+The Syro-Phonecian woman had guts. Some might even say gall. She bested Jesus in a debate about who deserves God’s mercy. At the time of this encounter with the woman, Jesus didn’t know he was the Messiah for all people—she, through her debate with him--- enlightens Jesus. This encounter between Jesus and the woman comes early enough in his ministry that Jesus is still finding his way….realizing that he’s not only the messiah for the Jewish people but is indeed the messiah for everyone, everywhere, always.
But in today’s gospel, Jesus still thinks he’s only been sent for the Jews, which is why he rudely—and I mean rudely—dismisses this “unclean woman.” She’s unclean, according to Jewish purity laws, because she is not Jewish, she’s a foreigner, a gentile, a Syro-Phonecian (called a Caananite in Matthew’s Gospel)!
Now, you may be surprised to hear me say that Jesus didn’t know something but, it’s clear to me---and you are free to disagree---that Jesus is corrected, taught, enlightened by the Syro-Phonecian woman.
I actually find it refreshing, that Jesus could be wrong about something. But more than Jesus being wrong, what I find most amazing in this reading is the grace with which the woman responds.
Jesus insults her--- really insults her---yet she doesn’t yell at him, she doesn’t cry, she isn’t struck dumb by his insolence, she simply replies to him calling her a dog with a logical argument: “you may think of me as a dog, she says, but even dogs get the crumbs. I’m not asking for the fullness of your glory, I’m just asking for the crumbs. For the crumbs are better than nothing and I know what you can do, so I’ll take even just a portion.” This display of great faith in Him and great love for
her daughter turns Jesus’ heart and ultimately changes his mind.
It’s a startling Gospel story and one that has infuriated women for generations. All our readings this morning are about the danger of judging a book by its cover, the danger of excluding people from our lives because of the size of their paycheck, the color of their skin, the name of their God, the gender of their beloved, the party affiliation on their voter registration card.
Culminating with this Gospel reading we’re told--- compassion, wisdom, and love can come from all sorts and conditions of people. Be slow to judge and quick to welcome…for there are angels all around us, eager to teach us exactly what it is we may need to learn, even –especially- when we don’t know we need to learn it! Just like Jesus.
But that’s not all I want to talk about this morning.
No on this morning, the last morning before your new Priest arrives, I want us to talk a bit about where you’ve been—where we’ve been---as you ready yourself for where you and Shannon will go from here!
In August of 2016, when I drove out here to meet with Gretchen and Cami after Blane’s hospitalization in I had never been here, never worshipped at Trinity , Hamburg before. But over the course of the next two years we came to know each other well. We walked through some tough times together--- and now, like a parent leaving her child in his freshmen dorm room, I am turning y’all over to Shannon and I am turning Shannon over to you. It’s a time of great expectation and hope.
Friends, while you look forward to all that is new don’t forget what has been and what you’ve been through---the great times, the bad times, all of it. Because all of it has lead to this moment in time. All of it makes Trinity Hamburg who she is. Embrace who you have been as you embark on who you will become.
I’m honored to have walked part of this walk with you and I promise to be back as much as Shannon can stand having me around!
Now, back to the Gospel for a moment, because the encounter with the Syro-Phonecian woman is only the first half of our gospel for today. The second half of the story is about the deaf man coming to Jesus for healing. It is about Jesus opening the man’s ears.
Jesus says, Ephphatha. It means “be open.”
To you, the faithful of Trinity, Hamburg: EPHPHATHA be open, be open to your past, be honest about it, learn from it, but do not stay in it for staying in it is to close you off from all that is and all that can, should and will be.
Ephphatha. Be open… be open to try new things, be open to risk failing for when you are willing to fail, you quite often succeed.
Ephphatha be open and be brave enough to speak the truth. To yourselves and to one another.
Ephphatha: be open to all sorts and conditions of people that come through these doors and more importantly be open to all those whom you encounter outside these doors. Invite them to come in and to be opened—opened to the amazing, outlandish, incredible, and abundant love of God as experienced through Jesus Christ in this place.
Because when you do that, when speak honestly and hear openly you become a safe place for an increasingly hurting and lost world. A world looking for a place to safely be in the presence of truth. The truth that is Jesus Christ. My friends, I love you all and I can’t wait to see what happens next. May God bless you and may God keep you and may God continue to pour out Divine grace on each and every one of you. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment