More than One Way

You can listen to this sermon here

Gate Pa –  20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time- Year A - 2020

Readings:

First Reading -            Genesis 45:1-15               

Psalm -                        Psalm: 67: 1-7

Gospel -                       Matthew 15:10-28

 

What I want to say:

There is more than one way to understand most things

-         Lock down

-         Quarantining

-         Jesus treatment of the Canaanite woman

In all this lockdown level 2 means for us, let us take hold of sheer gift and abundance God’s blessing in this time.

What I want to happen:

What gift do this weeks readings offer us as we settle into level 2.

The Sermon

       1.     Introduction:

Not what we were expecting

Supposed to be celebrating St. George

-         International saint

-         Our patronal saint

Instead we are back in lockdown

Not all happy

Protest in Whangarei

-         Rights violated – one way understanding it

-         Another is that out concern for those immune-compromised

o   Those vulnerable

o   Those might left lasting debilitating effects

-         Willing curtail life as normal – even when hard.

Yesterday read that Te Rōpū Whakakaupapa Urutā, criticised the shift policy

-         All test positive moved to quarantine facilities

-         The group’s co-leader Professor Papaarangi Reid said it was punitive instead of mana-enhancing,

o   and racist because affected mostly Maori and Pasfika people

Or seen as MoH learning from last experience

-         how hard home quarantine is

-         others often got sick

-         help whanau and reduce numbers get sick

-         move facility where looked after and get help need if need it

       2.     Gospel

Todays gospel equally read number ways

-         Jesus told off by Pharisees not washing hands before eating

-         Responds – “It’s not what goes into the mouth that contaminates a person in God’s sight. It’s what comes out of the mouth that contaminates the person.”

-         Keeping rules for sake keeping rules or getting reward is not what those rules about

-         Way God offers people to become people live in response to abundant generosity of God

-         Then goes into Gentile area where what he has said is put to the test

Confronted by courageous Gentile women

-         Recognises this Jewish rabbi of renown

-         Pleads for her daughter

o   Nags for her daughter

-         Jesus not respond

-         Disciples get frazzled and tell her to go

-         And when she persists

-         Go to Jesus and ask him to do something

-         “I’ve been sent only to the lost sheep, the people of Israel.”

-          In her unwavering and persistent care for her daughter

o   Prostates herself before Jesus and pleads her case

-         Jesus responds with “It is not good to take the children’s bread and toss it to dogs.”

-         On face of it little bit racist

-         Deeply troubling

       3.     3 Ways

a.     A.   Some who see this as Jesus fully human

Man grew up in Jewish contest

Simply saying what context

-         Non-Jews are less than Jews

-         His ministry is to Jews

-         Ok call gentiles dogs

In this reading gentile women calls out Jesus racism

Resists Jesus attitude

Reminds him of lesson of feeding of 5000+

-         God abundance being more than enough for all

-         Even though she is unclean Gentile

 

b.    B. Others who lived with racist structures

-         Suffering under racist attitudes and abuse all lives

Cannot have racist Jesus

Untenable

So read this as Jesus simply sating what disciples thinking

-         Exposing their racist thinking

-         Allowing Gentile woman to do what he knew she would do

-         Resist

-         Call them out

-         Remind them of God abundant generosity to all

-         Including her

 

c.      C. Then some see this as Jesus testing her faith

-         I sturggle with given her need

-         Not respond to any other person in need in this way

-         Not very pastorally sensitive

 

What ever way we read this

Offered courageous, unwavering women whose persistent care for her daughter led her have persistent and unwavering trust that Jesus could cure her

Wonder what this woman offers us as we enter another round of level 2.

 

      4.     Psalm 67

Finish some comments about psalm

All about God’s blessing

-         God’s gracious activity

-         Always sheer gift

-         Always in abundance

Israel was saved and blessed so that through them God’s abundant blessing could be given to all creation

We are invited this Sunday to also know that we are saved and blessed so that through us God’s abundant blessing could be given to all creation

Some of us level 2 will not be a big deal

Some of us will struggle

Lots of ways we can experience this time

Invite you to remember God’s abundant blessing

take time allow your heart to be shaped by this blessing

We might join that courageous unwavering Canaanite women in living out that blessing for others.