Trinity Episcopal Church
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Twenty-Fifth Sunday After Pentecost (Proper 28)
November 18, 2007
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About the Revised Common LectionaryThe 75th General Convention in June, 2006 directed that the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) replace the Book of Common Prayer lectionary "effective the First Sunday of Advent 2007; with the provision for continued use of the previous Lectionary for purposes of orderly transition, with the permission of the ecclesiastical authority, until the First Sunday of Advent 2010." The Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray, III has indicated to the clergy of the Diocese of Mississippi that the RCL be used in this Diocese. The General Convention of 2000 which initially authorized the trial use of the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) actually modified the RCL slightly to conform to Episcopal worship needs. In addition, the weekday feasts and fasts are a matter of Episcopal usage and are not supported by the RCL. |
Isaiah 65:17-25
Canticle 9
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Luke 21:5-19
The Collect of the Day
From the Revised Common Lectionary as Adapted for Use by the Episcopal Church
and Authorized by the 74 th General Convention of the ECUSA
When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down. “They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.” (Luke 21:5-19)
Christian Hope and the Kingdom
The Rev. Dr. Bill Stroop, Rector
On the first day of Advent in December 2006 we began to read from the Gospel of Luke. The passage appointed for that Sunday was from the 25 th through the 36 th verse of the chapter that today’s gospel comes from. Year C – the current church year – is nearly perfectly bookended by readings from the apocalyptic part of Luke’s gospel where he speaks about the signs of the times.
And last year, I mentioned a few signs that gave a mixed message or simply make no sense that were recorded by photo editor Doug Lansky. Signs like the one from Los Angeles that warned, “Caution: Blind Drivers Backing Out,” or “Happy Easter/We Rent Handguns” photographed in Racine, Wisconsin. Lansky published his photo collection in a book called Signspotting which was immensely popular, so popular in fact, that Lansky went out this past year and photographed more confusing signs which he published in his new book entitled, Lonely Planet Signspotting 2: The World’s Most Absurd Signs.
The popularity of sign spotting caught on, and there is an on line contest for the most interesting signs. Prizes range from $50 to a round-the-world trip ticket. One sign was of a California fitness club that had its entrance located on the second floor. Leading up from the sidewalk to the left and to the right of the club door were two escalators. Placed strategically on the roof above and between the escalators was the huge lighted sign, “24 Hour Fitness Club.” The man who took the picture captioned it, “ Hey, it’s Southern California. You don’t break a sweat until you have to.”
The photo of a sign that won last year’s round-the-world ticket was a sign that sent a terrible mixed message. Picture this: On the walk way of the Golden Gate Bridge spanning the opening of San Francisco Bay was a prominent blue sign that read, “CRISIS COUNSELING – THERE IS HOPE – MAKE THE CALL.” Underneath was the warning, “THE CONSEQUENCES OF JUMPING FROM THE BRIDGE ARE FATAL AND TRAGIC.” Beneath these signs was a call box containing a phone connected to the crisis center. But opening the call box revealed another sign taped to the phone that read, “TEMPORARILY OUT OF ORDER.”
The gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, all contain similar apocalyptic stories in which Jesus tells his followers that Jerusalem will be destroyed (Mk 13:1-23, Mt 24:1-28, Lk 21:5-24), and the implication of all three narratives is that the destruction of Jerusalem is the sign that signals the end of this age and is an indicator of Jesus’ second coming.
Major historical crises always seem to trigger apocalyptic thinking. The destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 C.E. is the historical event around the twenty-first chapter of Luke is placed. “It is at such times of painful and prolonged suffering when no relief from disaster seems possible, that faith turns its face toward a vision of heaven for a revelation of God’s will and for a vision of the end of the present misery and the beginning of a new age.”[1]
We have had a lot of natural disasters recently that some might say are pointing to the end of times. The 2004 tsunami, global warming, hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, flooding in New England in 2006, disastrous storms and flooding in the pacific northwest last fall, the California fires of a few weeks ago, the horrific drought of the southeastern U.S. this past summer and fall, and the flooding in Bangladesh on Friday have been taken by some to be indicators that the end is near. Add to that the war in Iraq, continued hostility in Pakistan, and rumors of U.S. involvement in Iran and you have a series of signs that sound pretty apocalyptic. The Rapture Ready web site (http://www.raptureready.com/rap2.html) would agree. This site is devoted to using all kinds of conditions and situations to derive a “rapture index” that will tell us how close we are to the end. As of November 12, the index was at 159 – only one point from where they advise, “Fasten Your Seatbelts!”
But is this a correct reading the signs of the times or a gross misapplication of the Biblical message? The people who lived with Jesus were convinced that the end was coming, and with good reason. In Mark’s gospel – written within one generation of Jesus’ death – the second coming is imminent; it is coming really soon – probably next week or so. That’s why Mark’s Jesus goes “immediately” from place to place and from action to action: there is no time to waste, because the end seemed very close, and the Markan sense of hope was based on Jesus’ imminent return. The writer of Mark lived during the period when Jewish-Roman relations had become incredibly tense following the Jewish Passover rebellion of 50 CE. Jewish zealots openly spoke for rebellion, and the Romans were tightening their grip. The Markan church probably actually witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE which is why you can almost see the flames and smell the smoke of the burning city, and hear the grunts of the horses as they strain to pull the walls of the temple down. With that kind of calamity, it is no wonder that the Markan people, who were just a little removed from their Jewish roots, put their hope on the immediate return of the Messiah who would squash the oppressors and restore order.
By the time Matthew wrote his gospel – about a generation after Mark – Jesus had still not returned, and the Temple lay in ruins. Religious life would never be the same in Judea, and Christians had become enemies of the state. And because Jesus had not returned, the center of Christian hope began to move away from the second coming of Jesus triumphant to something else.
By the time the Lukan community had produced their gospel, still another generation had passed. Because Jesus had still not returned, a whole new meaning to Christian hope began to dawn. And that was that despite the number and intensity of the difficulties we face as human beings, our hope lies in the certain knowledge that we are redeemed.
And now, some 2,000 years later, it’s very hard if not completely impossible for us to know what to make of Second-Coming talk. After all, we can only stand gazing eagerly at the sky for so long with nothing happening before we start to feel ridiculous.
That is not to say that there are times when actions and events point to something important. For example, the start of World War II is often stated as September 1, 1939, when Hitler’s army invaded Poland. But it is a little known fact that Hitler intended to invade Poland on August 26, and had 16 combat units in place and ready by that date. But then, the evening before the 26 th, some last-minute developments caused Hitler to change his plans and he had word sent out by radio for all his units to come home. One unit didn’t get the message, and at midnight on the 26 th, that unit entered Poland, captured a strategic mountain pass and railway, and took some Poles as prisoners. When the German officer telephoned headquarters to report the victory, he was told of the change of plans, and he released his prisoners and led his unit home.
Naturally, this stumble should have alerted the Polish leaders that Germany was up to no good, but inexplicably, they let the incident pass without recognizing what it meant. Thus, when the Germans did invade Poland on September 1, the Poles were taken by complete surprise, and quickly succumbed. They had not read the signs correctly and were unprepared.
So although we can miss important signs altogether, the greater danger, I think, is that we will see the signs and misinterpret them. We can watch reports of great trouble in the news and look at the difficulties in our own lives and forget that we are Christian people. We can let our troubles overwhelm us and lead us to total despair. Facts that in broad daylight are hard enough to take become magnified at night when all our defenses are down, and they can lead us to lose all hope. And because Jesus hasn’t come back yet, we don’t even think to look to him for hope.
And that is a shame. Because Jesus said that he would be with us, and that not a not a hair on our heads will be harmed. That is hope. Elsewhere in this chapter, Jesus also tells his followers “Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” That is also hope; that is the good news.
To read the world’s troubles only as omens of doom is to misread them. We are thousands of generations removed from Luke’s time, and unless we fall subject to the bad theology of evangelical doomsayers, we know exactly what Luke’s people realized: God does not act in the world only from the outside as an avenger for the righteous, but rather acts in the world primarily from inside out; from within each of us; by what we say and by what we do. And that energy is fueled by the hope that comes from the abiding, incarnational presence of Jesus in us.
This also means that the Kingdom of God is already here and that it lies in our hands. It is not something about to come, but it is something tangible now. We know this because when Jesus was asked about when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God is already in your midst” (Lk 17:21).
The kingdom is indeed all around us. It is sitting next to you. It is beating in your own chest. It is an inherent understanding of the values Jesus propagated throughout his ministry. Values like justice, freedom, and love of neighbor. And that all important value of Christian hope – the knowledge that we are all redeemed. That hope is the source that allows us to follow Jesus’ mission on behalf of the poor, the disadvantaged, the sick, the lost. It is also the source of the power that should keep us from feeling despair. And it is what allows us to smile (or perhaps outright laugh) when somebody tells us that the end is coming on October 13, 2034.
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For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the LORD-- and their descendants as well. Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent-- its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the LORD.
Canticle 9 (The First Song of Isaiah, Ecce Deus – Isaiah 12:2-6)
Surely, it is God who saves me; *
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *
and he will be my Savior.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *
from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say, *
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
Make his deeds known among the peoples; *
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see that they remember that his Name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.
When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down. “They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them. “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.”
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Mission of Trinity Episcopal Church is to be an open and diverse Christian family dedicated to serving God and all creation by fostering spiritual growth through worship, prayer, education, service, stewardship, and celebration. |
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Copyright © 2007, William G. Stroop - All Rights Reserved.
15 November 2007
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