Complete Trust Never Scandalized by Weakness
Three great religions of the world look to Abraham as a father of faith: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. What does it mean to be a descendent of Abraham? Abraham listened for the voice of God. It called him to leave his familiar hometown of Ur and set out not really knowing exactly where he was going or where he would end up. Abraham trusted God when God promised him and his wife Sarah, well past child-bearing age, that they would have children and father of a multitude of nations. Abraham responded in faith and God kept his promise. So to consider oneself a “descendent of Abraham” must include this same kind of trust in God Abraham had.
Abraham had to discern the true voice of God from the voices of all the “gods” (elohim) that called for human beings to be sacrificed in order to appease them and receive the blessings of peace and a plentiful harvest. It was the voice of these elohim that Abraham and the people of his day heard calling when they offered their sacred sacrifices. This is what Abraham was doing when he took Isaac his son up the mountain to sacrifice him to God. But it was the voice of the true and living God that stayed Abraham’s hand from thrusting the knife into Isaac. A whole new movement away from “sacred” violence done to human beings began with that story. This movement had, and still has, a long way to go.
To be a descendent of Abraham means moving away from sacrifice and sacred violence: violence thought pleasing to God because it seeks to destroy human beings who are “evil.”
We probably won’t admit it, but deep down we are envious of those who do evil things. They are reaping the benefits of success: accumulating a following, nations, power, wealth, and resources that are meant to be shared or we want to have and control. Faith and trust is the opposite of this envy. God is ultimately in control of everything and every resource we need. Whatever God allows or does will be for our benefit even when that benefit is not immediately evident. Abraham and Sarah learned to have confident dependence upon God in everything. Because of this trust God blessed Abraham and Sarah and made them a blessing to others.
It’s impossible to follow God joyfully if we are scandalized and conflicted in our individual lives and relationships and when things aren’t going the way we think they should. When Jesus tells the disciples that he will go to Jerusalem and suffer and be put to death, they revolt. Jesus tells them he will be a scandal to them and Peter forbids it. Peter and the rest of the disciples wanted Jesus to be a success in this world. No one wants to follow weakness. Jesus calls this abhorrence of weakness Satanic. I will follow you only if it leads to my success and well-being.
We know how the story ends. When Jesus goes to the Cross, the disciples scatter. Peter stays nearby, but denies he even knows the Crucified One. The disciples knew Jesus better than anyone, but they didn’t understand him. It was only when they reunited at the news that Jesus had risen from the dead that they understood that God’s strength is revealed in and through weakness, the exact opposite of what they had always thought.
Our Lenten journey is one of learning to be better disciples of Jesus. This involves a virtual “rewiring” of our psyche and erasing of the taped voices of the “gods” constantly playing in our heads and those around us: sacrifice of some is necessary to achieve peace, harmony, and success. It also involves a willingness to embrace the “scandal” of weakness so that the Holy Spirit can work in us and make us a blessing to others. This is to be a disciple of Jesus.
God is the Bread put into our hands this morning: In the eyes of the world, an insignificant morsel, but for us a source of infinite strength in our weakness and life now and forever.
Amen!
John+
 |
| St. Alban |
Saint Alban Episcopal Mission (English, Anglican Communion) meets for mass every Sunday at 10:00 A.M. (see welcome letter at sidebar) at Casa Convento Concepcion, 4a Calle Oriente No. 41, Antigua, Guatemala.
 |
| The Reverend John Smith, Vicar 5235-6674 cell telephone (502 country code) |
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH WELCOMES EVERYONE
Anglican Communion
