The Story
October 13, 2019
18th Sunday after Pentecost
Thanksgiving Weekend

Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.” 

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Something to Do

Prostrate Yourself

Prostrating yourself (lying face down on the ground) is not something we do very often. It’s a very dramatic gesture which takes some effort to execute and leaves us very vulnerable and pretty uncomfortable. It signifies an intensity of emotion and a complete self-giving, whether in service or in gratitude or in despair. In this week’s Gospel, the healed Samaritan prostrates himself before Jesus as an act of radical gratitude.

Prostration is sometimes used liturgically. In some diocese, ordinands prostrate themselves during the prayers that come right before they are ordained. In some churches, the clergy prostrate themselves at the beginning of the Good Friday service during a time of silent prayer.

I don’t think we are going to introduce prostration into our liturgy at Ascension but you could try it out during a time of private prayer (or have your kids try it out while you say a prayer of thanksgiving and/or dedication). It will probably feel silly at first but hold on for a little and see what happens. What other feelings rise within you? What does the prayer become?

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back…

Sometimes, we don’t say thank you because we don’t notice the gifts we have been given. Spend some time this week taking stock of where you have experienced healing or growth. Say thank you to the people who have contributed to that gift. Say thank you to God (maybe while lying prostrate…)

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Something to Wonder

Your faith has made you well

This is a familiar refrain in the Gospel healing stories but, in this story, it comes after the healing has been received which suggests that the wellness that has come through faith is about more than the physical healing.

In what ways has your faith made you well?

Ten Lepers

Imagine how the lepers felt when they saw Jesus coming into their village. They had obviously heard of him and knew he had a reputation as a powerful healer. I wonder if they were sceptical or hopeful or nervous or…

And how did they feel when all he did was tell them to go and show themselves to the priest. And when they realized that they were healed?

What do you think the 9 lepers who did not return to Jesus did?

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Something to Learn

Speaking of Samaritans…

The Jewish Encyclopaedia offers a long but skimmable article on the history of the Samaritan people and their relationship with the Jews.

And CNN has a short and fascinating article on the very tiny modern Samaritan community that continues to live in Israel and Palestine today.

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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
October 6, 2019
17th Sunday after Pentecost
with a celebration of St. Francis

Luke 17:5-10

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’” 

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Something to Do

So just how big is a mustard seed?

The grocery store can help us out with this question. Stop by the spice aisle this week and take a look at the real thing.

I bet your faith is at least that big. Imagine the things you can do!

We have done only what we ought to have done.

How often do we want praise for doing what we are supposed to do? How often do we want to make what we are supposed to do into something more complicated or mysterious than it really is?

As our observation of the Season of Creation draws to a close, make a list of things you ought to do in order to care for the world God made. Now do them.

Might it actually be that simple?

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Something to Wonder

Responding to God’s Call – St Francis style

The Feast of St. Francis is on October 4th so we are going to remember his example of fearless faithfulness this Sunday. Francis heard God calling him to a new way of life that connected him deeply to creation, to people who were poor and vulnerable, and to worship…and Francis responded with a kind of wild abandon that continues to inspire us.

What do you think that kind of response feels like?
How does imagining it make you feel?
Exhilarated? Scared? Ashamed? Eager?

Can you think of other people who model this fearless faithfulness?
What do their lives look like?

What would your life look like if you embraced this kind of fearless faithfulness?

From Mustard Seeds to Worthless Slaves

Jesus seems to be rambling a little in this passage – what’s the connection between the mustard seed of faith and the slaves who just do what they ought to do and expect no thanks?

I think it might be “Just do it”. The disciples ask for Jesus to increase their faith and he seems to be telling them they have all the faith they need – since all they need is faith the size of a mustard seed. Then he wonders why they expect to be served by the one whom they are supposed to be serving instead of just getting on with what they need to do.

They have the faith they need. They have the job they need. They just need to do it.

What do you need to do?

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Something to Learn

All My Relations and the Canticle of St. Francis

The Indigenous teaching of “all my relations” is the insight that all life is related to all life – and not only in a technical or mechanistic way. All of creation is connected like a family is connected. The same life force flows through all. The same love flows through all. We are all related. This insight is revealed in the language often used by Indigenous elders and teachers, naming rocks and waters and sun and moon as grandmothers and grandfathers, aunties and uncles, brothers and sisters

This teaching is not foreign to western Christian thought – although it has often been ignored or diminished. St. Francis wrote a hymn that celebrates the great family to which we belong in creation.

The Canticle of the Sun was written around 1224, in an Italian dialect, and is thought to be among the first (and maybe the very first) work of literature to be written in Italian.

Here it is in an English translation

Most High, all powerful, good Lord, 
Yours are the praises, the glory, the honour, 
and all blessing.

To You alone, Most High, do they belong, 
and no man is worthy to mention Your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, 
especially through my lord Brother Sun, 
who brings the day; and you give light through him. 
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendour! 
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon 
and the stars, in heaven you formed them 
clear and precious and beautiful.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind, 
and through the air, cloudy and serene, 
and every kind of weather through which 
You give sustenance to Your creatures.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water,
which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire, 
through whom you light the night and he is beautiful 
and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Mother Earth, 
who sustains us and governs us and who produces 
varied fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

Praised be You, my Lord, 
through those who give pardon for Your love, 
and bear infirmity and tribulation.

Blessed are those who endure in peace 
for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord, 
through our Sister Bodily Death, 
from whom no living man can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin. 
Blessed are those whom death will 
find in Your most holy will, 
for the second death shall do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord, 
and give Him thanks 
and serve Him with great humility.^[3]

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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 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.

Luke 15:1-10

Now all the tax-collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him.And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, ‘This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.’

So he told them this parable: ‘Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who need no repentance.

‘Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbours, saying, “Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.” Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’

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Going Looking

Do you have a drawer or a closet or a corner where things get put when there is no where else for them to go? Or where things get put until you get around to putting them where you really want them to go? Dig through that collection and see what you find. Perhaps you will find something you were missing – or something you didn’t even know was lost!

How does looking make you feel? Finding?

Even One

These parables remind us that God is as interested in the small and single as is the great and many – whether we are talking about sheep, people, or just actions. This can be a hopeful reminder when we feel overwhelmed by how big the problems of climate change and environmental degradation are – the angels rejoice even when we take only one, small, righteous action.

What will your One Thing be this week? Here are some ideas:

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

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Being Lost and Found

Have you ever been literally lost? What happened? How did it feel?
How did you come to be found? Did someone find you or did you find your own way? How did that feel?

Have you ever been figuratively lost? What happened? How did it feel?
How did you come to be found? Did someone find you or did you find your own way? How did that feel?

In what ways do you need God to find you now?

Losing and Finding

Think of a time when you were on the other side – when you lost something or someone important to you. What did you do? How did you feel?

What about when you found what or whom was lost? How did you find them? Did the experience change you or your habits in any way?

What are you looking for now?

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Grace – What is it anyways?

Grace is one of those theological ideas that is bigger than the words we have at our disposal. Below are a few different attempts to use words anyways, from a number of Christian traditions.

An Eastern Orthodox View – an interview with Fr. Michael Shanbour
“Simply put, the Church Fathers teach that grace is the very life that flows naturally and eternally from God.  It is the real, life-bestowing power that brings us into communion with Him.”

Grace: What it is and What it does and What is Grace? offer two Roman Catholic perspectives

Grace in the Protestant Reformation – the Wikipedia entry because it’s the best I could find on the topic!

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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.