This Sunday the lectionary is Luke 16:1-13 which is a puzzle that Jesus offers us. Jesus says we should try and be like a dishonest steward who gets caught and then—before he’s fired—reduces the bills for all his master’s debtors. In this way he reasons once unemployed those same debtors will welcome him into their homes—because they benefited from his crookedness! Where is the moral thread in this story? What is Jesus trying to tell us? That’s what I’ve been wrestling with this week. In reading the commentaries I’ve discovered that scholars have been wrestling with this wild story for a long, long time. Nobody knows for sure what it all means. Yet, as I’ve reflected on it I’ve got an idea. I’ll tell another story—from the world of outer space—that could shed light on Jesus’ parable and help the Gospel speak to your life and mine.
The companion passage for Sunday is First Timothy 2:1-7 where the author instructs his young protégé to guide the church he serves to pray for everyone and to find the way to inner stillness and calm. It’s from this still center that the church—and each of us—finds an energetic core that sends us out into life with passion, hope, and courage. I’ll talk to the children about the meaning of prayer—and they’ll get to take an object home that will help with their life of prayer.
In the end both the Gospel and the Epistle speak to us of finding a passionate, energetic core for our lives. I will title my sermon “Energized!” Come and find some energy for your life as we share in worship, grace, and the communion of being together in the love of Christ.
Charlie Fitzhugh will be at the piano. The Chancel Choir will lead our singing. Ann Roche and helpers will guide the church school following me message to the young ones. The Coffee Hour basket will be in support of Carol Kresge’s Language Project in Laos. By the way, Carol made such an impact at the recent ASEAN conference that President Obama attended, that she has been invited to speak to the US embassy in Malaysia about her work. Those little libraries are making a big impact!
Thanks to all who supported the “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” fundraiser for the Elizabeth Freeman Center. Over a thousand folk walked on the beautiful Third Thursday and had a lot of fun as well as raising awareness. Tonight—Friday evening—our Coffee House at 7 will feature Bill Lauf on guitar and our mission support will go to Elizabeth Freeman as well. The music will be great and the cause is vital. Come if you can for an energizing evening.
Finally, be sure to check out our “Go Fund Me” project. See how our infrastructure improvement for pantry delivery — a new concrete pad — is proceeding. All those small donations are adding up!