[Propertalk] Proper 14 c 2016 - part 2

[Robert P Morrison]

Part 2

	 “No, the master is not going to scrub the floor, he is going _to
become a servant and serve them!” 5_ 

	 If your mind jumps back to the woman wiping anointing Jesus’ feet
and wiping them with her hair; if your mind jumps forward to Jesus at
His final meal hitching up His robe and wrapping a towel around His
waist so that He can wash His friends’ feet, then Luke’s purpose
has been successful. We have discovered part of the Nature of God –
to serve us into Love! 

	 The master is prepared. The master changes and facilitates change.
The master and the slaves or servants are drawn inseparably close
because they are always ready for whatever is coming, whenever it is
coming, wherever it is coming. Thus we are to be ready for the full
flowering of God’s reign, something we accept, something we KNOW is
coming. It’s simply a matter of being in a state of blessedness so
that we can respond. 

	 All of this can make us tense, of course. None of us knows what will
happen when we swing our legs over the side of the bed. I don’t say
this facetiously, but there are many for whom doing this is a
tremendous challenge. However, we all have the opportunity to put our
feet on the floor in a mental way, at least. Of course, we’d all
like to be agile, but we know that that’s not going to be possible
always. So here’s a point of preparation, a point of possible
change. How will we be ready if circumstances are different? 

	 We’re up; we’re dressed; we step out of the front door, or take
the car out of the garage. What may happen then? Who knows? We may
THINK we know – we have an appointment, we may have a habit of going
for a coffee with friends, we may go grocery shopping before the
stores get crowded. 

	 But anything can and does happen when we get up and leave our rooms
and homes. Similarly, when we walk into a store, or the office, or the
church – all of which we’ve gone into hundreds, if not thousands,
of times before. No matter how often it may have been, it may be
different this one time. We may be asked for a response. Will we be
counted blesséd when we stand in line at the Post Office, or the
checkout at the store, or as we pick up something to drink in the
Parish Hall after any liturgy or meeting?  

	 Life can be as trivial or as complicated-looking as we may wish to
make it, yet, every time, a response has to be at the tip of our
tongue, or the tip of our fingers, or the tip of our toes. Who knows
when, and how, and why the master will come? And who is this master? 

	 Well, Jesus was talking about God’s reign. Jesus was hoping people
would see that God won’t send out an engraved card, specifying the
time and place. God, one minutes, may not be there and the next minute
be there. It’s as simple, as scary, as joyful, as hopeful as that. 

	 The interesting this is that Jesus doesn’t really dwell on the
fearful aspect of all of this. Jesus said simply, “Get used to the
idea. It’s going to happen, whether you’re ready or not. Of
course, if you’re ready, it may be a whole lot more fun!” 

	 Knowing that God’s reign has actually begun; knowing that the
realm of God is where we are, right now, does suggest that our anxiety
level needn’t be set on high. It’s simply a matter of being ready,
with every breath we take.  

	 I say “simply” but I know that it’s NOT always simple.
Changing our attitudes, changing our thought patterns, changing our
way of thinking and describing people, changing our whole way of
living ISN’T always easy. Even thinking about thinking about
thinking can be a tough first step. But Jesus is with us, to tell us
to breath; to tell us to be calm; to tell us to be alert; to tell us
to be looking and listening, constantly, for signs and suggestions
that we need to change. After all, the more we change, chances are
it’ll be easier to make the next, and the next, and the next change.


	 Nor is this restricted to only one part of our behaviour. We’re to
adapt a completely changeable manner of living, even if it’s quite
different from that of our neighbours or, for that matter, from other
members of our families. 

	 “I am the single mother of four absolutely beautiful little girls.
They are 9, 5, 2, and 6 weeks. And things have been particularly rough
since my ex left. 

	 “My truck had a flat I constantly had to air up. The driver side
window motor died. And I needed a new alternator belt. The truck was a
mess. And we didn't drive anywhere unless we had to. 

	 “Well the other day we desperately needed to go to the store. So
we loaded up and drove to the Winn Dixie about 9 blocks away. 

	 “When we got out of the store it was far after dark. And POURING
rain. 

	 “I loaded my kids and groceries into the truck. Tried to crank
it...... Nothing. No click. Nothing. 

	 “One of my girls had accidentally left a light on. My battery was
dead. My phone was also disconnected. I have no family to speak of and
was on my own. 

	 “I got out and opened my hood to be sure my battery hadn't come
loose. Nope. 

	 “I must have asked more than twenty people in the course of two
hours for a jump. They all ignored me. Not even a no. Just acted like
i didn't exist. 

	 “My 5 Year old was melting down. My newborn SCREAMING, my two year
old crying she was hungry, and my oldest desperately trying to help. 

	 “I was bawling and felt like the worst Mom ever. 

	 “Then I got a knock on the passenger window. An older gentleman
(he was 74) with a cane and a bad limp was on the other side of that
knock. 

	 “I opened the door. He handed me a plate of chicken strips and
biscuits from the deli and bottles of water. 

	 “‘Feed those babies and yourself young lady. I have a tow truck
on the way and my wife will be here shortly to take y’all home.’ 

	 “Sure enough she arrived followed by the tow truck. Us and our
truck were taken home. 

	 “The next morning the gentleman returned to my house with a
mechanic who replaced my battery and alternator and fixed my window. 

	 “The elderly gentleman then left and did not return. When I asked
what I owed the mechanic and if I could make payments he smiled
telling me the older man had paid for all of it. 

	 “He said that the only payment the older man wanted was for me to
never give up and keep being an amazing mom. 

	 “I've never cried so hard in my life. Things had been absolutely
awful. More so than I care to explain. 

	 “And without knowing us or our situation this kind man helped us
in ways he will never know. 

	 “What he did revived my faith when I was falling apart. But he
wouldn't even take a hug. 

	“I'll never be able to thank him. But I certainly hope one day I
can do what he did for me for someone else.” 6 

	 You and I can change one thing… 

	 But you and I are lucky. We can, with Jesus’ help, change SO much,
SO many times.  

	 Blesséd are you! Blesséd am I! Thanks be to God! 

	NOTES: 

	[1] Br. Luke Ditewig Society of Saint John the Evangelist [1] 3rd
August, 2016 

	2 Micah 6:8, Revised English Bible. 

	3 _“Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes”_ by Kenneth E. Bailey,
InterVaristy Press, Downers Grive, Illinois, © 2008. Pages 370-371. 

	4 Bailey, Op. cit., page 372. 

	5 Bailey, Op. cit., page 372. 

6 http://bit.ly/29l733Q [2] :) ‪ #‎LoveWhatMatters [3] Credit:
Tawny Nelson Via Frank Somerville KTVU [4] July 27 At 12:27am [5] KTVU
| Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FrankSomervilleKTVU/

	 

Links:
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[2]
http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F29l733Q&h=UAQH93p_FAQExgwFqgCQ3DjRciT41CcFspYlYkgMZ8q5Fwg&enc=AZMQVu3RukMZqMKhWkXSfL6r7oUKeJsiGGPIKYABuus19WY6BKCXNKJtammC8Xztmnp0kX1GG_le9oZurIbeVlFiWNRxuMndt3-axghiSjbcog_gokZuD-XcgY1nZJ2A2J3WdVVp2PQNfBU1XWty7ONtlcPQiPogvuFW7r98rgEjL0WlIbANZ1kvTlk60KjddCX2D7txk2uF1opsL2x8jgH5&s=1
[3]
https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/lovewhatmatters?source=feed_text&story_id=1139388109452298
[4] https://www.facebook.com/FrankSomervilleKTVU/
[5]
https://www.facebook.com/FrankSomervilleKTVU/photos/a.394744753922191.92927.162404453822890/1186833578046634/?type=3

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