The Rev. Dan Rondeau
St. Margaret's Episcopal Church & School
Job 1:1, 2:1-10 | Psalm 26 | Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12 | Mark 10:2-16
[Jesus said], "Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it." And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them. (Mark 10:15-16)
This is the image that needs to linger in our minds and hearts today as we hear the words of scripture. Let us hear the words safely wrapped in the arms of Jesus; let us hear the words of scripture as we feel the love of God flow into us as Jesus places his hands on us, and blesses us.
We face two big challenges as we hear God’s word this morning. Modern scholarship makes it pretty clear that while the Satan described in Job is not the same as Satan defeated by Christ, the Satan described in the account from Job caused the afflictions that became Job’s life, and God permitted (if not approved of) the testing. Could it be true that God actively approves of and sends hardship and suffering into our lives?
A second challenge comes from the words of Jesus to his disciples. In the Gospel account today Jesus speaks quite clearly doesn’t he? Tested first by the Pharisees, then asked to explain himself further by his disciples, we heard Jesus say, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."1 Another challenge. There is no way around this, Jesus opposes divorce, that is the "clear word of scripture."
To acknowledge what the scriptures clearly say (the scholarly word for translating the word of scripture is exegesis), to meet the challenges presented by today’s readings, to recover a sense of well-being, to be informed and lifted up by the Good News, I want to turn to a favorite teacher of mine, Walter Wink."2
In making a point about the translation of the Word of God (exegesis) and the interpretation of the Word of God (hermeneutics), Wink turns to a truth upon which the Word of God is absolutely clear at the level of the bible text: the inspired word of God approves of the owning of slaves. In the mid 19th century this biblical truth was being challenged. The text was clear—owning slaves is permissible—but the question before many concerned believers was what weight this truth should have in their walk with the Lord. Wink reminds us that the issue before the People of God always is how to live the truth of the scriptures in the light of tradition and the reasoned order of our experiences."3
Imagine the difficulty," he writes, "that abolitionists faced in making their case in the mid 19th century. In the absence of proof texts [that slavery was forbidden by God], they had to fall back on the tenor of scripture, the spirit of Jesus, and appeals to compassion and empathy."4
He continues, "Amazingly, enough people understood their case that they were able to carry the day. Today, almost no one still argues that slavery is justifiable because it is biblically sanctioned."
When we hear this story of God allowing the harmful testing of Job, when we hear the words of Jesus spoken to his disciples, we hear them knowing that our modern scholars have done a very accurate job of translating the Hebrew and Greek into modern English. We are hearing them correctly.
But what shall we do with what we hear? How shall these texts inform our actions? What are we to make of this? Our task is always to take these texts and other challenging texts and interpret them, to make meaning from them, in their larger context: the tenor of all scripture, the spirit of Jesus, and ultimately our own sense of compassion and empathy formed from our study, worship, and prayer.
Let’s do that. The tenor of all Scripture informs our hearts with the knowledge that God creates everything well, all is precious in God’s eyes; we know from the many stories in the Bible that God loves the poor, the defenseless, the outcast, the marginalized, the enslaved; rather than permitting their harm God works tirelessly on their behalf to secure their health and salvation; indeed, God loves the sinner, as is so brilliantly stated by St. Paul in his letter to the Romans: "… God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners (cut off from God, imperfect, even enemies of God), Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
From Genesis through Revelation the story is of God’s love for his People, for his creation. What is revealed from beginning to end is a God who is engaged and who desires our health, wholeness, happiness, and friendship. When challenged with the text from Job or challenged with well meaning friends hitting you over the head with the text of Job, find refuge and hope in the tenor of all Scriptures: God’s love is unconditional and it is offered to you (even in the midst of suffering and pain).
If you are one of the millions in America who has suffered through the tragedy and pains of divorce and if you are one of the millions who have found new joy in a new marriage, find refuge and hope in the tenor of all Scriptures: God’s love is unconditional and it is offered to you (even you who are divorced, or divorcing, remarried or not). Another way of saying this is to say that the story of scriptures from beginning to end is a story about God’s amazing grace.
What is grace? I wish I knew who wrote this description of grace, for it is concise and honest and thrilling: "It is grace to understand with mind, heart, and soul that there is nothing you can do to make God love you more; nor is there anything you can do to make God love you less. God is love. God loves you fully, all the time."5
If you wonder where is God in your current pain or hardship, if you wonder about your worthiness to be here after hearing the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel, draw encouragement and hope not just from the tenor of scripture but also from the spirit of and the story of the life of Jesus. The spirit of Jesus to which Walter Wink refers is seen as Jesus seeks out the poor, the defenseless, the outcast, the ill, the marginalized, the enslaved, those considered to be sinners (by the righteous) and thus beyond God’s love, God’s redemption. Again and again Jesus forgives and reconciles those who have missed the mark, those who are considered to be irredeemable sinners by the righteous.
Two images capture the spirit of Jesus and captivate our minds, hearts, and souls: the spirit of Jesus is captured in the image of him holding a child in his arms to bless that child; the spirit of Jesus is captured in his arms opened wide as hangs from the cross. From the cross the spirit of Jesus is radiant as he endures its agonies and prays that the Father forgive those who have caused him pain, suffering, and harm.
At the foot of the cross we remember that by his life and by his words Jesus invites his followers to strive for perfection, to strive to live as he lived; and perhaps, like Peter who denied even knowing Jesus, we weep as we realize how far short of the mark we are. At the same time as we stand at the foot of the cross we know that Jesus demonstrated a keen awareness of human frailty and opened his arms and his heart to embrace the less-than-perfect anyway."6 Let me go back to Paul’s words to the Romans; Paul, upon discovering his many imperfections and the amazing, the enormous and unconditional love of Jesus, speaks with conviction for all of us (sinners): "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
Finally, we encounter today’s readings with our sense of compassion and empathy born of our own experiences and our study, worship and prayer. Any of us who have had to deal with tragedy, suffering, loss, or pain know that "in the valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23) we have called upon our God to walk with us, journey with us, stay with us, comfort and heal us—and have, sometimes in the most unexpected ways, felt God’s presence, God’s touch.
This knowledge is earned one moment at a time, with many fits and starts, and may only become clear as we look back, but the knowledge is there in our hearts. And, we want the same for our families, friends, and neighbors. We want them to know of God’s constant presence even in the midst of suffering and pain; we want others to know that far from causing pain or suffering, our God chooses to be with us even in the midst of that suffering—for that has been our experience.
And what about falling short of the ideal? We, who have had to confront our own sins, failings, and shortcomings, if we are honest, are not likely to pick up and hurl stones at or render judgment on others—from our sense of compassion and empathy.
Any of us who have experienced God’s amazing grace of forgiveness will want the same for our families, friends, and neighbors. Our God chooses to be with the less-than-perfect, this we know. Compassionately we desire God to extend forgiveness, embrace, and blessing to others. As much as we revel in the embrace and blessing of God—like those children in Jesus’ arms—our sense of compassion moves us to wish the same for others. If we in our imperfection can want this, how much more will our heavenly Father want this?
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready … to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior."7
This is how we prayed at the beginning of our Service. This is the light to shine on today’s readings in order to see the Good News beyond the immediate words that challenge us. And this is how our God will bless us. This I believe. Amen.
Reff:
1 Mark 10:10-12
2 Walter Wink, professor of biblical interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary.
3 Walter Wink, The Christian Century, June 5-12, 2002, pp. 32-34. Wink is reviewing the book The Bible and Homosexual Practice by Robert A. J. Gagnon. Walter Wink, professor of biblical interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary, edited Homosexuality and Christian Faith (Fortress, 1999).
4 Ibid
5 Copied. Source unknown.
6 "…for us and for our salvation [Jesus Christ] came down from heaven … suffered death and was buried…" The Nicene Creed, Book of Common Prayer, p. 358
7 Collect appointed for Proper 22, The Book of Common Prayer, p. 234
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