our Lord.  We’re continuing the theme of things ‘dirty’ being made clean again. 

In this morning’s Epistle reading (James 2:1-10, 11-17) we hear at least three important lessons.

First, the writer of James is insistent that we realize that our tendency toward favoritism, particularly towards those we perceive of as wealthy or of earthly status, is completely contrary to the good news of the kingdom of God.

·        What situations can you think of (out there… as well as right here) in which we all seem to collude in favoring people who have more wealth or status?  Is wealth itself a problem?  What does Jesus calls us to consider with regard to wealth and who we should favor?  So what difference might this make in how we structure our mission and ministries in this congregation?

·         Does God/Christ focus more on the rich or the poor?  What does this suggest?  How does this inform your own discipleship?

Then he reminds us that we will be held to account for our transgressions and by the intent of our actions (e.g., if we show no mercy, no mercy will be shown to us). 

·         What did we hear Jesus telling us in last week’s Gospel lesson about the origins of evil, defiling actions (Mark 7:21-23)

Lastly, he challenges our presumptions about private faith being (without any demonstrative action) being sufficient for salvation.  To the writer of James, good works are naturally integrated with faith in the good news.  To ‘say’ we have faith or to ‘tell’ others to have faith without us also showing/doing what that means, is dead.

·         Who among us has ever said “I’ll pray for you” knowing that we didn’t intend to do anything else to help that person and even aware that we might not actually include them in our earnest prayers?  Who here has offered what others might consider as glib advice about ‘just have faith’ when we didn’t know what else to say?  What prevented us from acting on our words?  What often causes us to only pray and not actually do something tangible to address the needs we perceive?

In our appointed Gospel lesson (Mark 7:24-27) we two stories of healing.

In the first, we’re called to provocatively consider if our Lord has been convinced to change his own mind about something very important (the scope of his mission and ministry).

• What do you find troubling about this interaction between Jesus and the Syrophoenician woman? What do you find comforting or inspiring? (is the woman passing a test, or winning an argument? What difference does that make to you?) Note: she’s not asking for a place at the table, just a breadcrumb (ref: all it takes is a mustard seed) 
• REF: metanoia (what it mean if our Lord has changed his own mind?) 
• Can you remember other examples in the Bible when we’re told that God has a change of mind or heart about something as the result of faithful human persistence and persuasion? (E.g., Exodus 32:11-14, Moses before coming down with commandments convinced God not to destroy the unfaithful people. Or, people of Nineveh in the book of Jonah) What might this mean? Now what difference does this make in your own life? 
• What’s the difference between someone being pushy, arrogant, and presumptuous before God vs. being courageous, determined/persistent, and faithful? What matters about this in how you relate to God and to your neighbor? 
• NOTE: the writer of Mark adds “let the children be fed first” (vs. Matt 15:26) 
• SEE ALSO: Isaiah 49:6, “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” 

In the second, we experience our Lord getting his hands dirty (literally) in order to fulfill the promises of Isaiah (35:5-6) that the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 

• SEE ALSO: spittle and mud also used to give sight to the man once blind (Mark 8:22-26)

And, importantly, in both cases of healing, the healings occur before someone has professed faith, confessed, apparently repented, offered a sacrifice or otherwise done ‘the right thing’ to deserve such healings… AND, the persons healed have not approached Jesus on their own – others have intervened on their behalf, bringing needs to the Lord.

• What meaning do you make out of healing (seeking to relief someone of suffering) before asking questions about a person’s faith or state of heart or mind regarding religion? Is this reflected in the mission priorities of this faith community? How?
• What other examples can you remember of people bringing needs to God on behalf of others / people asking Jesus for healing on behalf of others? What does this mean to this faith community here this morning?

So, what?  What are we hearing the Spirit say to God’s people this morning?  What are invited to do differently or better?

[humor] Perhaps at the exchange of peace this morning, we should spit on our palms and lovingly touch each other’s eyes, ears, and lips in Jesus name to open our minds and hearts.

“Lord of the changing, you help us find our voice that we might find our faith: we praise you for the Gentile woman who answered back the Son of God; release us from the crowds which command our silence and free our tongues to demand from you the healing of the earth; through Jesus Christ, the opener of the gate.”

(Shakespeare, Steven. Prayers for An Inclusive Church (NY: Church Publishing, 2009) p.35)      

AMEN

Are you what you eat, or what eats at you?

[Greetings to St. Paul’s, Clay Center, KS – good to be with you again on this Sunday of Labor Day weekend; was here on this same Sunday last year; and, two years ago this weekend, I was just arriving in Manhattan, KS after having driven from Santa Monica, CA]

“You are what you eat.”  We’ve heard that before… and, in a biological sense it’s true.  In modern times, many people are particularly attentive to how the foods put in our body affect the condition of our heart.

“Have you washed your hands / have you brushed your teeth?”  Again, this is a question many of us heard growing up as elders encouraged us to stick with tradition which was considered good practice.  And, again, in a biological sense, hands and mouth free of germs can help prevent heart disease.

In our Gospel lesson for today (Mark 7:1-23… note that I’m adding back in the verses that our lectionary skips over), we have a confrontation between religious legalists and Jesus and his disciples.  The scribes and Pharisees have observed that Jesus’s disciples have not washed their hands before eating a meal.  The Greek word they use to describe the hands of the disciples is koinos, which is rendered by various translations as “defiled” or “unclean”, but can also mean “common” or “un-special.”  So, to be clear, they aren’t so much concerned about biological hygiene as they are ritual purity and spiritual readiness – have the hands of the disciples been purified and sanctified in order to be acceptable for worship and fellowship with God?  Or, are the disciples presuming to come to the table with merely ordinary/common hands?  Further, have the disciples lost their respect for the traditions of their elders?

If washing of hands before a meal isn’t as compelling of an issue for us today, imagine one of these confrontations:

“Hey, I noticed that you don’t stand/sit/cross-yourself when you’re supposed to in our church service, are you not taking this seriously?”

“We stand and put our right hand over our heart during the pledge of allegiance to our nation’s flag – you were sitting… or you were using the wrong hand… are you not really an American?  Why are you being disrespectful?”

“Look at me in the eyes when I’m talking to you.  Don’t you know that lack of eye contact is a sign of dishonesty and disrespect?”

In all these cases, Jesus calls our attention to concern that God has for the intentions of the heart, not how we make mortal judgments based on our human rules.

[anecdote about Queen of England smiling and lifting her finger bowl to drink from it after observing a rough/foreign/ignorant/confused (pick the image) guest at her table doing the same thing, thinking the bowl was a beverage to begin the meal]

Eugene Peterson paraphrases how Jesus applies wisdom from the prophet Isaiah (in Mark 7:6-8) to critique the hypocritical religious purists who are trying to avoid the revolutionary  truth of the good news he is proclaiming, “These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it. They act like they are worshiping me, but they don't mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy, Ditching God's command and taking up the latest fads.”  Jesus continues with vivid rebuke of legalistic obsession with man-made religious rules at the expense of someone else’s dignity at His table (Peterson’s paraphrase of Mark 7:15, 18-23), “It's not what you swallow that pollutes your life; it's what you vomit—that's the real pollution…. Don't you see that what you swallow can't contaminate you? It doesn't enter your heart but your stomach, works its way through the intestines, and is finally flushed… It's what comes out of a person that pollutes: obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness—all these are vomit from the heart. There is the source of your pollution.”

[Foreshadowing: Next week’s Gospel lesson (Mark 7:24-27) will continue to challenge our notions about who is worthy to at God’s table as well as what it means to get our hands dirty in order to do God’s work – stay tuned]

However right we might feel about our actions, when we are more concerned with outward appearances and conforming to our own set way of doing things rather than coming to know and love our neighbors as they truly are and seeing them with loving and caring eyes the way that Christ does, we miss the mark regarding what makes any of us clean or unclean or worthy to be in communion at God’s table.

Note that in the list of things that pollute us, there are only three that actually come out our mouths – obscenities, lies, and speaking poorly of others.  The others are all conditions of our heart that eat at us, separating us from the love of God and neighbor, and lead us into temptation and unclean/unholy actions towards others (E.g., lust, illusions of scarcity, covetous desire for more / greed, pride and arrogance, and desire to control through domination).

What are we to do?

Next time we observe someone doing something we believe is defiling, or failing to do something that would make them less ‘common’, let’s seek first to understand them before accusing or judging them. 

“Excuse me, I noticed that you were doing things a little differently that I do… I’m curious to know more… is there something I can do to help you feel more welcome and comfortable here?”

“You seem like you might be a little distracted… what’s on your mind or heart today?”

What if we approached observance of differences with a sense of wonder and humor… and opportunity to learn more about the wide and varied nature of God’s creation?

And, to bring it close to home for us Episcopalians who can be very… ummm, ‘attentive’ to right-form, correct-action, and liturgical purity, I reflect on how I often speak with newcomers about our bells, smells, special lingo, and costumes…

All these things we say and do, wear, sing, light on fire, etc. – they’re all tools to help draw us closer to God and each other… not magic rules or rituals that draw God closer to us.  If we’re using the tools well, we’re building a stronger communion together.  When we misuse them, or fail to teach people to use them well, we risk further separating ourselves through shame, blame, and embarrassment.

So, this morning, let’s not be concerned with who has washed their hands or brushed their teeth – as helpful as those practices are to us feeling comfortable and safe with each other.  Nor let us concern ourselves with what we’ve each eaten and whether it conforms to our sense of good nutrition or a proper meal. 

Rather, let’s wonder what’s eating at each of us  – what condition our hearts are in emotionally and spiritually. 

When we pray today, let’s ask that the darkness in our hearts be excreted out as unhelpful waste. 

When we confess our sins this morning, let’s be brutally honest with God about things we know we’ve done or left undone that has contributed more to separation that communion.   

And here’s something I invite you to try at this service… When we share the Peace of our Lord with each other, rather than rely on words, do this in silence, really relying on the tenderness and firmness of the grip and the knowing sensitivity and sincerity revealed in each other’s eyes and our smiles.  See if you can sense the condition of our hearts without having to say anything.

We approach Christ’s table this morning remembering that this is more than literal, biological food… we are putting into ourselves Christ’s own presence as spiritual nourishment to strengthen us for work in His name, to love our neighbors as Christ has loved us.

O God, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send your Holy Spirit, and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you.

(The Very Rev. Charles Hoffacker, St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Port Huron, Michigan, “Tradition and Traditionalism” sermon 8/31/2003)

Christ, break our hearts for what breaks yours… and give us the strength to dare mending the brokenness that surrounds us.

"God of unclean hands, touching those rejected by the world, despised by the religious: guide us from false purity which hides misshapen hearts; lead us to the joyful feast in which all are renewed; through Jesus Christ, the beauty of God's face.” 

(Shakespeare, Steven. Prayers for An Inclusive Church (NY: Church Publishing, 2009) p.69)       


AMEN