Sermon August 6, 2017 8th after Trinity

One evening a wise old grandfather told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The wise grandfather simply replied, "The one you feed."

From this old story, which comes from the Cherokee people, the evil wolf can appear in sheep’s clothing. There are at least two aspects of ourselves which can seem to be a war within us.  We have devices and desires which encourage us to go places that we know we should not go and do things that we should not do.  St. Paul was very aware of this battle.  He complains to God in a prayer of desperation, which is unusual for him, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate”. 

The collect for today sums it up:

O God, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth; We humbly beseech thee to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which be profitable for us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Do we always know what is profitable for us today?  Do we always know which wolf we are feeding?  I don’t think it is.  Perhaps it has never been as two thousand years ago St. Paul was struggling with this challenge.  I don’t know the origin of the Cherokee Legend but it legends are usually ancient.

But what of profit; is it always a good thing?  Today the world certainly looks at profit as a good thing.  A company which has its bottom line in the black is looked on as a good investment.  However, making a profit can be good whether it is personal or corporate or for government.  Profit is considered to be an admirable thing.  However, it depends on what you do to make that profit.  We can live lives that are profitable when we look at the bottom line of our bank accounts, but how we are spending our resources. 

Which wolf will we feed?

The quest for corporate profits can be ruthless when it seeks to put share value and the bottom line over proper treatment of workers.  It can seek to break unions and seek the lowest wage jurisdiction without regard for what happens to workers.  It can encourage corporate managers to line their own pockets with stock options rather than the long term health of the company. 

Which wolf will we feed?

The same can be true for us as individuals.  How are we giving back from our bounty?  For many years I have been a follower of a column in the Saturday Globe and Mail; the Financial Facelift.  This column takes a look people’s financial situation—there assets and liabilities and how they spend their money and recommend what changes they should make to reach their goals—often it is having a secure retirement or owning a house or enough money to live comfortably.  There is nothing wrong with that.  However, I have been saddened by the small amount that people often give to charity in their spending.  These are usually people who are relatively well off—comfortably middle class.  Sometimes they are in poor financial shape—usually because their spending is in excess of their income—sometimes radically.  However, their spending often doesn’t include much in charitable donations.   There was one column recently that illustrates this.  A letter to the editor commented on it which I will quote from:

Last Saturday’s couple in their 50’s with total assets of $2.5 million took the prize for self-indulgence.  Buried among the expenditures of a net monthly income $13,975 were vacation spending ($500), discretionary ($1,131), dining, drinks and entertainment ($775) and charity ($10).  What? Did they buy some Girl Guide cookies?

Which wolf will we feed?

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Jesus lays it on the line for us.  We can have a debt free financial bottom line.  We can spend our money on vacations and cottages and all sorts of luxury items.  Can we gain our worldly security and lose our souls?  

That is true for us and it is true for individuals and our corporations and our governments.  How are those who are on the fringes of society treated by our governments who represent us?  How are treated by us personally?  How much support do out governments give to refugees and aid to third world countries? 

Which wolf will we feed?

Jesus tells us, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.”  Are our lives going to produce good fruit or will it produce grapes of thorns or figs of thistles?  A good tree bringeth forth good fruit and a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. 

Which wolf will we feed?

We do have two wolves within us; an evil one and a good one—an evil tree and a good tree.  It is not always easy to recognize which is which.  And when we do recognize it, it is often not easy to feed the good one as St. Paul tells us. 

All we can do is to make the effort to recognize which is which.  When we do recognize it we can strive to feed the right one.  When we fail, when we fall into sin as we inevitably will, we can repent and turn around.  We have the assurance of God’s forgiveness through Jesus Christ. 

Let us feed the wolf of our better nature.  Amen.

Sermon June 19, 2016 Fourth Sunday after Trinity

The Gospel certainly puts it on the line.  Jesus tells us in no uncertain term what we are required to do if we are going to be his disciples and follow him.  Now you might say, “I never signed up to be one of his disciples; I only want to be a Christian.”  Well, unfortunately or rather fortunately for us, it is the same thing.    If Jesus is the one who we claim as our saviour and redeemer; the one who died for our sins, then were are called to follow him and follow him teachings.  That is what a Christian promises to do.

So let’s look at what he is calling us to do and be.  It is quite a list that he lays out: be merciful to others, do not judge others, do not condemn others, forgive others, give to others.  There is more of course but let’s leave it at that—at least for this Sunday.

Jesus is asking a lot of us.  However, perhaps these things are within the realm of possibility.  Let’s look at them more closely as see what is really required. 

Be merciful.  Well that’s not too hard.  I think I can certainly show mercy to others.  I’m a good guy and I like to think that I show mercy when it is necessary.  In fact I give quite a bit of money to charity; I tithe-giving a tenth of my income—more or less.  Isn’t that showing mercy?     Well I’m afraid that doesn’t quite do it.  Do I really show mercy to someone who had wronged me?  If I have the chance to seek revenge—I hope not in really serious ways—do I do it?  A little righteous anger and just deserts is actually good for someone isn’t it.  After all it teaches them a lesson doesn’t it.  Well it may do that but it’s not mercy.

Do not judge others.  Well, that’s some order.  How can I encounter someone and not judge them?  After all, some people act in ways that I don’t approve of.  Realistically there are some people who act in bad ways, in despicable ways like that politician in the United Sates.  Does Jesus really expect me not to judge them?  So what if it say elsewhere ‘judge not lest you be judged’ it is inevitable that we will judge people—isn’t it?

Do not condemn others.  Well to be truthful there are lots of people that deserve condemnation.  It follows from judging those people who don’t meet my standards regarding the way I believe people should live.  They get judged by me and then I, at least figuratively condemn them to the outer darkness of people who are not worthy of my mercy or love.

Forgiveness; well that’s one I have a pretty good handle on.  I forgive people quite easily.  After all I want people to think well of me and probably wouldn’t if I carried a grudge.  But actually if I am honest I can say that I forgive someone but the things they have done to me still annoy and bug me and even make me angry a long time later.  I guess if I have that reaction I haven’t really forgiven them.

Give to others; well as I said already I do really well on that one anyway.  I give generously to charity—I tithe as we are told we should to be a good Christian.  Well, I must admit I give to selected ones.  I give to the deserving charities that help deserving people.  If I am asked on the street for a handout I immediately assess the person.  Is she really in need?    Is he trying to rip me off? Will he just go and spend the money I give him on cheap wine?  I really wish Jesus had said give to those who deserve it.  But he didn’t.

So Jesus does seem to be telling us to do things that are really hard.  It does put us in a bad position if we want to follow him doesn’t it?  Surely this passage must be taken out of context or perhaps it is a mistranslation or perhaps Jesus didn’t mean it the way we understand it.  After all he did say “my yoke is easy and my burden is light”.  Anyway, he didn’t always practice what he is preaching here.  He did throw the money changers out of the temple.  He certainly judged the scribes and the Pharisees and others who were deserved to be judged.  So what can we make of this?

Perhaps he was saying that these are things we should strive to do and how we should attempt to be, knowing that we will not always or even often succeed?  But then he says a bit later, “everyone that is perfect shall be as his master.”  How can Jesus expect us do all these things that he commands and do them perfectly.  Perfection is certainly something that I know I will achieve.  I have tried to be realistic and to acknowledge to myself that I can never be.  Indeed, I don’t believe that Jesus intends us to be perfect—at least the way we understand it.   

There is a different way of looking at perfection than how we usually look at it.  We believe that to be perfect is to be without a flaw and to never make a mistake.  Augustine the great church father and saint stated, that not only that man is properly termed perfect and without blemish who is already perfect, but also he who strives unreservedly after perfection.  So we can be on the road to perfection.  We can be making an effort to be perfect.  This is helpful in others time that Jesus tells us this such as in Matthew chapter 5: 48, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” 

That may help but I know that I will never be perfect.  I also believe that it can be harmful for people to strive for perfection. It will often not allow them to acknowledge how they are and that we are all sinner who have been redeemed by Jesus.  If you try to be perfect you are going to fail but you will have even more trouble acknowledging those aspects of yourself that don’t live up to the standard of perfection.  

I noted that the word perfection may have a different meaning than we normally understand.  Another way of understanding the original meaning of what Jesus means by perfection is all-embracing.  This is used in a translation of Aramaic which was the native language of Jesus.    So the translation of Matthew would be “Be all-embracing, as your heavenly Father is all-embracing.” 

This understanding certainly puts Jesus’s commands into a different light.  If we are to embrace God’s world and the people in it with mercy, forgiveness and charity that is something which I can strive for.  It is something which I doubt I will completely succeed in doing.  But I can strive to do it and when I do not succeed I can repent and try again.  We have the forgiveness of our sins through Jesus Christ, thank God. 

I believe Jesus gives us the key to this approach in our passage.  He asks us, “And why beholdest thou the mote in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that in in thine own eye”? 

Let us look at those things in ourselves that are separating us from the love of God through Jesus Christ.  We are not going to be perfect but we can work at being all-embracing.  Thanks be to God . 

Of Motes and Beams

Sermon July 13, 2014:  Fourth After Trinity

Luke 6: 36

Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.

We might call today’s lesson — rather than ‘of mice and men’ — ‘of motes and beams’.  I’m sure we know what a beam is — it is a very large piece of wood.  But what is a mote?  Well one definition of mote which I looked up is: ‘a very small piece of dust, dirt’.  So we get the comparison.  It is easy to understand that you might have a speck of dust in your eye.  Probably everyone here has had the experience — not a pleasant one but not something that is going to do you serious damage — perhaps unless you are driving along a mountainous road with no guard rails.  But having a beam in your eye — if you can imagine that — is certainly going to give you lots of trouble — if not permanent blindness.

Jesus then is setting up a comparison that it is impossible to misunderstand.  People are paying attention to the small things that they don’t approve of in others and they are blind to the big things that they should be paying attention to in themselves.  These are the hypocrites that Jesus is identifying when he declares, ‘Thou hypocrite’ or in modern English, ‘You hypocrite’. 

Let’s put this passage in context.  A lot has happened just before this passage.  Jesus has just passed through a grain field on the Sabbath and his disciples have sinned by doing work — they have picked some heads of grain to eat — being his disciples they probably didn’t always get regular meals.  The Pharisees criticize them for doing work on the Sabbath — I guess they hadn’t heard Jesus proclamation that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.   After this, Jesus is criticized again by the Pharisees for healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath.  Elsewhere in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus doesn’t pull any punches regarding how he feels about the Pharisees, “But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.”

So Jesus does not think much of people who are hypocritical.  The biggest culprits in this sin are the Pharisees.  The Pharisees were religious laymen — there don’t seem to have been any women Pharisees — which might have been part of their problem.  They were a sect or social movement which was primarily interested in the law — which of course in that time and place was the Mosaic Code — and ensuring that the law was fulfilled and obeyed. 

They were condemned by Jesus many different times first because they seemed to be making a god of the law rather than the law being a way which would bring people closer to God.  Secondly — and specifically in today’s context — they were more concerned with the mote — the speck of dust — in other’s eyes than in the beam or log in their own eye.  They ‘shut up the kingdom of heaven against men’ — I believe that is the greatest sin in Jesus’ eyes.  They not only block their own way to the Kingdom of God but they block others from reaching the Kingdom. 

Well, where does that leave us today? None of us like to think of ourselves as hypocrites.  But of course Jesus is speaking to us as well as to the people around him.  I believe this is where we need to consider the motes and the beams.  Do we ever fall into the trap that Jesus identifies in the Pharisees?  Of course hypocrisy is probably as common today as it was in Jesus’ time.  It just may have different subject.  Today people are rarely criticized for working on the Sabbath.  However, I believe that we are all subject to the beam and mote problem. 

We all will fall into the problem — or sin to put it in religious language — of seeing faults in others before we see them in ourselves.  It is human nature to do this.  In fact we often see in others the things about ourselves that we don’t want to acknowledge. 

In the psychology of Carl Jung he calls this the shadow.  We identify and react to those things in others that we do not find acceptable in ourselves.  In effect we see the beam that is in our eye as being the beam even if it is only a mote in another person’s eye.  One way of telling when this happens is the strength of the reaction that you have to the actions of behaviour or even appearance of the other person.  If the strength of your reaction or the depth of the emotions that are stirred up are out of proportion to the event then you are probably dealing with an aspect of your shadow — an aspect of you self that is not acceptable to you.  In effect the beam that you see in the other person may in effect be closer to a mote and in truth is your own beam. 

I believe that this is important for us as Christians because we need to be able to do all we can to follow Jesus’ lessons.  If we realize that the fault — dear Horatio — is in ourselves and not all in the other — we are more able to do as Jesus commands.  The Gospel lessons begins, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.  ³⁷Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven”.  These are the attributes that Jesus believes are the important ones — not the minutia of following the law.  We are to love one another as he loves us.  As Paul says to the Church in Corinth, ‘And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity”.

If we are to live in true charity with our neighbours and ourselves we will be following Jesus commandment to love one another.  Amen