Proper 25 Year C

Joel 2:23-32, Psalm 65, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, Luke 18:9-14

          The parable we just heard is related to the parable we heard last week, in fact it’s almost as if they are one large parable that the lectionary has cut in two. Last week, the parable was about a woman who continually asked for justice and was eventually given it. Jesus says that God responds quicker to our needs than the judge did for this woman. My sermon revolved around prayer. This week, the parable is about two men who pray and show their faith very differently.

          Today’s parable seems much clearer than most of the parables that Jesus tells. The point of this story is so clear it’s hard to miss: Don’t think too highly of yourself like this Pharisee; rather, be like the tax collector. Or, to make it even simpler, we can boil the point of this parable down to two words: “be humble.”

But here’s the thing: whenever a parable seems this clear and simple, we need to look deeper. Because Luke is the master of reversals. From Mary’s song at the beginning of the Gospel to the words Jesus utters to the crowd and thief at the cross, things never stay as they are for long Luke’s gospel. So let’s take a closer look at these two characters.

     

Proper 24 Year C

Jeremiah 31:27-34, Luke 18:1-8

          Jesus often teaches through parables.  Sometimes he provides a clear explanation of what he is saying, and other times he is cryptic. Today’s gospel has a combination of the two.  On one hand, Jesus explains how God responds quickly to his chosen ones – to us.  On the other, Jesus ends with the phrase “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

          What is that about? Is Jesus suggesting that the disciples might lose their faith?  Or is Jesus stressing the importance of prayer, which is what Luke says this parable is about in the first place? Perhaps – it is a mixture of both.  In order to not lose faith, or better yet, to grow in faith one must pray...and pray often.

  

          In our society, we have some pretty odd ideas about how prayer works, and about how God is supposed to answer our prayers. One way some people pray is sort of like using a Magic 8-ball, only instead of asking a yes or no question and turning the 8-ball over for the answer, you ask a question and then flip open the Bible to a random page and stick your finger down on a random verse, and that’s supposed to be your answer. While this can be sort of fun, it’s a poor substitute for the full and rich relationship with God that comes through persistent prayer.

True prayer is a continual conversation with God, and is a skill that is developed over a long period of time. It takes effort.  It takes persistence.

Proper 23 Year C

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7, Psalm 66:1-11, 2 Timothy 2:8-15, Luke 17:11-19

We are in need of some thanksgiving.

Take a look around. There is plenty of cause to be worried: too much unemployment and underemployment; a government shut-down and its collateral damage on working men and women who have no control; there is armed conflict in Syria and too many other places in the world; there is so much suffering occurring in all corners of the world. And this list doesn’t even touch on the challenges that we each have within our families and in our daily lives.

“Looking at these dimension of our life, you might wonder why I call for thanksgiving. Wouldn’t lament be more appropriate? Or a cry for justice? Or the call to action? Certainly these are also possibilities and have their time and place. But just now, and given today’s gospel, I am reminded that of all of our responses to events, blessed or challenging, great or small, one of the most powerful, and often overlooked, is that of thanksgiving.”[1]  

Reflection for Family Ministry e-news

Parents are the first and best Christian formation leaders for their children, and I highly recommend using devotional books to help such as the two described below.

  

   

Five-Minute Bible Devotions for Children

By Pamela Kennedy, Illustrations by Amy Wummer

These spiral-bound, beautifully illustrated books of devotional stories for children are perfect for a short bedtime story or family devotion. The two books, Stories from the New Testament and Stories from the Old Testament feature devotions with a re-telling of a Bible story, a prayer, and a short Bible verse. The best features of these books are paragraphs at the end of each story that challenge children to examine and practice their faith in their schools, neighborhoods, and with friends and families. Questions at the end of each story gently ease children into discussions of the concepts presented in the story.

Peace,

Lauren+