John McNamara
References: Isaiah 5:1-7, Psalm 80:1-2, 8-18, Hebrews 11:29-12:2, Luke 12:49-56
It is the 10th Sunday after Pentecost in Year C of our three-year cycle of readings. Our lectionary has been following Luke, Isaiah and Paul’s letter to the Hebrews the past few weeks. Comparing last week’s lessons with the readings from this week, there is a noticeable change in tone. The Gospel reading, especially, has moved from a tone of unconditional love to a sharp and somber tone of fire and division.
In last week’s reading, Jesus tells his disciples, “Do not be afraid little flock, for it is the Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. An unfailing treasure in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Be dressed for action, be ready and alert for the unexpected hour.” In contrast with last week’s message of love and acceptance, in this week’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I came to bring fire to the earth and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is complete. Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! You know how to interpret earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time.”
These words are challenging to understand. Biblical scholars offer us insights that help us interpret his message. Winds from the west came over the Mediterranean Sea and brought rain. Winds from the south came over the desert and brought scorching heat. Thus, people were able to predict the weather based on the wind direction. While this made the people seem smart, Jesus calls them hypocrites. They can predict the weather, but they are unable to interpret the present time; a time when Jesus sees many signs of spiritual crises that human beings neglect to see.
In last week’s parable, the good slaves wait for the master to return from the wedding and are alert to and ready for his coming. Blessed are those slaves. Jesus warns, “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.” In this week’s reading Jesus seems to be speaking about those who are not ready for the Son of Man. Jesus knows that his teachings will bring division to the world. While Jesus preaches peace and love, he challenges the status quo. Many of the messages he shares are criticisms against the authorities and ruling forces of his world; both the Romans and the leaders of Jewish society. Jesus is bringing fire to the earth with his judgement. His words and actions empower people to question authority. He knows the people will suffer and die as a result of these questions. Yet, Jesus is asking for this change. He is intentionally kindling the fire. The contrast between last week’s Gospel message and this week’s offers us a useful perspective in our thinking about today’s world; a world that seems to be on fire with the forces of drastic change.
The words from one of our hymns a couple of weeks ago impressed me with their relevance to our own times. Ray Palmer’s best-known hymn from 1838, “My Faith Looks Up to Thee,” is still one of our “oldies but goodies” and speaks to our own faith journey today. Palmer was born in Rhode Island in 1808. After graduating from Yale University in 1830, he worked as the pastor of a church in Albany, New York. He then accepted a position in the American Congregation Union in New York City, an organization that supported the building of nearly 2,500 churches across America. Extreme growth and change marked this period of time in history as America became a pulsing, burgeoning world economic power whose lands stretched across the entire continent. As a nation in the midst of powerful growth and change, America was on fire. The first railroads linked the growing cities across the widening landscape of American. Steamships delivered labor from around the world to these developing cities. Innovation was alive. A telegraph line from Baltimore to the Washington Territory was erected and Samuel Morse devised a code to utilize it, making it possible to communicate with others across the country. Cyrus McCormick patented his horse-drawn reaper, a revolution in American agriculture. Eli Whitney’s invention of the Cotton Gin made cotton king in the south. The Colt revolver introduced interchangeable parts to ease mass production. America’s mass production innovations became the talk of Europe. This was the world of change Ray Palmer lived in, which inspired the hymn he wrote; a hymn meant to sooth the sting of change and to let God guide our story.
My faith looks up to thee, thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine.
Now hear me while I pray, take all my guilt away. O let me from this day be wholly thine.
While life’s dark maze I tread and griefs around me spread, be thou my guide.
Bid darkness turn to day, wipe sorrow’s tears away, nor let me ever stray from thee aside.
May thy rich grace impart strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire.
As thou hast died for me, O may my love to thee, pure, warm and changeless be. A living fire.
Which brings us to our reading from Isaiah. “Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard.” The beloved dug a vineyard on a very fertile hill, cleared it of stones, planted it with choice vines and expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. The beloved expected justice and righteousness but saw bloodshed and heard the people cry. So, what will the beloved do now? God, the beloved, will make it a waste land by removing the hedge, breaking down the walls, and allowing it to become trampled down and overgrown with briers and thorns. Isaiah’s words condemn the house of Israel and the people of Judah. God prepared a vineyard of abundance for his beloved people, but the people’s actions desecrated God’s gift. Looking around our world today, it seems we, too, have desecrated God’s gift. God expected justice and righteousness but sees bloodshed and hears the cries of his people instead.
In Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, he describes the terrible suffering of God’s people, who through the ages, have been tortured, mocked, flogged, imprisoned, stoned to death, sawn in two, and killed by the sword. Paul explains that, though the people were commended for their faith, they did not receive what was promised in their life on earth. In last week’s reading from Paul’s letter, he offers a different perspective. God has provided something better; a better country, a heavenly one.
As we sit here today, our world is on fire and we have many questions. How can we affect the present time and promote goodwill for all? How do we confirm our position of faith and remain blessed so when our master finds us at an unexpected hour, we have our candles lit and remain alert? Paul answers our questions in today’s reading. “Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.” Amen.