Practice Action Faith - James 2- Proper 18 Year B

Practice Action Faith

Tony E Hansen

Reflection based upon James 2:1-17, Psalm 146

Opening Prayer 

James 2 leaves no stone unturned when it comes to faith and is quite direct about what should or shouldn’t be faith. Faith is not asserting partiality, social status, or privilege.  The epistle challenges us to put our faith into action: an “action faith.”

The command, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself…” is central to this.

The opening verses of James 2 ask of people a question by posing a very real scenario.

When folks come to us with decent clothes, when they look like they come from our neighborhood, when they talk like us, and when they say things “that we like”, we are more willing to give people privileges and acceptance.

Yet, when someone looks disheveled or even dirty, when someone looks like they don’t have many clothes, they are holding sign asking for food or change or simply to “be nice”, we likely treat them differently and roll up the window. We avert eyes so we don’t have to acknowledge they even are in our presence. 

It happens more than we like and sometimes without us realizing we do it. 

Making these judging distinctions, however goes against that core teaching of Jesus.

That isn’t to say we cannot have boundaries for those are necessary, but how we see and treat people is what these verses challenge of us.

“Never judge a book by its cover” saying applies here. Just because a package may look good, does not necessarily mean it is. Conversely, just because something looks or sounds odd, does not mean there is little or no use for it. 

Think of how people pick produce at the grocery. I want this one or that one because it looks nice, feels nice, has particular nice sound when I thump it. Yet, I have grown produce like tomatoes in my garden that did not have the robust look and feel of the store quality, but they were nonetheless good picks.

Of course, I have to throw out ones that are clearly not any good, but there are still quality tomatoes that are odd-shaped or have some other “uniqueness.” 

We do this with people just the same - even people that talk about a good faith. 

We size up people for a number of reasons. Safety is one, but that is not usually what is driving our impressions of people.

We are looking for commonalities: things, places and people that do, say and want what we want. Are you a Hawkeye or Cyclone? Some take that to a degree of requiring agreements and conformity of these. 

That, however, neglects letting God be in all people where they are on life. That conformity rejects that all are children of the Creator and excludes those that do not conform. 

Yes, in looking for these, or those possible conforming needs, we are casting judgements. 

We are not letting people be the unique gifts from God; Letting them be great displays of the divine love before us (regardless of garments, cleanliness, how they talk, what they eat, how they love or even how they pray.)

Simply put: When we want conformity and cast judgments, we are not letting God be God. 

We are also casting judgments when we fail to do. When we do not show mercy towards folks in need, we forget that our faith and those teachings of Jesus tell us to reach out and help where we can.

How does one break this personal tendency? 

I submit there are many ways, but mission work like UBFM can be helpful. 

Yes, when you regularly go out into the streets and missions around the metro to specifically meet food insecure folks, one cannot avert eyes when our mission is not to judge but instead to ask if you had supper tonight. 

It kind of forces us out of comfort zone and away from closing curtains around people that make us feel a degree of discomfort.

So when we do this, we open a dialog with people, we open relationships, and we bring hope to those on the street as well into us who bring it.

Seeing this and experiencing this can be awakening for folks, and yes we experience “God moments” when doing it. 

You don’t need a volunteer organization or a church mission (although there are great opportunities) to do this.

We can do this in our neighborhoods, driving around town, at the grocery lane, or restaurant, there are people who we could spend time judging and sizing up. We can dispel with that judging and let God reveal to us people with unique and beautiful expressions of God before us.

When we do this and do it regularly, one may find the curtains of judgment have less and less purpose. You, hopefully, see a real and genuine person on the corner rather than an excuse, or a pariah. 

I submit to you this is “action faith,” and the results can be soulful joy, as well as a measure of peace and comfort.

I submit to you. When you practice your faith in your words and your actions to friends, family, neighbors, homeless and even enemies, one may begin to see all the beautiful uniqueness that God has give to us.

When you hear someone talk about their faith, maybe, ask how they represent their faith. Maybe, they have something for us to learn. Maybe, they want and need to learn from us. 

When you practice “action faith", you will find how great God has made those around us and how our world becomes more comfortable with everyone in it. 

That Beloved is 

Thanks Be to God

Whole Armor of God - Ephesians 6 John 6 - Proper16 B

Whole Armor of God

Tony E Hansen

Sermon based upon Ephesians 6:10-20, John 6 and Psalm 34

Opening Prayer

Today we continue our walk through the bread of life discourse in John 6. People are confused to what Jesus is saying, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood… whoever eats of me will live because of me.”

The people say these teachings are difficult. Who can accept?

These words invoke the great sacrifice and foreshadow Jesus on the cross. 

These words are why the cross is so important to Christians.

Remember Jesus fed the crowd with fish and bread. Jesus tells us “I am the bread of life.” Jesus touches on the holy Eucharist - the communion at the table where all are welcome and all receive the grace of something much larger than ourselves  or our flesh. 

Jesus uses these words not just as grandiose proclamation, but also understanding that these holy gifts of life, love and forgiveness are given through the power of that sacrifice. 

We all know who is willing to put Jesus on the cross and who will to see him die. Funny thing is that we don’t see ourselves in that image. 

Why would I say something like that? 

Remember that it was disciples would turned their back and abandoned Jesus in the darkest hours. It was disciples that betrayed Jesus to enemies. 

Even more, it was regular folks who yelled to Pilot to execute Jesus and save the murderer. It was regular folks who taunted and tortured Jesus and people who carried out the execution.

Why? 

People have an image of God and what that image is doing -some military savior, some great royal figure, someone who reinforce unequal social structures, who reinforces religious elites with privileges, or perhaps the image was something else.

Perhaps, they looked at Jesus and saw and heard something that didn’t fit that image. 

Perhaps, people did not (do not) fully appreciate what Jesus says and does.

Because Jesus words are revolutionary, and they are powerful to people with or without titles. Jesus lifts all of us to be the best of us with each other regardless of creeds, social status, titles or privilege. 

The forgiveness of sins, the breath life, the power of the Spirit: these are poured out for us so that we might have life - real life - not just the one bought and paid for or marketed to us.

Question is are you worthy of this ? Are you worthy of the great sacred sacrifice - of this life?

The answer from John’s gospel is that grace and love are abundantly given, and they are beyond our physical self - they are where we find eternal life. Yes, you are worthy and is precisely why Jesus did this.

These gifts from the spirit give life beyond our broken bodies, pain and fears. 

The great sacrifice, the cross is for you and me - all of us. God willing to experience sacrifice for us - for you and me. That blood poured out is the Spirit breaking forth into this world for all to see - all to witness love, grace, and forgiveness: The abundant and eternal gifts.

Speaking of images of God…

The lesson from Ephesians carries abundance of imagery for us while invoking shields and swords - but not the kind of swords that maim.  

I read and I find myself wanting to dress up - could be images of old knights but maybe closer to like Hagar the Horrible. After all, I do enjoy cartoons and comics.

The lesson pleads to take up “the whole armor of God… belt your waist with truth and put on the breastplate of righteousness…  Take the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Yes this sword is not one that maims but is the word of God - the word made flesh.

Why should I put on all this ?? 

Think of what you put on this day and others. What symbols you wear, whether sports, brands, colors or the sayings? What do they say about you to others? Why not put on the sacred Spirit as well?

This imagery of putting all of these things to protect us from spiritual forces of evil, but also to be the example God’s love.

That isn’t to make us righteous, indignant and privileged. 

When we wear this outfit from God, then we are to remember the great sacrifice and the blood poured out for us - you and me. For us to remember to be defenders of love, grace and forgiveness.

Thing is that when we put on the many different outfits, it affects how we walk into the world. When I put on a suit, taekwondo dobak, cycling gear, or just t-shirt and shorts, I look and feel different for each of these. 

We might look into the mirror and see how we look outside but also how we look inside. 

Maybe, instead of weapons and knightly armor, maybe, the armor God that we read in  Ephesians is closer to something like Linus with his blanket. 

Linus didn’t go anywhere without the blanket and didn’t let people make fun of him for it. Linus could make the blanket into anything he wanted too. 

For Linus, the blanket is protection and a layer of comfort. In that protection and comfort, there comes understanding, Linus would extend that comfort, protection and knowledge to others around him. 

That is, when we put on this armor of God, yes, it is for us protection, and it is comfort. In that protection and comfort, we find understanding and knowledge. 

When we do this, we can acknowledge how that helps us to be the protection and comfort for others as well.

To be defenders of love, grace and forgiveness, we must first be the love, grace and forgiveness. We recognize the power of the cross as not exclusive but something for all of us - even you and me.

You are invited to partake in the communion that celebrates, you are invited to put on the armor of God.

Go ahead and find there is much more than our physical self.

Thanks Be to God

Bread That Fulfills - John 6 - Proper 13 B

Bread That Fulfills

Tony E Hansen

Reflection based upon John 6:24-35, 2 Samuel 11:26-12:33, Psalm 51

Opening Prayer

I have often spoke lovingly about my Grandmother’s cooking, but one thing I will always remember is her bread. 

My brother and I would stay at the farm when we were young, and Grandma would fill the house with the smell of bread in the oven and the jams she would can. I think she made everything from scratch for they had almost everything they needed right there on the farm - apples from the orchard, eggs from the chicken coop, milk from the dairy barn, sweet corn (when in season) and fruits and vegetables from a very large garden.

This bread featured a nice tasty crust that one did not simply tear off and discard like folks do of store-bought bread. You eat the whole slice. 

The bread was a mainstay for the farm, for breakfast, lunch or supper or the mid-afternoon snacks.

Those mid-afternoon snacks (when we weren’t in the field) became times when folks would suddenly show up around the house too. Funny how good cooking can bring people together, and Grandma would say, “there’s always room for one more.”

Unfortunately, I never learned her recipes for I was too young to appreciate what she did for everyone.

So why do I tell you about this delicious bread?  Nostalgia and just to wet your appetites?   I am sure there are fair amount of you that could make a good loaf of bread as well. 

Why I lift up this memory is a good setting for today’s reading from the Gospel of John.

This week’s readings offer us a continuation of last week as part of the Bread of Life discourse in John. 

Last week, Jesus fed a whole crowd of five thousand people with this young boy’s five loaves and two fish - enough food that filled 12 baskets when they gathered the leftovers. 

(I wonder if anyone asked the young lad if they could have these bits of his food rather than just assume they could take it.)

The crowd was amazed, and I am sure this young boy was as well. To turn this small contribution into so much abundance is a theme of John.

Jesus and the disciples leave, and the crowd goes looking for them. 

They question why did you go, but Jesus turns the question into a teaching moment. “You are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate your fill…”

That food perishes and is limited to what we see, touch, taste and feel. Yet, there is “food” that does more than fill bellies. 

Jesus tells us in John 6 “I am the Bread of life.” This is one of the “I am” statements in John.

What does this mean though?

Bread is sustenance - food. Yes the crowd had food from the fish and bread. Their bellies are full, but their minds and their spirits need something as well. 

Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.” Whoever believes will not have hunger and thirst.

That is a bold claim.

This is not “bread” of flour, water and yeast. This is beyond warm summer smells of loaves in the oven. This is clearly not Grandma’s bread (as delicious as it was) but a different kind of “bread.” 

These are smells and tastes that quench the largest of appetites.

These are the teachings of Jesus, the embodiment of all that is good, the incarnation of love poured out for us, and the manifestation of true forgiveness that heals.

That Beloved is true sustenance without limit and without judgments. 

Yes that means whoever takes in the teachings, the compassion, the love that Jesus teaches us and brings to us - those people will truly be sustained. 

How?

Taking in these teachings, believing them, is more than just sayings, words on a page, or words we say, but this is also how we live and how we share that love, that bread, in the world - for one cannot just say they have love and then exclude or cast judgments.

We can practice this too. Instead of shunning folks on the street, we can offer them a sandwich. Instead of denying women their deserved rights, we can help defend them. Instead of rejecting youth as somehow lacking, maybe we acknowledge that they have something to teach us. Instead of  tearing down folks of different races, maybe we give space and opportunity for different cultures to blossom and increase our own culture.

Maybe, instead of walking around with division, hate and anger, we, instead walk with Christ's fill of love and grace in our hearts. 

That is the power of the holy Eucharist that welcomes all to the sacred table to taste something beyond the physical - something eternal - something Christ-like.

When you do, you will find that your wants suddenly vanish - whatever is missing in your life is filled. Love and grace have unique capabilities to do that for us. 

When you seek what is good and better in people, you will find that also in your own heart - you will make lemonade from lemons, you will have time to prepare "bread" in your own kitchen so that you can share it with others, and you can understand that this kind of "bread" is love that endures. You can realize how this forgiveness invites and welcomes. You can recognize there is always enough - “always room for one more.”

When you let love of Christ be in your heart, you will realize this bread, this bread of life, is exactly what you need.

That Beloved is

Thanks Be to God