The Story
September 29, 2019
16th Sunday after Pentecost

Luke 16:19-31

‘There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores.

The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.”

But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.”

He said, “Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.” Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.” He said, “No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” He said to him, “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” ’

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Something to Do

Heed Moses and the prophets – and the One who rose from the dead

The teachings of Jesus, particularly in the gospel according to Luke, are very clear: wealth may offer comfort in this life but it poses a danger to our true well-being, preventing us from standing in true solidarity with those in need.

How will you stand in solidarity this week? How will you give your wealth away? If you have children in your household, include them in the conversation and the action.

Join with the prophets to warn the rich man’s family

Climate science warns us that we will not have to wait until death for the torment of drought – a torment that will come first to the poorest people in the world.

Join in the Global Climate Strike on Friday, Sept 27th and call on the world’s leaders to make the necessary changes to address the crisis that is upon us.

Meet at Ascension at 10:45 to walk together or gather with the masses in Confederation Park at 11:30.

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Something to Wonder

The Afterlife…

I suspect that none of us believes in an afterlife quite as described in this week’s parable. But what do you believe about the afterlife? What would you tell a child? A non-believer? A trusted friend?

Lazarus and You

We are all familiar with the experience of passing by people in need as we go about our daily lives, slipping by outstretched cups and sleeping bodies.

How do you react? Do you notice? What do you feel or think about as you go by? And what do you feel or think about how you react?

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Something to Learn

Heaven & Hell in Jewish Thought

There are many ideas about the afterlife in Jewish thought, both from Biblical times and beyond. Here are a few articles from some different Jewish traditions.

• From Reform Judaism: Do Jews Believe in the Afterlife? by Rabbi Evan Moffic
• From the Chabad movement (an Orthodox Hasidic movement): What Happens After Death? by Shlomo Yaffe and Yanki Tauber
• From My Jewish Learning (part of a nondenominational North American Jewish media org): Heaven and Hell in Jewish Tradition by Rabbi Or N. Rose

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.

The Story
September 22, 2019
15th Sunday after Pentecost

Luke 16:1-13

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’

Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’

So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’ Then he asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’

And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own?

No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

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Something to Do

You cannot serve God and wealth

Look at your calendar and your cheque book (or whatever serves as your cheque book). When and where are you serving God? When and where are you serving wealth?

Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much

Keeping small commitments is a discipline that helps us keep bigger commitments.

Last week, you were invited to do one small thing to address the environmental crisis that confronts us. This week, turn that one small thing into an ongoing commitment. Some suggestions, in case you need one:

• leave the car at home for a day
• remember to use your reusable mug/water bottle/grocery bags
• shorten your shower
• stop eating meat one day a week
• write to your MP or a candidate or a party about their plans to address climate change

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Something to Wonder

???

This parable can be very confusing. Is Jesus encouraging us to be dishonest? What is the relationship between making friends by means of dishonest wealth and eternal life? And what’s the connection to the point that we can’t serve two masters? What does any of this mean!?

Consider the possibility that God is not the master. And the possibility that Jesus is being sarcastic when he says: “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.”.

Does that shift anything for you?

Serving Two Masters

The environmental crisis is evidence that we have, at best, been serving two masters and, at worse, have been serving only the wrong one. Placing wealth at the centre of our political and personal lives has resulted in the unchecked exploitation of the natural resources that sustain life such that our very world is now at risk.

What shrewd dealings are needed so that we might save ourselves?

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Something to Learn

A Just Transition

Serving God rather than wealth requires all of us to worry about more than our own comfort, turning our concern towards our neighbours and all of creation.

Last Sunday, Ascension welcomed Karri Munn-Venn to preach during our service and to stay afterwards for further conversation. She talked about the Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) call for a Just Transition as Canada moves to decarbonization, “whereby the weight of change is not borne disproportionately by one group of people”.  Read more about CPJ’s work for ecological justice.

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Something to Pray

Holy God, we do not always understand your word or your ways. 
Give us wisdom and imagination and courage as we learn and grow. 

The story this week has made me wonder about…
         (what questions are still on your heart?)
Receive my questions and help me hear your answers.

The story this week has filled me with…
         (how are you feeling?)
Accept my praise, heal my hurt, ease my worry.

The story this week has reminded me of…
         (are there situations or people you are thinking of?)
Be with all who are in need of you.

In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.