Frari (Venice) – Sacristy – triptych by Giovanni Bellini – Saint Benedict of Nursia and Saint Mark
In our reading to the Philippians, Paul said, โWork out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.โ So, if I were to ask you, how would you say you are working out your salvation?
Some may have a good plan, while others take the Hail Mary approach. Not the Hail Mary prayer, but the Hail Mary play in football, when you are at the end of the game and behind, so you make one last play and hope you come down with a score. I suspect most fall somewhere in between, but Benedict of Nursia worked out his salvation with a particular Rule. You know it as the Rule of St. Benedict, written around the year 530 A.D.
The Rule has five significant dimensions: silence, prayer, humility, manual labor, and obedience. These can all be studied in depth, but since our time is limited, I would like to focus on humility. In chapter seven of the Rule, Benedict outlines twelve degrees of true humility. He presents them as a ladder, referencing the ladder Jacob saw in a dream, on which the angels of heaven ascended and descended. Each degree, each rung of the ladder, brings you closer to heaven. He begins:
โThe first degree of humility, then, is that a person keep the fear of God before his eyes and beware of ever forgetting it. Let him be ever mindful of all that God has commanded; let his thoughts constantly recur to the hell-fire which will burn for their sins those who despise God, and to the life everlasting which is prepared for those who fear him.โ
The following eleven degrees read similarly. Briefly, they are:
Doing the will of the Father over our own.
Complete obedience in submitting to superiors.
Remain patient, even in the face of injustice.
Confession of every sin and every evil thought to the Abbott of the monastery.
Be content under even the worst of circumstances.
Consider yourself to be the lowest of all.
Follow the Rule.
Keep silent unless questioned by a superior.
Do not be quick to laugh.
When you speak, do so quietly with as few words as necessary.
To be humble not only in heart but in appearance.
Having climbed this ladder and passed through these levels, Benedict states that the monk will no longer fear Hell but will instead experience total love for Christ.
Returning to your own rule of life, have you begun to climb such a ladder? Perhaps not as prescribed by Benedict, but have you set before yourself an intentional path that will help you develop a deeper relationship with God and lead you into greater holiness, so that you may grow in His image? If yes, good. Keep it up. If not, I can commend the Rule of St. Benedict, even if you only generally seek to incorporate those five significant dimensions – silence, prayer, humility, manual labor, and obedience – into your daily life.
In Book 1, Chapter 19 of The Imitation of Christ, Thomas ร Kempis writes, โNot everyone can have the same devotion. One exactly suits this person, another that. Likewise, different exercises are suitable for different times, some for feast days and others again for weekdays. In times of temptation, we need certain devotions. For days of rest and peace, we need others. Some are suitable when we are sad, others when we are joyful in the Lord.โ
The Rule of St. Benedict may not be for you, but it points to our need for an intentional, daily encounter with God so that we may work out our salvation. Therefore, I encourage you to develop one for your own life so that you may grow in the Lordโs wisdom, knowledge, and love.
Pip: If you've ever wondered what pesto, the Cold War, and the Book of Isaiah have in common, Fr. John has done the research, and the answer is more coherent than it has any right to be.
Mara: This episode follows a single sermon that moves from the origins of a national motto to the harder question underneath it โ the difference between believing in God and actually trusting God. Let's start with that journey from Virgil's kitchen to the gates of Jerusalem.
Sermon: Trusting God or Just Saying So
Pip: The sermon opens with a question about national identity, but it's really asking something more uncomfortable โ whether "In God We Trust" is a conviction or just text printed on currency.
Mara: The setup begins in an unexpected place. Virgil, writing a pesto recipe around 50 BC, produced the phrase that became America's first de facto motto. As the sermon puts it: "out of many, a single color โ color est e pluribus unus โ and if we shorten that and add proper grammar, we have the phrase e pluribus unum, which the founding fathers added to the Great Seal of the United States in 1782."
Pip: So the founding motto was essentially a salad metaphor. And it held for over 170 years until the Cold War made atheism the enemy and "In God We Trust" became the official counter-move in 1956.
Mara: That shift sets up the sermon's real question. The motto changed, but the sermon asks whether the trust behind it changed with it. And the answer comes through Hezekiah, king of Judah around 700 BC.
Pip: Hezekiah is a useful case study because he's not a villain. He kept the religious observances, ran the temple, did the visible things โ and yet Isaiah records God saying, essentially, I've had enough of your burnt offerings.
Mara: The problem was that Hezekiah believed in God but didn't trust him. When Assyria threatened, he sought an alliance with Egypt instead. The sermon quotes Isaiah directly: "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many โ but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord."
Pip: It took the Assyrian army standing outside Jerusalem's gates before Hezekiah actually prayed. Which is a very human timeline for getting serious about trust.
Mara: And the sermon draws that line straight to the gospel. Jesus's invitation to "take my yoke" gets read not as shared labor with a partner, but as a replacement โ setting down the yoke of sin, self, and fear, and picking up the yoke of discipleship instead.
Pip: The question the sermon lands on is precise: not "do you believe?" โ the congregation already answered that by showing up โ but "do you trust him enough to remove all those yokes and put on his?"
Mara: It closes with Thomas Merton's prayer, which holds the tension honestly: "I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me." Trust, the sermon argues, doesn't require certainty. It requires the desire to follow, and Merton's prayer suggests that desire itself is already a form of faithfulness.
Pip: In God We Trust โ lip service or a way of life. That's the question left sitting in the pew.
Mara: The thread running through all of this is the gap between profession and practice โ saying the words and living the weight of them.
Pip: Belief is the easy part, apparently. Trust is where it gets costly. We'll see what Candle in a Cave brings next time.
Of all the places to begin a sermon, a cooking recipe seems like a far reachโฆbut things happen. The recipe I have in mind was written about 50 years or so before the birth of Jesus. The author? The Roman poet Virgil. What is the recipe for? Pesto.
Virgil was writing down a recipe for pesto, but I suppose, being a poet and all, he couldn’t just say, โAdd four cloves of garlic, so many leaves of basil, and half a cup of olive oil.โ No, that would not do. And he certainly wouldn’t say, “Mash it all together until you have a green paste.โ Instead, Virgil wrote, โThey one by one do lose/Their proper powers, and out of many comes/A single colour, not entirely greenโฆโ
In Latin, “out of many, a single color” is color est e pluribus unus. If we shorten that and add proper grammar, we have the phrase e pluribus unum, which the founding fathers added to the Great Seal of the United States in 1782. Therefore, the de facto national motto of the United States of America did not speak of how great and mighty a nation we were. Instead, it essentially declared that we, as the United States of America, are a saladโa bunch of ingredients, tossed together and pounded into something new and tasty.
It was the unofficial official motto and remained in place until 1956, when it officially changed. You can blame that change on the Soviet Union and the Cold War.
In the USSR, if there was a state religion, it was atheism, and the leaders of our nation looked for many ways to distinguish the USA from them. One of those ways was changing the de facto motto from e pluribus unum to In God We Trust. Unlike the battle cry of the Crusaders, “Deus vult” (God wills it), “In God We Trust” was meant to be a humble recognition of our reliance on a loving God. It is the kind of reliance and trust that the Psalmist speaks of.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. (Psalm 20:7-8)
So, my question to you on this day, when our nation is 250 years old and one day is this: We declare In God We Trust, but do we really, corporately and individually, or is it just like when we slap our money down on the counter and say, In God We Trust, and here’s 100 bucks in case that doesn’t work out?
Understand, the question is not about belief or faith. I’m not asking whether you believe in God or have faith in God. I’m asking whether you trust God. Isaiah shows the problem clearly.
Hezekiah was king of Judah around 700 BC. He is considered one of the better kings; however, there were several major problems, none of which was their belief in God. The first chapter of Isaiah clearly shows that they were still practicing their religion. Yet God is tired of it because they outwardly serve him while inwardly they are corrupt.
What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? (Isaiah 1:11-12)
That is the first problem. They do everything they are supposed to do, but in short, they are not practicing what they preach.
The second major problem is that they do not trust God. They believe in God, but they do not trust him.
At the time, the Assyrians were the dominant power, and to keep on good terms with them and avoid complete conquest, the nations paid tribute. However, when there was a shift in power in Assyria, Hezekiah and his royal court sought to free themselves from Assyrian rule and attempted to form an alliance with Egypt. The Lord says through Isaiah, “Don’t be stupid.”
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord! The Egyptians are man, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. (Isaiah 31:1, 3a)
Yet it wasn’t until the Assyrian army had conquered all of Judah and stood outside the gates of Jerusalem that Hezekiah repented and truly trusted in God. He prayed, โO Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.โ (Isaiah 37:20)
Hezekiah believed in the Lord, and Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, and the Lord, for his part, sent one of his angels: โThe angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.โ (Isaiah 37:36)
At the end of our gospel reading today, Jesus says, โTake my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.โ
Many understand this yoke to be the type designed for two animals that would pull as a team. From this, we can picture ourselves yoked to Jesus, and with Him, we can complete the work. It is a good message, and I have preached it myself. However, this is more of a contemporary understanding of the passage. Not wrong, but perhaps there is a better understanding.
Consider what Jesus said just a short time before: โWhoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.โ (Matthew 10:38) These are actions required of the individual. This is what it means to be his disciple: do what the master did. Therefore, to take Jesusโ yoke upon us is another way of saying this. We all wear a yoke of some kindโthe yoke of sin, self, and fear. Jesus is saying to set those aside and take up His yoke of righteousness, forgiveness, and eternal life. Take up His yoke of discipleship. In our attempt to do as He asks, we face the same question Hezekiah and the Israelites faced: Do you trust God?
Do you trust God enough to set aside sin, to set aside the things of the world, to set aside self, your will, and your ego? I know you believe in Jesus. I don’t think you would be here if you didn’t, but do you trust him enough to remove all those yokes and put on his?
In God we trust. That can either be lip service or a way of life. Take on the yoke of Jesus and walk with God. The author of Proverbs writes,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Trust in the Lord, and you will find healing and refreshment; you will find rest for your soul, for His burden is light.
Let us pray (a deeply honest prayer from Thomas Merton): My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
“Saints Peter and Paul in a vestibule,” etching by Rombout Eynhoudts after Peter Paul Rubens, circa 1630-80 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)
After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples on several occasions. Toward the end of Lukeโs Gospel, we hear of the disciples on the road to Emmaus:
That same day, two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them, but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, โWhat are you discussing together as you walk along?โ
Later, in the Acts of the Apostles, we read that Jesus appeared to Paul as he was on the road to Damascus:
โSaul, Saul, why do you persecute me?โ
โWho are you, Lord?โ Saul asked.
โI am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,โ he replied. โNow get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.โ
The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but he could see nothing when he opened his eyes.
The Gospels record several instances when Jesus appeared to Peter. Today we read of his restoration. There is also a legend of Jesus appearing to Peter many years later.
Peter eventually made his way to Rome, and after a time, one of the persecutions of the Christian church began. The legend picks up:
His friends, so runs the story, had entreated the Apostle to save his life by leaving the city. Peter finally consented, but on the condition that he should go away alone. But when he wished to pass the city gate, he saw Christ meeting him. Falling down in adoration, he said to Him, ‘Lord, whither goest Thou?’ And Christ replied, ‘I am coming to Rome to be again crucified.’ And Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, wilt Thou again be crucified?’ And the Lord said to him, ‘Even so, I will again be crucified.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, I will return and will follow Thee.’ And with these words, the Lord ascended into Heaven.
The encounter on the road out of Rome gave Peter the courage to return to Rome and face his death, which Jesus also spoke of in our Gospel: โWhen you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.โ You will stretch out your handsโyou will be crucified.
Today, I have a question for you. Three different encounters and three different roads. Jesus asked, โWhat are you discussing together as you walk along?โ Jesus asked, โSaul, Saul, why do you persecute me?โ Jesus said, โI am coming to Rome to be again crucified.โ
Now imagine, if you will: you are walking down an old dirt road in Oklahoma. It is pleasantly warm, the sun is beginning to set, and you are at peace, simply enjoying your time, when you encounter Jesus. You say a little prayer: โSpeak, Lord, for your servant is listening.โ
In a Peanuts cartoon, Lucy demands that Linus change the TV channel and then threatens him with her fist if he doesnโt. โWhat makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?โ asks Linus. โThese five fingers,โ says Lucy. โIndividually, they are nothing, but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold.โ โWhat channel do you want?โ asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, โWhy canโt you guys get organized like that?โ
My initial reaction to todayโs Gospel reading was to shake my head at the liturgical committee that chose it. There is no time, context, audience, or anything provided in the reading to help us understand. So letโs begin by setting the scene, which is a little easier if you were here last week, because this weekโs reading is part of that same conversation.
The audience Jesus is speaking to is the twelve apostles, and he is giving them instructions because He is about to send them out.
At the beginning of the chapter, Matthew 10, where our reading is located, we are told, โJesus called to him his twelve apostles and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every afflictionโ (Matthew 10:1). Jesus gives them instruction on their travels and what to expect: โBehold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as dovesโ (Matthew 10:16), and also tells them to โhave no fearโ (Matthew 10:26) for they are of great worth to their Father in heaven.
Then comes our lesson from last week. Jesus tells them that the message they carry will not bring peace but division, saying, โI have not come to bring peace, but a swordโ (Matthew 10:34b).
Todayโs Gospel is the conclusion of the apostlesโ marching orders, and it can be seen as encouragement, because Jesus tells them that as they go and experience the hardships along the way, there will be people who never preach a sermon, never cast out a demon, never heal the sick, yet by welcoming, encouraging, and supporting Christ’s servants they become participants in the very mission of God. โWhoever receives you, receives me, and whoever receives me, receives the Father.โ Good. In other words, when someone receives you as my disciple, it will be like in times past when someone received and helped a prophet carry out their work. Elijah and Elisha provide two very good examples of this.
During the reign of King Ahab, he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, so the Lord brought a drought upon the land, as Elijah had proclaimed. Afterward, the Lord sent Elijah to Zarephath. There, Elijah encountered a widow and asked her for a little something to eat and a drink of water. She responded that she had only a little flour in a jar, enough to make one small cake for her and her son to eat, after which they would die because of their poverty and the drought. Yet Elijah said, โDo not fearโฆ The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earthโ (1 Kings 17:14), and it was done according to the word of Elijah. While the world around her suffered from the drought and went hungry, the widow and her son received the prophetโs reward and had plenty.
Later, the widow’s son died because of illness, yet because of her support and kindness to Elijah, the Lord raised the child from the dead through Elijahโs prayer.
Then there was Elisha, who frequently passed through the town of Shunem. A wealthy woman lived there, and each time Elisha passed through, she would feed and care for him. Elisha asked what could be done to repay her kindness. She would not say, but Gehazi, Elishaโs servant, told him that the woman was childless, even though she and her husband desired one. Hearing this, Elisha promised her the reward of a prophet: โAt this season, about this time next year, you shall embrace a son.โ (2 Kings 4:16) She was too afraid to believe it, but the following year she had a son.
When Jesus speaks to the disciples about the prophetsโ reward and the righteous personโs reward, he says, โYou will encounter hardships in following me and doing the Fatherโs will, but there will be those who help you. Because of their help, they too will receive a reward.โ
Why? Not everyone can be called to be a prophet or a apostle, but all can assist the prophet or apostle in other ways.
Saint Paul tells us, โNow there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.โ (1 Corinthians 12:4-7) And remember how, a little later, he asked a series of questions, โAre all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?โ (1 Corinthians 12:29), and so on. The answer is no. Not all are this or that, but each one has been empowered with gifts โfor the common good.โ Thatโs exactly the point Lucy was making, โThese five fingersโฆ Individually, they are nothing, but when I curl them together like this into a single unitโฆโ This same principle applies to Elijah and Elisha, the apostles, and on down through history to us gathered here today. Is this true?
Do you know how many people Iโve asked from this congregation to come up here and preach? Do you know how many times, when I ask that question, the person looks at me as though I didnโt have the sense God gave a turnip? Yet that same person may have taken on another ministry in the church or an act of hospitality. Something I had no clue how to do.
Paul again says, โFor just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one bodyโJews or Greeks, slaves or freeโand all were made to drink of one Spirit.โ (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) He is, of course, speaking of the church. When Jesus spoke of those who would receive a prophetโs reward or a righteous personโs reward, he was also speaking of the church, all of its members. This reward from God is not limited to the front person, the one in the dog collar and fancy robes. The reward is for the entire body of Christ, with each member exercising the gifts they have been empowered with.
A few weeks back, we spoke of our baptism and our entrance into the body of Christ. We then spoke of what it means to be loyal to God, not simply a passive relationship but one that is active in thought, word, and deed. Today, we understand that this active faith, as sons and daughters of God, is lived out in the Church, using the gifts we have been blessed with, both individually and corporately.
In The Canterbury Pilgrim, Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey speaks of the church as a building, which he then describes as a symbol of the Church formed by those who become the Body of Christ. Of this Body, Archbishop Ramsey captures exactly what Paul said, โThrough the centuries this other Churchโthe Body of Christโhas stood: human lives united to Jesus, receiving his presence, and showing his goodness, his love, his sacrifice, his humility and his compassion. Living stones – what a mingling of metaphors! It tells of firm, solid, unmovable loyalty, and of persons alive in joy, in freedom, in creativity, in influence. This is the Church that Jesus Christ founded, the Church of which he said that the gates of death would never prevail against it.โ (Glory Descending, Eerdmans, p.129)
This is the Church and the great work that takes place within these walls and within the Body of Christ. However, for our participation in it, thereโs not just the prophetโs reward or the righteous personโs reward. Jesus says, โThis is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.โ (John 6:40) Therefore, Jesus says, โDo not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you.โ (John 6:27) For us, there is more than the prophetโs or righteous personโs reward, there is Christโs reward, the food that does not perishโthe forgiveness of sins and eternal life on the last day.
In your life with God and your life in the Church, use the gifts you have been empowered with and work for Christโs reward. No gift is too small. No gift is unnecessary. And by combining them, we become the church God desires us to be. Ask yourself, where can I put my gifts to work in the Body of Christ, and then get busy. You are needed, for โThe harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few,โ (Luke 10:2), and we may not all be apostles or prophets, but we are all laborers in this great Kingdom of our God.
Let us pray: Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you through your son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him, that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
One of Aesopโs fables tells of two men who were traveling in company through a forest when, all at once, a huge Bear crashed out of the brush near them. One of the Men, thinking of his own safety, climbed a tree. The other, unable to fight the savage beast alone, threw himself on the ground and lay still, as if he were dead. He had heard that a Bear will not touch a dead body. It must have been true, for the Bear snuffed at the Manโs head awhile, and then, seeming to be satisfied that he was dead, walked away. The Man in the tree climbed down. โIt looked just as if that Bear whispered in your ear,โ he said. โWhat did he tell you?โ โHe said,โ answered the other, โthat it was not at all wise to keep company with a fellow who would desert his friend in a moment of danger.โ
Reflecting on our Gospel lesson this morning led me to consider the loyalty we owe to God. This thought, in turn, brought me to the Hebrew word for loyalty: hesed.
To explore the meaning of hesed further, I turned to Strongโs Concordance. If you havenโt heard of it, Strongโs is essentially a very in-depth dictionary of the words in the Bible. It states, โืึตืกึตื (chesed) saturates the Hebrew Scriptures as the hallmark of Godโs covenantal character and the standard for covenantal response among His peopleโฆ Of its approximately 247 occurrences, over half lie in the Psalms, yet it shapes every major section of the Old Testament, from the Torah to the Post-Exilic books.โ (Source)
Despite at least 25 years of serious study of Holy Scripture, I would have come across such an important concept, butโฆ not that I remember.
But as I dug in, I realized that the trouble with the word hesed is that there is no single English word that fully captures its meaning. Loyalty is only one aspect; so, in scripture, we often find it rendered as steadfast love, loving kindness, mercy, faithfulness, and loyalty. One of the most popular verses where the word appears is Psalm 23:6,
โSurely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.โ
Given the richness of hesed, we can now see that this verse offers far more than we may have realized at first. โSurely Godโs goodness and Godโs steadfast love, Godโs loving kindness, Godโs mercy, Godโs faithfulness, Godโs loyalty shall follow me all the days of my life.โ Still, for Godโs mercy or faithfulness to count as hesed, it must not only reflect these qualities but also be specifically connected to the covenant relationship God has with his people. The covenant is beautifully expressed in Deuteronomy: โKnow therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.โ (Deuteronomy 7:9)
This all points towards the covenant relationship that God has made with his people. In other words, Godโs mercy, loyalty, faithfulness, and the like are not just words. These attributes come with action and proof. God says, โIโm not only going to tell you that I am faithful, but I am also going to show you that I am faithful. I am not only going to tell you I am loyal, but Iโm also going to show you. Iโm not only going to tell you that I love you, but I will show you that I love you.โ And we know that he hasโโFor God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.โ (John 3:16)
That single verse, I believe, is at the heart of Godโs hesed toward his people. It is love, faithfulness, mercyโin action. This action is not cheap; it is very costly. For us, it is not earned, bought, or demanded; instead, it is freely given as a grace because God chose us as recipients of his love and grace. That is the covenant he has made with us.
Yes, this weekโs Gospel reading got me thinking about loyaltyโjust a few of the things I learned. Weโve been speaking of Godโs hesed toward us, but what about our hesed toward God?
Our Gospel lesson from Matthew 10 does not use the word hesed, but as I learned more about its meaning, what Jesus describes looks remarkably like the covenant loyalty the Old Testament often calls hesedโshowing steadfast love and kindnessโin our relationship with him.
Jesus said, โDo not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a swordโฆ. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.โ
Lukeโs Gospel puts this in even harder words, โIf anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.โ (Luke 14:26-27)
In both passages, Jesus insists our relationship with Him goes beyond lip service. It must be accompanied by real action and commitment.
Last week, we explored how our baptism brings us into a new allegiance, a new identity, and a new life with Christ Jesus as King, savior, and master. This week, we see what that covenant demands of usโit demands nothing less than what God demands of Himself. God says, โI will show you unwavering faithfulness; therefore, you must show me unwavering faithfulness.โ God says, โI will show you 100% loving kindness, loyalty, all these things; therefore, to be in a covenantal relationship with me demands that you show me 100% loving kindness, loyalty, etc.โ
When Luke says we are to โhateโ father, mother, wife, and children, he is using exaggeration to emphasize a point: we must place God above all else. By doing this, God can then teach us and give us the grace necessary to โlove one another,โ as He has loved us. So, being in this covenant relationship with God 100% also enables us to be in a covenant relationship with each other. In this way, hesed becomes not only a word that defines a relationship but also the defining characteristic of a life lived to the glory of God.
But hereโs the rub. I said that God demands 100% loving-kindness, loyalty, and the rest from us, but the reality is we never do. I believe we try, but we fail. Adam and Eve failed, David failed, Peter failed, we fail. Thereโs no excuse, but when we fail to fulfill this covenant with God and one another, there is hesed againโthere is mercy, Godโs mercy to us. As the Psalmist says, Godโs โmercyโฆHis hesed endures forever.โ (Psalm 136) As God shows us covenantal mercy, we show it to each other.
Aesopโs bear made a very good point: It is โnot at all wise to keep company with a fellow who deserts his friend in a moment of danger.โ This speaks to one aspect of what we should look for in a friend, but it also speaks to our understanding of Godโs relationship with us, as proven time and again. Jesus has called us friends (John 15:15). Ask yourself, โAm I the kind of friend to Jesus who would abandon him under any circumstances, or regardless of the cost, would I remain faithful?โ
In discovering the answer, we begin to see whether we are worthy of Him, whether we are His disciples. And, if necessary, we rely on His unfailing mercy to restore us to Him and seek to fulfill our part of the covenantโthe hesedโwe have entered into.
Let us pray:
May the Strength of God guide us. May the Power of God preserve us. May the Wisdom of God instruct us. May the Hand of God protect us. May the Way of God direct us. May the Shield of God defend us. May the Angels of God guard us. Against the snares of the evil one.
May Thy Grace, Lord, Always be ours, This day, O Lord, and forevermore. Amen.
According to Christian ministry lore, a machinist at the Ford Motor Company found religion and was baptized. Before his conversion, the man had frequently stolen parts and tools from the Ford factory.
Moved by his newfound faith, the employee returned all the stolen goods to his boss the very next morning, explained his baptism, and asked for forgiveness. Dumbfounded by this unprecedented response, the manager sent a telegram to Henry Ford (who was traveling in Europe at the time) asking how to handle the situation. Ford reportedly wired back his enthusiastic approval with the now-famous reply: โDam up the Detroit River, and baptize the entire city!โ
When I get home on Thursday nightsโmy Fridayโmy brain is only up for a glass of wine and a movie. Since most new movies disappoint, Iโll usually rewatch an old favorite. A couple of Thursdays ago, I settled in with Kingdom of Heaven, best described as historical fiction about the defense and fall of Jerusalem to Saladin in 1187.
This movie centers on Balian of Ibelin. In the movie, his personal life is entirely fictional; however, his role in the defense of Jerusalem is quite accurate, down to a powerful scene as the final battle approaches.
The problem: too few knights remain to defend the city. Most have died or fled. The Patriarch of Jerusalem points this out to Balian. Accepting his words, Balian gives a rousing speech and commands, โEvery man-at-arms or capable of bearing them, kneel.โ All comply. Approaching a young man, Balian recites his fatherโs words: โBe without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Speak the truth even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless. That is your oath.โ To the young manโs surprise, Balian slaps him and says, โAnd thatโs so you remember it.โ Balian then steps back, addressing the assembly, and says, โRise, a knight.โ
The bishop, who has witnessed all this, is not impressed and says to Balian, โDoes making a man a knight make him a better fighter?โ Balian looks the bishop square in the eye and says, โYes.โ
That actually happened, but for us today, we might be inclined to think like the bishopโputting lipstick on a pig doesnโt make a pig a beauty queen. However, thatโs us today. Back then, being made a knight made you something new.
Being made a knight gave you land and privileges. It offered chances for advancement, political influence, and access to goods and services a commoner would never have. It meant entry into the aristocracy and more. But perhaps more importantly, a shift took place within. You actually became someone. People looked up to you; they called you โSir.โ Your sense of self-worth increased dramatically.
There was also a religious aspect, especially in Jerusalem. There, you became a true defender of the faith. For many, you were a Christian hero. The Pope essentially stated that serving as a knight in Jerusalem counted toward all penances you owed.
When the bishop asked, โDoes making a man a knight make him a better fighter?โ Balianโs โYesโ carried all this weight, and those who took the knee believed it. No longer were they blacksmiths, farmers, peasants, or even slaves. They were now great defenders of the faith, and for those who truly believed, it would have meant a great deal and, in fact, made them knights and better fighters.
And if you have figured out by now that Iโm not talking about the knights of Jerusalem but about those to be baptized into the Christian faith, give yourself a gold star.
Today, we have ____ who will be baptized into Christโs one holy catholic and apostolic Church. Yet some might ask, โDoes water make someone a child of God any more than a sword makes someone a knight?โ The answer: Yes! Because neither baptism nor knighthood is merely about water or swords. Both are about a new allegiance, a new identity, and a new life.
Behind that, yes, lie forgiveness of sins, participation in Christโs death and resurrection, the renunciation of Satan and evil forces of this world, the desire to fight sin and injustice, and true loyalty to Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. Baptism also opens participation in the community of faith in thought, word, and deed, the call to commend the faith that is in you, and more. Through baptism, you become a citizen of the Kingdom of God and take on all the benefits and duties of a child of God, as has been practiced throughout the Churchโs history.
Finally, I wonโt be slapping anyone to make them remember it, but we will chrismate all those baptized with the oil blessed and set aside by the bishop. As the sign of the cross is made on the forehead, the words are spoken: โYou are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christโs own for ever.โ This sealing in the Holy Spirit helps us remember all that has been done for us and all that we have vowed to do ourselves.
Given all this sacrament of baptism accomplishes in a person, I say, โDam up the Cimarron and letโs baptize everyone.โ Or, according to the Book of Common Prayer on page 301, โThe candidates for Holy Baptism will now be presented.โ
Jesus said, โEvery scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.โ
โEvery scribe.โ We heard this reading just a few Wednesdays ago when we studied Alcuin, who was a librarian of sorts. It also appears when we celebrate the great historian, the Venerable Bede; the theologian, Thomas Aquinas; and a more contemporary writer we studied at length, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. We hear this reading and understand that our Saint’s gift involved the Churchโs writings. Ephrem of Edessa, whom we celebrate today, is no different.
Early on, he served in the household of Bishop Jacob of Nisbis, and it is likely that he attended the Council of Nicaea (where the Nicene Creed was composed) with the Bishop in 325. Following the Bishopโs death, Ephrem remained in service to Jacobโs successors but was eventually forced to flee following the Persian invasion. He then settled in a cave, where he lived out the remainder of his life.
Although he lived an austere life, he remained active in preaching and writing and was ordained a deacon. Of his writings, he not only wrote the hymn we read but also over 400 others used to teach the orthodox faith, which is how he became known as โThe Harp of the Holy Spirit.โ He died in 373 from exhaustion while caring for the sick.
There is much for Ephrem to be remembered for, but his role as โscribeโ stands out most. For some, his writings are a bit too flowery, but many others find great beauty and comfort in them. In one particular hymn, he addresses the Upper Room where the Last Supper was held: โO blessed spot! No one has seen or shall see the things which you have seen. In you the Lord himself became true altar, priest, and bread and chalice of salvation. He alone suffices for all, yet none suffices for him. He is Altar and Lamb, victim and sacrifice, priest as well as food.โ
In the Gospels, Jesus is never pleased with the scribes. He sees them, along with the Sadducees and Pharisees, as placing stumbling blocks before the people, at one point saying, โBut woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in, you stop them.โ Yet Jesus says that what is needed to be a faithful scribe is one โwho brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.โ It is one who understands the writings of those who have gone before and recognizes that those writings speak of and point to the Savior.
Jesus said, โFor truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.โ Ephrem was one who, through his writings, gave us a โcup of water to drink,โ and therefore has received his reward. We give thanks for him and all those who have passed on such knowledge, which leads to salvation through Jesus.
Groucho Marx said, โIf you find it hard to laugh at yourself, I would be happy to do it for you.โ And the Tunisian Prime Minister, Habib Bourguiba, wrote, โHappy is the person who can laugh at himself. He will never cease to be amused.โ We know that laughing at ourselves, or self-deprecating humor, can have a healthy side, but it can also become detrimental. We say something about ourselves that makes others laugh, but on the inside, we actually believe it. Example: โMy romantic strategy is simple: I just wait for someone to make a terrible mistake and fall in love with me.โ In addition, most of the time, we donโt need to laugh at ourselves, because the world can pour it on just fine. That is not only true of who we are, but also of our faith. In fact, the world has been great at ridiculing and laughing at those who act in faith.
Thereโs Noah. Heโs an easy one. Can you imagine the grief they must have put him through? According to Scripture, it took him 50-100 years to build the Ark. All the while, everyone was watching, and Iโm certain they were laughing. When he started gathering the animals, think of the ridicule. How stupid could a person be?
Then there was Abram, who became Abraham, whom we read about today. Can you imagine: Abram starts packing up his house. The neighbors stop by and ask, โHey, Abe, what are you doing?โ His response, โThe Lord spoke to me and said, โGo from your country and your kindred and your fatherโs house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.โโ Can you imagine the ridicule and laughter? โYou canโt even pack your camel correctly, and the Lord is going to make a nation out of you? Please.โ
When David was just a boy, he went up against the giant Goliath. His brother saw him coming and berated him. The King, Saul, said, โYou’re just a boy. Youโve got no chanceโ (cf. 1 Samuel 17:33). Then, Goliath laughed and sneered. โAm I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?โฆ Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.โ (1 Samuel 17:43) All of them rebuked him and, Iโm certain, laughed at him, not only the Philistines but his own people. โYouโre nothing but a child. Go home to mama.โ But what St. Paul would later write to the Corinthians was just as applicable to these: โGod chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.โ (1 Corinthians 1:27โ29)
Noah, his family, and the animals were saved from the flood, while the world perished around them. Abraham walked the earth 4,000 years ago, and we are part of the great nation established through him, which continues to grow and expand. David struck down Goliath with a single small stone and became the greatest King Israel has ever known, and his lineage produced Jesus. God chose the weak, the despised, the lowly, and the ridiculed to accomplish His work, so that it was clear to all that the victory was Godโs alone.
If these three were the only examples in Scripture, we could say, โEverybody gets lucky on occasion,โ but in truth, it is the way of God. And the pattern continues. Gideon’s 300 defeated an army. Esther saved her people. A young girl named Mary said yes to God and bore the Savior of the world.โ
Again and again, God works through the foolish, the weak, and the ridiculed, overturning the expectations of the powerful.
In our Gospel reading, we find two more examples. First is the calling of Matthew. Jesus said, โFollow me,โ and Matthew did. That evening, Jesus had dinner at Matthewโs house, and many other sinners were present. Seeing this, the Pharisees said, โWhy does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?โ They ridiculed Jesus and, I imagine, laughed at his foolishness. I suspect their comments were like those of the Pharisee who invited Jesus to dinner. Youโll recall that the โsinful womanโ came and washed Jesusโ feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and then anointed them. The Pharisee thought, โIf this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.โ (Luke 7:39) I can hear them saying the same thing about Matthew and his companions.
The second incident in the Gospel involves Jesus. The little girl has died, yet through her, Jesus intends to demonstrate the power of God. He says to the crowd, โโGo away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.โ And they laughed at him.โ They believed that only God has power over life and death, and, in their understanding, Jesus was merely a man.
Remember how Jesusโ hometown ridiculed him? They said, โWhere did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenterโs son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?โ (Matthew 13:54-56) โWe know this kid. Who does he think he is? Heโs Joeโs boy. Heโs nothing.โ
When Jesus said to those gathered around the dead little girl that she was only sleeping, they laughed at Him. They knew she was dead and that only God could raise the dead. They were saying, โWho do you think you are? Youโre nothing.โ
However, you would think that after witnessing all the miracles the people would have believed, but even then there was still ridicule and disbelief. โโHe is possessed by Beelzebul,โ and โby the prince of demons he casts out the demons.โโ (Mark 3:22)
Writing in the second century, the philosopher Celsus spoke sarcastically about Christianity and those who followed Jesus. He described Christians as โthe most uneducated and vulgar personsโ and โlike a swarm of batsโor ants creeping out of their nestsโor frogs holding a symposium round a swampโor worms in a conventicle in a corner of mud.โ Not what I would call high praise, but it is what many thought of Christianity and Christians. 2,000 years later, not much has changed. Should we be surprised? No. Jesus said, โA disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his masterโฆ. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household.โ (Matthew 10:24-25)
Throughout history, Godโs people have been ridiculed and laughed at for their faith. Yet no word or sneer from the outside has stopped us from moving forward. Yet, there is ridicule and laughter that can and does bring everything to a haltโwhen we attack ourselves. When we laugh or sneer at the faith that is in us. What does that look like?
โIโm not good enough. My sins are too great for God to hear me.โ โGod is too busy to be bothered with the likes of me and my little problems.โ โWhat I want to say or ask just isnโt all that important, so I shouldnโt bother God with it.โ โIโm too weak. Iโm too foolish. Iโm laughable in my relationship with God.โ These and all the other โreasonsโ we come up with are simply ways of degrading and ridiculing who we are in God and in our faith. Weโre laughing at ourselves, but not in a healthy way, and it is detrimental to our life with God.
Jesus says, โIf you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.โ (John 15:7) There are no qualifiers in that statement like, โAsk whatever you want, as long as you’re as holy as me, and it better be important.โ Jesus says, โFear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.โ (Luke 12:32) It is the Fatherโs pleasure to hear from us and to fulfill those things in accordance with His ways.
St. Paul says it so clearly: โSince then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confessionโฆ Let us then with confidenceโlet us boldlyโdraw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.โ (Hebrews 4:12, 16)
There are plenty in the world who will gladly ridicule and laugh at your faith. And you knowโฆ so what. Theyโve been doing it since the beginning. Wish them a nice day and keep moving. As St. Josemaria Escriva says, โDon’t waste your time and your energy โ which belong to God โ throwing stones at the dogs that bark at you on your way. Ignore them.โ (The Way) But also donโt do their job for them. Donโt undermine your own faith through self-condemnation and self-abuse. Instead, come before Godโs throne of grace with boldness and confidence, come as His beloved children, and lay your heart before Him. It is His good pleasure to hear you.
Let us pray: โLoving and Merciful Father, we come before You knowing that You are ever present and attentive to the voice of our prayers. In the quiet of our hearts, we trust that You hear every petition, joy, and sorrow we lay before You. We place our anxieties and needs into Your compassionate hands, confident that Your steadfast love endures forever. Strengthen our faith, Lord, and grant us the grace to always accept Your holy will. Amen.โ
Candle in a Cave 