One talent? Really?

Sermon written for Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A), based on Matthew 25: 14-30

A PENNY TO MY NAME
Idina Menzel, a singer and actress better known as the voice of Elsa in Frozen, wrote a song called “Penny” a few years back. The song reflects the life of someone asking for help, because she apparently does everything wrong and takes everything the wrong way. The refrain sounds like a prayer one prays when you are afraid that you’ve messed up your life a and the life of others. It says:

“God if you're listening would you have a message sent? 
Cause I need to be a better lover, brother, and a friend. 
God if you're listening would you come up with some change? 
Cause I wake up every morning with a penny to my name.”

A PENNY

A penny… that one coin that is so worthless that if it falls on the ground, we usually don’t make the effort to pick it up. Waking up every morning with a penny to our name maybe means that you don’t have what you even need to get out of bed. 

I thought about this song when I was reflecting on the passage for this morning. I especially thought about this poor guy that receives one talent.

The parable is very familiar. A man is going on a journey, and summons his slaves and entrust property to them. He gives five talents to one, two to another, and one to the third. The interesting part that I had not noticed before is that observation at the end of this part of the parable. It says that they were given the talents “according to their abilities.” 

When I read this… I thought about the guy that received just one talent. The man gave them money according to their abilities. How do you think this man that received just one talent felt? He sees that one receives five. Then the other receives two… and then he receives one. Really? He must have thought. Just one talent?

Then, he probably starts thinking further. “He gave me just one talent… He does not trust me! Besides… what can I do with one talent? The guy reaps where he does not sow, and gathers where he did not scatter seed. He is doing this to trick me. He know that I’m not up to the task! The best thing that I can do is to make a hole and put this on the ground until he returns!”

And then… we know what happens. The other two over achievers go and make investments and bring more. They receive more or less the same praise and the same recompense. But the one talent guy… “You wicked and lazy slave. Throw him in the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

IS IT ABOUT STEWARDSHIP?

Mark Douglas, a professor of Christian Ethics, has an interesting approach to this passage. Every pastor that is in the middle of November as Stewardship month, is preaching on this passage today, because the traditional approach to it is that we have to be good stewards, like the two slaves that multiplied the money.

Douglas then reminds us that the two slaves that are good stewards, are not the center of the story. The protagonists in the story are the Master and the slave… that is not a good steward. Their relationship is at the center of the story.

This particular parable is in the middle of Jesus talking about the coming judgement of how we have spent our time when the kingdom of God comes. Matthew here is telling a story about the end of time, not necessarily about stewardship. 

The slave that has one talent reminds his master that he has a reputation as a bad man. But if he knows that his master has this reputation. Wouldn’t it have made sense to make an effort to multiply his investments? But… the slave’s fear, the slave’s discouragement, get in the way of doing what he is supposed to do.

Douglas ends his observations saying that this passage “is not so much about stewardship… it is about a willingness to resist fear and… to behave in risky and trusting ways, for in so doing we enter into the joy upon the master’s return.”

MAYBE IT IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT STEWARDSHIP

Sometimes in our life we feel like that third slave with just one talent. We feel like the song, with just one penny to our name. We start focusing in what we don’t have. We let fear stand in the way of what we could give. And we make the intentional effort of hiding, of letting a thousand excuses be the hole where we bury our call to obedience and to action.

God has given us that talent… and if we focused on what God has given us… instead of what we don’t have… then we could use that talent, that penny, that one thing that God has given us, for the advancement of the God’s kingdom. (Maybe this passage is a little bit about stewardship after all).

DE TRIPAS, CORAZONES (MAKING DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE)

When I was in Texas, I shared the story of a church in Puerto Rico that had recently suffered a split. Part of the congregation, with their pastor, left to go to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The rest of the folks were not sure if they were going to make it as a church. We have a phrase in Spanish that says that they made “de tripas corazones”, which basically means they made do with what they have. 

When Hurricane Maria affected the island, the small church was trying to see what they could do. They did not have the human power to do a lot of things… and they certainly did not have money. But… they had the church building… and they have used the building to host different community efforts that have helped their community.

They used their one talent. They knew what their responsibility was in the coming of the kingdom, and they did not let fear or discouragement to take hold.They took risks. They trusted God. They had one talent, and they used it. And in doing so... they wait upon the master's return with joy.

A LITTLE LIGHT... AND A LITTLE PENNY

Yesterday, in the presbytery meeting we were reminded of a Jewish proverb that says “A little bit of light dispels a lot of darkness”. The slave’s fears and his lack of action lands him in outer darkness. But one talent, can dispel a lot of darkness. 

And as I’m thinking about Idina Menzel’s song again… maybe it is good that we wake up every morning with a penny to our name.  Maybe we are meant to wake up with a penny to our name, because pennies are easier to give. Maybe it is because we have spent all that God has given us, and we are open and willing to receive “some change” to be that little bit of light, that dispels a lot of darkness. May we take risks in joyfully waiting for the Master to come, and may God help us to do so. 

JESUS’ GUIDEBOOK TO RECONCILIATION

Romans 13: 8-10 ; Matthew 18: 15-20

The Great Mystery
I saw a comic that reflects the greatest mystery a pastor can encounter in ministry:  how do people remember all the conflicts that have happened in a church, all the gossip and incidents and cannot remember what the last sermon was all about.

Of course, you could say something like "we are Christians! There is no fighting in church!", but we all know that this is just not true. Where there are humans, there is conflict. And even in Acts, where the church looks so perfect we find out that the reason why deacons exists is because of a conflict between Jewish and Gentile widows that the apostles tried to fix by recruiting deacons to better serve the church.

We usually focus on Paul whenever we are talking about church conflict and infighting, but in Matthew’s passage, we see Jesus talking about how to deal with conflict… and we have a sort of four step process to deal with trouble between two people of the congregation.

Jesus’ Guidebook to Reconciliation
Let’s look at the Scripture to see what the steps are: The first one: "If your brother or sister sins against you, go and correct them when you are alone together. " This is good advice. Usually what happens when we have a conflict is that we tend to triangulate. What is the meaning of triangulation? “Triangulation is a manipulation tactic where one person will not communicate directly with another person, instead using a third person to relay communication to the second, thus forming a triangle.” Therefore, it makes sense that if we need to speak to someone to resolve any matter, we go directly to that person and not to another or to unveil our hurt feelings on the Internet.

The other thing to note here is the word “sin”. This is not a simple difference of opinion. This probably refers to anything that violates the ten commandments as we are reminded in Romans: “Don’t commit adultery, don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t desire what others have, and any other commandments, etc.” So we are not talking about something that is easily forgotten or forgiven but about something that can cause damage and pain to a person or a community.

Jesus lets us know then that the purpose is that, if they listen to you, then you’ve won over your brother or sister. This is the goal of the process of reconciliation that Jesus is proposing: You have a brother or sister at the end.

The second step is that if they won’t listen, take with you one or two others so that every word may be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses. Having witnesses (good ones), has the advantage of dealing with “he said, she said” issues, plus it could give you a mediator or someone with a fresh take on things.

The third step is : If they still won’t pay attention, report it to the church. When things get out of hand, then the problem should be brought to the whole congregation… and in Presbyterian context, then we would be talking about the session that represents the congregation.  Usually the church tries to find a way to discipline the person in order to guarantee in some shape and form that the person can be integrated back into the community and relationships can be restored.

Then, the last step: If they won’t pay attention even to the church, treat them as you would a Gentile and tax collector. When we hear Jesus say these words, we could assume that he means that this person is behaving like an outsider and as an unrepentant sinner, and therefore should be excluded from the community or family. After all, we see Paul advising the Corinthians to remove a member of the congregation after he has committed a sin of immorality.

Gentiles and Tax Collectors 
Usually, churches have heard this last step as Jesus’ permission to excommunicate, exile or throw out a person from the community of faith. But there are some Bible commentators that think these words were added by the Jewish Christian community and were not really said by Jesus himself. But as I look at the passage… I do think that Jesus said those words and that they have a lot to teach us.

If you remember, Jesus’ ministry was full of interactions with gentiles, tax collectors, prostitutes, the sick and other people that were rejected from “proper society.”  The people in power (religious leaders, lawyers, and others) often criticized Jesus for doing such thing.

Charles Hambrick-Stowe, pastor at First Congregational Church of Ridgefield has an interesting take on it that I want to share with you. He says that if Jesus interacted with gentiles and tax collectors, the conclusion is not for exclusion but for a persistent inclusion:  “what else can we conclude than that, far from shunning them, Jesus commands us never to give up on them, never to stop reaching out in love to them, always yearn for grace to restore what has been broken.” We then could conclude then that Jesus’ words are not meant to call for exclusion, but to remind us of his special care for those that are considered the “greatest transgressors” of the rules of the community of faith.

Jesus’ ministry and God’s grace go beyond our capacity to love. They want more, and Jesus here calls for more: a reconciliation and love that never gives up. If that was not the intention of the writer in Matthew… then his effort backfired , because everything that Jesus does goes against the words that he has ascribed to him.  

The Commandment of the Church
This love that the church is called to give is the one that Paul seems to be referring to in Romans: Love doesn’t do anything wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is what fulfills the Law.

The church is called to love in a different way, to live out in a different set of commandments than the ones that surround it. All of the commandments are summarized in two: Love God, Love others.  This is hard for us in this day and age. The church is understood as a voluntary thing. If people disagree with something or someone, they can leave. We come here on Sunday and then go about our business the rest of the time. The sense of the body of Christ, that depends and is connected to one another is no longer that important . And faith is something we discuss here and then can leave by the door to have different opinions or beliefs that can be disconnected from our faith.

Being faced with this call to live under a different commandment of love, than the one presented by culture and society, Charles Hambrick-Stowe asks a simple question: “If we in the church do not forgive and heal, who on earth is going to do it?”  Martin Luther King puts it in different words: "We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies."

Jesus says that “where two or three are gathered in my name, I’m there with them.” Being gathered in Jesus’ name in this passage means living by this commandment of love and reconciliation that does not give up, and that reaches out to those that have been shunned by the community or even those who don’t want to be a part of the community. Who then are these people in our context?

Refugees and undocumented immigrants
On Friday night, I went to Crescent Hill PC to watch two short documentaries. "Locked In a Box" is about undocumented immigrants in detention centers, and "To Breathe Free" is about the journey of a refugee family that left war torn Syria to build a new life here in the USA. Both films were produced by the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the same program that helps during hurricanes and other natural disasters.

As I was thinking about Gentiles and Tax Collectors… I thought about the connections between these four groups of people: Gentiles and Refugees are seen as outsiders, as different, as scary, as not worthy of being part of our circles. Tax Collectors and undocumented immigrants are viewed as criminals, as illegals, as unworthy of inclusion in our country, even if there were brought here against their will.

What is God’s will for these refugees and undocumented immigrants? Are we to exclude or to include them ? Are we to give up on them and send them away, or to try our hardest to find reconciliation, restoration and love for them? If we in the church do not forgive and heal, who on earth is going to do it?

Jesus says that we have the power to fasten on earth and it will be fastened in heaven. And to loosen on earth and it will be loosened in heaven. What does that mean? These were terms used to describe legal interpretations, to speak about what is permitted or not. Maybe it is time then for us as believers in Jesus Christ to reclaim this love and to say that Jesus way of reconciliation, restoration and love should be the commandment to follow. Reconciliation and not separation. Restoration and not punishment. Love as the fulfillment of the law, and not hate as the motivation for laws. May God help us to be the church that God wants us to be.

Ansiedad y valentía

Sin ansiedad no hay valentía

La semana pasada participe de un evento en el que me encontré con una cita que me llamó la atención. La cita es de David Steindl-Rast, un monje benedictino que trabajó en el área de dialogo interreligioso. La cita es: «sin ansiedad, no hay valentía».

Cuando pienso en ansiedad, usualmente no pienso en valentía. De hecho, cuando trate de buscar de donde provenía la cita en Google, salieron varias frases: la ansiedad puede llevar a dolores de pecho; la ansiedad puede llevar al estreñimiento, la ansiedad puede llevar a tener cancer; la ansiedad puede llevar a la confusión; la ansiedad puede llevar a toser. Noten que en la lista no dice nada de que la ansiedad pueda llevar a la valentía. 

Interesantemente, el monje dice esta frase en una entrevista. La frase completa es: «Uno tiene que tener ansiedad para ser valiente. Sin ansiedad no hay valentía». Al mirar el pasaje en Mateo 14,22-33, quizás podemos ver esta frase haciendo efecto.

Una historia llena de ansiedad

Esta es una escena dramática en la vida de Jesús y hay elementos de ansiedad por todas partes. Jesús, después de la multiplicación de los panes y los peces le pide a los discípulos que se vayan en un bote. Quien dice que Jesús era introvertido, encuentra su prueba en esta historia. Jesús, después de tener un día ajetreado y lleno de ansiedad, desea estar solo para orar. 

Los discípulos están en el bote. El viento comienza a hacerse más fuerte. Las olas comienzan a ser más altas. Quizás pensamos que para los discípulos esto era normal. Sin embargo, debemos recordar que solo cuatro de los discípulos eran pescadores. Ocho de ellos no lo eran. Y si eso era así, la posibilidad de una tormenta en medio del mar, lejos de la orilla era causa para preocuparse y para no poder dormir. 

Después de pasar una noche tensa y llena de espera ansiosa... ven en el horizonte una figura que parece estar caminando sobre el agua. Sus ojos, llenos de sueño después de pasar una noche en vela, ven una figura fantasmagórica. Hay una versión de la Biblia que dice que estaban tan asustados, que empezaron a gritar.

Jesús les habla: «Anímense... soy yo... no tengan miedo». Sin embargo, es posible que el darse cuenta de que el fantasma es Jesús, les cause más ansiedad. Miles de preguntas podrían llenar sus mentes: ¿a quién estamos siguiendo? ¿Será un hombre real? ¿Qué significa todo esto?

«Uno tiene que tener ansiedad para ser valiente. Sin ansiedad no hay valentía». Quizás este es el sentimiento que se apodera de Pedro al preguntar, de la nada, si él también puede caminar sobre el agua. «Señor, si eres tú, manda a que vaya a ti sobre el agua». La mayoría de la gente que escucha estas palabras piensan en valentía... o quizás piensan que Pedro está medio loco. El hecho es que el hombre, al escuchar el llamado del maestro se tira del barco... pero al ver el fuerte viento y como las olas son más altas de lo que pensaba, comienza a sentir miedo y se va hundiendo lentamente en el mar. El balance entre la ansiedad y la valentía se va del lado de la ansiedad y Pedro siente su pesada carga que lo hala hacia el fondo.

Jesús se da cuenta de lo que está sucediendo y a pesar de las dudas de Pedro, extiende la mano para salvar a su discípulo. Ve que la fe de su discípulo flaquea, ve que las dudas le ahogan y como quiera le ofrece salvación. Lleva a Pedro al bote y al llegar a donde están los demás discípulos el viento hace silencio y las olas se calman. El final de la historia es importante. Los discípulos comienzan a adorar a Jesús y dicen «¡Verdaderamente eres Hijo de Dios!». 

Soy yo

Esta es una historia muy conocida. Estoy segura de que podría haber escrito los párrafos de arriba sin mirar la Biblia. Muchas personas la han interpretado a través de los años. Algunas personas se han enfocado en la oración como tema principal. Otras en el llamado y la misión. Otras en como Jesús nos ayuda a sobrepasar toda tormenta. Otras aún hablan del reino de Dios. Sin embargo, me gustaría enfocarme en lo que trae el balance entre la ansiedad y la valentía en esta historia... y eso se resume en una sola palabra: Jesús.

Jesús es quien está en medio de la tormenta pidiendo a los discípulos que no tengan miedo recordándoles que es él. Esa frase, ego eimi en griego, le recuerda a la primera audiencia que escucha la historia que Jesús es parte del Dios que le habló a Moisés en la zarza ardiente y le dice «Yo soy el que soy». Dios, el poderoso de Israel, es parte integral de quien Jesús es. Jesús, hijo de Dios, es quien calma tormentas. Jesús, hijo de Dios, es quien camina sobre el agua. 

Cuando Pedro se mueve de la ansiedad a la valentía, lo hace con una condición: «Si eres tú... entonces me atrevo a caminar sobre el agua. Si tú me llamas, yo me lanzo. Si tu lo mandas, yo puedo hacerlo». Si eres tú... al decir estas palabras, Pedro reconoce que puede depender del poder del hijo de Dios para hacer lo imposible. Y aún cuando la balanza se va del lado de la ansiedad, la garantía llena de gracia de la salvación está disponible para él. 

Jesús entra a la barca y calma la tormenta. Los discípulos adoran a Jesús y en su testimonio final enfatizan la agenda escondida de Mateo en esta historia. Mateo hace una proclamación clara al mundo: verdaderamente Jesús es el Hijo de Dios. Jesús es la presencia de Dios en la tierra. El reino de Dios está cerca.

Un estudioso bíblico llamado Jae Won Lee afirma que la identidad de Jesús en este pasaje no es necesariamente establecida por el milagro de caminar sobre el agua. Para él, lo decisivo para identificar a Jesús como el hijo de Dios es su palabra y su acto de salvación. Es a través de su testimonio de fortaleza que sentimos que el Hijo de Dios está cerca. Es a través de su amor que nos salva aún cuando la ansiedad nos paraliza que podemos entender que él es la presencia real de Dios en nuestras vidas. ¡Verdaderamente éste es el hijo de Dios!

Charlottesville

Cuando pensamos en el mundo que nos rodea, es fácil reconocer que vivimos momentos de ansiedad. El viernes y el sábado se sintieron como momentos de tormenta. Para mí, empezó con el viento sutil de ver en Twitter las palabras #oremosporCharlottesville. De repente no supe de donde salía el viento. Después me enteré. Vi como el viento de las noticias se hacía mas fuerte. Antorchas, choques, peleas, violencia... todo culminando con un gran rayo de muerte. 

Vi una tormenta de violencia. Vi olas de ansiedad y miedo. Vi vientos destructivos de odio. Vi a gente perdida en el mar, confundidas entre el amor y el odio. Vi a gente reclamando a un Cristo que no reconocí... no al Hijo de Dios que es palabra de vida, que es salvación, que es presencia con quienes tienen temor, sino a una deidad con ojos llenos de fuego que tiene que depender de armas de fuego y armaduras para proclamar su poder. Esta deidad, estoy segura, que se hundiría en el agua por el peso de su odio y de su desamor.

Esta no es la primera vez que hay personas que llevan a cabo actos de odio diciendo que Cristo los avala. Después de todo, es Adolfo Hitler quien en algún momento proclamo que estaba defendiendo al cristianismo cuando dijo que no toleraría a nadie que atacara las ideas del cristianismo porque su movimiento era cristiano. Mientras decía esto, exaltaba a unos seres humanos por encima de otros y mandaba a su ejercito a asesinar a toda persona que no cayera dentro de su ideal.

Esta no es la primera vez que hay personas dentro de los Estados Unidos que llevan a cabo actos de odio, utilizando su mala interpretación de las Escrituras para justificarse. Después de todo, el símbolo que el Ku Klux Clan utilizaba para aterrorizar a familias afroamericanas era una cruz en llamas. 

La ansiedad y el sentido abrumador de horror que sentimos ante lo que sucedió en Charlottesville definitivamente afecta nuestro balance entre la ansiedad y la valentía. Los vientos son fuertes y las olas enormes. Sin embargo, debemos recordar que «uno tiene que tener ansiedad para ser valiente. Sin ansiedad no hay valentía».

La historia también nos recuerda que hubo momentos en donde la iglesia fue valiente. Y su ansiedad comenzó a moverse a la valentía cuando comenzaron por reconocer que verdaderamente servían al Hijo de Dios y a recordar el testimonio de la Escritura sobre quien es Jesús. Así comienza la Declaración de Barmen, que escribe la parte de la iglesia que no cedió ante la tentación de servir a los poderes del mundo en vez de a Jesús.

«Jesucristo, como se nos atestigua de él en la Sagrada Escritura, es la única Palabra de Dios que tenemos que escuchar, y que tenemos que confiar y obedecer, en la vida y en la muerte. Rechazamos la falsa doctrina según la cual la Iglesia podría y tendría que reconocer como fuente de su proclamación, aparte de y además de esta única Palabra de Dios, aún otros eventos y poderes, figuras y verdades, como revelación de Dios». 

Vivimos en momentos de ansiedad... pero debemos reconocer que la iglesia, cuando ha sido valiente, ha reconocido que debe comenzar desde su centro, desde su cabeza, desde su corazón. En la vida y en la muerte, pertenecemos a Jesús. Y ante cualquier mensaje y presencia de odio, venga de un nacionalismo excesivo y enfermizo que pretende borrar todo lo que sea concebido como diferente, venga de la necedad de glorificar a un hombre y a un gobierno que intentó borrar a toda una étnia de la faz de la tierra, o sea que venga de la mala interpretación de las palabras de un gobernante que parece no saber hablar ni discernir más allá de sus pasiones, la iglesia tiene que levantarse y lanzarse, sabiendo que los brazos del Maestro estarán ahí, sea en momentos de valentía o en momentos de ansiedad. 

Nuestra voz tiene que alzarse por encima de los truenos, del viento y de las aguas encrespadas y decir claramente que el racismo es pecado. La fe cristiana es una fe de gracia, amor y paz. Dios ha demostrado miles de veces a través de la Escritura y del sano testimonio de la iglesia que da bienaventuranza a la gente pobre y oprimida. No podemos dejar lugar para las malas interpretaciones y para falsos maestros. El odio no tiene nada que ver con el evangelio que predicó Jesús.   

Tenemos que recordar en lo que creemos y proclamarlo a través de la ansiedad, con la plena seguridad de que nuestra valentía viene de Jesucristo, nuestro Señor.

 

Como nos recuerda la Confesión de Belhar, otro testimonio escrito desde la ansiedad y la valentía:

Creemos que, en obediencia a Jesucristo, su única cabeza, la iglesia es llamada a confesar y a hacer todas estas cosas, 

a ver la unidad como un don y como una labor,

a dar testimonio del mensaje de reconciliación,

a seguir a Dios quien se ha revelado como quien trae justicia y verdadera paz y que es, de forma especial, el Dios de quienes no tienen nada, de quienes son atropellados, de quienes son asesinados, de quienes son oprimidos y que espera que la iglesia le siga en ello, amando como Dios ama. (Basado en las palabra de la Confesión de Belhar)

«Creemos que la iglesia, por obediencia a Jesucristo, su única cabeza, ha sido llamada a confesar y a llevar a cabo todas estas cosas, aunque las autoridades y las leyes humanas se le opongan y aunque como consecuencia de ello se sufran castigos y padecimientos. ¡Jesús es el Señor! ¡Que el honor y la gloria sea al único Dios, Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo, por los siglos de los siglos! Amén.» (Parte final de la Confesión de Belhar) 

Climbing mountains

Sermon for Transfiguration Sunday 
Exodus 24:12-18 and Matthew 17:1-9

Climb Every Mountain

Pastor Samuel Vélez was a special pastor. One of the things that I remember fondly about him was that he liked to sing songs from musicals as church hymns. I remember singing a song from "Man of La Mancha"... “To dream the impossible dream, to fight the unbeatable foe…” 

The other song he used was “Climb Every Mountain” from the Sound of Music. “A toda cumbre” in Spanish. We sang with a crescendo at the end… “Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, ‘Till you find your dream. 

Of course, this song is about following your path and your dreams and not being afraid. Mountains are often symbols of challenges and difficulties to conquer. When looking at images in the Internet or at self-help posters you can always find pictures of mountains with quotes like “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves”.

But… the mountains in these passages are not necessarily things to conquer. In fact, these ones might beg the question: Why would God or Jesus have to use mountains to relay a message that could have been said in the valley, near a warm fire or in a tent?

Up the Mountain We Go

But, as we know, mountains are special in Scripture. God seems to love mountains. 

• Mount Ararat: Noah's ark landed on it.
• Mount Sinai: Moses received the Ten Commandments.
• Mount Carmel: Elijah had his contest with the priests of Baal there.
• Mount Moriah: Where Abraham took Isaac to be sacrificed.
• Mount Zion: David’s palace was there. 
• And... Matthew has Jesus do a sermon on the mount. 

So… mountains are places of encounter, of revelation, of worship, of education. Mountains are the places that God chooses to reveal God’s self in a most intimate fashion, as we see with the Exodus passage and God's conversations with Moses. 

Mountains are places where important things happen… so that should be our first indication in Matthew, that when “Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves” something special was going to happen.

Metamorphosis

In Matthew 16, Jesus has an interesting conversation with his disciples. He asks them “Who do people say the Son of Man is? Some of them replied “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” And then he asks “And what about you? Who do your say that I am?” Obviously, Simon Peter is the first one that jumps up and says: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”. To this, Jesus responds by commending Peter for the understanding God has provided him. 

The problem is that when Jesus starts talking in the same chapter about his death and resurrection, the same Peter states “God forbid, Lord! This won’t happen to you!”, and Jesus responds “Get behind me, Satan”. Peter goes from being the rock upon which the church will be built, to the stone that could make Jesus stumble.

It seems that Peter and the other disciples do not yet understand who Jesus is. He was not just another exceptional human being, another prophet or another teacher among many. This is the Son of God and he will be able to save and redeem humanity precisely because of this.

Seems to me that Jesus had an agenda when he took his disciples to the mountain. They needed to see and to understand. They needed to understand fully who Jesus was to continue their way with the wisdom and the strength they needed.

They come up, and see Jesus with Moses and Elijah. No coincidence that these two very important people also had meetings with God in the mountains. 

This transfiguration or metamorphosis that occurs in the mountain reveals Jesus’ divine sonship. Everything that is happening is supernatural. If there are any doubts, there is a voice that the disciples hear that states: “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”

It is interesting… the disciples had not necessarily fully understood what was happening, until that voice shook them to the core. Before that, they saw Jesus talking to two dead people and their idea was to build three shrines, one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah. But when they hear the voice from the cloud they fell on their faces, filled with awe, and Jesus has to calm them down and tell them, basically… you can share this, but after the resurrection.  

Guacio… Holy Mountain… You Must Go Down

When we look at this passage, we usually focus on how Jesus is transformed. But in reality… this metamorphosis had, at its core, the transformation or metamorphosis of the disciples. 

They are still growing… if you see the passages after these one, you will find out that they cannot heal a boy. But when Jesus talks about his death and resurrection, Peter listens and stays quiet. He keeps on learning, knowing that the one he follows is different. 

They come down the mountain with a knowledge that they did not have before. They serve the Son of God… and if you see Peter and the other disciples in Acts, preaching with the power of the Holy Spirit… you know that their belief in Jesus is what moves them forward. 

The experience in the mountain changes them. They now can see who they will follow down the mountain. Their eyes are no longer on the mountain, but looking out, to what God wants them to do. There is a quote about mountains that states: “Climb mountains, not so the world can see you, but so that you can see the world.” Climb mountains, so that you can be transformed by God, and you can then transform others. 

Maryetta Madeline Anschutz shares this quote from C.S. Lewis when she looks at Matthew 17. This are the final words from Aslan in The Silver Chair: “Here on the mountain I have spoken clearly: I will not often do so down in Narnia. Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs which you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. There is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters.”

This reminds me of another memory from Puerto Rico. We have a Presbyterian Camp there that functions as our “Montreat”. It is in the mountains. Every time an event ends, we go to the highest spot of the camp, where you can see a river and all the green mountains that surround the camp. We sing and worship God. We rejoice in all that God has revealed… and then the main speaker says… now it is time to go down… and to share all that you have learn.

Climb mountains, brothers and sisters, not as an obstacle to conquer, or as a challenge. Climb with hearts and minds open to receive God’s revelations and to be transformed. Climb mountains, not so that the world can see you, but so that you can see the world that God has given you to share what you have learn. And go down, remembering the signs… and sharing them giving thanks. 

Anointed to See

This is the sermon for the 4th Sunday of Lent, based on 1 Samuel 16:1-13 and John 9:1-41

Vicks Vapor Rub

I grew up with the notion that there was a magical ointment that could cure everything. At school, we had a joke that the only thing that the school nurse needed to have in her first aid kit was some Vicks Vapor Rub. Apparently, it cured everything... from headaches to scraps and bruises. 

This was the substance of anointment of my youth, and it still an important part of dealing with colds and sinuses. To me, Vicks reminds me of health... but it also reminds me of my father, who seemed to be attached to Vicks as the father from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” was attached to Windex. He also used it for everything and apparently left this as another of his legacies for my life. 

So... this ointment will always remind me of my father, but also as a gift of health... even if my mother does not like it very much.

Anointments in two different stories

David's election as the next king of Israel, and Jesus healing a blind man seem like two different stories. The Lectionary presents them together, so we read them knowing that there are some connections. This time around, as I was reading them, they reminded me of anointment, even if one uses oil and the other uses mud and water. 

Anointment in Scripture has several meanings:

• Ordinary: Anointing with oil was a common practice. Could be used to smell good. Could also be used to protect from insects. It was also a mark of respect and welcome, like the woman that anointed Jesus with oil.
• Official: It was a rite of inauguration for prophets, priests and kings, like we see with King David. Sometimes inanimate objects, like altars dedicated to God, were anointed. 
• Ecclesiastical: This one could be more familiar to Christians, as I remember participating in worship services where people that were sick were anointed. This could be the case of Jesus using spit and mud to "anoint" the man who is blind and then sending him to Siloam to wash the mud out of his eyes.

In 1 Samuel,  God chooses a man to be King. This man has been invisible to all the others. He is the youngest. He is the weakest. He is only a shepherd. But the passage states that the one that receives the anointment may be invisible to others, but not invisible to God: “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Have no regard for his appearance or stature, because I haven’t selected him. God doesn’t look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the Lord sees into the heart.” 

In John's passage, we can also see an invisible man. A man who is blind. A man that was probably shunned as a sinner, as damaged goods. But Jesus sees the man, and looks at him so intently that the disciples start having a conversation about him. This man that is seen by Jesus is healed, is “anointed with mud and water”, and his sight is restored by the one who is the Light of the World. 

God sees and God makes us see

Even though it seems like these two instances of anointment are different in materials and in purpose, there are two things that connect them:

God sees: Anointment in both cases means that God sees. God sees the invisible ones. God sees the ones that are considered weak and powerless. God sees the ones that are considered sinners and unworthy. God sees and God anoints, announcing that God cares for those that the world has rejected because of their appearance or stature, because of the condition of their health or their disabilities: God doesn’t look at things like humans do. God sees into the heart. 

God gives sight: In the case of the blind man this is obvious. Jesus heals the blind man. He is able to see things that he has never seen. With David, is not as obvious. But imagine being called from looking after sheep and being told that you are going to be the King of Israel. Sometimes we don’t hear God’s voice calling. Sometimes we don’t see the path that God wants us to take. And then, there is a voice that calls you out because they see something that you don’t see. They see God's call into your life and invite you to discern that call. David could not see it... but God did... and God gave David a vision for an unexpected life, that turn him into the leader of God's people. And that still happens today.  

God sees us and gives us sight and signs. But what do we do with this anointment? What do we do with this sight and with the knowledge that God sees us and loves us and has chosen and restored us?

Let the works of God be revealed in you!

There are two interesting things in the story of Jesus and the man who is blind that might give us some answers to these question.

Jesus states that the man is blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. God’s work in this man's life reveals God’s providence and grace. This revelation is for the people around him and for the disciples. Granted that he does not understand it fully at first; the Pharisees do not understand, and the parents do not understand… but the man who is blind finally sees after Jesus explains he is the Son of Man. After hearing this great truth and light, the man who is no longer blind says “Lord I believe”, and then worshipped Jesus. God’s work of grace is revealed. The man believes, and the man worships. He becomes a sign of God’s grace and an invitation for others to ask the question about Jesus: "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" This event will be a story that will become an essential part of this man's life. Every time he opens his eyes, gratitude will fill his body like the light fills his eyes. That is amazing! God sees us and we receive sight so that we can reveal God’s work in our lives.  

The other thing in the story is that right after the man’s eyes are covered with mud, Jesus sends him to wash in the pool of Siloam (which means SENT). This man is restored. His life will never be the same because his life is God’s revelation. Therefore, he is marked and sent. Sent to share his witness. Sent to see others as he has been seen. Sent to see the invisible, the disabled, the rejected. He has been anointed and he has been sent to worship and give thanks for God’s grace all his life. God has seen him. His eyes can see. His heart can see. 

These two stories remind us of the grace that anoints our lives.  You are not alone. You are not invisible. You are not rejected. You are not unloved. God sees you. God chooses you. God is there for you. God gives you sight.  

With that sight, you are sent to see. You are sent to be a revelation of God’s works in you.  Go and worship. Go and see others that are invisible, rejected, unloved, alone, and share the witness of grace and love that you have been given. Don’t look like humans look. Look through God’s eyes, as one that has been anointed by God.

And as I said when doing the sending, and putting a drop of Vicks Vapor Rub on the hands of the people in the worship service: God sees you! Go and see!

A New Hope

When I saw the first Star Wars picture in 1977, it did not occur to me to be curious about the "opening crawl". As I watched it again (and again, and again) the first words should have given me some time to pause. First... that this was Episode IV (What? There is more before and after?). And second... the subtitle... "A New Hope." Not Star Wars... but "A New Hope".

Rogue One, a new Star Wars story, plays on the theme of hope, and uses the word as an important fabric for the film. At a pivotal moment of the movie, a character states, "Rebellions are built on hope", and hope is what moves the characters to action, to sacrifice and to ultimate triumph over the forces of evil.

Why is hope so important for these films? When I saw the Star Wars films I did not necessarily think about the cost and the sacrifice that each character has made. Rogue One brings this sacrifice to the forefront. They are fighting against an Empire that seems to be everywhere and that is aided by an Emperor who is in tune with the dark side of the force. Despair can take a hold in the heart and in the mind very quickly… it can paralyze a person, take away their will to live, and, plant the seeds of fear, anger, hate and suffering. We see the characters in the original Star Wars films deal with this in more subtle ways. One of the most repeated conversations in the films is about odds.  In a scene from Empire Strikes Back C3PO feels compeled to share some data: "Sir, the possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field is approximately 3,720 to 1," to which Han Solo replies, "Never tell me the odds," implying a willingness and a hope to defy the most impossible of situations.

In the passage of Matthew, we find Jesus’ family in distress. After the Magi’s visit, Joseph is told in another dream to get out of Bethlehem, because Herod wants to harm the baby. The family manages to escape to Egypt, a different land with a different language, customs and people. But still, there is grief at home… in Herod’s psychotic mind, he must kill all the infant boys in Bethlehem. Families suffer and loose loved ones. Such is the reality of violence in the world. Some escape, some perish.

Matthew’s Christmas story is different than Luke’s. His Christmas is not pretty and sentimental. As R. Allan Culpeper states, in Matthew, tyrants kill children and families escape in the middle of the night. There are no shepherds that come to see the wonder, and no angel sings "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, goodwill" (Luke 2:14). In Luke, there is an explanation about Joseph and Mary traveling to Bethlehem because of the census… but the interesting thing in the gospel of Matthew is that Joseph and Mary lived in Bethlehem when the child is born… so the explanation provided here is how the family ends up in Nazareth.

After leaving Egypt, Matthew states that the family cannot return to Bethlehem. Joseph heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, and he was afraid to go there. He has another dream and ends up going to a new place, Nazareth, and there he makes a new home. So this counts as a double exile. The family has to escape to Egypt, and then has to go to a new place, to an unfamiliar place where they have to start from zero.

All of these occurrences can certainly affect the spirit of any family. They might have felt discouraged, nervous, afraid, desperate, alone. The only thing that gives hope to this particular family is a provident God, that guides them so that Jesus will be able to become the Savior, the fulfillment of God’s promise and grace. There will always be violence. There will always be violent forces that seek to destroy life… but in the midst of all of this, God’s providence somehow manages to be a beacon of hope to humanity.

R. Allan Culpeper says that this story calls for us, as observers of Jesus’ birth to renew our hopes. Sometimes the reasons to believe in God’s love and providence will not be apparent. But if we look intently, if we seek God’s sings of love in the birth, the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus, Matthew believes that we will find the strength to have new hope each day. The gospel challenges us to see the things that are possible, to affirm that even if there is violence, and war, and darkness, God is still working, even in the midst of the worst things. We might not be able to celebrate a lot of things this year… but the one thing that we can celebrate, is God’s love, and God’s promise and call for peace. In this, we might find a renewed hope.

Going back to Rogue One… the last word spoken by a character is precisely “Hope”. This will be the word that will move everything else along, that will still be present somehow in all of the films. This is the word that challenges us in a new year that will bring a new administration, policies, and probably new ways of doing things. Whether we agree with them or not, the church and Christians everywhere in the world are challenged by Matthew’s Christmas story to hope… to depend on God’s providence, to find assurance that God is still at work, even if we don’t understand it or see it… and to somehow share that sense of hope with others. May God give us the strength and the guidance that was given to Joseph and Mary to do so.

And to channel a little bit more of Star Wars... "May the hope of God be with you... always."