Episcopal Church of Our Savior

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Sister Ellen Francis Epiphany 4, Year C, Sun January 28, 2007 Our Savior Jer 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-17; 1 Cor 14:12b-20; Luke 4:21-32 Quote: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Point: scripture is still fulfilled today; prayer for peace in our time Illus: not being in the present while on vacation; anti-war lobbying Some years ago, I was working very hard and very long hours. So I finally decided that I needed some time off. I went to a retreat house that had beautiful woods and walking trails. It was October, and the weather was clear and crisp, and not too cold. One day I went for a walk. The sky was perfectly clear. The leaves on the trees were bright yellow and shone like gold in the sunlight. As I walked along the trails, I suddenly realized that on this perfect and peaceful day, I was worrying about what had happened at work the week before and what would happen at work the week after. I was hardly seeing the beautiful trees and sunlight, and I wasn’t letting myself relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. I wasn’t getting the complete rest that I needed. I wasn’t really present where I was. * * * * * It often is difficult to see and relish in the full beauty and the blessings of the present moment. It may be even harder to let the present moment change us, at our core, in the most fundamental ways. This was true of the people of Nazareth when they heard Jesus say,“Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). The people were amazed at what he’s saying, and spoke highly of him, but they didn’t understand what his words meant. In the verses just before today’s reading, Jesus read to the crowd from the book of the prophet Isaiah: “The Spirit of the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor,… to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Isaiah 61:1-2). When they heard these words, they expected quick and easy miracles, just for themselves. Jesus was trying to give them even better news, and to tell them that the healing and saving power of the Holy Spirit was meant to transform the social order, and to bring justice and peace to all peoples. It is fulfilled, he says, not like magic That would suddenly make everything easy and perfect. Rather, it is fulfilled in a deep and perhaps even difficult transformation, turning inside out and upside down the world order as we know it. The captives will be released; the oppressed will go free; the injured will be healed, and we will all be part of a new creation, changed and made new by the healing power of the cross. Jesus says, this promise is being fulfilled today, right here, right now. And, it is being fulfilled for all people. The people of Nazareth are furious when they think they hear that these blessings may not be intended only for them. They hear, in fact, that they may miss out altogether. Jesus trys to tell them that it is by the Spirit and will of God that blessing is bestowed, not by human decision or priorities. They are hoping for a quick fix of all their problems, but Jesus offers them transformation into a people who are blessed, forgiven, loving, and at peace. * * * * * I am still involved in the anti-war movement, and in particular I’m working against possible U.S. military action against Iran. (I’ll be flying out the door after the service today, and I’m sorry to miss lunch, so I ask your forgiveness in advance.) I’ll be catching a train to Washington D.C. to lobby our legislators against starting a war with Iran. I do hope that, like Jeremiah, God will put words in our mouths that will make a difference for peace. It’s easy to wish that Jesus had said that he would in a moment take away all suffering. It’s easy to wish for a quick fix to all the conflict in the world. Yet this is not what Jesus promises us, tThough what he promises us, instead, is still Good News. I will carry the words of today’s Gospel with me next week: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). “Today” meant back then, in Nazareth, and also means here, today, right now. In our hearing and in our sight, we today are also witnesses to the power and grace of God to heal us, and bless us, and bring justice to all peoples. This is God’s promise, and it is spoken to us with divine authority, through the words of Jesus. Right here and now, in this place, in this community, in our personal lives, and even in our fragile, distressed world, the Spirit of God is being fulfilled by the possibility of transformation into a people blessed, renewed, and hopeful. * * * * * In our collect for today, we prayed for God’s peace “in our time”. Of all the things we might pray for, this may seem the most remote. We know that God’s peace will reign someday, at the end of time. But today’s scripture gives us hope even for today, in our own lives, in our community, in our church, and in the world. This is possible, and it is promised, through the saving grace of Christ. Today, here, now, we may still be the recipients of God’s grace and love. Today, there is still reason for hope for the peace in the world and reconciliation among peoples. Today, and always, there is the possibility of transformation that can bring true change and healing, and a new creation in which prisoners go free, the blind regain their sight, and the poor and those who mourn and the powerless are the most blessed children of God. O Lord our God, in our time, grant us your peace. Amen.

Sister Ellen Francis

Epiphany 4, Year C, Sun January 28, 2007 Our Savior
Jer 1:4-10; Psalm 71:1-17; 1 Cor 14:12b-20; Luke 4:21-32

Quote: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
Point: scripture is still fulfilled today; prayer for peace in our time
Illus: not being in the present while on vacation; anti-war lobbying

Some years ago, I was working very hard and very long hours.
So I finally decided that I needed some time off.
I went to a retreat house that had beautiful woods and walking trails.
It was October, and the weather was clear and crisp, and not too cold.
One day I went for a walk.
The sky was perfectly clear.
The leaves on the trees were bright yellow and shone like gold in the sunlight.
As I walked along the trails, I suddenly realized that on this perfect and peaceful day, I was worrying about what had happened at work the week before and what would happen at work the week after.
I was hardly seeing the beautiful trees and sunlight, and I wasn’t letting myself relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.
I wasn’t getting the complete rest that I needed.
I wasn’t really present where I was.
* * * * *
It often is difficult to see and relish in the full beauty and the blessings of the present moment.
It may be even harder to let the present moment change us, at our core, in the most fundamental ways.
This was true of the people of Nazareth when they heard Jesus say,“Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
The people were amazed at what he’s saying, and spoke highly of him, but they didn’t understand what his words meant.
In the verses just before today’s reading, Jesus read to the crowd from the book of the prophet Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor,… to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Isaiah 61:1-2).
When they heard these words, they expected quick and easy miracles, just for themselves.
Jesus was trying to give them even better news, and to tell them that the healing and saving power of the Holy Spirit was meant to transform the social order, and to bring justice and peace to all peoples.
It is fulfilled, he says, not like magic That would suddenly make everything easy and perfect.
Rather, it is fulfilled in a deep and perhaps even difficult transformation, turning inside out and upside down the world order as we know it.
The captives will be released; the oppressed will go free; the injured will be healed,
and we will all be part of a new creation, changed and made new by the healing power of the cross.
Jesus says, this promise is being fulfilled today, right here, right now.
And, it is being fulfilled for all people.
The people of Nazareth are furious when they think they hear that these blessings may not be intended only for them.
They hear, in fact, that they may miss out altogether.
Jesus trys to tell them that it is by the Spirit and will of God that blessing is bestowed, not by human decision or priorities.
They are hoping for a quick fix of all their problems, but Jesus offers them transformation into a people who are blessed, forgiven, loving, and at peace.
* * * * *
I am still involved in the anti-war movement, and in particular I’m working against possible U.S. military action against Iran.
(I’ll be flying out the door after the service today, and I’m sorry to miss lunch, so I ask your forgiveness in advance.)
I’ll be catching a train to Washington D.C. to lobby our legislators against starting a war with Iran.
I do hope that, like Jeremiah, God will put words in our mouths that will make a difference for peace.
It’s easy to wish that Jesus had said that he would in a moment take away all suffering.
It’s easy to wish for a quick fix to all the conflict in the world.
Yet this is not what Jesus promises us, tThough what he promises us, instead, is still Good News.
I will carry the words of today’s Gospel with me next week:
“Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
“Today” meant back then, in Nazareth, and also means here, today, right now.
In our hearing and in our sight, we today are also witnesses to the power and grace of God
to heal us, and bless us, and bring justice to all peoples.
This is God’s promise, and it is spoken to us with divine authority, through the words of Jesus.
Right here and now, in this place, in this community, in our personal lives, and even in our fragile, distressed world,
the Spirit of God is being fulfilled by the possibility of transformation into a people blessed, renewed, and hopeful.
* * * * *
In our collect for today, we prayed for God’s peace “in our time”.
Of all the things we might pray for, this may seem the most remote.
We know that God’s peace will reign someday, at the end of time.
But today’s scripture gives us hope even for today, in our own lives, in our community, in our church, and in the world.
This is possible, and it is promised, through the saving grace of Christ.
Today, here, now, we may still be the recipients of God’s grace and love.
Today, there is still reason for hope for the peace in the world and reconciliation among peoples.
Today, and always, there is the possibility of transformation that can bring true change and healing, and a new creation in which prisoners go free, the blind regain their sight, and the poor and those who mourn and the powerless are the most blessed children of God.

O Lord our God, in our time, grant us your peace. Amen.