Lent 4B sermon

What intrigues me in the reading today is the peoples’ self-interpretation of the cause of the poisonous snakes.

We heard read:

The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of the Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.’ Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.”

During mid-week Lent services and in the bulletin inserts through Lent we have been meeting the prophets. Over and over the people are confronted by a prophet prophesying the words of the Lord, “Thus says the Lord…,” followed by a scathing review of behaviour and the prophets’ plea to “return to the Lord…repent…turn from your wicked ways.”  Previously, the people had complained to Moses, in the hearing of the Lord, about the lack of comforts in the desert: the food, the manna, the water, lack of meat – blaming Moses for bringing them to a god-forsaken place.  The Lord spoke with Moses, Moses spoke with God, the Lord directed Moses, and Moses would speak the Lord’s words to the people, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them…:” Here the story reads differently.

The people, of their own accord, have a sense of sinning -acting inappropriately- damaging relationship with God and with Moses. They have interpreted the deadly snakes as a consequence of their complaints.  The story was remembered and recounted as God sending snakes as a punishment, a corrective to behaviour.  

This is the only recorded place where the Israelites directly request Moses to intercede for them.

There has been lots of discourse about whether God actually sent the snakes, whether the people simply encountered the snakes and applied a meaning; perhaps the people reflected on the situation in which they found themselves and introspectively attributed it to actions they could change, or the snakes were a metaphor describing actions causing guilt. As I interpret scripture, it could be none, any, or all of the above.

Earlier I said I was intrigued by the peoples’ interpretation of the snakes; the realization that they had been complaining – unfairly, or too much- guilty about it anyway.  And this has them remember the Lord.

The realization is the changing moment, a way to begin mending damaged relationship.

You have heard me talk ad nauseam about relationship; I really believe that this is the thread that is woven through sacred text, that relationship is the ultimate craving and desire of ever particle of energy, and every human heart; and the only possibility for a fullness of healing and wholeness is perfected relationship; where all can affirm “that all is right in the world and beyond.”

What is it that draws us into, or back, to relationship? Are there “snakes” in our midst that could be signs to be interpreted as the ‘aha’ to feel guilt, to right wrongs, to correct behaviour, to clean up messes --- to be about building relationship?

Human caused or God sent – does the theological enterprise of where the snakes come from change the need for right relationship?

With little effort one can find the following through google:

·         More people died in 2010 as a result of disasters than in any other year in the past decade (300 million people were affected by natural disaster that year)

·         Three major humanitarian crisis happened between 2010-11: an earthquake in Haiti, flooding in Pakistan, and the tsunami in Japan

·         In recent history, anthropogenic environmental disasters, ranked in the top ten by the number of deaths caused include – the Union Carbide gas leak in India 1984, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant melt down, the 1952 London smog disaster, the Love Canal chemical waste dump near Niagra Falls, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill and others, and European BSE or mad cow disease

·         And what about other recent disease outbreaks – H1 and bird strain flues, SARS, ebola

Are these the snakes in our present context? 

Do you interpret such incidents as indictments of human action and a call to change? Repent, return to the Lord your God?

I am currently reading a series of books called, “The Guardians of Ga’hoole.” Through the 12 books a tale is spun about the kingdoms of owls, after the time of humans – the books are full of legends, that surprising at times, are actually prophecies that come true in the lives of those who had learned the sacred stories.  The owls through generations - fight good and evil; they are about discovering the true nature of owls and Glaux (their name for God). The saga and journeys presented illustrate a group of owls who gain knowledge, experience the unexpected and the spiritual, and find that other relationships are needed with other creatures to contain the spread of evil.  Evil seeps into owls by various “snake-like” incidents – the effect of which is that the owl’s gizzard is frozen or shrunk.  The gizzard is the place where an owl’s conscience lives.  It is the organ from which one “knows” things.  It is where Ga (the spirit of Glaux), the spirit of the owl lives. The guardians of ga’hoole are a group of owls who live and learn together, going out on missions, and returning to a tree that symbolizes and gives life.  When these owls are in the world their gizzards are their guide.  Gizzards will glow when relationships are right; they will sink or shake when something doesn’t feel quite right – in warning. As the legends and stories intertwine, one is aware that everything may be a sign, a reminder, a corrective, a nod to relationship.  The gizzard is the interpreter. The communities responsibility is to notice and confront other owls when their gizzards seem “off’ or affected by an outside pressure.

Are our gizzards attuned to God, to other owls – to plants, animals, or people of any and all varieties?

The serpent bites from our sacred text sound a lot like what happens to the owls and their gizzards.  The first bite takes a large piece of the heart (of the light and essence of the creature)– the owl turns inward in pain, goes into protective mode, relationships are forgotten.  Then one bite leads to another and another, with little notice as a coldness sets in until paralysation infects completely and death is the last shadow to slip into.

Healing, happens through gizzard repair; and only returns through relationship with the world outside the individual. It happens by the coaxing of friends, family, words of sacred text repeated over and over; relationships break the spell that was cast over the owl.  And just like in the circumstance with Israelites, healing occurs without the removal of the evil.  Despite the snakes still being present, snakes loss their power – the ability to infect fear into the gizzard and paralyse the conscience. They lose their abilities to poison and destroy when creatures are in relationship and living into the Great Spirit within and throughout all.

We are journeying between the holiest days in the Church year.

Ash Wednesday we confessed sin as a people, a community who realized that our complaints were having negative consequences.  We confessed sin on the bases of broken relationship…including that we had:  not loved our neighbours, practiced self-indulgent appetites and ways, exploited other people, neglected human need and suffering, were indifferent to injustice and cruelty, held false judgements and uncharitable thoughts towards others, had contempt towards those who are different, produced waste and pollution, and lacked concern for those who come after us. We remembered that these complaints are a poison that have infected who we are and paralyse our ability to be part of what God is doing in the world. The poison has us living in fear rather than abundant life.

Good Friday we will be reminded of God’s covenant loyalty in the Solemn Reproaches – the Lord says, I  brought you from slavery into freedom; for 40 years I led you through the desert; I saved you from the time of trial; fed you with bread of heaven; led you by pillar of cloud and fire; you were guided by the Holy Spirit; I poured water from rock – gave you water of life; I planted you as a fairest vine;  and yet you have made a cross for your Saviour. The Church stands accused.  The snakes are named: drawing the sword in God’s name, scapegoating the Jews for our own guilt; neglecting to feed the hungry, give water to thirsty, welcome the stranger, and visit the sick or imprisoned.

The liturgy lived over Lent was written as the reminder of the snakes that try to poison and do poison. We are, in community coaxed back into relationship through our gizzards being reminded of ancient legend, sacred text that surprising comes true. We are surrounded by snakes (actively participating in their existence – when falling into fear, hopelessness, and individual in-turning) and we are bit and bit hard – poisoned.  God speaks to the paralyzed community on Good Friday, “what more could I have done for you” –

-the words sit heavy in our stomachs-

Nothing – the Spirit whispers over the community – nothing.

Accused, humbled, humiliated, equal – the community shivers at the foot of the cross, under an image of a God who dared to die.  The shivering is like a defibrillator on the heart; kindling the essence – so to be warmed and open for the showers of grace that fall abundantly with resurrection ---- where hope grows relationship, and relationship spreads resurrection, and the snakes (although present) are silenced for a time…

…come all you who have been bitten and are overwhelmed by poisonous snakes; live through this time in the dessert, reflecting on your complaints; as a people journey through the words of the coming Holy days; and I will give you rest…

Lent 3B

How many of you learned the Ten Commandments when you were in Sunday School or confirmation? How many of you learned the long version (for those who don’t have their hands up -that’s the way they were read from Exodus and what the church expected of members before the 1980s)? 

In confirmation class, when the Commandments are studied, I take one commandment for the students to focus on.  Commandment #5: You shall not murder. Pretty straight forward as commandments go.

A spectrum is set up in the aisle of the church: the front pew is AGREE, and the back pew is DISAGREE. Students are asked to stand along the spectrum after situations related to, “you shall not murder,” are proposed to them, and explain why they have taken the position they have.

Do not murder. Agree or disagree.  With the first question, generally 100% find themselves by the front pew.

Students begin to spread out and take more time deciding where to be as situations are presented.

Are the following examples murder?

You kill a mosquito; … spider, or fly.

You are attacked and in self-defence kill the person who attacked you.

You simply wish someone to be dead.

You are conscripted into the army and go to war.

An abused woman kills the abuser while he is sleeping.

You don’t take care of yourself – too little sleep and exercise, too much food, sugar, drink, smokes, or recreational drugs.

You have your pet put to sleep.

Then what about abortion, medically assisted death, capital punishment, anorexia, suicide.

All of a sudden commandment #5, becomes not so simple – there is a whole lot of grey! The same can be said for the commandments.

What we have in this chapter of Exodus is a framework that a community has set up as basic principles in how they can be in relationship with each other.  It is a framework; in their understanding a God-given set of basic principles to guide the people in living together as a people; in relationship to God and each other. A set of rules that they will learn as they journey through the dessert, so that once reaching the Promised Land the new rules will be imbedded in the peoples’ hearts.  The framework of the Decalogue is expanded upon in further Chapters that tackle the nitty-gritty of how the laws are interpreted, applied, and practiced.

No two groups of people would understand the laws in the same manner. Consider, many countries in the world today have the same basic principles, the framework of the Ten Commandments within their present laws; the expansion of the laws changes from place to place.

The people in the wilderness interpreted commandment 5 – with these following statements – that to me sound an awful lot like murder: do not allow a sorceress to live; if anyone attacks his father or mother (or curses them) he is to be put to death; if anyone kidnaps another and is found with them/or if they are sold that person is to be put to death; an owner doesn’t die if he beats a slave to death –but will be punished.  Our society would not come up with these interpretations from the framework presented in Exodus 20.

So what is the difference?

Peoples can share the same framework; but it is the interpretation of the laws that changes what they mean; how they play out.  Interpretation comes from the topic of the sermon for today – ethics.  These chapters in Exodus are influenced by the ethics of the people.

Ethics contributes to our interpretations of the Gospel for this morning as well.  Jesus comes to the Temple in Jerusalem and throws over the tables of the money changers.  Money changers are a necessity to turn Roman currency (money that has graven images on it) into money acceptable for the Temple – to purchase sacrificial animals and to give as offerings.  The sellers of animals are also required, so that city folk, who cannot bring an animal they have raised, the ability to purchase an animal for their sacrifice.  Jesus gets angry.  Centuries of commentators have argued about the righteousness and appropriateness of Jesus’ action. Various interpretations exist about his display of anger.  It is the ethics of the person interpreting as to how one interprets the action of Jesus, and the application of the passage- which is differently applied as to how Christians are to act in the world, particularly when confronting what one considers misappropriation of authority.

Reflecting on ethics, I went on-line to see what other Lutherans were saying about Christian Ethics in the world today.  Where is it that our individual and community ethic is learned; grown; and fostered?    In a world where fear is present and mongered; in a world where darkness and injustice thrive; in a world where right and wrong become political platforms and people are expendable… what role does Christian ethic, Lutheran ethic, take in forming our lives?  

The Journal of Lutheran Ethics, found on the web-site of the ELCA, has a tonne of articles worth reading that speak to Christian Ethics; and topics of ethics in relation to biology, ecology, end-of-life, war, interfaith dialogue, vocation, and many more issues; a wealth of dialogue from a Lutheran perspective.  Much of what I gleaned from the site affects the expression of the rest of the sermon for today. 

Lutheran tradition, WE, have a lot to offer in discussions around ethics. Our tradition has a lot for us to grow into and practice.  What we learn here, whether we are able to articulate it or not, affects who we are as people in the world. It is in this community that the ethic by which we live is fostered.  This morning I remind us of what is it that you know deep within you – what you have absorbed in this place; what our tradition has to offer?

Lutheran ethic calls us to make decisions and live out of our experience of a gracious God.

The practice of ethics is a vocation, meaning we see our decisions as part of the Creator’s continuing creation in the world – we have a responsibility and a God-given call to grow the kingdom in the present.  Our decisions create the relationships and the strength of the communities in which we live.

As a community we continue to have profound insight on human falleness and the radical universality of God’s grace in Christ.  We hold that we are – simul justus et peccator- simultaneously saint and sinner; this leads to a sober and realistic approach to human and worldly possibilities.  Lutheran theology does not fall into what is termed the Social Gospel – a movement that applied Christian ethics to social issues, where it was taught that Christ would not come until social ills were alleviated by human effort – still seen as an underpinning to some forms of Christian liberalism and social justice efforts.  We do not adhere to a social Gospel, but do apply a Christian social ethic; this ethic recognizes that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is addressed to every person, and it is not our doing, but grace working through us that addresses social ills in the world.

Our ethic is grounded in scripture, distinguishing Law and Gospel, and focused on the centrality of the cross.

Our tradition reminds us, through the integration of Word and sacrament – that we can live in ambiguity; in the greys of the Commandments.

So how does our faith guide us to where our ethics are? We know we have different opinions on all sorts of issues.

It is obedience to keeping the Sabbath, returning again and again, to participate in community – hear the Word and share in sacrament. Here the frameworks of the world, the Law, are discussed, interpreted, and reflected on. We are challenged so that ethic is constantly growing and creating in the mission that is God’s.

Ethic is not about what WE do; rather it is what happens through us.

Friday at the Neptune Theatre I read the following quote from William Lionel Mackenzie King in the program. In Aug. 1936 he said that, “It is what we prevent, rather than what we do that counts most in Government.”

As Prime Minster of Canada, he was not known for a captivating image, spellbinding speeches, or radical platforms – yet for 22 years, during part of The Depression and all of WWII, he held English and French Canada together while negotiating conscription and managing pressures from Churchill and Rosevelt.  He was a man of passive compromise and conciliation.

Could it be that our interpretation of the Commandments might follow an ethic of prevention rather than focusing on what we do?

 It is what we prevent, rather than what we do that counts most in church (in mission; in life).

Consider living from an ethic that is about preventing rather than doing.  The Commandments are about encouraging relationship with God and each other in community.  If every action is lived knowing that we are saint and sinner, and that Jesus’ address is given to all – that interprets and guides our decisions.

Go and live, informed by a community ethic grounded in scripture and one that understands human falleness; apply grace in abundance; and continually be challenged to grow your ethic circumstance by circumstance. 

Commandments are not black and white – as simple as they appear – be at peace living in ambiguity. And remember sometimes it is about what we prevent, rather than what we do that counts.