Seeing into the Heart of Things

This can be listened to here

Gate Pa – Year B  22^nd  Sunday in Ordinary Time,

Readings:

Psalm                                     Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9                                                                   

First Reading:                                      Song of Solomon 2:8-13         

Second Reading:                                 James 1:17-27                        

Gospel:                                                Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23       

What I want to say:

Use Mark 7 to introduce the daily examen

What I want to happen:

People to use the examen

The Sermon

       1.      Introduction:

Last week Bonnie talked about the line between living faithfully and not living faithfully

one ways we inform ourselves about living faithfully is scripture

common phrase hear a lot is

“God helps those who help themselves”

-          from scripture

-          not from scripture?

è not

does it hold Christian values anyway?

-          yes

-          no

è no

Grace is offered to all people whether or not they help themselves.

all of which brings us to this weeks Gospel reading (and to James in a sideways kind of way)

       2.      Mark 7.

spent last 5 weeks with John who has slowly reflected on and circled around the theme  of Jesus – the living bread from heaven

-          approaching from different angles

-          going deeper

this week back to Mark – fast paced

direct

keeping it short and simple

(MAP) – been Nazareth

-          sent out 12

-          contrasting Herod’s depraved meal where John beheaded and Jesus feeding 5000

-          then disciples sent off in boat to go to other side near Bethsaida

-          Jesus walks past them on water and gets into the boat

-          end up at Gennesaret – ends up curing a lot of people

-          while all this happening some leading Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem turn up check out what is happening

-          none too happy about some of disciples not washing before eating

o   their view broke some pretty important rules about being ritually clean

(aside – this is not about personal hygiene or about washing hands before meals – all which is good)

rules established by pious well to do who had time and water resources wash up to elbows before ate and at many other times

these not be found in Torah

like saying started with

become accepted practice over time as the way in which Torah was to be observed

-established their righteousness

- allowed them separate themselves off from vast majority who did not have time or resources to wash in this way

-> we are cool with God and you are not

we as Christians still do that today

-          with all things need to happen before you are getting into heaven

-          so lets not get too down on Pharisees and scribes

-          we are just as bad

-          goes back to what Bonnie was talking about last week

-          what Jesus talking about in reading heard this morning

       3.      Themes

Mark uses this address a few really important themes

-          function of the law

-          how are we to read scripture

Mark – writing to non-Jewish audience – ditching the law

seem for Jesus – law not to be read means keeping self pure – morally or ritually

-          not means elevating self above others

o   what going on here

-          law read in terms how helps people of God be gift they are to be all other people

o   -> or as Jesus describes it – Love the lord you God with all your heart and soul and mind, by/and loving your neighbour as yourself

-          Mark would say that is how all scripture is to be read

-          bringing healing and health in communities – not as means of division and harm, and I’m better than and more worthy than you

       4.      The Heart

Jesus uses this approach to offer an alternative focus of attention

instead concerned about behaviour

-          living in a way that keeps the precepts of law

-          Jesus says pay attention to what is going on in our hearts

o   our motivations and desires, our longings and hopes

o   these are acted out

o   first and foremost – it is who we are that counts most

-          Bonnie reminded us last week

-          all of us have root causes of that list Jesus gives within in

-          those desires come from within us

-          we need to pay attention ot what is within if we are to avoid bevaing in ways that hurt and damage people

è one of ways understand law is not

è  prevent us having those behaviours within us, but reducing harm of those behaviours

       5.      Cassian

reminded me of writing of early dessert fathers and mothers

lived in desserts of Egypt and Syria in 300’s

thoughts brought to the west by people like John Cassian

offered description of our inner lives

how all of us are capable of great good and great evil

how if we are not careful our own self-interest pull us to doing harmful things

-          that line Bonnie talked about last week

So Cassian and others offered ways can pay attention to that inner life

allow our hearts to be shaped by heart of God

might become shaped in image of God’s compassion, generosity, justice

shaped in divine love

       6.      Daily Examen

One way people found really helpful in paying attention is daily examen

            spending time each day asking – when have I been drawn to God

-          when have I been drawn away

not need to be big thing

helpful way to learn to see

            to see who we truly are

                        people invited into God’s love

                        people who at times reject that invitation

            to learn to see God at work in us and in our world

invite you to ask yourself at end of each day

what am I most thankful for?

            how have I experienced God this day?

what am I least thankful for?

            how have I been led astray?

might want record your reflections

might want pray about what you see as a way of ending your day.