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Pentecost 16, Proper 20 Lesson: Proverbs 31:10-31
September 20, 2009 Psalm 1
The Rev. Karen Evans Epistle: James 3:13—4:3, 7-8a
St. James’ Church, Marietta Holy Gospel: Mark 9:30-37
I offer these words in the Name of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
I am embarrassed to admit it, but I am a “Trekkie.” I started watching “star Trek” years ago, and I particularly like “Star Trek the New Generation.” I have watched the various episodes so many times I can almost recite them by heart. The episode that came to mind today was one when the young protégé of Captain Pickard is going off to Star Fleet Academy. The Captain tells him that if he has any problems he should contact Boothby. The young man asks, “Who is Boothby? Is he one of the faculty?”
“No,” the Captain says, “Boothby is the gardener.”
In later episodes, we see the young man going to Boothby for help, just as the Captain had gone to him when he was a cadet.
Pickard’s answer is a surprise because we do not usually expect to go to those who do primarily manual labor for help with personal, political or academic problems. A similar situation was in the movie, “The Remains of the Day,” where the person who held everything together was the butler.
It would have been more of a surprise in Jesus’ day. There was much more of a group identity then, and where you fell in the group was very important. It was determined by the amount of honor you had. Honor could be gained by winning fame in battle or being a great speaker. You could be known as a teacher, or be part of one of the ancient families, or you could just be known for your piety and good works. However you got honor, your position in life and in the community was determined by how much honor you had in comparison to others and by what those others thought of you.
The opposite was true also. You could lose honor. You would lose honor if you were insulted (dissed) or beaten. You would lose honor is you associated with people who were below you or who did not have much honor of their own. You would especially lose honor by being beaten and killed, and the worst was to be crucified because it was designed specifically to humiliate and dishonor the victim.
Jesus’ disciples were very much men of their times and their culture. Because of that they very often did not get what it was he was trying to teach them unless he shocked them into rethinking their ideas. Especially in Mark’s version of the Gospel, the disciples were constantly missing the point, and when they did not understand something, coming to the wrong conclusion or being afraid to ask.
That was the problem that set up the main part of today’s lesson. Jesus, for the second time, predicted that he would be betrayed into the hands of his enemies, killed, and that three days later he would rise again.
Jesus was doing this teaching while they were traveling through Galilee. What were the disciples doing? They did not understand what he was talking about. They knew, though, that he got very angry with Peter when Peter protested that future. So they did not ask Jesus what he meant. Instead, they did what any red-blooded young man of the time would do – they argued among themselves about which of them had the greatest honor, and how they each ranked in the company of Jesus’ followers.
This was a very normal thing for them to do. But it pointed out very clearly that they did not have a clue about the revolutionary nature of the Kingdom of God.
To help them begin to understand, he sat down with them and he told them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Rank and honor in the Kingdom of God are not determined the way they are in the world. If you would be the greatest, you must be like Boothby, like Mother Theresa, or Saint Francis. You must use the gifts God has given you, not for your own prestige and position, but to serve other people. Because that is the way God acts and that is the way, I, Jesus, act when I am with you.
Then Jesus took a child and wrapped his arms around him or her. In today’s culture, especially in the United States, we have raised children to a position unknown in history. To say that I cannot do something because my child has something he or she has to do would have been incomprehensible, even a couple of generations ago. In Jesus’ time, children had no position, no rights and no honor. They were totally dependent on their family who could do whatever they wished with a child. Can you imagine the shock of the disciples who had barely begun to take in that Jesus expected them to be servants to other people instead of seeking to be superior to them? Here was Jesus saying that welcoming a child was like welcoming him – and welcoming him was welcoming God.
Maybe we should not wonder that the disciples misunderstood Jesus so often. What he had to say to them was totally contrary to what they expected. In fact, it is totally contrary to what we expect also.
Oliver Xavier Rodd is being baptized today. Who shall we tell him are the most important people in this parish? Are they the people with the most money? Those who hold elected office? The clergy? Or are they the people who get to the church by 7:00 every Thursday morning to help people find work? Are they the ones who have started cooking dinner at the Extension Women’s shelter? Or are they the people who sacrifice what they might otherwise spend on themselves to help people who have nothing in Africa or Central America or Atlanta?
This parish has a tradition of being about service and outreach. I have proposed that we build on that tradition in a special way this year because this year there are so many people in great need. On November 21st, which is a Saturday, we are planning a Service Day. The Outreach Committee is putting together a number of projects that can be done in a morning, and that involve all generations. There will be sign-up sheets in the Parish Hall foyer so you can choose which project appeals to you. At noon, we will meet for lunch in the Parish Hall, featuring casseroles made by the ECW to support their outreach projects, and donations will go to support the J2A Pilgrimage. Then at 12:30, or as soon thereafter as we can, we will have our Annual Parish Meeting, where we will elect 5 members of the Vestry and other positions in church boards, and will hear about our finances and other business. I believe the best context for discussing the life of the church is the context of service to others. I hope you will join us.
“Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Amen.
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