In the Sunday morning Adult Class we’re reading and discussing what’s called "Process Theology." The basic premise of process theology is that reality is relational, is always in process, and the future is open. It is through God that all things live and move and have their being, and we must come to see ourselves as participants in this complex and fragile web of relationships. And our spirituality has to do with our relationships to the rest of what is, our sense of connection to everything else, and in living that out in responsible relationship to all that God has given us power over. And yet we live in a world that so often ignores or would deny such a reality. And today’s scripture passages challenge this tendency and call us to live by a higher order of relationship and interdependence. How appropriate these scriptures are for us on a very busy day here at CCC when we celebrate World Communion Sunday; when we bring our Neighbors in Need special mission offering; when this evening the word will come to us from a transgender Christian; and on a Sunday afternoon when we celebrate the Installation of our own Julia Jarvis as Chaplain at Springvale Terrace Retirement Home. I will say more about these in a few moments. But first let’s look at these scriptures. In the gospel passage from Mark we again have some Pharisees approaching Jesus and trying to test and trap him by getting him to assert his own authority against that of their ancestor and prophet, Moses. They ask, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" You notice the onesidedness of this. That’s because Jewish law at that time did not allow women to divorce their husbands. Jesus responds that they know full well that Moses had allowed men to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce their wives for very little cause (probably to marry someone much younger and who didn’t speak her mind!). Jesus adds that this was a concession made because of "the hardness of their hearts." But he goes a step further and reminds them of God’s original intention for there to be a covenantal relationship between both partners that recognizes the worth of each. So he raises questions about the law itself, just as he also criticized the too severe Sabbath and food laws, and speaks of both men and women initiating divorce. The words attributed to him here referring to remarriage as adultery have been taken as setting forth a new legalism. But this is typically beyond the mind and spirit of Jesus. What he does is lift the legality of marriage to a spiritual level beyond the cruel customs and male dominance of that time. He reflects a sensitivity to women as equal persons in the sight of God and sees the purpose of marriage to be lifelong mutuality and interdependence. The teaching acknowledges that divorce is a reality within which there must be justice and equality for all persons in these human relationships. Wives are not property to be discarded. The passage on children follows naturally, as children were, like women, depersonalized and without rights. It’s another of Mark’s series of vignettes where Jesus’ patience wears thin. How could they be with him all this time and still not understand? So, he says, "Let them come to me!" These too are part of God’s family. In fact, the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these, those who are trusting, receptive and not self-righteous. He blesses and embraces them and affirms their worth, again reflecting his concern for the powerless. If we want to know what Jesus really cared about, we need to pay attention to the things that aroused his indignation: the wrong done to people; loveless indifference to human need; where law and tradition overshadowed mercy and justice; and the exclusivity that blocked people’s way to inclusion and blessing. The Hebrews passage this morning speaks of the family to which we all belong as children of God, and as brothers and sisters of Jesus. Hebrews was an epistle written to Jewish Christians who as Jews had been used to beautiful worship ceremonies and a high priest who offered sacrifices in the temple for the forgiveness of the people. So, this epistle speaks of Jesus Christ as the perfect sacrifice and the true high priest mediating between God and humanity. You notice it’s very lofty language presenting a more cosmic Christ. The writer of Hebrews also makes comparisons of the old and new dispensations. He begins his epistle by saying that in the past God spoke in many and various ways by the prophets. But now God has spoken through Jesus, the Son. The writer is saying to these Christians that there are different moments of inspiration expressed at different times and in changing forms. Each revelation had validity in its own time, but was not final. Jesus brought a new revelation of the meaning and fullness of our humanity. And we affirm that God is still speaking and showing forth new light and truth. And the writer of Hebrews also asserts that God has given us humans power and set us in charge of everything. We are the hands of God, and it matters that we accept the responsibility for the world that has been put into our hands, that we care about family, world community and ecology. It matters that we move beyond denial and neglect, beyond competition to cooperation, and affirm the common ties that bind us all together. It matters that we care about the immigrant workers movement that is carrying the struggle for civil rights forward at this time. It matters that we move beyond hardness of heart and narrow points of view that keep us from sharing our lives more fully with those who are different from us, and with those in need of justice and fairness. You see, spiritual maturity and the experience of grace requires a high tolerance for differences and ambiguity. So we need to pray for this spiritual maturity for ourselves and for our religious and political leaders so that we may be able to tell the difference between God’s will and our own. So, it’s the message of Jesus, and continuing revelation in our own time, that prompt us to take even more seriously that we all belong to the same family. And this leads us to explore even further what it means for us at CCC to be Open & Affirming, and actualizing the sacred by welcoming all into our life together. That’s why our Open & Affirming Task Force and the Board for Social Witness have invited transgender activist and author, Calpernia Addams to speak here tonight at 8 PM. And it’s in this perception of One Family that today at 4 PM we will celebrate with Julia Jarvis as she is installed as the Chaplain at Springvale Terrace. She is bringing an expanded interfaith orientation in her ministry there to the increasingly diverse group of elderly residents. And her presence there presents us with a wonderful opportunity to support and build upon our covenant relationship with Springvale Terrace. Let us explore together new ways of involving ourselves with our brothers and sisters over there, and find ways of welcoming them into our life of worship and programming here. This One Family also includes our brothers and sisters near and far, worldwide. So today we bring our Neighbors in Need offering. And rather than feeling overwhelmed by the scope of suffering and need in our world, this is something we can do to fund poverty and hunger reduction, justice and peace and community development efforts through our gifts. Amazingly, less than 6% of this money is spent on promotional and administrative costs. Let us give generously to reflect our commitment to follow Jesus in giving voice to and living in solidarity with our poor and oppressed neighbors. And finally, today is World Communion Sunday, when we gather with Christians of many traditions to remember Jesus and the inclusive love he revealed. We come together today envisioning that human family where all are invited and gather at one common table, united in love, and welcoming one another as sisters and brothers. And by the power of the Holy Spirit, the bread and the cup become for us the feast of heaven. Amen Come now, all things are ready. |
