Cleansing Power
“Cleansing Power”
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Year C, July 21, 2019
Amos 8:1-12 (only 11-13) Psalm 52 Colossians 1:15-28 Luke 10:38-42
Pastor Andy Kennaly
Sandpoint, Idaho
This morning we’re going to do two things during this Meditation on the Good News. One involves challenge and critique, a little meddling. The other is a bit more encouraging, intended to help us find focus in life, based on spiritual grounding. The scriptures from today’s lectionary readings have these types of dynamics interwoven as we hear from prophet, poet, Apostle, and Jesus as they navigate through life’s mix of ultimate and penultimate, of eternal and finite, of that which truly satisfies rather than leaving us empty.
The words of Psalm 52 are not lost on us as we live along the shores of Lake Pend Oreille. This place, for 10,000 years sustained people and a way of life with an economy that was perpetually sustainable. In the last 200 years that economy has been interrupted, land seizure legitimized, native people marginalized, and natural systems stressed from what many call, “Modern Progress.” In Psalm 52 the wealthy deceive themselves and their slippery words seek to legitimize their behavior, but ultimately their ways are revealed as destructive, while the righteous are renewed by the cleansing power of God, whose name is good.
As we worship here near the shores of the lake, the words of Amos are not lost on us as we see the greatest famine and thirst is a relentless search for the word of the Lord, the word which is our grounding. Right relationship, covenant, humble service to others, love; these are the things which provide life and true abundance. But these don’t necessarily involve or promise certainty, security, or safety, so our loyal soldier voice inside clings to and convinces us of things which feel safe and secure, but actually fails to grasp the very love which truly satisfies.
A Franciscan Priest from New Mexico (Richard Rohr) talks about this in terms of spiritual development.
He says, “That’s first half of life spirituality. You just want to feel safe. You just want your group to win. You just want to be on the inside because you have the truth. This type of faith feels moral, right, and obvious. But this also sets the stage for exclusion, violence, and feeling justified.”
We see this dynamic throughout history. For example, in the Pope’s Doctrine of Discovery from the 1500s which says the world belongs to God through the Church and if any indigenous, tribal people refuse or block the attempts of Christian nations or the Church, then God was granting a divine right to destroy them and take their land by force. For 500 years, the Doctrine of Discovery has shaped laws and policies that continue their influence to this day.
First half of life spirituality is potentially deceiving, and its easy to confuse various types of voices with the voice of God. Because it feels moral, it feels good, and we think God is directing it, when really we are deceiving ourselves and simply justifying horrific acts of destruction.
(The above thoughts are based on Richard Rohr’s CD reflection called, Discharging the Loyal Soldier)
The Psalmist and the Prophet try and wake us up from this delusion, try to enlighten us by the lamp of God’s word. The Apostle in the letter to Colossians, also reminds us that Jesus helps reveal aspects of God which are hidden in plain sight. Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. In Christ all things in heaven and on earth are created.
When people visit this area, like Robin traveling here to lead the weekend retreat, they notice many things that locals sometimes, potentially, take for granted. Things visible, like trees, mountains, water, and other natural aspects mingling with cultural, human activity. But if we raise our awareness, we discover that we are part of nature, in relationship with the land, water, air, and all there is, and the unifying factor is Christ, the very energy, life, and love which allows a rock to be a rock, H2O to be water, a fish to swim, birds to fly, and people to live, move, and have our being.
Christ is in all things and all things are in Christ. Things visible, and things invisible, like energy and love, spiritual presence, and grace which gifts us with the breath of each moment. All things are created in, through, and for Christ. If something is created for Christ, which all things are, then we are called to honor all things, not as our own, as resources to exploit or commodify, but as Christ’s, as gifts to care for and share, things with an inherent right to life because they exist.
The lake is included in that, and the river, and the rains and snows which feed them, and the ocean they travel toward, along with all creatures great and small who live in relationship to them. Sister lake is a gift. She is beautiful, has depth, cleanses, provides water to drink which sustains our very bodies which are mostly water. Everything is connected in the loving Presence of God. Grace makes all things beautiful.
The Gospel of Luke shares a brief glimpse at a home visit in which Jesus is invited in by Martha and Mary. Martha is busy doing the expected hosting, while Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus. Martha complains, Jesus responds, and we’re given one of the most important lessons of Christianity. Jesus says, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42, NRSV).
I recently had a vacation for a couple of weeks and much of that time was on a bicycle tour riding the 300 miles of the Selkirk Loop. My wife, Shawna and I spent 10 days enjoying that aspect of our backyard, leaving from our house and riding a full circle back to the house. My projects were on hold. I have several things going on at home, like installing a French drain, putting up some fencing for a garden, painting my chicken coop, building a back deck to give back doors some steps, fixing a trailer, and picking raspberries along with keeping up the rest of the garden. There are several other projects as well, and as the vacation came to an end, the realization sunk in that I’m too busy, over committed, or overextended, and my list of projects around the house is a bit ambitious. It would be better to simplify, focus, and actually get something done rather than a little bit here, and a little bit there, perpetually working on stuff. Plus, lots of these things are temporary. Paint will only last a few years. Fences have a way of needing repair. Projects lead to more projects. The more infrastructure installed, the more ongoing maintenance is required. I can really relate with Martha in this story. Thank God Mary takes the approach of Wisdom!
Here’s a couple quotes from two of the most prominent Christian contemplatives of recent time, two people who teach us how to be more like Mary. The first is Thomas Keating (a biography page link to click), as he says,
“The Spirit is present to our inmost being all the time,
inviting us to let go of our self-centered projects
and to allow the Spirit to be the source of our actions at every level.” (Thomas Keating (a You Tube link to click for an inspiring video), from Fruits and Gifts of the Spirit, as quoted on the Contemplative Outreach July 2019 e-news bulletin).
The other is from Thomas Merton. Again, picture Martha, worried and distracted in contrast to Mary, humble, quiet, doing nothing, claiming love, in Christ’s Presence.
He says, “To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is itself to succumb to the violence of our times.”
-Thomas Merton 1915-1968
Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander
(as quoted by Suzanne Guthrie’s Edge of Enclosure preaching resource, http://www.edgeofenclosure.org/proper11c.html, Meditation One (introit)
carried away by concerns).
Allowing, surrendering, committing, helping; how, or to whom, will these be directed? Mary shows us her stance at the feet of Jesus. Martha gets distracted and worried, getting caught up by things and expectations. Mary chooses the better. But what makes it better? Why is it that what Mary has chosen will not be taken away from her? How do we learn from those statements Jesus makes about Mary?
It seems that “the better” discovered through Mary’s choice will not be taken away because they are rooted in Christ’s creative power and Presence. Cultivating a contemplative stance to quiet our minds, open our hearts, give God consent to work in our lives, committing to spiritual practices and disciplines, and serving Christ by taking action grounded in loving Presence: these are not based on our own projects, our own projections, our own need for safety and security, but on God’s eternal promises of grace, peace, and love.
We have much to learn from Mary and this ancient Wisdom shall not be taken away because it is the better part of Christian faith and spirituality. Christ in all things is perennial, ongoing. That’s why we try and learn from Christian mystics like Hildegard von Bingen, and take a Sunday like we did last week to share the blessing of the lake. We are fluid, flowing not only with water, but with creative energy of love from our hearts. The deep, connected joy of focusing on the Living Christ cannot be taken away.
God bless you all from the shores of the lake, and into life’s larger journey as we trust God’s promises and dive deep into mystery. May God’s vulnerable, accessible love, be humbly glorified, NOW, as forever. Amen.