Prayer and the Field of Probability

19 Pentecost  C proper 24  October 20, 2019
Genesis 32:22-31   Psalm 121
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5  Luke 18:1-8

Lectionary Link

As I read the parable of Jesus, I thought about the song of Rolling Stones.

You can't always get what you want

You can't always get what you want

You can't always get what you want

But if you try sometimes, well, you might find

You get what you need

A young boy asked an old priest, "Does God always answer your prayers?"  The old priest said, "Yes, God always answers my prayer, but God mostly says, "No! Not yet."

You and I might think, "what's the use of praying, if apparently God mostly says, "No!"  And even about all of the good things that we ask for as well, like world peace and freedom from suffering for the innocent.

The parables of Jesus are like riddles which need some serious pondering to come to the insights which are "hidden" therein.

The parable which we have read today is an insightful parable because it poignantly illustrates what we often feel about not always getting what we want from God.  And when we feel like we are not getting enough of what we want from God, we are tempted to quit asking and quit praying.

This parable illustrates that to have a right relationship with God, we have to understand a chief attribute of God.  We have to understand that Freedom is a chief attribute of God, and if Freedom is a chief attribute of God and creation is made in the divine image, all of creation shares a portion, a limited portion of freedom in the big field of Freedom which is God.

God honors genuine freedom within created order.  This is why the conditions of probability govern our lives in what might happen to us.  We often encounter situations, not of our own choosing which affect us in harmful ways.  We cry out to the total conditions of freedom in our lives for justice.  And we don't get the response that we want.  What happens often if we don't get the gratification that we want and when we want it?  Sometimes we just give up.  We let our prayer muscles atrophy.  What's the use, if I cannot get what I want when I want it?

Can we see how the unjust judge in the parable, does not represent God; he represents the conditions of freedom which permits an entire variety of events which can happen to us?  And some of the events which can happen to us are not favorable to us, they can be horrible or even unjust.

Jesus was trying to give his disciple a realistic orientation to the life of what freedom means.  It does not mean we have God on retainer as one who intervenes on our behalf whenever we want.  Why doesn't God intervene and just force everyone to be good?  That would violate the genuine attribute of God who is pure creative freedom, but who shares a degree of freedom with every other being.  God will not violate the conditions of freedom; to do so would be to make God like a big pre-programmed machine guaranteeing outcomes.  What worth is a choice if it was already pre-determined?

What does Jesus recommend for living faithful lives?

First Jesus says to be realistic about honoring the conditions of freedom in our world.  The conditions of freedom can sometimes seem to be like the unjust judge of the parable.  What do we do if we don't get what we want when we want it?  Even if it is something unselfish that we are asking for?  The human temptation is to give up.  By giving up, it shows that we are in denial about the genuine conditions of freedom in our world.  By giving up, we compromise and sell short the genuine freedom that we have to make a difference.  We can let our faith and prayer muscles atrophy by giving up.

Jesus told his disciples to always pray and never to lose heart?  "Why should I continue to pray, Jesus if I don't get what I want?"

Jesus was trying to teach us that God respect the free conditions of the world and God enters the free conditions of the world through Jesus as the example of what to do with our freedom.  What did Jesus do?  He used his freedom to pray and to heal and to teach and help the poor.  Jesus showed us how to use our freedom.  He taught us not to let our freedom to pray and act with justice and mercy atrophy.

In the total field of freedom, we have to practice the democracy of stuffing the ballot box of freedom.  If we fill the field of freedom with prayer and goodness, then we will wear out the unjust judge, who represents the equal probability of bad things happening over good things.  Our prayers and our deeds can cumulatively lead to vetoing the unjust judge of the probability of bad things happening.

Jesus reminds us not to discount the power of our votes of prayers and goodness.  We can with persistence attain a majority to influence outcomes, so do not give up.  Do not lose heart.  The forces pride and greed have counter-motivation; let us rise to the occasion to be motivated by a persistent faith anchored on the witness of freedom given to us by Jesus Christ.

Generally, the habit of "nagging" is not an admirable quality.  But Jesus invites us to do "holy nagging" of faith in the field of freedom, so that we can influence the judge of probable outcomes.  The quantity of prayer and deeds of faith can have good outcomes because they become influential majorities in the field of freedom.

I went to High School in Minneapolis with a boy named Jim Janos.  Jim went on to become a Navy Seal and went to Viet Nam and he returned and became California-ized on the muscle beaches and with the help steroids morphed himself into the professional wrestler with a new name, Jesse, "the Body," Ventura.  He took that name as a wrestler.

The famous biblical wrestler was Jacob.  Jacob had fled his home after he stole the birthright from his twin brother.  He got married, but at some point he had to return home to enter the promise of God to his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac.  But he was worried that his twin brother Esau would want revenge for stealing his birthright.  On one night of journey back,  Jacob did not see in his dream a ladder from heaven; rather he found himself in a wrestling match with a man who was an appearance of God to him.  It was not so much a wrestling match as Jacob holding on.  He stubbornly held on and said, "I will not let go until you bless me."  As a wrestler, the blessing he received included a new name; he received the new name "Israel," meaning the one who strives with God and prevails.

Jacob had the promise of a blessing but he still had to have the persistence of faith to hold on to possess the blessing.

Jesus invites us to hold on in stubborn, persistent, nagging faith until we get the blessing of the outcomes of love and justice.

Today, let us remember to be totally realistic about the conditions of freedom which constitute our life experience.  Let us not be naïve about what can probably happen in our world.  Let us not be so frightened by the probability of bad outcomes, that we quit in our persistent faith and prayers.  Let us not surrender the field of freedom to the forces of evil.  Let us persist, one act at a time till we build majorities which are able to influence outcomes for goodness, love and faith.

What is the Risen Christ saying to us today?  Do not lose heart.  Do not quit praying.  Amen.

Sunday School, October 20, 2019 19 Pentecost, C proper 24

Sunday School, October 20, 2019    19 Pentecost, C proper 24

Sunday School Theme

Prayer as “Nagging”

Does anyone know what “nagging” is?  It is not supposed to be a good thing to do.  When your friend or family members does not want to do or give you something that you want, and you just keep asking and begging over and over again, this is what is called nagging.

Nagging is when we keep asking even though we know that that the people we ask don’t want to do what we want.  Why do we nag?  Because sometimes it works.  Sometimes we get what we want.  You can be shopping with mom or dad and you see something you want and so you ask a hundred times, “Mom can I get that new toy?”  Sometimes you might wear mom out and she gives in and buys you what you want.

The Bible is full of “nagging” prayer.  Prayer is asking God for things over and over and over again.  Even in the Lord Prayer, we ask again and again, “Give us this day our daily bread.”  Can you imagine a starving child praying this prayer every day?  “Please God, give me and my family enough to eat today.”

Nagging is a bad behavior but it can be made into a good behavior.  How can that be done?  If you and I are nagging about wanting good things for ourselves and our world, then nagging is a good thing.

Jesus told a story about a nagging widow.  This woman only wanted justice.  She just wanted fairness.  And she just kept asking and asking and asking the judge to do the right thing.  The judge didn’t want to help her but he got tired of her nagging and so he gave him.

In our world there is lots of freedom.  Freedom means lots of bad things can happen, like pain, suffering, hunger and starvation.

Jesus reminds us that in a world of freedom, we have the freedom to have faith and to pray.  In our prayers we can continually nag God about good things.  We can nag God about people having enough food, about war to end, about safety in a storm or hurricane, about fairness for everyone.

Nagging is a good thing and a good way to prayer because if we strongly want really good things to happen for our world, then it is good to pray over and over again.

Why should we do this?  Because if we have enough people nagging God about making this world better then we will begin to see good things happen in our world.

So, today, don’t nag your parents and friends too much, unless you want really good things.  And let us nag God in our prayers for justice, love and kindness to win in our world.

Active discussing

Have children discuss when they have nagged their parents and friends.

Have them look in the Psalms and show them how the Psalmist is nagging and complaining in the prayers about the bad things in the world.

Sermon

  What would happen if you didn’t ever wash dishes at your house?

What would happen if your clothes were never washed?   What would happen if your house was never cleaned?

  Would you run out of dishes?  Would you run out of clean clothes to wear?  Would your house get so dusty and dirty, that it would be very hard to live in your home?

  Is it fun to clean the house?  Wash the clothes?   Wash the dishes?

  Maybe it is not fun, but it has to be done.  Because if it is not done, dirt and dust and germs would all take over.  So one of the roles that everyone has to have in life is the role of a cleaner.  If we don’t clean, then dirt and dust will take over and keep us from living healthy lives.

  You and I have to be clean toward God too.  You know that just like dirt and dust can take over our lives if we don’t clean, so too, in this world bad things, evil and misfortune can take over our lives if we don’t learn how to be clean toward God.

  How do we get clean toward God?  We do so by learning to pray and asking for God’s help at all time to over come the bad things and the unfortunate things this world.

  Jesus told a story about a woman whose husband had died….some people were trying to cheat her so she went to a judge.  That judge was a bad judge who wouldn’t help her.  But she didn’t quit.  She kept going to the judge and even though he was still a bad judge, he got tired of the woman coming to him, so he helped her get her money back.

  Jesus told us this story to let us know that bad things and misfortunate things are going to happen in this life, but we cannot accept bad things as what is normal in life.  Goodness is what is normal and that is what we should always practice and expect.

  God needs people who are going to pray and asks over and over for good things until those good things happen and overcome the bad things in life.

  So Jesus teaches us a lesson about prayer.  We should always pray and not get discouraged when sad and bad things happen to us.

  Let us remember always to pray, because it is a sign to God that we truly love what is good, fair and lovely in this life.

   So remember, always to pray and don’t get discourage even when good things don’t happen.  Just keep praying because it is a sign that we believe in God and goodness, and it means that we will recognize the good things that God gives us in the answer to our prayers.

So let us always remember to keep on praying.  Amen.

Child Friendly Service with Holy Eucharist

October 20, 2019: The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Gathering Songs: I’ve Got Peace Like a River, Peace Before Us, The Lord is My Light, Soon and Very Soon

Liturgist: Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

People: And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever.  Amen.

Liturgist:  Oh God, Our hearts are open to you.

And you know us and we can hide nothing from you.

Prepare our hearts and our minds to love you and worship you.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Song: I’ve Got Peace Like a River   (Christian Children’s Songbook # 122)

1-I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.      I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.

2-I’ve got love…..  3-I’ve got joy…..

Liturgist:         The Lord be with you.

People:            And also with you.

Liturgist:  Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, in Christ you have revealed your glory among the nations: Preserve the works of your mercy, that your Church throughout the world may persevere with steadfast faith in the confession of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Litany of Praise: Alleluia

O God, you are Great!  Alleluia

O God, you have made us! Alleluia

O God, you have made yourself known to us!  Alleluia

O God, you have provided us with us a Savior!  Alleluia

O God, you have given us a Christian family!  Alleluia

O God, you have forgiven our sins!  Alleluia

O God, you brought your Son Jesus back from the dead!  Alleluia

A reading from the Second Letter to Timothy

As for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

Liturgist: The Word of the Lord

People: Thanks be to God

Liturgist: Let us read together from Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills; * from where is my help to come?

My help comes from the LORD, * the maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved * and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.

Litany Phrase: Thanks be to God!

Litanist:

For the good earth, for our food and clothing. Thanks be to God!

For our families and friends. Thanks be to God!

For the talents and gifts that you have given to us. Thanks be to God!

For this day of worship. Thanks be to God!

For health and for a good night’s sleep. Thanks be to God!

For work and for play. Thanks be to God!

For teaching and for learning. Thanks be to God!

For the happy events of our lives. Thanks be to God!

For the celebration of the birthdays and anniversaries of our friends and parish family.

   Thanks be to God!

Liturgist:         The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke

People:            Glory to you, Lord Christ.

Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, `Grant me justice against my opponent.' For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, `Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'" And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

Liturgist:         The Gospel of the Lord.

People:            Praise to you, Lord Christ.

Sermon – Father Phil

Children’s Creed

We did not make ourselves, so we believe that God the Father is the maker of the world.

Since God is so great and we are so small,

We believe God came into our world and was born as Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary.

We need God’s help and we believe that God saved us by the life, death and

     resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We believe that God is present with us now as the Holy Spirit.

We believe that we are baptized into God’s family the Church where everyone is

     welcome.

We believe that Christ is kind and fair.

We believe that we have a future in knowing Jesus Christ.

And since we all must die, we believe that God will preserve us forever.  Amen.

Litany Phrase: Christ, have mercy.

For fighting and war to cease in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For peace on earth and good will towards all. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety of all who travel. Christ, have mercy.

For jobs for all who need them. Christ, have mercy.

For care of those who are growing old. Christ, have mercy.

For the safety, health and nutrition of all the children in our world. Christ, have mercy.

For the well-being of our families and friends. Christ, have mercy.

For the good health of those we know to be ill. Christ, have mercy.

For the remembrance of those who have died. Christ, have mercy.

For the forgiveness of all of our sins. Christ, have mercy.

Youth Liturgist:          The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People:                        And also with you.

Song during the preparation of the Altar and the receiving of an offering

Offertory Song: Peace Before Us (Wonder, Love & Praise,  # 791)

Peace before us, peace behind us, peace under our feet.  Peace within us, peace over us, let all around us be peace.

Love before us….3. Light before us…. 4. Christ before us….

Doxology

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below.

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Prologue to the Eucharist

Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, for to them belong the kingdom of God.”

All become members of a family by birth or adoption.

Baptism is a celebration of birth into the family of God.

A family meal gathers and sustains each human family.

The Holy Eucharist is the special meal that Jesus gave to his friends to keep us together as the family of Christ.

The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is very good and right to give thanks, because God made us, Jesus redeemed us and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts.  Therefore with Angels and Archangels and all of the world that we see and don’t see, we forever sing this hymn of praise:

Holy, Holy, Holy (Intoned)

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, God of Power and Might.  Heav’n and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the Highest.

(All may gather around the altar)

Our grateful praise we offer to you God, our Creator;

You have made us in your image

And you gave us many men and women of faith to help us to live by faith:

Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachael.

And then you gave us your Son, Jesus, born of Mary, nurtured by Joseph

And he called us to be sons and daughters of God.

Your Son called us to live better lives and he gave us this Holy Meal so that when we eat

  the bread and drink the wine, we can  know that the Presence of Christ is as near to us as  

  this food and drink  that becomes a part of us.

The Prayer continues with these words

And so, Father, we bring you these gifts of bread and wine. Bless and sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Bless and sanctify us by your Holy Spirit so that we may love God and our neighbor.

On the night when Jesus was betrayed he took bread, said the blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."

After supper, Jesus took the cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Drink this, all of you. This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me."

Father, we now celebrate the memorial of your Son. When we eat this holy Meal of Bread and Wine, we are telling the entire world about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and that his presence will be with us in our future.

Let this holy meal keep us together as friends who share a special relationship because of your Son Jesus Christ.  May we forever live with praise to God to whom we belong as sons and daughters.

By Christ, and with Christ, and in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory

 is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN.

And now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we now sing,

Our Father: (Renew # 180, West Indian Lord’s Prayer)

Our Father who art in heaven:  Hallowed be thy name.

Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done: Hallowed be thy name.

Done on earth as it is in heaven: Hallowed be thy name.

Give us this day our daily bread: Hallowed be thy name.

And forgive us all our debts: Hallowed be thy name.

As we forgive our debtors: Hallowed be thy name.

Lead us not into temptation: Hallowed be thy name.

But deliver us from evil: Hallowed be thy name.

Thine is the kingdom, power, and glory: Hallowed be thy name.

Forever and ever: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Amen, amen, amen, amen: Hallowed be thy name.

Breaking of the Bread

Celebrant:       Alleluia, Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.

People:            Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia.

Words of Administration

Communion Song: The Lord Is My Light (Renew! # 102)

The Lord is my light, my light and salvation: in Him I trust, in Him I trust. 

Post-Communion Prayer

Everlasting God, we have gathered for the meal that Jesus asked us to keep;

We have remembered his words of blessing on the bread and the wine.

And His Presence has been known to us.

We have remembered that we are sons and daughters of God and brothers

    and sisters in Christ.

Send us forth now into our everyday lives remembering that the blessing in the

     bread and wine spreads into each time, place and person in our lives,

As we are ever blessed by you, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Closing Song: Soon and Very Soon (Renew! # 276)

Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King.  Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King.  Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King, Hallelujah, hallelujah, we’re going to see the King.

No more dying there, we are going to see the King.  No more dying there, we are going to see the King.  No more dying there, we are going to see the King, Hallelujah, hallelujah, we’re going to see the King.

Repeat first verse

Dismissal:   

Liturgist: Let us go forth in the Name of Christ.

People: Thanks be to God! 

Eucharist As Returning to Say Thanks

18 Pentecost, C proper 23, October 13, 2019

2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c  Psalm 111

2 Tim. 2:8-15   Luke 17:11-19    

Lectionary Link

The Bible is a story about how God is for everyone but God makes appeals to everyone in ways that are relevant to each people and each person.

The Hebrew Scriptures are about how God became relevant to the people of Israel.  It is also a story of their failure to properly appreciate what God wanted them to do.

Sometimes they totally forgot the One God and went after the other gods and goddesses of their neighboring tribes or their conquerors.

Sometimes in fear of being too compromised with outsiders, they made their rules so legalistically  tight to keep the community totally separated and isolated from foreigners.

And when they become too exclusive, when being a foreigner became the equivalent of being an unclean person and a sinner, there were prophets and seers who arose to remind them that even though God did something special for Israel, God also was special to other people, to foreigners too.

The story of Naaman is a story about the natural bias for each person and religious group to believe that God is so special to us that we begin to think and act that we are special to the exclusion of others.  The prophet Elisha offered that God's healing touch was available to foreigners too.

All are made in the image of God; not all are fortunate enough to be born into conditions of knowing what that means.

Naaman, like all human beings was vulnerable to what can happen to human beings.  Even though he was a general in Assyrian Army, he was dreadfully ill, so ill that he was desperate enough to go outside the medical practices of his own country.  An Israelite slave captured in war told him about a holy prophet in Israel who could help him get better.  He went and begrudgingly submitted to the total folk remedy, and he was cured.  And he knew that God loved him, the God of Israel, to whom he would be loyal even when he had to pretend to be religious in his own country.

What connection for us in this sermon could Naaman, the Assyrian, have with a Samaritan leper who was healed by Jesus?

They were both foreigners to people who thought that God had chosen them so exclusively, that outsiders could not be let into the wonderful secret of God's favor.

The Samaritans were remnant people of the divided Kingdom of Israel who experienced the onslaught of the Assyrian forces, and they inter-married with their captors.  They forsook their "ethnic" purity, and they were rejected by the Kingdom of Judah where residents believed that they maintained the true tradition of the Torah, and partly because they had been carried away into captivity in Babylon and Persia.

The Samaritans had a Torah based religious practice centered on the Holy Mount Gerizim.  In the time of Jesus, the Gospels presented the Samaritans as notorious enemies who were avoided by the Jews.

What is the textual function of the appearance of the Samaritans in the Gospels?

The Samaritan in the Gospel highlights the universal needs of all humanity.  No one wants to be foreign to inclusion by God.  No one wants to be an outsider to significant community.  What can separate us from community?  Sickness and disease.  In other times and places, and even in our own time, sickness can separate people from caring society.  A really bad sickness can be regarded as a "curse;" even a curse from God.  And if God has a curse on someone, they must be defiled and quarantined from full inclusion in the community.  After all, if such people can be contagious; the curse can be contagious.  So sick people are both physically and socially shunned.

Jesus Christ came as the reconciler between God and humanity.  He was the one who proclaimed that being sick was not a curse from God; it was only being vulnerable to an entire range of things that can happen to any human being.

And what can separate us from the love of God in Christ?  Can sickness? No it can't.  Can being a foreigner or an immigrant separate us from the love of God in Christ?  No.

St. Paul was the architect of the paradigm of God's favor coming to the Gentiles, to the Samaritans, to the sick, to the shunned, to the neglected.

The early Christian communities were communities which practice a fuller inclusion than did the synagogue communities.

The early preachers believed that Jesus was a reconciler for the people of the world and so they did everything they could to show how the inclusion of Gentiles and foreigners was central to the message of Christ.

A Samaritan leper was doubly oppressed.  He was just of mongrel ethnic heritage; and he was defiled with leprosy which required that he be quarantined from society.

But what is the punchline of the Gospel?  The Samaritan was one who returned to offer his thanksgiving for being healed.  He was symbolic of all of the outsiders who had come to receive the healthful salvation of the message of Jesus Christ.  He is the second Good Samaritan of the Gospel of Luke.  He is an outsider who is more diligent in his thanksgiving than those who behaved as those who were "entitled."

What is perhaps the chief crime of entitled people?  Entitled people do not think they have to say thank you, because they live as those who think that deserve to be exempt from bad things happening to them.

Are we living lives in such entitled ways that we do not think that we have to take time to offer thanksgiving?  Why did God ask us to keep a sabbath?  To remind us that we can never be so entitled as to forget to return and say thanks, and not just in private, but also in the community of other thankful people.

What is this event at the altar called today?  It is called Holy Eucharist.  What does Eucharist mean?  It means thanksgiving.  Thank you for not presuming that your salvation entitlement makes you forget to be thankful.  Thank you for returning here today to offer the chief Christian event on Sunday, Holy Eucharist, Holy Thanksgiving.  

And what happens because we chose to return to give thanks?  Jesus says, "I give you my body and my Spirit in an affirming presence of my salvation in your life."  Thank you for returning to say thanks.  Amen.