Being Ecumenical - Season of Creation 3
Readings:
Psalm
Psalm
1
First
Reading: Prov
31:10-31
Second
Reading:
James
3: 13 – 4:3,
7-8
Gospel: Mark
9:30-37
What I want
to say:
Remind us about what the Season of Creation is about, and what the theme for
this year is. And then explore the theme for this week Oikoumene, ecumenical –
- is also about all humanity sharing our common home with each other, and all life – even viruses.
- is about the kind of relationships that sustain our common life.
- About the whole church and its work living God’s love for and invitation to care for integrity of creation
What I want to happen:
Be more aware that our actions affect people all around the world
To be more aware that we are not alone in this – that we join people all around
the world trying to change and to bring change, that we might bring us back
from the precipice.
The Sermon
1. Introduction
This is the third week in Season of Creation. This an opportunity to join with
Christians of many denominations around the world, to hear anew the invitation
to join God’s creative work renewing God’s gift, our common home. This year we
are using the title of “Oikos- a home for all” which offers an invitation to
proclaim that ALL life belongs to God. In doing so we are reminded that Rev. Dr
Martin Luther King, Jr. and others, have called the oikos of God, “the Beloved
Community”, a community in which all of life are equally members, equally
precious to God.
This year encouraged to contemplate the central image, - Abraham and Sarah’s
tent, and are invited to consider this world as God’s tent where ALL are
offered welcome, shelter, refuge, and safety.
2. Economy and ecology
Over these weeks we have been looking at some words that have “oikos” as their root.
- Economy – which is about the life sustaining relationships among all who share our common home as members of God’s oikos
- Ecology, which we looked at last week, acknowledges that our lives are not separate from but enmeshed in relationships that hold web of life together. Relationships between animals, plants, non-sentient organisms, and minerals that each play a vital role in maintaining the balance of God’s beloved community.
3. Oikoumene, ecumenical
This week we look at Oikoumene, or ecumenical. It has come to mean churches working together, and describes the kind of relationships that sustain that work and holds us together
This
is logo of World Council of Churches which is one mechanisms that create space
for those relationships. There are things that hold us apart, but there is a
lot we can do together.But word Oikoumene originally meant “the whole inhabited earth”. When in Luke it says that emperor required a census of whole empire, he uses word oikoumene. Oikoumene is more than all churches working together. It is whole of God’s created world; all the people and all life that exist in this world. It reminds us that we are all linked.
But too often we separate out the parts and place ourselves at the top. And that is having dire consequences. We need to repent – gain a bigger mind or perspective. We need to see world differently, with humanity enmeshed in and part of God’s world. We need to hear the invitation to live in ways that allows all God’s beloved community to thrive. For that we need wisdom.
4. Wisdom and Proverbs
Most readings this morning (Psalm 1, Proverbs and James) are all sometimes described as being about wisdom, God’s wisdom.
And reading from Mark show us what happens when we do not have wisdom. We live for our own advantage. When Jesus teaches about his upcoming death the disciples respond by having an argument about who will succeed him in this movement. It is all about them. Our world and Christianity too often devolves down into being all about me.
I need to acknowledge that the reading from Proverbs about the capable wife is not easy one. It comes out of a world where women were property. And it has been used over centuries by men to limit and control women. It is not an easy passage.
There are a couple things want to pay attention to this week. The first is the term capable. There are a number of commentators who suggest that a different translation might be more appropriate – than “capable”. When the Hebrew word used here is applied to men this is about courage, strength – a hero. Maybe the heroic wife?
The second thing is to note this comes at the end of a book about wisdom which describes all HER qualities. Yes her. Wisdom is in the feminine. And some commentators wonder if finishing this book in this way is more than about ideal wife. That maybe it is a final descriptor of nature of wisdom. When we open ourselves to wisdom, we are not be fooled by beauty or charm but instead become people with the following qualities
not self-centred
trustworthy
hard working
runs good household
works for wellbeing everyone in that household
farmer – runs the farm
runs good business – she is a merchant as well
plans ahead
generous – giving to poor and needy
wise
happy
lives for the benefit of all.
5. Conclusion
As we seek to work with God protecting and healing God’s gift of our common home we need this kind of wisdom now more than ever
The Word Ecumenical reminds us that what we do affects lives women, children, and men around the world. What we do also affects lives brothers and sisters in creation around the world. This can feel huge and daunting. The issues of climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution; the issues facing people around world are so many and feel beyond us.
The word ecumenical also remind us we are not alone. We are part of God’s people, the worldwide church. What we do might seem small. But we are not alone in this mahi.
Want to finish with this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpNTe4zfBgs
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