When I cry to the Lord- Genesis 21 - Proper7A

When I Cry to the Lord

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Reflection based upon Genesis 21:8-22, Psalm 86, Matthew 10: 24-39

Opening prayer

The story of Hagar and Ishmael is a story heard through the ages of how people (mistresses, princesses or slaves) can be thrown out on a whim. This is simply how people can be cruel to each other.

What was it that caused Sarah to feel so threatened by Hagar and her son? Why couldn’t she be one with peace, love and welcome? No, instead, she allows ego to rule. She is the purveyor of injustice and insists on them leaving. So Abraham, gets a thing of water and some bread with not so much as a pat on the back and sends them out… 

They are sent away into the bush. No “thank you”, no “nice to meet you” no “let us know how it goes” even. Just away with you. This interpretation (midrash) reading aligns with Wilda C. Gafney's Womanist Midrash

Then, suddenly like that, life is flipped for these two.There is no place to call home and no shelter to take. What did they do to deserve this? 

In this cruelty, when the water has run out, and it feels like no place to go and no one to help, It is there that Hagar does something. She cries and the cry is heard.

God in great response says, "be not afraid for your son is to lead a nation..." Not bad, but what about now. They still are out of water which makes worse the stress of being thrown out by Abraham and Sarah

Ishmael is to become the head of a nation called the Ishmaelites. This is generally where Arabs and Islam find roots.Yes, they are nation rooted in God as well. The place where Hagar and Ishmael go and find a well of water, according to the Quran, is Mecca.

When Ishmael cries and when Hagar cries to the Lord, despite all that has transpired, the Lord answers.

This is a reminder and why we pray Psalms like 86 because in the moments when we just can’t take anymore, when we have had enough, or we just don’t know what next to do. Those moments are when we can cry to the Lord, and the ears will perk up, and the Lord will respond.

We are not left alone. Hagar learns this, you know it.  Life with God isn’t always easy, but you are worthy.  Cry to the Lord this day and be heard.

That Beloved is…

Thanks Be to God

How to be a friendly stranger - Matthew 9 - Proper 6A

How to be friendly stranger

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Reflection based upon Matthew 9:35-10:8, Romans 5:1-8, Psalm 100

Opening Prayer

As many of you know, I enjoy gardening. I have turned our side yard into a place hugs you with a warm welcome. My garden is a place where I can be peaceful and be with nature in all of God’s wonder. It is a place where conversations can happen (necessary or fun), a place where spirits rise and laughter meets cheers.

To work in the garden helps to center me as well.  Yes there is plenty of opportunities for weeding as well as pulling volunteer trees. So if you feel anxious and need something to do, I am sure I can help you find something.

What does gardens have to do with today’s lesson from Matthew?

In order to raise spirits and laughter, one must first be hospitable. One must first be willing to welcome. One must first be willing to share space and time.

“The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.” Thus, to do ministry, to do church, we are summoned by Jesus to go and proclaim good news and here is the procedure you should follow.

Take only yourself, your wits, your love , your peace and bring that to welcoming homes. If someone does not welcome you, shake off the dust and move on. 

What we preach in Jesus’s name is controversial and will be greeted with “mixed emotions” as some would say. What about love, faith in God, and peace are controversial though? 

Some don’t want to believe in the power of love and peace.

Yet when we go from place to place, task to task, garden to garden or house to house, God goes before us, and if you let your faith guide you, you will be as Paul writes “justified by faith.” Through our faith, no matter what comes before us or what suffering we may face, God will be with us.

That isn’t to say we should be silent when injustice, or have experience of inhospitable people - unwelcoming folks. We know that we come with grace, peace, and love through our faith, and therefore, we offer only those gifts and nothing more - and we take nothing from people that isn’t offered freely. 

Through our steadfast devotion to love, grace, peace and faith, we will be the example, we will be the welcome heart, we will be that smile and welcome to someone who needs it, who desperately yearns for it - (especially that one on the corner with a sign asking for help and your blessing.)

That starts with “welcome”!

For when we welcome, the conversation can begin. When we welcome, the learning begins. When we welcome, peace between people has a chance to take root, - and God’s garden expands and flourishes. 

When we are the one that decides to listen instead of blabbing some rhetoric we heard on the media, when we are willing to hear what others say, then we can grow and learn about how God shines in the other people.  

That, Beloved, is love at work. That is how we mold swords into plowshares. That is how we put away the guns and offer a hand instead.

It is simple, but it is not easy. For we as people react to people and people can be not so nice as we would like.

Yet, the challenge here isn’t to meet hate with more hate or violence, but to meet with grace and peace. To dust off the remnants of tired misfortunes and grievances and then move on - because creation moves on in the same way, whether God agrees with our attitudes or not. 

God offers the blessing and love and gives a path forward - not backwards. God wants us to be the example of the welcome and the love that God wants in the world.

If enough of us do this, many of our world’s problems are resolved. Much of what bothers our own selves is put to rest. When you trust in your faith in the one who comes before us, then you too can experience that peace and love of God in your own hearts. When you do, you can’t help but to extend that welcome and love to others and what a thing to share - love, grace,  peace and faith. 

There, Beloved, is a happy place and a garden that needs only your presence and welcome. There is all that you ever need. 

That Beloved is…

Thanks Be to God.

Story of Creation - Genesis 1 - Trinity A

Story of Creation

Tony E Dillon Hansen

Sermon based upon Genesis 1-2:5, Matthew 28:16-20, 2 Corinthians 13: 11-13, Psalm 8

Opening Prayer 

Creation is a story about beginnings. Yet people want to claim that creation story ended so many years ago instead of thinking how creation is still happening.  God may have concluded the initial work with a day of blessing, but God’s work did not end there.

Besides, who was around to get the narrative of this story? I haven’t met anyone alive today that was alive when the story unfolded - except maybe the One. 

Suddenly, things came into being.  Suddenly, there is life where none existed. Suddenly, things change and things are revealed. Suddenly, we are wakened to something sacred.

Yes to be wakened - to be woke - is a sacred experience; not some twisted political game certain folks are vaunting these days.  For the Buddha woke, Moses woke, David woke, Joseph woke, and Jesus woke. 

“People living in darkness have seen a great light.” 

As a matter of fact you and I wake everyday (or so we hope) as part of this unfolding and revealing creation that God has given to us. Yes, it is time today to see that great light in this beautiful spring morning.

Thus, creation is a continuous gift to us, and the question is begged not if we are woke but when we wake, what do we do with that gift. How do we thank God for this gift of life and creation, the new day?

As I said creation continues well beyond a solitary cosmic,-long week. Then things transitioned and changed. Suddenly, there is change, more change, and this change keeps happening. Yet, some want everything to be as it was some time ago. 

That is not God’s plan for us because God wants for us to move forward and to see a new day and new time - this day - this hour - this breath. God keeps moving us forward in the universe because God wants us to discover what is ahead of us (while learning from what has transpired.) Tis a reason why we have scriptures that recorded and remind us how God and humanity have come together and what God has done for us. 

Yet like all stories, we want it like Burger King burgers. We want it our way rather than the way God gives it. We want to put the story to different music than the natural air God breathes. We want the stories to align to our senses, but why is that necessary?

God has blessed us with creation, and made us each in the image of the divine, all genders share this image. People want to distort this image, this gift from God as only belonging to them and no one else. Still, we are all created in this image. How can we be so conceited as to think it is only for me? 

Then God follows this gift with something more because God sent forth this gift with a task. We are to be stewards of this creation, and we ought to be reminded of the awesome majesty that God has given to us each day, each hour and each breath.

Thus, the stewardship requires of us to do something, and you ask, what?

Great question because I submit to you that Jesus gives answers.  If you have been listening and reading, then that stewardship involves living out God’s realm of the cosmos and heavens here on this Earth through sharing, loving, healing, listening and living. 

Paul’s last words to Corinth tells us to put things in order, live in peace, and let the love of God and peace be with us. We are to greet each other with holy kisses not swords or guns. Jesus proclaims to the followers that we are to make “disciples of nations” and baptize them in the spirit just like we were.

Then, in that community of Spirit, we live together with the holy peace that has been given.  Then we realize that true gift, given to us, is not possible to hoard it for ourselves. We want to share that realization and that wakening: being woke. So are you woke yet? Do you feel that peace, that creation, flowing through you. 

Feel the connection to God this day because we, you and I, are made from our Creator and blessed this day and hour. We are given that holy quest and mission to be with each other as children of God.

Yes creation is still happening in you and in me.God is happening in you and in me. So this day let us make use of our blessing and be with each other in peace and greet each other with holy kisses.  

Let the grace of God and our communion be holy with the Spirit among us.

That Beloved is…

Thanks Be to God.