Like it or not, Globalization is very much with us. A world economy shakes when upsets in China or Britain change their buying and selling. Immigrants & refugees are an issue ‘way outside of the Middle East. Instant communication informs us of civil abuse or military bullying, shootings and kidnappings even as they happen. Some think that walls will help us define ourselves…but that didn’t work for Hadrian, the Chinese or Berlin. Scriptures read this coming weekend will address diversity and injustice while looking to Christ for mutuality. Uh Oh–looks like a three-point sermon is coming up…
Amos (8:1-12) begins with a prophetic vision of a basket of summer fruit: fresh and juicy now, but soon to turn soggy and rotten. He chastizes merchants for using false balances and selling grain with the “sweepings” in it for added weight. They “trample on the needy and bring to ruin the poor of the land”; therefore watch out! For such injustice, the natural world will turn upside down and God’s word of comfort and care will disappear. It’s not hard to see that the quest for riches, power & prestige hasn’t changed since those days.
BUT…(Point 2 should always feature “But”, and interpose Grace into Hopelessness.) But God has sent “the firstborn of all creation” (Colossians 1:15-28) to restore the brokenness of the people. “In him all things hold together.” We can’t sweep ancient divisions under the rug and pretend they’re not there: they still will be. BUT we and the Colossians are reminded that even WE can find a restoration of Wholeness by Christ. This inclusion is one of the most amazing mysteries of the Church’s all-encompassing embrace!
The Gospel reading is brief and to the point (Luke 10:38-42): Mary & Martha are wired differently, yet are out to serve and please Jesus. Some will compare their vocational choices, but that’s unfair. Others will remember that true discipleship involves both charitable work AND contemplation. Or were Mary & Martha corresponding sides of ONE person trying to multi-task, with accompaning frustration? Jesus accepted the gifts of both sisters in the integrity in which they were given…and, of course, invites us to likewise include The Other(s) just as she is.
There are days when I crawl into a corner, overwhelmed with injustice both ancient and new. But the writer of Colossians keeps coming at me, reminding me that Christ rebuilds our shaky dreams and restores our brokenness. Holiness is experienced in many ways, some of which I haven’t even heard of…and I’ll try even today to apprehend this Holiness in others who my many prejudices disdain.
God Bless Us, Every One! Horace Brown King
My musings concerning lectionary readings for the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this space on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com
My Blog 
Leave a comment