For
Sunday, February 24, 2019, 7th Sunday after the Epiphany, Yr C, Readings: Genesis 45:3-11, 15; Psalm 37:1-12, 41-42;
1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50; Luke 6:27-38
Then
Joseph said to his brothers…do not be distressed , or angry with yourselves,
because you sold me here…And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them… [Genesis 45:5a, 15]
Commit
your way to the Lord and put your
trust in him…Do not fret…over the one who prospers…Refrain from anger, leave
rage alone…the Lord…is their
stronghold…because they seek refuge in him. [Psalm 37:5a, 8a, 9a, 41b, 42b]
So
it is with the resurrection of the dead…What is sown…is sown in dishonor…it is
raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a
physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. [1 Corinthians 15:42a, 43-44a]
Jesus
said, “…Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse
you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer
the other also…Do to others as you would have them do to you…for the measure
you give will be the measure you get back.” [Luke 6:27-29a,
31, 38b]
On the face of the
readings, the theme is pretty simple: Do this, don’t do that. Do to others as you would have them do to
you, do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned, says Jesus*, and all we have to do is love the unlovable, forgive the
unforgivable. Sure, we’ve heard it all before. Not so easy to practice, at
least in my life.
The beginning point for this week’s lesson is
Joseph forgiving his brothers. It is quite a dramatic story especially if you
know all that happened before [Genesis 37, 39-50]. Joseph is the youngest, the
favorite and best-loved of his father, the tattle-taler, the dreamer of
grandiose dreams, an all-around annoying little brother which caused the older brothers
to successfully plot to be rid of him. It is a compelling story of the stuff of
novels and Broadway musicals. But perhaps in the abstract we only consider it
as a nice piece of holy fiction that doesn’t have much impact on our life and
times. But what if I was Joseph…
A priest friend recounted a TV interview he saw with a man who had committed his life to working with young offenders. The man’s son had just been murdered by such a person and the
interviewer asked if he had forgiven the murderer. He said that he had forgiven
him because the killer was just the kind of young person he was trying to help.
Is that within or beyond my capacity to do, especially if that was my child? I seriously wonder as I question my faith and
my commitment.
It isn’t that Jesus
is promoting a dismissal of appropriate blame and its consequences. Rather, as we simply do not and
will not know what transpires between God and the one who offended, we cannot,
should not, must not assume the final verdict of God who knows what changes of
heart and soul occur. It’s God’s job, not mine, is to sort out the truly wicked evildoers and the truly righteous and faithful, and all in-between, and to judge, punish/reward accordingly. Isn’t that what we want for ourselves? Earthly legal
systems do what they must and should; in the Earthly realm of Christ, we are
charged with loving and forgiving anyway.
Yet before we can approach attempting this difficult kind of love and forgiveness, we have to do some internal, self-directed work to believe – and accept – that God truly
loves and forgives us, you, me. That is the hardest work
of all.
graphic by Christina Brennan Lee |
The short version for all of this is to always remember that what I give out in this life is
what I’ll get back in the next. Remember the Lord’s Prayer? Spend some time with it
this week to read what it says, beyond the familiar syllables in recitation,
especially…forgive us our
trespasses/sins, AS we forgive those who trespass/sin against us. Hear
what it is we are truly asking for! And, of course, Do this, Don’t do that, click here: https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/five-man-electrical-band/signs
*Jesus also said this week: If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also. Do take a look at: Walter Wink on Turn the Other Cheek Walter Wink, [1935-2012] was a theologian and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. His easily-read article explains much more about this in a useful and slightly more humanly satisfying context. As Gandhi taught, "The first principle of nonviolent action is that of noncooperation with everything humiliating."
*Jesus also said this week: If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also. Do take a look at: Walter Wink on Turn the Other Cheek Walter Wink, [1935-2012] was a theologian and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. His easily-read article explains much more about this in a useful and slightly more humanly satisfying context. As Gandhi taught, "The first principle of nonviolent action is that of noncooperation with everything humiliating."
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE,
PRAY
Leader: ~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, grant
us the courage and the strength of faith to trust in, and accept as true, Your all-encompassing
love for ourselves. Release us from judgment and anger that we may grant the
same mercy and compassion to all others as we receive from You.
O
Lord, Most High
RESPONSE: Urge our hearts to love
and forgive
~
O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, impel the hearts, minds, and souls of all
who govern across every location on this Earth, to act always with the highest ethical, moral, and
spiritual intent for those they lead. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O
Lord, Most High
Urge
our hearts to love and forgive
~ O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, ease
the distress
for those who are poor in health, in spirit, or in the basic needs of life, and
for those who selflessly aid and comfort them. We now join our
voices to pray aloud for those in need… add your own petitions
O
Lord, Most High
Urge our hearts to love and forgive
~
O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, soften the grief for all who are
bereft, as our beloved, raised to new life in glory and joy, are now with You
for all eternity. We
pray especially for... add your own petitions
O
Lord, Most High
Urge our hearts to love and forgive
~ O
God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, we pause
in this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions,
petitions, and memorials, aloud or silently… add your own petitions
O
Lord, Most High
Urge our hearts to love and forgive
~
O God, our Stronghold and our Refuge, grant extra blessings for those who
lead us in Your Church, as they inspire and encourage us by Your Word and Sacraments,
to take delight in and commit our ways and our lives entirely to You. We pray especially
for: add your own petitions
O
Lord, Most High
Urge our hearts to love and forgive
The
Celebrant adds: Merciful,
Benevolent God, relieve us of distress, frustration, and rage over the wickedness
of others, and leave that judgment to You. Heighten our desire to be as generous
with our love and forgiveness in this life, as You have promised to return to us
in the next. We ask through Jesus, our Risen Christ; and the Holy Spirit, the Breath
of our Souls; who together with You, are God Almighty, now and forever. Amen.
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