As a cradle Episcopalian, I am deeply uncomfortable with binary choices. To me, God is mystery and wonder – Kind of like a multiverse that I’ll never totally grasp. So today’s readings are kinda uncomfortable for me -they’re full of binary comparisons. Dead or not dead? Raised or not raised? Rich or poor? Happy or sad? Belief or non-belief?
As Episcopalians, we often tend to see that life isn’t full of simple two-pronged choices. We know most problems, most sin, most of the world is nuanced and multi-faceted. So what are we to think about what Paul and Luke are telling us? That we all have to believe confidently in Jesus and the resurrection every single day? Maybe we’re all supposed to be poor and unhappy. Is being persecuted good? Somehow, I don’t think these are the messages of our scripture.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus is describing life as it is, not instructing us on how to live. Jesus knows us. As both truly God and truly human, Jesus understands that poverty isn’t a good state. Nor is sorrow. We shouldn’t be aiming to be sad so we can get more blessings. Neither should we hope for others to revile us so that we can gain favor with God.
We also aren’t being told that hunger and hate are good for the WORLD in which we live. Hurtfulness and neediness describe reality, but this reading doesn’t glorify the states themselves. Luke doesn’t say poverty is blessed; but poor PEOPLE are.
So these binary choices in the Gospel are not marching orders for our lives. Being hungry and crying a lot isn’t the goal. There’s no hope in these readings for bad things to happen in the world. Jesus, through Luke, is once again using extremes to help us notice the realities of our human existence.
As is often true in Luke, what we’re learning about in this gospel is God. As Father Joseph has said it to us in Bible study, “Luke more than any other New Testament writer reminds us that God is the subject of the entire story, whatever the time, the place, or the cast of characters onstage.” In this text, we’re learning about the bigness and the all-encompassing, loving mind and heart of God.
None of us have control over our own lives as assuredly as we often want to believe. Most of us have good times and bad. Even when we do everything “right”, it is likely that all of us will at some time face want or sadness; persecution or loss. We have free will to conduct our own lives, But Jesus tells us that we can’t conduct our lives relying only on ourselves. God is needed. God is here for us to rely on.
Often it is the people who are suffering who remember to look for God. It is in desperation that we look for answers and meaning. We can’t control everything that happens in our lives, but we can trust in the Holy Spirit to be with us as we face life’s challenges.
But what about when things are going well? When our tummies are full and we are happy? Our Gospel today is telling us that it is especially when things are working out WELL that we need to seek out the love and solace of God. When life is going well, we can get lazy and believe we are happy and well fed because we’re crushing life’s problems on our own. Woe to those who have forgotten that everything we have is a blessing.
It’s especially when things are going well that we should be noticing God’s loving care for those who are suffering. Our own minds should also be noticing the poor, the hungry, the mourners, those who are being persecuted and reviled, and those who weep. These people, who are often held in contempt by society, are held up by God. There’s hope in seeing that these people are especially held in God’s hands.
God notices. God empathizes. God sees our despair and our good times both. – and by putting our trust in God, we have hope – hope for ourselves, for our neighbors, and for the world. Only by trusting in God can we hope that the world will be better, and that WE will be better. Only through turning again and again to God – in good times and bad – can we hope to see the light of Christ.
Putting God in charge means that we recognize that ALL God’s people are blessed. Putting God in charge means that we can have hope as we face our own darkness. Putting God in charge challenges us to view others as loved children of God who are facing their own misfortunes and struggles and good times or bad. Putting God in charge helps us go forth to walk in Jesus’ path and to help ALL people find laughter, nourishment, and love. Amen.