26 Jun SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2022
You’ve heard the expression, “Timing is everything.” Let’s see how timing plays a part in today’s scripture texts. In the first reading, Elijah was given a list of people to enlist, so to speak, into God’s service: two kings and a prophet. I guess the order in which he carried out his duties was optional since Elijah began with the last person mentioned rather than the first. Perhaps the last mentioned was the closest geographically or was prioritized because Elijah needed time to train his replacement.
In the gospel text, timing sets Jesus’ face toward Jerusalem. He sends messengers ahead of time. He, like Elijah, is aware of the goals. They are specific, pre-approved, predetermined and predicated on the purposes of God.
When Elijah threw his mantle over Elisha’s shoulders, it accomplished three things: it was an invitation to serve, a symbol of adoption, and also provided the recipient with a spiritual covering. Thereafter, that individual would be fully equipped with the capacity to function. A mantle covers the flesh and orients it toward the purposes of God.
What are some of those purposes? According to the first reading, God’s purpose was reorientation. Elijah was not supposed to be hiding or withdrawing from his calling due to fear. God didn’t want him to be discouraged. God wanted him to know that others were willing to share in and continue the work of God, an important message for our church to hear.
Regardless of the number attending, we are not to withdraw or become discouraged. We are to share in the work, continue the work, and delegate the work to others as a viable path forward. Doing so can still accomplish those specific goals pre-approved, predetermined and predicated on God’s purposes.
Paul says that to live by the Spirit is to be guided by the Spirit. A spiritual mantle functions like the hair which made up Elijah’s mantle. Heavy and durable, a spiritual mantle protects from damage. It insulates, shields and adorns. It signifies a call which requires an immediate answer and readiness now. Time is of the essence.
As the days drew near, Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem. The mantle had been laid upon his shoulders. His time to be lifted up had almost arrived, but the disciples and Samaritans still needed time for preparation.
Each had to learn to make their priorities secondary to God’s. This time is not about building up your town or ego. It is time to prepare, time to serve in a capacity God will enable. You will serve in a capacity with which you are not already familiar and you may not be good at it, at first. Don’t worry if you are not currently equipped, God has a plan.
But as the Samaritans discovered, if you don’t accept the plan, God moves on. Jesus and his followers head elsewhere to persons and places where what they propose is accepted. God continues to try and reconcile those who become separated like Samaritans became separated from Jews.
Originally Samaritans were descendants of three Israelite tribes: Menassah, Ephraim and Levi. Subsequent to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, they were rejected by pureblooded Jews. The elderly and infirm who were left behind in that region intermarried when the rest were exiled to Babylon.
When Jesus sent messengers on his way to Jerusalem, he showed that God did not reject them. But as the Samaritans rejected a visit from Jesus and his disciples and his disciples sought to punish them, each group rejected God, God’s purposes and a potentially auspicious occasion.
Being called by God is a sign of favor. It may lead to success. But accepting God’s proposal is no promise of ease.
Being called by God is a sign of favor. It may lead to success. But accepting God’s proposal is no promise of ease. Elisha said goodbye to his parents and never married, liquidated his assets, distributed them among others, and became poor. (https://suscopts.org/resources/literature/1363/threw-his-mantle-on-him/)
Jesus didn’t hide the fact that anyone who follows him must be willing to suffer and do without even a place to lay one’s head. That sounds awful. Every head needs a place to rest as evidenced by empty and full sleeping bags along the riverfront shaped like the outline of a human body or stuffed with possessions hoping to be retained.
Nowhere to lay one’s head is also the plight of persons awaiting treatment in the ER, traveling as refugees around the world, fleeing bad circumstances everywhere or following Jesus. Even Paul hinted at getting rid of worldly pleasures and focusing on religious purposes. Is that what our faith is about: self-denial? Adopting a stern severe attitude toward life and its pursuits? I don’t think so.
In the gospel lesson, a first person volunteers to follow, while the second is asked by Jesus. The first one is warned that it won’t be easy. The second is denied the opportunity Elisha had, to say goodbye. In fact, it’s believed this person’s father was not yet dead. What they were asking for was a delay of years, not the time it would take to hold a funeral. Besides, the dead have no pressing needs. The pressing need is for the kingdom of God to be proclaimed, whatever that means.
So far, the kingdom of God looks like total denial. It looks like forfeiting whatever desire and plans we have. It seems there is no alternative or flexibility regarding timing or anything else. What does it mean to put one’s hand to the plow or be fit for the kingdom of God anyway? Stop everything? Drop everything? What if you already have a family or responsibilities? Does God make allowances or is God’s attitude toward life and its pursuits stern and severe like Paul’s?
What about Christians being called to freedom from a yoke of slavery to the law? The law is a list and order of doing things properly enforced by threats. Do this…or else. Romans 10:4 states, “Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God (NLT).”
But today’s readings are explicit. Do what is asked of you or be forgotten, be passed over, miss your opportunity, be declared unfit or ineligible: the worst of threats to humanity. According to the Poor People’s Campaign, 140 million people are forgotten, passed over, without opportunity, declared unfit or ineligible. Why? Because they are poor. Like Jesus, thousands in every state have either no place or a place that’s inadequate to rest their heads.
Human beings have a moral obligation to God and each other to combat the effects of broken promises. We are set free by Christ and empowered by the Spirit to keep the promises we have made to both God and each other. We are set free by Christ and empowered by the Spirit to keep the promises of our government for the sake of those who are too tired, too poor, too old, or infirm to put their hand to the plow. Those who would receive the mantle must be found as Elisha was: working with the team, getting the work done by being hands-on.
If the whole law is summed up in a single commandment to, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” how do we work hands-on at loving beyond our family members to loving our neighbors? Paul goes so far as to say we are (through love) to become slaves to each other. Everything asked seems to ask for too much, right?
But, unless we are forced, we’re not inclined to do what we don’t wish to do. Would it ever be possible for everyone to experience neighborly love without a mandate? God tried to mandate it. Perhaps the government needs to mandate it. Could love of neighbor come about by prioritizing policies that guarantee a living wage and quality housing?
Could love of neighbor come about by providing quality, affordable healthcare, protecting and expanding voting rights, guaranteeing quality public education, reforming what is broken in our economy and repairing broken promises to descendants of indigenous and enslaved ancestors? This is not political sermonizing, these are ideas from the word of God placed in a modern context.
A fellow rally bus rider made this comment after I noted my appreciation for the Poor People’s Campaign not being party affiliated. This fortyish looking gentleman was from NYC, worked full-time as a document proofreader and also cared for an elderly in-law. He, like everyone who attended the rally, had traveled, stood and listened to personal stories surrounding poverty, broken promises, and tragedy for hours on end last Saturday in DC.
As we shared a seat, we lamented how sad it is that regardless of which party is in power, more progress toward the goals put forth by the PPC aren’t made. He said, “I doubt any Republicans would align themselves with what the PPC proposes.” His remarks took me aback because up until that point, the day had been all about agreement.
Everyone had agreed to love their neighbor regardless of what they looked like, where they came from or how they were in relationships as if our neighbor was ourselves or at least some family member. There was no biting or devouring, only sage guidance from the Spirit. Encouragement and wisdom came in the form of music, preaching, and storytelling. The word was God’s and included the message, “Don’t let discouragement, anger, rejection or tragedy consume the joy of life or each other.”
Paul says, “Live by the Spirit. Do not gratify the desires of the flesh that oppose it. Don’t just say or do what you want because that causes strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, and more. A warning comes with doing those things because they steal the fruits of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, all fruits that were evident at the PPC Rally.
I replied to the gentleman seated next to me, “Don’t be so sure of that. Republicans quoted by the media don’t represent everyone.” Let us pray.
Dear Lord, unite efforts to love our neighbor. Make truth plain so that your intentions are brought forward and placed upon our shoulders. Help us to focus and be single-minded toward the goals you have for this world. We need your Spirit to inform and empower, to make love and freedom realities for all. In your holy name we pray, Amen.