A Lenten Reading of Matthew - Day Twenty-Six

Today's Reading: Matthew 20:1-19 ( NRSVUE)

I find it fascinating that Jesus makes his third prediction of his condemnation by the religious authorities from his own tradition after telling the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.  It is almost as if he recognizes how difficult this teaching is for people to accept.

I can imagine Jesus saying, "Well, if my teachings on divorce, children and wealth don't put them over the edge, this parable ought to do it."

As we think about this parable relationally, the workers in the vineyard are concerned about their own value.  Notice that those who worked all day complain that the owner has made the late arrivals equal to those that bore the heat of the day.  It is clear that we like our comparisons with other people when we imagine that we are on top.  If someone is just elevated to our status without merit, it can be rather offensive.

Now if we spiritualize this, it might be more acceptable because we can understand God loving us as parents loving their children.  And it may indeed be that God will love all humanity equally, but if we put that into practice on earth, what does that do to our social strata?

Can I learn to see people in a different light?

How do you feel about people
cutting lines?

In the parable, day laborers are being hired.  Most peasants needed to work each day to make enough money to survive.  Who would normally be selected first?  It would be the young, strong, able-bodied who would be perceived as being able to give you the most for what you are paying.  If you are older, or injured or weaker - if you had a deformity or disability, you might have trouble making enough to eat on each day.  You certainly would have difficulty if you had a family to feed.

What does the owner's charity look like at this point?

The first hired would be the ones that were always winning.  Maybe the followers of Jesus put the last first because the last never get put first.  If you had 5 children and 2 of them always got to go first in everything, would you put the others to the head of the line some of the time?

It may be that God's preference for the disadvantaged is simply a desire to even out the universe.

Our question may be will we allow ourselves to help this to happen here on earth or will we take offense for the occasions that it does?  At the very least, Jesus's prediction may make more sense to us.

Prayer for the day:

Eternal God, out of whose mind this great cosmic universe, we bless you. Help us to seek that which is high, noble and good. Help us in the moment of difficult decision. Help us to work with renewed vigor for a warless world, a better distribution of wealth, and a siblinghood that transcends race or color. Amen.

Prayer by Martin Luther King, Jr., Civil Rights Leader, 20th Century

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A Lenten Reading of Matthew - Day Twenty-Five

Scripture Reading: Matthew 19:1-30 (NRSVUE)

We continue to refine what it means to be in relationship with others as a disciple of Jesus.  And we continue to challenge the notions of the day and turn upside down popular cultural norms.  

The prohibition of divorce was a leveling of power in a time when women were property.  For a woman to be divorced, she was left with even less power and dehumanizing options for her survival.  The disciples are shocked at this teaching and essentially declare that if they were to lose the threat of divorce over a woman, it would be better not to marry!  How would you possibly keep her in line?

Jesus would remind us of the Beatitudes such as humility, peacemaking, mercy and purity in heart.  We are to apply them in all our relationships.  We have just come off a chapter on forgiveness and Jesus expects us to apply it at home.  To be clear, we are not speaking of abusive relationships.

Children require a lot of grace.
We're all children.

We also see a nod toward chastity as a practice for life which also would have been the opposite of the norm for the day - people were to have as many children as possible!

Jesus then goes on to bless the children.  The disciples must have heard the previous lesson on children and greatness figuratively and sent people with children packing.  Jesus rebukes them and the disciples must have thought, "Now you're being literal?  We thought the lesson on the children was like the yeast of the Pharisees!"

Jesus seems to be literal when it comes to including the least among us.

Finally, Jesus dismisses the common thought that rich people were favored by God because they were rich!  He not only dismisses this but reverses it.  We return to blessed are the poor in spirit and it becomes literal too.  Jesus seems to be saying that if our relationship with our resources eclipses our relationship with our neighbors, we are already missing out on the kingdom of heaven.

How would you understand these teachings for the 21st century?  How does this represent a reversal of power dynamics in relationships that we should pay attention to for people we encounter?  It isn't easy to give away power that we've worked hard to attain.  But we can always start with our demeanor.

Prayer for the day:

Have mercy, O Lord, upon all those whom You have associated with us in the bonds of friendship and family, and grant that they, with us, may be so perfectly conformed to Your Holy Will, that being cleansed from all sin, we may be found worthy, by the inspiration of Your love, to be partakers together of the blessedness of Your heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer from Old Gallican Sacramentary, France, 5th Century

Photo by Wagdy Fahmi via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

A Lenten Reading of Matthew - Day Twenty-Four

Scripture Reading: Matthew 18:1-35 (NRSVUE)

In this chapter, Jesus asks us to reevaluate our relationships and how we value people.  Children were not valued in the first century - it could be that due to the high infant mortality rates, people were afraid to invest in them until they made it to a certain birthday.  For Jesus to place this kind of importance on children would have been out-of-the-ordinary to say the least.

If God would value little children, who wouldn't God value?  Well, it seems that God isn't impressed with the behavior that would lead little children astray.

For a culture that might often think that the death of an infant or child might be God's punishment toward the parents for some sin they have committed, Jesus plainly states that it is not God's will "that one of these little ones should be lost."  This gives them worth in their own right.

This entire chapter is a movement toward a world that we now take for granted as normative.

But if we do have an offender, we also remember that Jesus has cautioned us against judgment.  Rather, we remember that blessed are the merciful.  Notice that we do not confront our antagonist in public so as to shame them.  This might result in shame but it likely wouldn't result in reconciliation which is the greater outcome.  

If the person refuses to listen to the body, let that one be treated as a gentile or a tax collector.  The gospel is named for a tax collector, so we return to blessed are the merciful.  Jesus tells Peter that we should forgive until we forget the count.

Just in case we are feeling really thick-headed or focused on retribution, Jesus tells the parable of the unforgiving servant.  We can see our own debt that God wipes away is massive compared to what our neighbor owes us.  This chapter is about perspective.

In today's society, we might value children higher than first century culture, but we have plenty of people that we would rank lower than ourselves.  The shame and honor system is still alive and well so that when someone offends us, we have a hard time letting it go.  Our honor is at stake!

What if Jesus is really just showing us that this is an illusion?  If we have God's value, can we really be harmed by people?  The answer is yes, but maybe it doesn't have to weigh as much as we let it.

Children seem to be able to let things go more easily.  Maybe this is what Jesus means by becoming humble like a child.

Prayer for the day:

God, give me the strength that waits upon you in silence and peace. Give me humility in which alone is rest, and deliver me from pride which is the heaviest of burdens. And possess my whole heart and soul with the simplicity of love. Occupy my whole life with the one thought and the one desire of love, that I may love not for the sake of merit, not for the sake of perfection, not for the sake of virtue, not for the sake of sanctity, but for you alone.  Amen.

Prayer by Thomas Merton, Trappist Monk, 20th Century

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A Lenten Reading of Matthew - Day Twenty-Three

Scripture Reading: Matthew 17:1-27 (NRSVUE)

Some scholars have thought that the Transfiguration could have been a post-resurrection appearance that Mark (and then Matthew who used Mark as a template) misplaced prior to the crucifixion.  It has a lot of similarities to a resurrection appearance and seems to indicate a vision-type experience by the disciples.

Regardless, we now have it as a part of the journey to the cross.

Even after this experience, the disciples are "greatly distressed" when Jesus again foretells his suffering, death and resurrection.

It may be that sometimes we let death be more real to us than life.

When they come down from the mountain, the disciples seek to cure a boy with epilepsy but could not.  Jesus rebukes them for having little faith.  This may be similar to Peter's attempt to walk on water.  He wants to do the things that his rabbi does but the miraculous can be evasive.

For us, the miraculous may be that Jesus as the light of the world may shine through us.  

Could you possibly imagine yourself transfigured in Christ?  

There's plenty of darkness in the world today.  Which issue or problem troubles you the most?  What might you do to shine a bit of light to it?

Prayer for the day:

Lord, Lord, open unto me.
Open unto me, light for my darkness, Open unto me, courage for my fear.
Open unto me, hope for my despair, Open unto me, peace for my turmoil.
Open unto me, joy for my sorrow, Open unto me, strength for my weakness.
Open unto me, wisdom for my confusion, Open unto me, forgiveness for my sins.
Open unto me, tenderness for my toughness, Open unto me, love for my hates.
Open unto me, Thy Self for myself, 
Lord, Lord, open unto me!

Amen.

Prayer by Howard Thurman, Civil Rights leader, 20th Century    

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A Lenten Reading of Matthew - Day Twenty-Two

Scripture Reading: Matthew 16:1-28 (NRSVUE)

Sometimes it is hard to perceive the deeper spiritual meaning of life when we are worried about more basic things.  The disciples were thinking about their stomachs because they left the bread behind.  Jesus shifts into spiritual imagery and they are confused.

I think this has to do with our capacity for seeing.  When we are hungry, it may be harder to see further.  When we are anxious or stressed, this is the time we need God's reassuring presence.  And yet, it may be harder to perceive due to the increased pressure we're facing.

The district of Caesarea Phillipi was steeped in pagan worship - about 25 miles north of the Sea of Galilee.  Some in that region believed that this was where you could find the gates of Hades.  Jesus asks the disciples, "Who do people say that I am" and follows it with who they think he is.  Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah.  This was a dangerous thing to say and to believe.  Their lives were on the line.

But in the moment, Peter was able to see further.

Danger!

We see Peter as the foundation and the beginning of the emergence of the church.  As we think about the church's first act of binding and loosening, Peter tries to bind Jesus!

Jesus has none of this and reveals that sacrificial love is what his ministry expects of his followers.

As we have moved forward by two millennia, I wonder what Jesus would think of the church's attempt to bind him today.  There are times when we would rather play it safe.  Better not to upset anyone.  Church has often preferenced tending to its members over tending to the world.  

However, the Church is an odd institution that exists for the sake of the people who don't claim any membership or allegiance.  

As we journey with Jesus to the cross, who does the world at large say that Jesus is today?  Who do you say that Jesus is?  

If the answer is not a little bit dangerous, we may need to read this chapter again so that we can see further.

Prayer for the day:

Give to your Church, O God, a bold vision and a daring charity, a refreshed wisdom and a courteous understanding, that the eternal message of your Son may be acclaimed as the good news of the age; through him who makes all things new, even Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Prayer from The Daily Office, 20th Century

Photo by peter jenkins via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.

A Lenten Reading of Matthew - Day Twenty-One

Scripture Reading: Matthew 15:1-39 (NRSVUE)

We see the lack of compassion on display by the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem who would have been considered the religious leaders of Jesus' day.  They justify their lack of support for their aging parents by claiming that they already gave that support in offering to God.

As they continue to look at technicalities regarding hand washing (this was for ritual cleanliness, not sanitation as we know it today), we see the deeper concern of Jesus for the impurities of the heart.  A person could be ritually clean while harboring mal-intentioned thoughts against a neighbor.  Jesus asks people to be pure in heart (from the Beatitudes) which is more difficult - and more of a journey as we shall see.

In first century Judea, dogs looked 
more like this than like our pets

When Jesus then encounters the Canaanite woman, he engages in slander just after he spoke about the dangers of it, essentially calling the woman a dog.  Christians today struggle with this passage - especially given the theological branding of sinless that we place upon Jesus.  In going with sinless, we may have to do some interpretation on this text that is more speculation than interpretation.

Many Christians prefer to think of Jesus as being playful with her - <wink, wink> - as he uses language that would have been expected from Jews to Gentile women approaching unaccompanied by a husband, father or brother.  Could Jesus have been goading her into the answer and the faith he was looking for all along?

This is possible and would preserve the sinless state.  I think it depends on how you see Jesus - how much was he a product of his culture as a fully human being?  But also, how much range of knowledge do we afford Jesus given that he is also fully divine?  It can be complicated and there is no set computation that Christians must agree on when looking at what Jesus did or didn't know.

If we take the passage at face value, without any theological assumptions around Jesus, it appears that Jesus was able to learn from a Gentile woman rather than dismiss her haughtily, offended at her hubris.  This in itself may reflect purity in heart - it may be the most divine event in this chapter.  Can we receive something true from someone even of recognized lower status?  

We close with more healing and more feeding.  I've read that the earlier meal of the 5000 represents the tribes of Israel as twelve baskets were left over.  With seven baskets left over after this meal of 4000, I've read that this could represent the seven nations of the world - Gentiles.  Prior to this miracle, verse 31 mentions the healed praising "the God of Israel" which would be an odd designation for Jewish recipients to use.  

And so, we may see that Jesus is feeding Gentiles with the crumbs that have fallen from the master's table as we have more Jewish people fed (5000) than Gentiles (4000).  He is able to expand his reach and his love.  This would have been far edgier in the first century than we understand today.  It may just be that Jesus begins to see the Gentiles as his ancient ancestors and so does want to honor his father and mother as we saw at the beginning of this chapter.

What categories do you have for people that keep them at arm's length?  How does being in Christ help us to lower our arms?  Or maybe we could take it even farther and ask, how does being in Christ let us use our arms to embrace rather than push away?

Prayer for the day:

O Lord Jesus Christ, who did humble himself to become human, and to be born into the world for our salvation: teach us the grace of humility.  Root out of our hearts all pride and haughtiness, and so fashion us after your holy likeness in this world, that in the world to come we may be made like you in your eternal kingdom.  Amen.

  

Prayer by Willaim Walsham How, Church of England, 19th Century

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A Lenten Reading of Matthew - Day Twenty

Scripture Reading: Matthew 14:1-36 (NRSVUE)

We have an interlude of the death of John the Baptist - an important figure in Jesus' life as the one who baptized him.  John also spoke to the world about righteousness in similar ways to Jesus.  

But John was an ascetic, fasting in the desert.  His disciples already asked in chapter nine of Jesus' disciples, why they didn't fast.  Jesus was known more for his feasting than his fasting.

And then he hears of John's death, and it must have been difficult because he goes away by himself.  The crowds follow and Jesus seems to emphasize the priority of feasting over fasting in that he tells his disciples, "You give them something to eat."

When we recognize abundance,
sharing is easier.

As the disciples later cross over the sea, people in that day would have had more of a natural fear of the isolated places - these were places of ghosts and evil spirits.  Maybe they still had some of the leftover belief that God was not really present there - like Jonah seeking to flee from God's presence.

They discover through their doubt that it isn't a ghost, but in fact it is God who walks with them even in the isolated places.  We see the disciples' movement toward Jesus as the Messiah.  And even though Peter wants to do what Jesus does, he reminds us that we still hold onto our fears.  

In naming Jesus as the Son of God, the disciples are recognizing him as the Messiah.

Even the crowds who are healed at touching the fringe of his cloak would make sense to a first century Jewish audience.  They would know the legend of the fringe of the prayer shawl of the Messiah providing healing for any who touched it.

And so, as we see the ministry of Jesus, we find that he first provides health and wholeness and the food of life before asking anything of people.  But whether this is done through teaching or miracles or healing, we may find that we are called to offer life as well.

And like Jesus, this may come on the heels of our losing someone close to us.  How might we honor the life of someone we love by making the world a better place for others?

Prayer for the day:

God of the present moment,

God who in Jesus stills the storm

and soothes the frantic heart;

bring hope and courage to each of us as we wait in uncertainty.

Bring hope that you will make us the equal of whatever lies ahead.

Bring us courage to endure what cannot be avoided,

for your will is health and wholeness;

you are God, and we need you.

Amen.

Prayer from the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia in A New Zealand Prayer Book.

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