Month: August 2021

August 29, 2021
14 Sunday after Pentecost
Year B

First Reading: Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Psalm 45:1-2,7-10
Second Reading: James 1:17-27
Gospel Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23

Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness, and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen

Talk the Talk….Walk the Walk

If you say that someone talks the talk but does not walk the walk, you mean that they do not act in a way that agrees with the things they say:

In the chapter prior to the Gospel that we read, Mark (6:39-43,50,54-56),

“I’m going to say, it was a beautiful day.” 

Jesus had his disciples feed 5000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish. 

That night a great storm occurred after his disciples fought the wind in the boats and Jesus walked on water toward them…reassuring them not to be afraid. 

The next day

If you can imagine…everyone recognized Jesus after they got back on land. The people rushed about the whole region and began to bring the sick and laying them on mats to wherever they heard he was…villages, cities and farms… They laid the sick in marketplaces, and begged him, that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak. 

Trouble

“Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”

Using our imaginations 

Here come the Pharisees….clean white robes…nice sandals and their little scribes following along…. all smug and important.  They gathered around Jesus, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them.

The Pharisees had built this wall around them…following the traditions of the elders in the Jerusalem religious establishment, the Pharisees and scribes cultivated oral traditions of the elders… supplementary to the law of Moses,

In this story…. they focused on the purity codes for processing and eating food. The Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus, observing the tradition of the elders; and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; also washing any cups, pots, and bronze kettles.

Explain

We should understand where the Pharisees are coming from; we also have a certain 

core of traditions and beliefs that are important to us that make us who we are, that 

define our own behaviors and the way we “think” other people should behave.

In years past, many people left the Episcopal Church, because of the changes that were occurring. 

I still have friends who did not like the change in the BCP from the 1928 prayer book to the current 1979 prayer book.

I recall “the tradition” how you wouldn’t go to church unless you had a dress on, a hat and gloves., But times change, things change and that’s ok.

What comes next!

Jesus “said” to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written…. You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition. 

Then he called the crowd again and said to them, ‘Listen to me, all of you and understand: there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.

 For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: 

Story: 

We have Thousands of people in this country and other countries, that their primary purpose is serving as Humanitarian to save lives, reduce suffering ,and enhance the respect of human dignity.

I wrote this sermon a month ago trying to stay ahead on my Homily’s, and just in this short period of time, things have changed around the world. The devastating earthquake in Hatti and the storms that followed.The fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban army…simply hurts down to our souls. We witness US forces lifting babies over the wall to save them.

We as followers of Jesus Christ have a difficult time understanding and we pray for a successful outcome. The story I am about to tell goes along with what has taken place recently.   

These humanitarians are noble and hardworking people serving those in need, in this country and other countries. Whether it’s supplying clean drinking water, rebuilding after a natural disaster and providing much-needed supplies all actions are taken with one goal in mind, decrease the amount of suffering and in some cases for the world’s most vulnerable people.

I was struck by a picture in an article I had read, and a picture can tell a thousand words.

In 2005 U.S. Army Sergeant Kornelia Rachwal was giving a young Pakistani girl water; from a bottle of water.  The U.S. Army was there in a Chinook helicopter on October 19th, 2005 to airlift some people out of a boomed area. In the picture, the Sergeant’s hands were dirty, her nails were dirty, the little Pakistan Girl had dirt on her face.

 “Now” who do you think God looked down upon as his own and found favor in his sight?  Do you think they were judged for not washing up?? Of course, not! Her intentions were coming from her human heart and all the other great humanitarians that serve from the heart.

What we eat and drink can’t hurt and defile us. Only what comes out of us-ungodly words and actions-can defile us.  Jesus wants us and he wanted his disciples to see that the core of goodness is our hearts, just like the US soldiers. 

Explain 

When God looks at us, the first thing he sees is the state of our hearts. God doesn’t care about what we look like on the outside. He’s more concerned about what’s on the inside. It’s not the dirty hands that defile, but it’s what comes out of your mouths and what you might harbor and hold in your hearts that can defile you.

We can shower in the morning, put on our best clothes and hat, holding our bible, and come to church…. take communion and still walk out with a heart filled with hate,  You might be fooling those around us, but we are not fooling God.

(Matthew 5:8)

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Why does Jesus say we should be “pure in heart”? The reason is that our heart-our inner being—is the root of all our actions. From our hearts come our motives, our desires, our goals, our emotions. If our hearts aren’t right, neither will be our actions.

(Luke 18:9-14) a (Contemporary English Version)

Jesus told a story to some people who thought they were better than others and who looked down on everyone else:

Two men went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood over by himself and prayed,

 “God, I thank you that I am not greedy, dishonest, and unfaithful in marriage like other people.  And I am really glad that I am not like that tax collector over there. I go without eating for two days and week, and I give you one tenth of all I earn.”

The tax collector stood off at a distance and did not think he was good enough even to look up toward heaven. He was so sorry for what he had done that he pounded his chest and prayed, “God, have pity on me! I am such a sinner.”

Then Jesus said, “When the two men went home, it was the tax collector and not the Pharisee who was pleasing to God. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down.  But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.”

Good news

I’m not saying we all need to go to Ethiopia or the Middle East to be a humanitarian we can be one here. I don’t want to rag on the Pharisee’s, they were living during a time where they were keeping a promise to God. Jesus was telling them and now he also tells us, its what is in your heart that is important.

We have been given a life in Christ, every Sunday when we walk up and we take the spiritual food, the body and blood of Jesus Christ, we are given a new life in Christ. We say it in our closing prayer.

Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord.

Conclusion

Jesus is asking us to get our hands dirty, live for and in Christ every moment of every day, in every situation in which you find yourself in with every person.  Jesus is here and now and he is in and with every suffering soul.

If we want to talk the talk then we must walk the walk in Christ. Let your heart be filled with the love of Christ.

Amen
The Rev. Lola Culbreath

Thirteen Sunday after Pentecost
Year B
August 22, 2021

First Reading: 1 Kings 8(1,6,10,11) 22,30,41-43
Psalm: 84 
Second Reading: Ephesians 6:10-20
Gospel: John 6:56-69

Collect:

Grant, O merciful God, that your Church, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I AM-WE ARE

A few scriptures back (John 6:28-34), the disciples had asked Jesus what they could do to perform the works of God? And Jesus tells them.

 “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent, they said, what sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? All this time, they want to know what work he has been performing? 

“Really” that’s what I say, in verses 19-20 the seas became ruff and he walked on water to save them. He also has fed 5000 people…a multitude of people with five loaves and two fish. And many other miracles.  

Our ancestors ate “Manna” from heaven, he gave them the bread to eat.

Jesus said to them.

 “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him Sir, give us this bread always.”

The Messiah was expected to reproduce the miracle of giving of manna. Again, the depth of Jesus’ meaning is misunderstood.

Today’s Gospel:

The Jews dispute among themselves, So, he tells them in verse 56, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This! Is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

I am sure a lot of Jews and Jewish leaders walked out on Jesus that day. The story is a little hard… even today to explain to people. 2000 years of many priests and faith leaders teaching us, we later know that Jesus himself is God’s gift of sustenance for time to eternity. 

Jesus “I am, is an expression of divinity and oneness with God…and as we learned before, He is the bread of life” He is the living bread…it is his flesh, Jesus became flesh and offered himself to God in death, thus sacrificing his life for the life of the world. 

We have thousands of years — a very long history of celebrating the Holy Eucharist. We have heard and watched the consecration hundreds of times as the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ.

We walk to the altar, every Sunday, we take and eat and drink… and we are renewed in Jesus Christ. 

We say in our closing prayer.

“Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.”   

The mystery of this still humbles me! We have been given new life in Jesus. 

Because of the incarnation, we receive the body and blood of Christ, 

We now are the new bodies of Christ, 

We now are the flesh and the blood of Jesus, 

We are and can be everything Jesus was, 

We are the incarnation of Jesus, passed down for thousands of years. 

As we approach the altar today…most will say…Amen…. You can also say…” I am”.

Amen

The Rev. Lola Culbreath

Sermon August 8, 2021

Friday, August 6th was the Transfiguration of Jesus. Transfiguration is not just understood as a spiritual experience of Jesus while at prayer. Three of his chosen disciples, Peter, James, and John were permitted to witness. This was a series of supernatural manifestations, by which God authenticated Jesus as his Son. The other times were the appearance of the angels at the birth and at his resurrection, and with the descent of the Spirit at Jesus’ Baptism. The voice has been documented saying, “This is my beloved with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33

As we begin to come to the end of the story of David as it comes to a close, the Prophet Nathan’s warnings are fulfilled, with rape, murder, civil war, overtaking the house of David.

David’s son Absalom had been exiled for three years over the killing of his half-brother Amnon. David did not welcome Absalom for two years. During this time Absalom began to plot to overthrow His father, David, while in exile Absalom raised an army to take the throne.

David asked his generals to “deal gently for his sake with Absalom. When the battle began; Absalom’s followers were no match for David’s professional army. Upon the death of Absalom, it was felt by the generals, he was seen as the enemy of David, and they disregarded David’s instruction to “deal gently.” We have to think about David at this time he is both King and father. As King, he is concerned for the future of Israel and as the father, he is concerned for the death of his son.

Psalm 130 is a Psalm attributed to David’s writings.

The first two verses of the psalm echo David’s despair at the loss of his son! David calls to the Lord out of the depths. If God kept track of human sin none of us would stand a chance. God is forgiving. We just need to forgive ourselves and others. The Lord will rescue us from our troubles, although his saving grace may not be as we want at the time of the troubles. Maybe we need to take a good hard look at the outcome over the years. In many cases, things were in our favor, just at a different time. God has a plan if we just listen and wait.

Ephesians 4: 25 – 5:2

The Epistle describes life in a community of faith, we see the love of God becoming a reality in Christ. The Epistle points out the commandments that define the way of life for us; We must become “centered in love. Our love can do nothing directly for God. We need to extend this love and compassion to one another. We are forbidden deceit, and to refrain from anger that allows the devil opportunity. We are asked to treat our neighbors as we wish to be treated. We should have no tolerance in our thoughts to bitterness and slander, or to any form of malice. We are to be kind, generous, loving, and forgiving and to remember. We have already been forgiven Christ gave his own life “AS An Offering and sacrifice to God.

John 6:35-41-51

In this gospel, John brings to our attention the deep demands of faith in Jesus. Like the Jews that Jesus was interacting with, we tend to ask questions. “What does faith in God really require of me.” Then next comes the demand of proof. We just need to remember that God is known now. God’s gifts of salvation are immediately available. The present time is the time of salvation; Eternity is now! The powerful statement reminds us time and again that the selfless action of God in giving us his only Son has enabled us to a life of abundance on earth and in eternity. The statement of “Whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven.”

Those who take in or digest Jesus inwardly into every aspect of their life, especially into the demands of true discipleship, the reward is great. “The one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Gracious God, Source of all life, Author of all that is true and food: give us the wind of your Holy Spirit that we may venture beyond the safe confines of an easy faith, and step out bravely from false security to carry the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a perishing world. All this we ask in the unity of God and in the power of your Holy Name.  

Amen