By The Rev. Bernard W. Poppe, RectorThe collect for this day observed that God built the Church upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. The faith we've received and the faith we proclaim is built on this foundation. We have a collection of stories and accumulated wisdom and more than a little theology and reflection on the life of Jesus and how this life ties together the trends and movement of all that went before. The life of Jesus then becomes the prism through which we see the light of God's love in this world and becomes our hope in the life of the world to come.
We have received this foundation and with our continuing witness, continue to build on this foundation. The worship we do here, the lessons we teach here, the people we welcome into fellowship all have to do with how we receive the call and invitation of Jesus and how we choose to build up on this foundation.
In the Gospel lesson, Jesus passed through Samaria and then beyond, inviting people to follow him. The important note in the first sentence is that he "set his face to go to Jerusalem." This is the author's way of foreshadowing the events to take place in Holy Week. Setting his face to Jerusalem also explains the cold reception he received by the Samaritans. There was a rivalry and prejudice between the Samaritans and Israelites, both claiming to be rightful heirs of the throne and heritage of King David and each having their central place of worship. In setting his face toward Jerusalem the Samaritans would have felt snubbed by Jesus and in turn, despite the good relationship they had previously enjoyed, snubbed him.
James and John, having recently returned from a successful mission of healing and minor miracles, and perhaps feeling their own sense of power and indignation offered to incinerate Samaria for the insult, but Jesus brushed away that gesture with a rebuke for an action that might be a bit disproportionate to the offense.
As they went further along, they encountered other people who wanted to follow Jesus but had loose ends to tie up before they could. Maybe calling them loose ends is unfair, burying one's dead and saying farewells doesn't seem like a casual thing, but Jesus responded to these needs in a strong way, saying that to follow is not to look back.
Choosing to live a Christian life is a radical undertaking in its full measure. It requires total commitment. If we're to have any integrity in our faith life, we can't go back and forth as it suits us. Our Baptismal vows call for the learning of the Apostles teaching and fellowship, the breaking of the bread and prayer. It calls us to persevere in resisting evil and if we fall away to repent and return to the Lord. It calls us to proclaim by word and example the Good news of God in Christ, to seek and serve Christ in all persons, and to strive for justice and peace among all people. These vows we take and renew several times a year remind us that to follow Jesus is not easy nor is it a half way commitment. Serving Christ in all persons -- not some. Strive for justice and peace among all people -- not some. Respect the dignity of every human being -- not some. Those we like and those we dislike are equal. Those we know and those we don't, those we fear and those we don't -- all are to be respected and treated with dignity.
The recent Supreme Court ruling striking down forms of integration are a set back to the attempts to give equal access to a good education for members of different races. To claim that all public education is equal and that resources are distributed with an equal concern for the same high quality is gravely mistaken. The artificial means to ensure a measure of equality were problematic, to be sure, but to take away some measure of success and replace it with nothing to protect against an undeniable institutional racism is scandalous. When a country can find untold billions to wage a misguided war and yet say it is unable to provide an equal quality and high standard of education for its children, making them fight for scraps at their own table, it is in serious moral danger.
The role of the prophets in ancient Israel and up to the present day is to point out injustices in society, often at their own peril, and it is on this foundation that our church is built. We've taken vows and made commitments to serve each other and protect the dignity of every human being. Last week our parish had a wonderful showing at the Gay Pride parade to demonstrate one level of witness to the dignity of all human beings. And now we must also speak out in the area of race to the degree that we can in the places that we live and move to witness to justice and the dignity of all. There is no doubt that the issues are complex and the solutions elusive, but we must continue to go forward not backward, to build, not tear down.
In the first lesson, there is a transfer of mission from Elijah to Elisha, the younger continuing the work of the older as each served God in their time facing the challenges of their day. We have to do the same, strive to maintain our vows and with integrity and accountability raise up those after us to continue to build upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the cornerstone. Amen.
© 2007 St. George's Episcopal Church, Maplewood, NJ
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