Musings for Epiphany 7

Sunday, February 20, 2011
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany / Lectionary 7

Musings by Gary Lazenby

INTRODUCTION
In today's first reading we hear, "You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy." Yet we know we cannot achieve perfection. Our attempts to love neighbors and even our enemies fall short of what God desires for us. Yet in Jesus we see one who loved even those who persecuted and killed him. We are made holy in baptism, and forgiven at the table of God's mercy. As a people made holy by God, we go in peace to love as we have been loved.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

Holy God of compassion, you invite us into your way of forgiveness and peace. Lead us to love our enemies, and transform our words and deeds to be like his through whom we pray, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

First Reading

Leviticus 19:1–2, 9–18

The Holiness Code in Leviticus urges people to be holy since God is holy. Holiness is lived out in partiality for and consideration of the poor and the weak. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves.

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
²Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. ⁹When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. ¹⁰You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the LORD your God.
¹¹You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another. ¹²And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the LORD.
¹³You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. ¹⁴You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.
¹⁵You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. ¹⁶You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the LORD.
¹⁷You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. ¹⁸You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 119:33–40

Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes. (Ps. 119:33)

³³Teach me, O LORD, the way ^| of your statutes,

and I shall keep it ^| to the end.

³⁴Give me understanding, and I shall ^| keep your teaching;

I shall keep it with ^| all my heart.

³⁵Lead me in the path of ^| your commandments,

for that is ^| my desire.

³⁶Incline my heart to ^| your decrees

and not to ^| unjust gain.

³⁷Turn my eyes from be- ^| holding falsehood;

give me life ^| in your way.

³⁸Fulfill your promise ^| to your servant,

which is for ^| those who fear you.

³⁹Turn away the reproach ^| that I dread,

because your judg- ^| ments are good.

⁴⁰Behold, I long for ^| your commandments;

by your righteousness en- ^| liven me.

Second Reading

1 Corinthians 3:10–11, 16–23

Jesus Christ is the foundation of the church and its ministry. We are God’s temple because God’s Spirit dwells in us, and we belong to Christ. Hence we are called to build wisely upon this sure foundation not for our own benefit but for others to experience Christ’s benefits.

¹⁰According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. ¹¹For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. ¹⁶Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.
¹⁸Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,
"He catches the wise in their craftiness,"
²⁰and again,
"The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are futile."
²¹So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, ²²whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future — all belong to you, ²³and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Gospel

Matthew 5:38–48

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares an end to the law of vengeance. God’s people will respond to evil with love and forgiveness.

³⁸You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' ³⁹But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; ⁴⁰and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; ⁴¹and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. ⁴²Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
⁴³You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. ⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Musings

Over the past few weeks, the Gospel has focused on the Sermon on the Mount. In the Children’s Sermon last week, Pastor and I “discussed” the new rules highlighted by Jesus. Instead of legal requirements and traditional expectations, Jesus wants his followers to embrace standards of righteousness that exceed those legal and traditional expectations. When Jesus spoke about God’s law, he did something no one had done before. He gave a new standard based on the law of grace and love. He quoted from the oldest law in the world: If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe (Exodus 21:23-25). Such a law today seems cruel, but it was meant to limit vengeance as a first step towards mercy. Jesus transforms the law of mercy with grace and loving-kindness. Jesus also makes clear that there is no room for retaliation. We must not only avoid returning evil for evil, but we must seek the good of those who wish us ill. Do you accept insults, as Jesus did, with no resentment? When you are compelled by others to do more than you think you deserve, do you insist on your rights, or do you respond with grace and cheerfulness? Today, is the message of Jesus embraced by all? Do we turn the other cheek or do we retaliate in some manner. Society frequently emulates those who are the aggressor. “If someone hits you, hit them back!” - words frequently communicated from parent to child. Jesus teaches us to treat others, not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated — with loving-kindness and mercy. Where do you demonstrate mercy and love? Can you return evil for good? It is not easy, but Jesus loves us for trying.

Let Us Pray

For all who engage in inflammatory rhetoric

For all to be able to disagree without being disagreeable

For those who gain freedom through non-violence

For all to treat others as they would like to be treated

Quote

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” by Mahatma Gandhi