“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” That’s the opening verse of Psalm 24 and St. Paul quotes it to the Corinthians as well. The question is, do we know what that means? And also, do we really believe it?
Many of the civilizations indigenous to North America held the view that the earth was not individual property and could not actually be owned. Instead it was a common resource for all living things. They could not understand the European understanding of private and individual ownership. When you look at Jesus’ teachings about possessions you can also question where this idea of private and individual ownership came from. A lot of St. Paul’s writings do not talk about personal ownership but actually a stewardship of things.
I do believe we would be much better off if we considered ourselves not the owners of things, but actually stewards (or caretakers) of things while we have them. I’m sure you know the saying well that you never see a U-Haul at a cemetery!
Whether they be the ancient Jews, or Jesus himself, or our Christian faith ancestors, they all taught that life is transient and that too much focus on acquiring earthly possessions is a foolish thing. We have yet to get there in Luke’s gospel, but we will soon reach the place where Jesus puts money and all earthly ideas of ownership within the realm of evil. These things give us a false sense of security and a false sense of value. Ask someone from Ukraine, or a desperate migrant from Central and South America what it’s like to have your entire life’s work destroyed by the whims and wills of powerful forces.
But it’s more than just possessions. Social dynamics- things like: popularity, reputation, status, pride and prestige also come into play.
We see all of this at work behind the scenes in our gospel reading. The scene of the whole passage is a sabbath day meal at the house of a Pharisee where Jesus is a guest. Luke doesn’t give us many details. It’s hard to tell if Jesus was the guest of honor or not, but it is clear that the lawyers and Pharisees were watching him.
I’ve said many times before that it is a mistake to caricature these guys as stuck-up judgmental snobs. Sure, some of them were. But I have a feeling many of them were hard working, decent, responsible people who lived by the laws and who ultimately wanted to make the world a better place. From what they have seen of Jesus so far they think he is a threat. Preaching about grace and radical forgiveness, and God delighting in people takes away the foundation of what they hold on to. There is certainty in clear laws and rules from God. Remember always, they are an oft-conquered beleaguered people. Holding on to their identity and their faith was all they could do. What would happen if there weren’t rules and regulations? Was Jesus preaching that anything goes? His teaching seem to hold wide open the door for carelessness and laziness. If God was as loving as Jesus preached, and if God truly forgave the way Jesus said, then what about accountability and responsibility? What about hard-work and efficiency? How do you know right from wrong if there aren’t clear solid guidelines?
I’m sure many of the Pharisees and lawyers knew the spirit of the law could be followed without the letter of the law, and they knew times when it would be the most loving thing to relax the laws, and that sometimes a person would be caught between a rock and a hard place. They could be accepting and loving, but Jesus likely threatened their way of life with what appeared to be no rules or regulations. And so they’re watching him. Some are undecided about him. Some have decided he has to go.
It is a sabbath day meal. Someone with dropsy appears. Luke doesn’t say how, he just appears. The scene was probably one of a banquet at a wealthy person’s house. You’ll remember the city houses of wealthy people often had a central courtyard that opened onto the street. People walking by could see what was going on, especially if there was a big meal in the open courtyard. Perhaps this man with dropsy knew Jesus was there and was hoping to encounter him.
Jesus asks those at the meal with him, “Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?” He knows the answer. Curing and healing is considered “work” and is therefore not allowed. The sabbath was for rest. But Jesus heals him and sends him away.
Now the Pharisees and lawyers have a dilemma on their hands. Jesus just clearly broke a foundational religious law from God. He didn’t observe the sabbath. And yet he undeniably has supernatural healing powers!
What to make of this?
When Jesus observes how people are picking the places of honor he cites the age old proverb about not putting yourself forward in the presence of the king, lest someone more important than you be invited and you be put to shame. Like today, if you are at a formal banquet there may be a head table where the dignitaries sit. Maybe the most prestigious and important people sit nearest the host and the common guests sit lower. You wouldn’t be wise to just decide you deserve a place at the head table unless you’ve been clearly told to sit there. And Jesus is not teaching some sort of strategic false humility. He is not saying to go to the lowest seat and then be on display to everyone else as the host brings you up to a more prestigious place. He is saying that earthly designations of status and honor are completely irrelevant to God. If you’ve been invited to a banquet and you haven’t been specifically told where to sit just place yourself among the commoners and don’t worry about it. Just see yourself as one of the crowd and don’t get caught up in being in the top place.
I don’t know about you, but I tell myself I don’t really care about earthly status and honor. I don’t think I do, except when I feel like someone is above me and is lording it over me.
Last week at confirmation camp the camp was very short on staff. Many of us in the faculty volunteered to help in the kitchen, especially with washing dishes after meals. I took a couple shifts and thought nothing of it. Work is work. It has to be done and someone has to do it. It isn’t beneath me.
But then I thought that if there was a meal where a whole bunch of bishops and high church officials were there for a meal, and they saw me doing dishes (and especially if they were condescending towards me, or if they put on that fakey sympathy privileged people can have toward people they consider to be lower than themselves) I’d be resentful. I’d want them to know that I’m not a common dish washer. I’m an ordained parish pastor, and a conference dean to boot! I’d want them to know my real social status.
And then I realize what a hypocrite I truly am. I tell myself I think everyone is equal, and I pride myself on doing the humble tasks – just like Jesus said we’re to do – but I also want my slice of the social status pie!
I find myself being no better than the Pharisees. And when Jesus says, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your relatives or rich neighbors in case they may invite you in return…” And I think how quaint that teaching is. Yes indeed Jesus, when I give a party I’ll invite the poor, the crippled and the lame.
But then when I think about it, would I really do it? Jesus, do you know how much time and effort it takes to put together a party for a bunch of people? Do you know how much all that food costs? If I invite my friends I can count on maybe making a main dish and my friends and relatives will bring all the rest. It works well. But if I have to make a meal and make all the food because the people I invite can’t afford to bring anything, that’s costly! Plus, what will the neighbors think of the folks I’m bringing into my neighborhood?
Yes, this teaching trips us up easily. The ways of this world subtly work themselves deep into the social fabric of our lives.
I’m at the end of your attention span I’m sure, but we still have the image of the great dinner banquet where the invited guests all gave excuses why they couldn’t come. In this one Jesus really drives home his point. The guests who don’t come give three excuses: One just bought land. A second just bought some oxen. A third just got married. None of these seem to us to be legitimate excuses to skip a banquet. But we have to remember Deuteronomy 20:5-8. Then we discover these excuses roughly correspond to the legitimate exemptions from a call to take up arms and join in a holy war. As Jesus uses them we realize they are human social excuses. Just like possessions can rule our lives – thinking we actually own them – so can social expectations consume our lives and we make them all important.
We’re going to get more answers from Jesus down the road about how his followers are to live with responsibility and accountability. You know well that Jesus is not an ‘anything goes’ guy who chucks out all rules and regulations. But here, as well as there, we see Jesus calling the people around him to keep everything in heaven’s perspective.
You don’t see U-Hauls at gravesides. And your social status doesn’t follow you to the grave either. An honorable rich powerful person is just as dead as a poor shameful helpless person. So, does that stuff ultimately matter? Does the stuff that so easily drives our lives matter? Not one bit.
This is both freedom and challenge for us. For us who have a lot in the way of dignity and possessions it is tough. It can certainly feel like loss, even though it is ultimately gain. Fortunately, God is forgiving even of ourselves. And God delights to work through us, even when we make a bungling mess of things. May we always rejoice in God’s abundant love for us!
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