#proper 16c

Jesus doesn’t simply defy Sabbath law: he compels us all to see that the true purpose of the law is that is for all. Photo by GEORGE DESIPRIS Jesus and the Sabbath commandProper 16C  |  Luke 13:10-17 Is Jesus the hero of this story? Obviously we think so. But why? The easy answer is that we’re followers of his. So…he’s supposed to be the hero of pretty much every story. We’re biased. Which,…

More Division (Proper 16C)

In this week’s gospel, we’re dealing with more division—and getting a different take on what that means for us. Photo by Liza Summer Here are some ways I approach this text: ReflectionReflection on the need to get things rightBetween Proper 15&16Video Past Sermons: 201920162013

In this story, Jesus sets up a confrontation. Not with people who think the opposite. But people just like him. Photo by ROCKETMANN TEAM For SundayProper 16C Collect Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you…

A look at the gaps in the lectionary.

This week: the gap between Proper 16C and Proper 17C.

The text: Luke 13:18-14:6

Jesus’s trip to the synagogue last week introduces an interesting power dynamic. Jesus heals a woman, knowing he’s not supposed to. Today, if Jesus were a priest in The Episcopal Church, he’d be subject to disciplinary proceedings.

And the leader of the synagogue…

We sometimes get stuck in a convincing argument because it sounds right. In the case of Sabbath law, we’re seduced by only half of the point.

Sabbath remains a revolutionary concept Proper 16C | Luke 13:10-17

Photo by Errin Casano from Pexels

When we remember the creation story, we recall more than an origin. We receive our purpose.

Light and dark. Day and night.

A dome, separate…

A look at the gaps in the lectionary.

This week: the gap between Proper 15C and Proper 16C.

After several troubling passages and challenging preaching opportunities, Proper 16C will give us something positive to preach on. That is, as always, if we’re avoiding our context. Or dwelling on what it means for Jesus to be flouting Sabbath law.

But there is such provocative material…

A preacher was on vacation and came home to a flood “of Biblical proportions.” He spoke of needing to canoe out of his Louisiana house and escape the devastation.

That the preacher is notorious for a sense of ill-will to many and is politically powerful gave the experience a sense of delicious irony.

[bctt tweet=”For how many is the condemnation of GOD the crux of the gospel?”…

Proper 16C Sermon

August 25, 2013

The Rev. Anne Lane Witt

Immanuel Episcopal Church

  Jeremiah 1:4-10

Psalm 71:1-6

Hebrews 12:18-29

Luke 13:10-17

  Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

  My friend Claire’s dad is fond of saying, “It is more important to be loving than to be right.”

    This carries more than a little weight with me since Ed is a professor at an Episcopal seminary and former canon missioner for the Diocese of Massachusetts.  The Rev knows whereof he speaks.

    It is more important to be loving than to be right.  These are words I cannot seem to hear enough, and they hit me differently at different points in my life.

      It is easy to get trapped in legalism or a sense of obligation or some combination thereof.  It is easy to develop “should” in our lives that do not truly come from necessity, saying, “I really should do this.”

We get wrapped up in a vision of how things “should” be, and this can lead to ignoring the reality that’s right in front of us.  We get wrapped up in rules that don’t really serve anyone in a particular moment.

      We focus on having things work out the way we want them to instead of seeing the bigger pictures.  Like I said last week, the static of our lives often prevents us from getting the true signals of what is needed, for ourselves and others.

    But it is more important to be loving than to be right.

    There is a Sufi saying regarding thinking before we speak:

  “Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates. At the first gate, ask yourself ‘Is is true.’ At the second gate ask, ‘Is it necessary.’ At the third gate ask, ‘Is it kind.’”[1]

  Gates two and three are well-suited to decision making as well.  Our lives are filled with decisions we get to make.  There are many rules on what we can and cannot do, and when we can act.  

    Sometimes, things are very simple, and acting according to the rules is the kind thing to do. At other times, it is kinder to break the rules.

    Remember, Jesus tells us that the summary of the law and the prophets is to love God with all of our heart, strength, and mind, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Basically, he is telling us that being loving is being right.

    In our gospel for today, Jesus has gone into a synagogue to teach on the Sabbath.  In the midst of this comes a woman who has been unable to stand up straight for years.

    She stands out in a crowd due to her condition, although I imagine she tried to call as little attention to herself as possible.  Perhaps the others in the synagogue stopped and stared, whispering about the poor woman and wondering what she might have done to deserve such a life.

    Perhaps the people tried as best they could to ignore her, hoping her condition would not rub off on them.  It was still common to view illness or infirmity as being punishment for sin, so why would they take a chance on associating with a sinner?

    It is also the Sabbath, and people have come to fulfill their religious obligations, to learn and worship together. 

    Any care they might be able to offer her could be construed as work, thereby violating the commandment to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

    But Jesus sees her, considering her healing to be worth an interruption in his teaching.

    Without her even asking, he tells her, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.”  Set free!  He then lays his hands upon her, healing her.

    And she is set free.  Her ailment alienated her from society.  She was trapped as an outcast because she suffered an infirmity, and Jesus’ compassion frees her from that life, restoring her to wholeness.

    She immediately begins to praise God, thankful for the grace she has been given, grace that steps outside of the commandment to not work on the Sabbath.

The leader of the synagogue is not happy with this turn of events.  He reminds the crowd that the Sabbath day is to be kept free of work, even healing.

    Jesus reminds the leader that people care for the needs of their animals on the Sabbath day, ensuring that they are untied so they may go to drink water.

    If people will show that much care for their animals, then how can this woman be denied her healing on the Sabbath?

  The crowd rejoices at the woman’s healing and all of the wonderful things Jesus is doing.  He has put his opponents to shame and shown the people grace.

    He has been loving, even though it doesn’t match with what was expected of him.

    Be loving.  It sounds so easy, and yet, it’s so hard in practice.  Sometimes, the loving response will be a yes.

    Sometimes a no is the loving response, which is hard.  For me, being truly loving means being honest and speaking the truth in love as well, be it a yes that terrifies me or a no that disappoints.

    Above all, we are called again and again to be loving because we are worthy of love.  God’s love for us is that much deeper because God hurts when we hurt.

    The first part of my favorite post-communion blessing is a paraphrase from Henri-Frederic Amiel, a Swiss philosopher and poet.  It has become a mission statement for my life.

It says, “Life is short, and we do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us, so be swift to love, and make haste to be kind.”

    It is more important to be loving than to be right, so let’s make good use of the time we have.  Amen.