Dearest e-votees-
This Sunday's appointed gospel text has something to say to those of us who worry, who hoard, who get distracted and who drowse off.
Peace,
Karl
----------
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
I have been known to quibble with the way that the lectionary has partitioned off the readings. This week I want to outright argue. We have the end of one reasonable partitioning of the lessons (Luke 12:22-34) and the beginning of another reasonable partitioning (Luke 12:35-48). Why these sections were fractioned and wedged together escapes me.
The first section sets up why the "little flock" should not be afraid. (cue up Evangelical Lutheran Worship #764 "Have No Fear, Little Flock" or Lutheran Book of Worship #476) Because God has provided and will continue to provide for us we can trust and release and not worry and stop hoarding. Anything we might trust in or cling to or fret about or stash away will rust and mold and decompose. We are, instead, invited to lay up treasures in heaven which are impervious to such decay. The truth is that God has laid us such treasures for us and we simply receive them from the hand of our gracious God. When we do that fear and worry and the concerns of this life dissolve to the background. Our hearts and our treasures will reside safely in God.
The second section is a parable about how we ought to live our lives. Perhaps it stands alone sufficiently. But Peter didn't think so. Peter asks in verse 41 "Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?" Jesus' answer in verses 42-47 greatly increase the urgency and the severity of the parable. It is not often Jesus talks about servants being cut to pieces and threatening with numbers of blows that will be inflicted.
The first section seems to be about the business of allaying our fears and worries. The second section seems to be about the business of stoking them up.
How do we read texts with such tensions? Perhaps we read them as a loving parent or older sibling offering words of comfort to one dearly loved. At the same time, because of that dear love, offering words of rebuke and admonition (as Superchick puts it "true friends they stab you in the face"). I don't know. I don't enjoy the second section but that doesn't make it any less true. Knowing that God loves the world and that Jesus came willingly to do what we could not to offer restoration is a good sign. It makes me lean more comfortably into the first section.
God have your way in our lives. Help us rest fully in you. Still let us be watchful and faithful. Bring on the unexpected hour and help us to be ready. Amen.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment