The Relationship: Possessions and Peace

 

I am that sister. I am that friend. I am that parent. The one who continues to reach out, to check-in, and to send a Christmas and birthday card even through the times where the same is not reciprocated.

 

I am that Christian. I am that person of faith. I am that human being.

Who believes that the peace of Christ, the peace we receive and share here, changes the way we live, the way we are in relationship with God, with others, with creation, with possessions. I am one who continues to hold holy space – an island of sanctuary- where the Spirit has freedom to dance, not stumbling over the things we HAVE or OWN or KEEP, but rather, transforming the spaces within – the heart, the soul, the mind- with a peace that the world can not give.

 

In a similar style the Gospel of Luke says: I am that Gospel. I am that provocative conversation. I am going to that uncomfortable place. I am gospel when listeners question who they are, where they are, how they are.

 

In typical Jesus’ form, the Gospel has Jesus pose agitating questions. The questions ultimately focus on peace, highlighting and connecting the relationship of possessions and peace.

It is important to understand the concept of peace that Jesus is talking about. The Hebrew word for peace is shalom. The word shalom derives from the root word meaning ‘to be made complete’ or ‘to be made whole.’ Peace, as proclaimed by the prophets, and understood by Jesus, is wholeness: universal abundance, commonwealth, balance of creatures and environments, harmony, a state of joyful delight and wonder –in other words the fullness of God the Creator’s hopes and dreams.

 @Crosswalknapa writes: This vision of shalom means that all that is not aligned with God’s love is brought back in place.

This is the purpose of today’s provocative Gospel. Listeners are thrust into an immediate emotional unease to urge action to bring back into place that which is not aligned with God’s love. Jesus once again is preaching and teaching God’s covenant and the commandments – love God, love you neighbour, and all will be well. Today, this minute, choose life over death.

The kindom questions Jesus asks are inclusive with something to needle every listener. How is your relationship with your mother, your father? How is that relationship when you fundamentally disagree and hold to a completely different world view? How is that relationship with mother or father when life choices turn you in very different directions? How is that relationship when venturing into conversations you would rather avoid: religion, faith practice, politics, sex, money, identity?

How is -

That relationship with God and faith community when you carry the cross (so to speak): when you advocate, protest, and stand with the poor, those facing genocide, those who are unhoused?

How is - That relationship when the other will judge what you build, how you build, if you change the build part way through? And will most certainly judge who you build for, what you build in their neighbourhood, and at what expense?

How is - That relationship with kings who do go to war without consideration of the persons who will be canon fodder, the civilians who will be lost, the infrastructures decimated, the crops that will be destroyed?

 

And then after the borage of questions Jesus speaks of peace … while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace.

 

Peace – How is your relationship with peace?

I AM speaks: I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying God, and holding fast to God, that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land

I AM in the making of the covenant and in the commandments draws attention to That relationship humans have with possessions. The relationship that humans have with what they consider they HAVE, OWN, and CONTROL. We have, own, and control in our relationships with authorities, neighbours, faith community, God, parents and family. These ‘possessions’ displace or unbalance peace.

 

Peace – How is your relationship with peace?

Paying attention to the Gospel, an astute listener will notice that the Prince of Peace – Jesus- is traveling with large crowds. Not one crowd, crowds, plural, were following Jesus. What I envision is not a very peace-filled space, as an introvert I interpret the scene as chaotic.

Within the hoards and noise, Jesus is persistent in awakening the crowds and followers to face their relationship to the covenant, to God, and to others. Jesus encourages discernment into how one is living – choosing life or death. Peace being relational is noted in that the questions Jesus asks are not to an individual alone but to faithful communities and crowds.

Jesus’ effort to bring peace grows from teaching covenant loyalty as transforming, not sustained by human effort but rather the Spirit moving through them. The crowds’ relationship to Jesus and the connection to fellow travelers and groups is a microcosm of Creator God’s vision of shalom.  In coming months, travelers will experience, that, relationship with Jesus changes everything including their relationships with everything and everyone around them. Following Jesus for days and months, there comes a time when belonging to a crowd of faith it is no longer a relationship of obediently following a set of rules, but rather a communion of saints who are about choosing and inhabiting a life that is shaped by God’s presence.

 

I am that pastor who delights in a Sunday that the Word is enacted by the happenings in community.

At this moment, in this space, surrounded by community, participating in worship and prayer, communing with saints of all times and places, how do you feel?

 

The celebrations of this morning, like the scriptures, are about peace and relationships.

Baptism and ordination are expressions of relationship with God, family, church, faith community, creation, and the wider world. Participating as a faith community in the liturgies of baptism, ordination, confirmation, each of us is once again addressed by God’s invitation to come, belong, and follow.  The provocative questions Jesus asks are placed before us again through the liturgy: how do you feel? How are your relationships – possessive or life-giving? When you leave do you HAVE peace, or ARE you peace?

 

We are that community who participates in baptism and ordination anniversaries. We are that community who understands baptism -not possessively as a one and done photo op- but rather the beginning of striving to be God’s life-giving peace in the world. We are that community who welcomes pastoral leadership and celebrates a vocation of being an expression of God’s grace. Baptism and ordination anniversary – the Gospel for this morning – reminding us of the infilling of the Spirit, not a possession we have, own, or control – it is Jesus, the Prince of Peace, present among us and demanding – peace be with you, my peace I leave with you. Go BE That peace!