What Would Make You Change - Luke 16 - Proper 21C

What Would Make You Change?

Tony E Hansen 

Reflection based upon Luke 16:19-30

Opening prayer 

When I was getting ready to do some work and paint rooms in the house, I had bought all the paint I needed plus supplies. I thought this would be a great chance for bonding time for friends because I was going to do a whole house makeover. Plus, I could use some help and company.  

I messaged my friends and told them about the project and that I would have plenty of beverages and eats.

Oh the excuses that came back… turns out that only one dared to come and help. Otherwise, it was a big goose egg.

In the story of Lazarus and the rich man is a story of opposites - both in life and in the afterlife.

This is a common theme in life (not just in scripture ) : those who have and those who do not.

It is a common refrain from Luke to warn us of contentment with wealth and to warn us of actual danger of ignoring people right at our doorsteps.

Too often, we distract ourselves with things, eats or colorful clothing but do nothing for those we meet or in our reach - those who could use a little empathy or compassion or plain decency.

Sorry folks, that is not ok. It’s not ok to hide behind walls of ignorance and letting the dogs show compassion for us. We let our walls hide ugly truths that are all too convenient to avoid. We are too buried in our screens to care.

In our contentment, we gather things…hoarding them in piles. Then, We throw away food and things. We throw away with ease.

In Luke, we are reminded that inaction to help those in need is a haunting sin that can and will earn torment….. if we persist in our folly.

Yes inaction to extend God’s love forgiveness and compassion on this earth can earn you a ticket to Hades and fire. Why ?

What is the greatest commandment? To love God AND to love our neighbors- even the ones who struggle, are poor, injured, sick or incarcerated- even those who were just being who they are and looking for a better life for themselves and their families.

Like other commentators, I was drawn to the question that is posed by the end of this parable.

In the end of the parable, the script flips for Lazarus and the no name rich man in the afterlife. The no name guy is looking up and pleading for another chance. Interestingly if not for himself then he does think about his brothers. 

However the no name man now is told no. For he and the brothers have chances in life to heed to message and warnings, there is no chance to change that afterward.

No Jacob Marley here, no ghosts of Christmas visits. 

The lessons we have been given and are given are for us to embrace and embody today. The lessons are clear to love God over wealth AND to love our neighbors as ourselves, tend to them, feed them, teach them, and be with them, especially in their hour of need.

The question for us is what, who or rather why do we hold back?

What is holding our faith and compassion hostage? Who prevents us from extending grace to neighbors? I have to work and tend my yard. If parents want to argue, I have to take care of my children. Even folks who are taking care of their parents, I would submit get them to walk with you and teach them how to love so that you both extend grace. Be an example and lead them. Besides why put the excuse on your children if doing the right thing is necessary?

Yes why are we holding back? What would it take? If someone came back from the dead to warn you or to show you options, would that change the perception or would they be reduced to nonsense, hogwash and phooey. I mean ghosts and talking dead are not real anyway right?.

Is that what you say about Jesus?

Is that what you say about the scriptures every Sunday?

Read and repeat some phrase you heard, but it stays in the book, in the pews, in the church halls… Or is there something more to this?

Do we just go through the motions so we can go on through the rest of our busy lives? More of that work? For what?

… In order that we can be miserable paying bills, being slaves to social media, forgetting we even have neighbors or succumbing to the next fab craze so we can buy more useless stuff that does nothing but collect dust… this what we live for ?

Again what would it take to change all of that?

What authority do you really have to deny the commandments of our Creator and Savior? What excuse do you have to deny people justice when the government or people promote gun violence and systemic injustice ? Why do you continue to ignore climate change rather than preparing and adapting? What excuse do you have to be blind to the structural failures of corporate power to provide compassion and grace when they fire employees just before eligibility to take pensions? What excuse do you have to allow government agents to tear apart families? What excuse do you have for taking food out babies’ mouths so that privileged folks can live large off the backs of middle class people while rotting out said middle class? 

The large ugly law passed in July shoves burdens and concerns onto the poor, the youth and generations yet to come while savoring all that gluttony today, especially for the wealthy..

Inaction is as complicit and guilty as is voting for fools that condone these.

This isn’t asking help to paint a house or tape up borders around rooms and trim? This isn’t just a couple hours of work because there is much more at stake than casual deference to sore arms and physical work. 

This is reminding us to transform US, our souls, our attitudes and our eyes to see and witness. For us to do that which God calls us to do.

Carter Heyward writes that if we discover the house has structural problems, we don’t just go around changing wallpaper and rearranging furniture. We have to address the actual issues, perhaps dig deeply into the foundations. To our question, some of the what’s and whys are due to systemic structural problems in society - a broken world??

Yet if we decide to simply ignore them in vain (they are vain) hopes that they may magically rectify themselves, we have created even bigger fiction to go along with our deception. We are living examples of inaction and rejection of actual truth.

We therefore have an obligation to ourselves, to God, to our neighbors to be more than nothing. We are not to keep pushing the blame around like barges of trash for other places…we are not to keep pushing blame onto scapegoats and more hysteria. That is more excuse making.

People, we need to change - not into bad ideas and facade of years past, but change into God’s workers here on Earth.

We are to meet the issues with the urgency deserved… to see them, to call them out and to change them.

Yet that does not happen if we don’t do the necessary- something more intimate, more personal, and more powerful.

That change requires us to look into the mirrors of our souls when we see injustice, when we see oppression, a person hungry, or when we see bigotry. Move to action. 

We cannot continue to turn a blind eye and expect to be rewarded like dogs waiting for scraps. Assuredly if we do that, we will have what we deserve. 

For God knows there is so much more we can and should do.

So I ask you, what will it take for you?

Thanks be to God

Sabbath Time - Luke 13 - Proper16C

Sabbath Time

Tony E Hansen

Reflection for Luke 13:10 -17, Psalm 103, Isaiah 58: 9-14

Healing, fixing , identity, a new future, a beginning for the woman and for the congregation. I want to come back to this because what happens to this woman is important for us today.

Doing work on the sabbath?  Doing work on the Sabbath is almost a given because things need to be done - no parent tells their baby ”not today” and we still need to brush our teeth… But how do you honor the Sabbath? Do we take time? And why ? 

If you are taking a day off in honor of the sabbath, be gracious and especially if you go out to eat or go shopping, remember that those servers and clerks are working on your behalf.  

There was a day so long ago that does not happen today because our world today runs 24-7 and 365 days a year.  Someone has to keep the lights on, keep plumbing work, keep food on the table, and keep care of animals and even parents have to continue parenting. Someone has to keep care of our parents when we don’t have time.

Sigh… we don’t have time… People don’t have time to take care of loved ones. Are they truly loved? Why do other things in this busy world take priority over those we love?  Convenience ?  Upsetting routines? Or is it more sinister? 

I enjoy going to ballgames but I realize that sometimes we (in Iowa) travel hours to go to big league games (football or baseball), and we will spend time at the city with restaurants and other needfuls, whether it is Sabbath or not. At the game, there are people are serving behind the concession stands, police are directing traffic, clerks taking tickets and the players themselves who are today’s entertainment. 

Pro-football goes as far as to take these players and staff away from family on the Lord’s day, Christmas, and bank holidays. (Something to be said about those holidays giving bankers and financial markets time off while many do not…)

So all of these people are taking time and for what? However we are not taking time off. Some cannot afford to, but even for those who have the privilege and can, there is a question.

We have rolled over what it means to take time off as a coordinated public event that involve people working for us, and we rarely give them the due they deserve.

Our broken world has no reverence for Sabbath in the slightest. In fact, our broken world uses people instead of acknowledges them and their worth. Our broken world doesn’t care that you have real priorities because there are always things that are to distract us away from our priorities of loving God and loving neighbor. 

Everything is presented as a show and entertainment even reduces it to tugging at your pocket and your eyeballs with useless memes and short clips. Then we complain when other people haven’t done what we want or how we want. 

Maybe there is something sinister at work after all.

It is well known that we have a crisis of loneliness in this country and have for sometime. The pandemic only made things worse and much more noticeable. 

It was noted in a recent TED podcast that Dr Ruth (famous television therapist) gave some advice in this matter. 

If you’re making a cake, whether you have eggs, go to your neighbor and ask for one. Thereby starting a conversation.  I mean for us to start taking time seriously, let us start with those closest to us. You have people right next to you now that could use some of your quality time.  

Then perhaps it spreads..

Or are we too busy for something that simple?

As a consequence when we don’t, there is no time to sit and breathe or to visit folks in infirmaries (or even prison.) In that context, it is easy to see how a woman could be looked over for 18 years in the midst of the congregation. 

That begs the question for us: who are we overlooking that needs our attention or just a simple hello. Who around us has been forgotten and are we willing to take necessary time to be with them for a bit?  Perhaps ask for an egg or maybe make the cake with them?

Maybe, it is us that need to be healed, as well as the woman. She lived with this oppression and affliction for years, and now, she has a different identity because she was recognized by Jesus. She has a new outlook. 

There is something about the presence of Jesus that can have an impact on people to open eyes, open hearts, and to heal.  

We have been distracted and oppressed by the system for so long.  

Yes  we are also afflicted because we are walking around this broken world of false hope, so-called entertainments, distractions and fleeting prospects that leave us wanting and unfulfilled.

Maybe, we in the congregation ought to wake up and hear Jesus calling us to something more than this brokenness.

Step into the truth, into the love that is here, into the forgiveness that heals and witness Jesus working. 

That is truly something to behold and to experience.

Put away the screens and device notifications. 

Instead, listen to and meditate upon the Spirit calling you to the holy community - to true liberation from all that oppresses us today. 

There is such a thing as heaven on earth, but it is not in your pockets or purses. It is not on the ballfields or sports arena. It is not in government halls or false prophets spreading fake narratives and lacking hope. 

It is taking time and listening to Jesus talking to you - setting you free from all of this - today, and this hour.

When you do, Psalm 103 will resonate your very core. “Bless the Lord, o my soul and all that is within me… the Lord works justice for all who are oppressed -(that’s you and me folks) [for] The Lord is merciful and gracious” 

Observing the Sabbath is why Isaiah says to “remove the yoke from among you… and to offer food to the hungry…” Stop pointing fingers as judging and casting everyone else and instead, be the grace that God has given to you.

It is at least weekly. It is your holy days, but more importantly, it is a part of our lives - to take time for ourselves and for those around us so that they too can witness the love of God in this world. It is time for us to acknowledge the presence of the Spirit working with us and for us.

Put away the devices, stop the ignorance, go talk to someone today and perhaps witness the Spirit among you.

Thanks Be to God

Power of Fire - Luke 12 - Proper 15 C

Power of Fire

Tony E Hansen

Reflection based Luke 12: 49-56, Psalm 82

Opening prayer

We continue in our journey through Luke 12. To recap, we were told the parable of rich fool. We were told to not worry for “how does worrying add a single hour to your life?” We were told to not be afraid and to make sure our hearts reflect the treasure of God rather than broken worldly items.

Jesus tells us to be watchful and alert “to have your lamps lit” for we do not know when God is coming for us. Are you ready to have that conversation with God? Are you tending God’s garden in a good way or are you hurting those around you?

After this whole teaching, Jesus declares that he will bring fire and division. This invokes images from baptism where John told us that John would baptize with water but Jesus will baptize with fire. There will be separation.

Fire isn’t just destruction and damnation but also purifying and bringing light- not just light but divine light into our broken world and broken visions. Fire is a divine symbol.

But why have division? That isn’t the goal. 

Division is going to manifest because of this gospel.This however isn’t just about relationships going sour or family civil wars, but how people hold onto old ideas and how God breaks forth into this world with a whole different set of commands and ideas. 

There is going to be a clash and inevitable tensions as people want to hold onto what they know as familiar and convenient. People want to look up at the sky and tell you the weather - “rain is coming.” Even the people and teachers around Jesus clash with these ideas because it reveals hypocrisy and elitism from those who want to maintain a world order that benefits them.

Following Jesus and the word of God requires us to see through all of that and to recognize truth for Truth. It doesn’t require walls, a building and specific words we say on regular basis, but it does require our hearts, our minds and our souls to commit to these words and to let those words manifest in us as agents of those inclusive words - even when the world wants to practice division and exclusion.

God upends all of that - even the words of preachers that want to profess division instead of inclusion.

How many times has the church divided over questions of faith, teaching, process and its role in our lives?

Ministry and church is about putting in the work to do what Jesus tells us.  It is not listening to materialism and the latest marketing fads that boast continuous fun and great times while delivering fleeting experiences that leave us lacking.

It is not going to pointless work to punch in the time card so we can go home, or goto school to prepare for tests. Church is not watching our little screens for meaningless content. These devices and that content are designed to take attention away from the world and away from what needs to change. 

We are too busy with pointless discussions that shower damnation upon whole groups of people we have never met . Many undermine the value of humanity as a community but instead reinforce hatreds, negativity, and violence as proper means - even though it actually perpetuates more violence and hatred.

Our world is enough for us to throw up hands and wonder how did it get so bad…  How can we return to some sense of order? 

Questions what order do you want? One where people tell you what to do and how to do it? No, BUT that is what we are getting.

Perhaps, it is the “who” was the problem - so where is Jesus in this?

What do we return to that was so gracious? Do we forget that we had just as much tension then as we do now - you just see it more now.  It is available to you 24-7 in your pocket. That is part of why I have pulled back from social media because it has become so depressing, time consuming and generally bad. 

Those algorithms aren’t calculating for us to see the good society except maybe the cute kittens, but to cause visceral emotions, angers and reactions that have us wanting more. The grief we felt for January 6, 2021 seeing people beat up police officers and the capitol building, that was over 4 years ago; so we forget that today because they were justified and angry.

People feel justified and angry today to allow the state to prune people’s rights and to force others to believe the farce. People don’t want to understand nuance and other people because that would take time away from our busy screens. We have ridiculous arguments over things like gender identity. 

How someone identifies themselves (a personal, private conversation between them and God) should be the least of our social concerns, but instead, that becomes forefront priorities, Why? 

Issues like these are meant to distract us and divide us even more. As long as we play into that narrative, the real issues and opportunities will be simply missed. 

Meanwhile, people are burning down the structures and institutions that have brought us knowledge, technology, biology, governments, and even faith. Institutions should be questioned and their priorities examined. They are, after all, human institutions.

People are not waiting for test results. People are tearing down those that appear to have colluded against us, have failed us and continue to fail us. 

In doing so, instead of correcting the problems, forward looking and building technology for the future, people are looking back and rewriting the problematic narratives we had witnessed into some nostalgic realms but with false pretenses, aka “whitewashing.”

How could Jesus possibly bring more division to us who are already well divided?? Surely, Jesus is upset at those people for bringing division and not me for my part in this whole thing.

What have you and I done to prepare this world for God to break forth and to bring us into community together?  

What have you and I done to welcome whether we agree or not? What have you and I done to cast judgement aside as God’s duty instead of ours? 

Have you and I truly taken up a cross with Jesus or just play the part?

The power of fire can be to burn and to destroy but it can be a source of inspiration to do great things. Fire can be revealing. So today what does God’s fire reveal to you?

Thanks be to God