Reflection for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2017

All are
welcome.

The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, ministering to Him, loving the name of the LORD, and becoming His servants—all who keep the Sabbath free from profanation and hold to My covenant, them I will bring to My holy mountain and make joyful in My house of prayer; their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar, for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

Is a picnic the right topic for a sermon? Today we hold our annual parish and community picnic. This is a long-standing tradition. It used to be held at Schenectady’s Central Park. Parishioners and their families would gather in one of the park’s wonderful shelters, near the rose garden, for a day of great food, games, and fellowship. Then, we skipped a year.

Something changed in that brief lull. We found that we missed the picnic. We thought of alternatives. Should we go back to the park? Maybe at pastor Jim’s house? At the same time, we had started our free lunch on Sunday program. We thought, why not combine these events. Why not a picnic right here on the parish grounds – open to all, free – a community event.

Ordinary Time, as we have stated, is a time for reflection, growth, renewal, and opportunity.

Didn’t God readily give us the grace of this chance? That is one of the most wonderful and remarkable things about our God. He actually considers each of us, our family, our community, and He shows up with the grace of opportunity.

This opportunity echoes what we hear in Isaiah. My house, My altar is open to all, free – a community event. This was an amazing and incredible statement uttered by the prophet. The traditional Jewish religious practice of drawing lines that excluded the foreigner and the eunuch are clear in Scripture. Eunuchs were not permitted to enter into the assembly of the Lord and foreigners were an abomination. Suddenly, this is ended by the Lord’s new opportunity. His declaration was not about offering an “olive branch” to the “outsider.” This was not about some kind of associate or junior membership in God’s family. It meant full inclusion for all who are seeking. God’s people, once outcasts, are to be a home for all the world sees as outcasts.

Our opportunity today, and every day, is inclusion and welcome. Our witness in our community, and in our troubled nation, is that the Lord draws no barrier and makes no distinction. The eunuch shall be given better than that given to a son or daughter. The foreigner will be made joyful. What great opportunity we have.

People will come to us. The opportunity is our allowing them to find Christ and home in us. Easy, tidy, not always – God’s word and opportunity – always!

Reflection for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2014

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All people?
Really?

The foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, ministering to him, loving the name of the LORD, and becoming his servants—all who keep the Sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain and make joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.

This beautiful text recounts very powerful words to people who believed themselves to be exclusive. This sense of separateness built up in Israel over time – but this was not God’s way or instruction to Israel.

When Israel was constituted as a nation, a concern for resident aliens and foreigners was built into its legal system. The alien peoples received special protection under the law and were to be loved as native Israelites.

They came to or dwelt in Israel for various reasons including for the specific purpose of knowing God. All foreigners sojourning in Israel were counted as its people under the care and protection of God. Those who were joined to Israel through circumcision could join in the Passover. All were expected to honor and follow the laws of the Lord including the Sabbath rest. No foreigner was to be vexed or oppressed. They were to be loved, helped in distress, and have justice in all disputes.

Of all nations only Israel’s law, given by God, contained legislation for the resident alien. When Israel received the Promised Land she was required to purge it of its foreign population. But, foreigners in this context represented those hostile to her – it did not mean complete exclusion. Israel’s entire existence was bound up with being a blessing to all nations.

Various scriptures including Solomon’s prayer at the inauguration of the temple implied that God’s house was a house of prayer for all peoples. Israelite and foreigner could both pray to the Lord. Today’s words from Isaiah re-speak those words as instructed by God.

By the time of Jesus’ coming Israel had become extremely exclusive, and forgot God’s words – to be a blessing and mission to the nations. Jesus’s life is replete with His reaching out to foreigners – they were present at His birth, during His ministry where He interacted, preached to, and healed them. Paul clearly states that in Christ all are called and there is no negative racial, linguistic, or ethnic difference. We are gifts to each other.

Jesus’ call is never to separateness, to dissolution, or hopelessness – but to hope for all people in all circumstances. May God be praised for choosing and loving all!