Sunday, August 14, 2022

Thunderheads and a Puzzling Gospel Passage

                                                                      Thunderhead cloud

 "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!


 I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!

 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division!

 From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three;

 they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

 He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'It is going to rain'; and so it happens.

And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat'; and it happens.

You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?     
Luke 12: 49-56

We weren't in church this morning and were on the water instead. We had a beautiful paddle and there wasn't a threatening cloud in the sky. There, it's been said that confession is good for the soul. Sunday worship will resume for us soon enough. This meant we were away early and I didn't get to my blog entry, but here it is. 

There are congregations which use what is called the Common Lectionary, a table of scripture lessons which runs through three years with passages from the Older and Newer Testaments. I noticed that in the United States there was online discussion about how to preach the passage above, which is certainly not "gentle Jesus, meek and mild." These verses from Luke are  about as "smitey" as Jesus gets, and could be used or misused to thunder against the perceived enemy on right or left. 

Jesus does seems to be conceding that even though he preaches and teaches the Good News of a new reign of God which is not based on might and power, there are times when decision will lead to division, as one commentator has put it. 

In the States the divide between political camps has become a dark chasm with little common ground. Since the FBI raid on former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in search of classified documents earlier in the week the rhetoric of division has become even more heated and there have been incidents where domestic terrorists have attacked government facilities, seemingly in angry response to what transpired. Some are suggesting that there are the thunderclouds of a form of civil war on the near horizon. Sadly, some expressions of Christianity are fanning the flames of discontent and violence. While we may feel safer on this side of the border we are witnessing increasing political polarization here in Canada, although not to the same extent. 

Is Jesus actually advocating divisiveness? What happened to "blessed are the peacemakers" and "those who live by the sword will die by the sword"? 

I'm grateful that I wasn't trying to address this from a pulpit today! Could it be that Jesus understood that even a gospel of peace and forgiveness may result in alienation? We are meant to read the signs of the times and choose the path which is faithful to the Crucified and Risen One, wherever that may lead us. Not only did Jesus die because of his radical message, so did many of his followers, including Peter and Paul. As the people of Christ we won't choose conflict but we won't hide from the truth either, wherever that leads us.

This is all too much for the Dog Days of Summer, don't you think? 




3 comments:

Judy said...

That passage seems to contradict all most of us learned about the Prince of Peace, for sure.... but careful reading of the Gospel stories shows that Jesus was not always meek and mild, and not always kind to those who did not fit the image He had of the Kingdom of God.

David Mundy said...

Do you ever wonder if the gospel writers were just having a cranky moment, and maybe Jesus as well? Perhaps all will be revealed Judy.

Judy said...

Given the times they lived in, and the circumstances under which they led their daily lives, you could never scold them for feeling cranky at times !