How many times I’ve heard folks explain their absence from worship with, “I’m just not good enough to go to church”! Congregations are perceived, outside of our walls, as a collection of perfect people who’ve somehow cracked the code of ethical–or at least acceptable–behavior before a demanding and capricious Almighty… These folks have convinced themselves that they’re just bad, that there’s no hope of godly acceptance. Scripture for this weekend speaks hopeful words to those who’ve been cast away by their peer-groups and thus themselves. Who SAYS we’re so bad??
Our opening story is that of Ruth, an outsider, one of those terrible people from Moab (3:1-5; 4:13-17). Naomi, her mother-in-law and the real hero of the story, came up with a way to overcome the stigma of intermarriage so dear to Ezra & Nehemiah. Boaz’ marriage proposal expanded the limits of the “People of God”: now Ruth was embraced and acceptable. Evidently God makes provision even for those–shudder!– Moabites. (see Deuteronomy 23:3) G. Malcolm Sinclair exclaims, “This is huge. It shakes the powerful….It elevates the tender and dirt-real lives of the many.” (FEASTING on the WORD, B 4:269)
In the Letter to the Hebrews 9:24-28 we re-visit the idea of Christ as High Priest. The duties of that official included being advocate for the People, bad as they may have been. Now, in Christ, we have a full-time advocate for our imperfections. Does God need to be reminded of God’s parental love? The community of believers to which the author wrote may have been endangered by “spiritual fatigue” and needed reassurance of their personal & corporate worth. “The entire passage trumpets liberation to all bound by the burden of guilt arising from our failures to ‘measure up’ to God’s desires or even our own best intentions.” (Jane A. Fahey, op.cit.) Our salvation has been established for good!
Mark’s remembrance (12:38-44) of the prideful “religious” and the poor widow who gave all she had should be seen as a contrast between the Ins & the Outs. Jesus didn’t say that God loved one better than the rest; so neither should we. It is noted, however, that the Establishment seemed to have lost its compassion en route to feathering its own nest on the backs of the poor! Even knowing this, the widow gives everything she’s got to maintaining the tottering system. So then does Jesus give everything he’s got to give eternal life to the dregs of humanity–present company included!
The widows in these stories came to abundance and acceptance even in their poverty. Not only were they accepted by their neighbors, but especially by God, who gives a model for today. Those who’ve separated themselves from worship with mis-placed guilt are reminded that a Holy Image has been implanted within them, an Image which is not to be cast aside. Thanks to those who reflect God’s intent by accepting me and other sinners as recipients of holy love, despite our bad habits…
God Bless Us Every One Horace Brown King
My encounters with scripture passages assigned to the upcoming weekend can be found every Tuesday at this spot on Facebook; or at horacebrownking.com
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