A sermon for Proper 17: Year C (1979)
Most mornings when I’m available, I take an hour long walk through the town. It’s a good healthy walk that gets most of my 10,000 steps in for the day. It’s also relatively rote which allows me to just be centered. Occasionally I’ll be amazed by seeing the rare fox or groundhog, instead of just squirrels, bunnies and birds. Or my curiosity is peaked by someone’s home renovation.
But still the walk is relatively free from surprises, and the thing you would expect from a small town. Though when I lived in Philadelphia, or traveled to other large cities, because of the size and the diverse populations, surprises were almost rote in of themselves, in that you should expect them.
Recently though, one morning in Bordentown I encountered a man who had a different thing to say than the typical, “Hello”, “Morning”, or “How are you.” He said, “Hello Jeff Bezos, I’m your long-lost nephew.” True story.
Now if you know me, you will know that that is impossible. For one thing I never flew to space in my own rocket wearing a cowboy hat.
And as taken aback by this proclamation as I was, I was able to respond quickly and kindly, “That’s great. Have a nice day” and continued on my way.
I was reminded by that encounter when reading today’s gospel. I was thinking how difficult it would be to invite that person to my house, how ill-equipped I would be to entertain such a stranger, and how I would be in continuous fear that what I perceived as a mental disability would lead to consequences that I would not be able to respond quickly and kindly to.
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” so says the writer of today’s passage in Hebrews.
Nice words. And truly they comfort me to not feel afraid.
But I believe that I’m afraid of what people will do to me. And I don’t think I’m alone in this thought. If I was we would not have war, genocide, and xenophobia.
Jesus would do better than me in this case. He would not think twice about inviting Jeff’s nephew into His house. I know this because everyone’s invited into Jesus’ house _ the poor, the sick, the unlucky, the starving, the afflicted, ___and the scared.
During our time of Peace today, you surely will gladly exchange pax tecum’s to everyone you see. This will not be a frightening moment. But during The Peace, I want you to think of someone who’s not in front of you _ someone you despise for whatever reason, someone you think is gross, someone who you think is not worthy of your peace, or maybe just someone who you’ve lost touch with over the years, or someone who frightens you for whatever reason. It doesn’t even need to be someone you know, just someone you know about.
And then think about their face in your mind.
Then think, that face is a person. They are a person equal as to you as a person on this planet.
Last week’s gospel also included a paradox in that those who are last will be first, and vice versa. Today Jesus lays on us another parable, “For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Furthermore, don’t invite those to your house who will repay you.
These paradoxes are counter intuitive to some, contradictory to others, in that this is not what the writers of good etiquette would recommend. Unfortunately, my experiences of having dinner parties over the years and inviting others invites a competition. A competition to have finer tableware, a better bouquet of flowers, more expensive food, and drink than the last dinner party I attended. Then when it comes back to me, I can’t just do what I did last time. Everyone will remember, and so I compete with my past self and strive for something grander. All of this because I owe a debt to someone who invited me to their home.
This is ego and pride taking over. When you hear Ecclesiasticus’ words “The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord; the heart has withdrawn from its Maker. For the beginning of pride is sin, and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.” it’s easy to see this is the inspiration that Jesus is hoping to instill through His parable.
What’s not being said here is, to stop entertaining your family and friends, and to reciprocate their kindness.
What is being said here is that invite who you want. But sometimes the best parties are the ones we don’t know anyone at, or the ones in which no one knows anyone. At one of those types of parties, who knows you may even meet Jeff Bezos’ nephew and become good friends. And before you know it, through that connection, you’re in a rocket ship to space wearing a cowboy hat.
And all because you opened your mind, your heart, your home to someone who was a bit scary at first, (or gross) _ but still first you recognized them as a face and a person equal as to you as a person on this planet. To even do this is truly a blessing because in no way can you be repaid for such an action.
Referenced scriptures:
Wired For Faith 
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