June 26, 2005

June 26, 2005
Romans 6:3-11
Matthew 10:34-42
In nomine…

Today’s gospel seems to have some really strong language – “I have come not to bring peace but a sword.” I mean, this isn’t exactly what we are used to hearing from Jesus. “I’ve come to set son against father, daughter against her mother, and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law” (like we needed Jesus for that last one). Anyhow, normally, we think bible, parents, honor thy father and mother – but this reading seems to be changing that – now don’t get excited - its still honor thy father and mother, but only this now seems to be saying only honor thy father and mother insofar as doing so doesn’t get in the way of honoring God – and Jesus -- God, is asking a lot. God demands that the love we feel, hold for him - God, must be stronger than the love we have for our family. This reading says that if we love our family – our children or our parents more than God, then we are not worthy of God. Indeed, it goes on to say that if we do not take up our cross and follow we are not worthy. Those are some lofty and seemingly controversial things.

Yet looking at today’s second reading from Romans, the theme is rather similar. Those who believe in what God has done through Christ, those who obey, will die and be resurrected with Christ and be freed from death. Obedience then, like love, must be first and foremost to God, and then to everything - everyone else.

As I continued reading the second lesson for today, I started to realize just how it easily it all came together with the gospel, and how well both the reading and gospel pieced together.

The lesson from Romans first starts with the words “do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death,” and later talks about the necessity of being buried in baptism with Christ to rise with Christ. As most of us have experienced, baptism is an important step in the journey of an Episcopalian. It is something in which ones family is usually involved. The Baptismal Covenant which is on page 304 of the Prayer Book, as I’m sure most of you are familiar, poses questions which are asked of the candidate, of the candidate’s family and friends, as well as of the congregation. These questions ask such things of the congregation as resistance from evil, the proclamation of the gospel, and serving Christ in all persons.

As I started to look over these questions, I realized that these questions are really telling us of ways to love God and of ways to take up our cross. Indeed, if we are not loving God more than anything else, more than our family, more than our desires other than God, then we cannot strive fully to resist evil, we cannot truly proclaim the gospel, we cannot fully serve Christ in others, indeed, without God at the top of our list not only do we not have the strength to fulfill the Baptismal Covenant, but we are unable to love our parents, our siblings, our children in the way that we really want to. Indeed, unless we love God first, and in loving God do all those thing which are asked of us in the Baptismal Covenant only then are we able to love our families as fully and truthfully as we so desire.

But how? I mean, there are just so many ways to make this idea not work. I mean, for starters, our families are right here. That makes it easy to love them, well, for the most part. Our parents, children, siblings are close y making demands that upon us, making tangible requests of our love and tangibly reciprocating. God, however, to many of us, is far away and intangible. God’s love for us and God’s demand of our love is less sure. Yes we know God loves us… like in that horrid children’s song “Jesus loves me this I know for the bible tells me so.” But, sometimes, that seems like the only reason we know God loves us if even that. We love God, but sometimes that love is in the back of our minds.

Our families being visibly present is also another key base for Christ “bringing not peace but a sword.” Our families tend to influence our religious belief system and background. I’m sure many of you are “cradle Episcopalians” and that your families have been Anglican for generations. One of my good friends, for example is from an Orthodox Jewish household. His family has always been Jewish, and I mean JEWISH. My friend’s older brother never goes out without a keepah, he wears long pants and shirts made of only one material, sports a full beard and even wears the traditional four corners of fringe. At twenty-two he and his not girl-friend because they don’t date except they are also always wears long skirts and the two go to great lengths to ensure they don’t touch each other as these laws that God gave the Jews, also forbids them to touch members of the opposite sex outside their household. These laws have existed for thousands of years. Not only does the Jewish law influence the way they dress but also what they eat, how they spend their money, and even when they can drive their cars. My friend’s brother and the rest of his family are very sincere in their following of God’s law to the Jews. My friend however, doesn’t particularly buy it all the way. He tends to keep a keepah in his pocket for when his mother is around, but in all honestly, he just doesn’t find that this will lead him to spiritual fulfillment.

When I first read today’s gospel, he was one of the first things that I thought of. My friend is clearly moving away from a religion that just isn’t doing it for him, and it is in this case that I believe we can most clearly see Jesus handing someone the sword. My friend clearly wants to take part in religious exploration, but he feels that he can’t. He would go against his family and his culture and he isn’t willing to do that, but according to the gospel, that means that he isn’t worthy of God. He has a choice between hurting his parents or possibly finding Christ, or spiritual fulfillment, he’s making his now. If my friend, or anyone, is stagnating in their spiritual fulfillment, in their faith, in our love of God, then how they grow internally. And if we don’t grow spiritually, if we don’t love God, if we don’t love Love in the forefront with all our hearts, minds, and souls, how can we expect ourselves to be able to love our family with the truth and blatantness and fullness that they deserve.

So by Christ bringing a sword, he seems to really be bringing the opportunity for peace – the opportunity for love, so only by love God more and first can we love our families in a manner that is stronger, more present, more full and tru