Church of the Good Shepherd

August 12, 2007
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14, Year C)
Genesis 15:1-6; Psalm 33:12-22; Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16; Luke 12:32-40

I read this passage from Luke's gospel a few weeks ago, and carried it around with me in my mind and heart for a while.  At first read, it's about the difference between earthly, material treasure and the treasure of heaven.  This is one of those short but packed gospel passages that offer comfort and insight and challenge.  It starts out with the reassuring words: "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom” – generous words that could be spoken by a kind parent to a precious child.  A parallel gospel to Matthew 6, where Jesus gives instructions for Christian living in the Sermon on the Mount, it then speaks about our treasure, where we choose to place it and what meaning we place in it.  This passage is widely and wisely used to talk about stewardship, our annual giving to support the work of the church and our investment in our local, national and global communities.  And it talks about priorities, about carefully discerning what is important enough in our lives to invest those treasures for which we work so hard.  In subtle ways, I think it also implies that truly gifted treasure comes from the heart, an expression of faith, in things seen and unseen; otherwise it's not a really a gift but a purchase.  And it cautions us to understand the difference between earthly possessions, (material wealth with the perceived power and entitlement that it can sometimes bring), and real wealth, our lasting treasure that will not wear out, or be used up or replaced with something newer and flashier – lasting treasure that will be stored up safely in heaven.

It was with these thoughts, along with my prized copy of Harry Potter, that I made my way to the Cape, ready for a much needed rest, time away, to put aside all that was weighing me down and wearing me out and to just slow down, to renew my tired spirit in the sand and surf, to read, to just be, without a schedule or obligations.  Sounds idyllic!  But actually like most of us, my mind and my heart were pulled into a million different directions: job obligations, financial obligations, family transitions, what if we had terrible weather?  Challenges on every front and I realized that as I was entering into this vacation time, I was actually a bit grumpy.  So on the drive down, I tried to focus on these familiar words of the Gospel, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  I used the method of African Bible Study, where you focus on the one word or phrase out of a passage that speaks to you, whoever and wherever you are at that moment in your life, clearing your mind, breathing it in, making space for God to speak to you through the words of holy scripture,  And the word that kept coming to me was generosity, and not generosity in terms of charity or donations, but generosity of spirit, as a way of being in this world, as a way of seeing, as a way of living, as a way of being in relationships.

I usually start to relax as soon as I'm on “the right side of the bridge,” and by the time I got there I was slipping into a better frame of mind.  I love returning to this well loved and well known little place I stay.  It's private and quiet and beautiful.  I was greeted with a vase of fresh hydrangeas, and in the first moments of being there I saw up close a baby bunny, a chipmunk, a pair of cardinals, some of nature's treasures, and my tension melted away. 

And I continued to ponder this concept of living from a place of generosity.  As God reveals life's meaning, unfolded over the times of our lives, what would that look like?

As Christian beings we may be called to be leaders of our families, in our workplaces, in the church, but we are not the Master.  And we are reminded in today's gospel that we need to stay awake and prepare for the priorities of God.  God, who is abundant in His offering of blessings, is also high in expectations.  What if, instead of allowing ourselves to get bogged down with our own expectations, we stayed alert to new opportunities and new possibilities?  What if we were able to learn from the past, but not be held captive there?  What if we were able to truly be present, every moment of every day, to live in the here and now while looking forward to the not yet?  What if instead of getting stuck on all the little things that drive us crazy about a person, we could look for the treasure that is each of us?  We, to whom God gives the kingdom with great pleasure and care, are in the world, and in relationships.  We know that each of us has a story that has led us to become who we are and how we see the world, and that story continues to be written.  What if we brought that knowledge to even the briefest encounter?  What if we really understood that we are complex beings, that to our stories we bring enormous gifts as well as lasting bruises?  That there is more to each of us than most people see.  What if we took the time to really listen to each others' stories?  What if we lived from that place of generosity and intentionally treated each other in ways that enabled and encouraged us to be the very best we can be? That's not Pollyanna talking.  It might be “the glass is half full” outlook, but it's hard work and it takes practice.  I think it is what God is calling us to do and be.  And what a wonderful gift it would be, to give that model of living and being to Lucas on this day of his baptism, as we welcome him into the community that is the holy church of God.

I did get a chance to read on the Cape.  The wildly popular Harry Potter books have taken a lot of flack in some religious circles.  People have gotten hung up on witchcraft and spells and the fact that the characters don't go to church or overtly pray.  But if you understand prayer as I do, as not just devotions, but also as a way of living and responding to God's call, and you understand that magical thinking is a normal part of every child's development, the resurrection theology in which these stories are immersed becomes clear.  In the final book of the series, we learn a lot about the back story, about the complexities that have made up the characters.  We learn that no one is all bad, all evil or all good and free of temptation or wrong choices.  Along with the classic battle of good versus evil, we finally see clearly the themes of fidelity and friendship; of greed and generosity; of human frailty and strength; of courage and self sacrifice; of the legacies, good and bad, that we leave to our children.  We are with Harry and Hermione when they see the words that their beloved teacher Dumbledore was inspired to write on the tombstone of his mother, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  Harry isn't sure he understands the meaning at first, but with good friends and great models of courage and faithfulness and generosity, he learns what he must do and who he is called to be.

So I invite you now to take a minute to ponder these words from our gospel in the context of your own life:
Where is your heart?