My friends, being that we usually don’t meet for scheduled “holy days” outside of our usual Sunday gatherings, I wanted to take the opportunity of remembering Mary, our mother, sister, and friend for the journey, along with the 20^th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  It has often seemed to me, over the years, that Mary, being a woman, and remembered solely by men in pulpits, gets less than she is worthy of.  While it is wonderful to remember her as a “faithful woman” who said, “yes” to God, it is equally important to remember her strength of character – her willingness to proceed into the unknown, which was what her “yes” truly meant.  It took great strength and courage to give the world a son who would do much to change the entire world – one who we would say today was about making, “good trouble,” so that each of us, and all, could hopefully enjoy a good and meaningful life. 

   Jesus found his world, much as we find our world today –  the powerful versus those with no power – mainly women and children, and he said “no” to that! Of course that got him into trouble, and not, “good trouble” for speaking up against the “powers” of his time.  Life in our present-day world looks much the same, I think we all could agree. 

   Interestingly, Mary’s “yes” in being willing to walk-in-faith, not knowing the outcome of giving the world such an amazing son, who would challenge the powers of his time, would bring great “trouble” into her life as well. 

   Beginning with her conception of a child outside of marriage – something she could hardly explain in a way that would make her human neighbors understand anything other than that she was a wanton woman.

   Mary was complicit with her God in giving the world Jesus, and she had the strength of character to say, “yes” and stand beside her son through all the disbelief and misunderstanding of others, all the way to the cross, in order that, as we will sing again later, in the beautiful canticle – her Magnificat, [they] “would pull the mighty from their thrones.” 

   These are the actions of a strong, vibrant, and formidable woman, not one to place on a pedestal, out of sight and mind.  If one woman’s “yes” could bring the “powerful down,” this is not something those with power in our Church today would want to lift up going forward, thus we often, most often do not hear of this Mary.  And this reminds me of the double standard, not only in our Church, but in our world in general of seeing the strong actions of women in a negative way, whereas the same actions by a man are seen as positive – a point in fact that was quite well demonstrated in the movie, Barbie, which we viewed recently. 

   So, my friends, completing our thoughts on Mary – mother, sister and friend – I would like to lift up, along with her courage and strength as a woman, attributes our Church so needs today, her “purely human nature,” the reason that we can name her as, “a friend for our journey” whether female or male. 

   Beginning with the conception of Jesus, a reading we didn’t use today, we see her being extremely human, “How can this be, since I have never been with a man?”  Then, in the 1^st reading selected for today from the gospel of Luke, her pure humanness is seen again as she and Joseph lose Jesus for a few days on a trip to and from Jerusalem.  Jesus we need to remember was only 12. 

   When they finally find him, teaching the “learned men” in the Temple, we hear the very human Mary say, “Son , why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been so worried!”  Jesus’ response should not be seen as a smart-alec one from a teenager, but as a response that clearly shows his “otherness,” his unique mission on this earth, and I would submit that this is how Mary took what he said, as Luke tells us, “Mary treasured all these things in her heart, “ not truly understanding, which shows I think, her patient faith in awaiting God’s time.  Additionally, this patient faith, awaiting what would come next was something she and Joseph would deal with again and again through this “precious life” that was given into their keeping. 

  And really, when we think about it, is this any different from what other human parents experience in raising their children? – one never really knows if what they teach and instruct their children to do, in order to “become their best” is what will indeed make this a reality. 

   We see that Mary and Joseph are blessed as “Jesus returned to Nazareth and was obedient to them” – an action that no doubt confirmed their faith and, “as he grew in wisdom and grace,” their hope as well. 

   So, what of us my friends – how are we to make sense of Mary’s journey as we reflect on our own, attempting to walk, not only in hers, but also her son’s footsteps?  In today’s actual feast, the 20^th Sunday in OT, we heard the writer to the Hebrews say, “Let us not lose sight of Jesus,” [so that] “You will not grow weary and lose heart.”  To this I would add, Mary’s name specifically, and Joseph’s name too, because as most theologians and Scripture scholars attest, “Jesus had to have come into this human would as we all do, as quite a blank slate,” and we can be sure that his mother and father taught him many good things for navigating in his world. 

   Last week we talked about how we each have a “creative spark” within us, given by God – we might call that our “spiritual self.”  And we can be sure that Jesus was so endowed. 

   Then, moving into the actual gospel reading for the 20^th Sunday in OT, we hear Jesus’ question to the people in his time, and to us, “Do you suppose I have come to bring peace of earth?” to which he basically responds, “I have not!” We can only imagine that Jesus’s words were disturbing when he first uttered them, and in all truth, we probably have to admit, these words disturb us too!  So again, what are we to see here? 

   We humans, even though, spiritual, tend to pick the easiest thing to do, another part of being human – basically taking care of ourselves.  The thing is though; we are spiritual beings too and that calls us to, a bit more.  Jesus, in today’s gospel from Luke 12 reminds us that following him, truly following him, will bring dissention in our families, putting sister against brother and so on. 

   This “Jesus-following,” walking a faith-filled, courageous life as his mother Mary did, will ask us at times, to stand alone in order that all of created life is respected and cared for.  And we can gain hope from remembering that our brother, Jesus, even at 12, “amazed” others “at his understanding and his answers,” speaking truth to power.

   So, I would like to conclude with a short, true story that happened to me this week, which points to us keeping the faith, holding onto hope in the face of what we can’t fully understand.

   I arrived home after making some visits and doing errands.  I was unloading the car when another car drove in behind me.  It was an extra for FedEx I believe and he had a package for me.  He noticed our yellow and blue colors representing Ukraine on our garage and asked, “Are you Ukrainian?  I said no, but we are supportive. He answered in an excited tone, “I am Ukrainian!” to which I said, “God bless you!”  Amen? Amen!

My friends, there is much wisdom and challenge in the readings the Church has given us this week – let’s take a deeper look.  The Wisdom writer says to the Israelite people, “And this was the covenant [you all] made with God – that the holy people would share all things – blessings and dangers alike.” A little play on the words, “holy people” would be to say, “people who are holy,” indicating I think, that action is required from those who are indeed, “holy.”  As the writer says, those who are “holy” share in both the [joys and sorrows] of others.  And as we learn in watching our brother Jesus, it is what we who claim to be his followers – Christians that is, are called to do!

   And granted, the days in which we are presently living challenge us as never before to be our best selves – naming the lies when we hear them, speaking truth to power, especially for and with those who seemingly have no voice.

   In today’s 2^nd reading we find confidence and strength for this awesome task in the writer to the Hebrews:  “Faith is the confident assurance of what we hope for, the conviction about the things we do not see.” 

   “Faith,” we know, is what allowed all of us to begin and/or form a community, which in our 17^th year is still attracting new people – and none of us knew in 2008 whether this venture would be something that would be good for people or not, but we “walked ahead” in faith anyway.  The “unbelievers,” primarily the hierarchy of our beloved Church said that we were “playing” at ordaining a women as priests, and that this action along with forming communities of believers was “confusing” to those not a part of us. 

   But yet, here we are, 17 years later and it would seem that the only ones “confused” were the hierarchy.  Faith, coupled with hope gave us the strength to move ahead, not knowing the end result, working at being, “holy,” at being our best selves. 

   Some of the early members of All Are One have “gone home” to God, and I believe are praying for all of us, still.  This past week I visited Sue and Bob in their home, and I shared about our Mary Magdala Mass on the Farm, to which they said, “We were with you in spirit!”  When I visit Jim at St. Anne’s in Winona and share that we continue to pray for him, he tells me that he prays for and remembers us as well.  Several weeks back I gave Patte, now living with her son and daughter-in-law in Cincinnati, a phone call and let her know too that she is still in our warm thoughts and prayers with her responding in like manner to Jim, that she remembers us too!  My friends, these attempts on our parts to stay connected to those of our community whose life situations have changed is all about, as the Wisdom writer says, “sharing in the blessings and dangers alike” – it is what “holy people” do!

   The writer of Psalm 33 today touches on another aspect of “this being holy.” Happy are the people who are chosen to be God’s own.  I believe most of us have heard this reading over the years, thinking of the Jewish people as the “Chosen Ones,” but in reality, we know from our brother Jesus, that we are all chosen.  The psalmist prays then for all of us, “May your love be upon us [God] as we place all our hope in you.” Before leaving this section, I think it is important to lift up, that it is one thing, “to be chosen,” but quite another “to respond,” to being chosen! 

   A  few examples from this past week that I noticed of some of the responses being made: 

• People lining both sides of the streets on the corner of Main and Broadway here in Winona, speaking their truth  — hoping for a renewed time when “lying will again be wrong,” when democracy, not autocracy will live again, when “kindness, not meanness” will be the action of the day, and when those in power will again act for the good of all.
• A group of perhaps 50 or more meeting this past week in Winona to organize a rapid response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or as some have labeled, “the Gestapo” coming into our community.  This meeting educated those present about the basic rights that anyone, citizen or not, have in our country. 
• A great many, folks meeting in a local coffee shop and eatery, writing postcards to all in power, asking them to live up to our Constitution – which they promised to be faithful to – basically serving all in our country. 

   There are, no doubt, more examples of people in our world trying to be their “best selves,” responding appropriately to the awesomeness of being “chosen” by our God to make this world better, but you get the idea. 

   We probably all smiled to hear today in the 2^nd reading from Hebrews, that from one woman and one man, “as good as dead” came descendants “as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sands of the seashore.”  It is truly a great history that we are part of! Many of you, have, no doubt, traveled to the sea or even to a favorite beach and walked along the sandy shores as well as looking at the heavens in star-filled skies and know of the wonder of the above statement of the writer to the Hebrews.  Our brother Jesus has told us that “with God, all things are possible,” – good words to remember in the times in which we live when it seems that every day there arises an issue of greed, and selfish  meanness that we must address. 

   So, my friends, moving on to today’s gospel from Luke, we receive one more piece of wisdom from Jesus to point us in the right direction – “wherever your treasure lies, there your heart will be.”  Said another way, attempting “to be holy,” we will strive every day, with all our strength, to be our best selves, which will not only benefit us, but all others who need us to act, to care, in this way.     Additionally, Jesus encourages us, “to be ready,” to do the right thing, not to wait for a future date, but to act now, today, and every day.

   In conclusion, when our faith and hope seem low and hard to hold onto, it would be good to once again remember our parents in the faith, Sarah, and Abraham, “as good as dead,” as the writer to the Hebrews says, but in actuality, began a family of descendants, “as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sands of the seashore.” 

And finally, as our brother Jesus reminds in the gospel today, we have been given much, and “much is required” as well. It is what Christians are called to…

Amen? Amen!

My friends, at face value, after hearing our 1^st reading today from Ecclesiastes about “everything being futile,” we might feel inclined to say, “Bah! Humbug!”  But let’s look further.  This reading from someone named, Qoheleth, thought actually by many to be, King Solomon, known for his wisdom in ruling and making decisions, comes as I said above from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, which in its entirety, is classified as Wisdom Literature. 

   This reading, along with the other two chosen for today have the common theme of “trusting in God,” to lead us in good and just ways.  Qoheleth, or Solomon speaks of the “meaningless and emptiness” he sees in life without God – “of striving for worldly success.” Solomon continues, “putting our faith and trust in God helps us to find fulfillment.”  And, in all of this, I find myself thinking of “balance” – the joys to be experienced in our human existence, that our God intended for us; meaningful relationships of love and caring, procreation of the next generation, seeking after knowledge, and sharing it with others, enjoying the gifts of this world, food, travel, finding our calling in life and more…are all good and meaningful pursuits, but as with anything, taken to extremes, tend to lead us astray, thus the importance of balance, putting all in their right place.

   When we speak of “trust in God,” supposedly that God will “show us the way,” we realize that the “image of God” is probably different for most of us – what is meaningful for one might not be meaningful for another, and that is okay. 

   With this in mind, I would like to address the concept of “Lord” once again, that we have talked about in the past.  I have previously stated that we will try for the most part not to use this term because it speaks of “power over,” a concept that our brother Jesus often spoke against, living himself, apart from that idea, addressing our equality, one and all before God.

   Practically speaking though, aside from what the term linguistically means, many of us have used the word, “Lord” all our lives, as part of how we address God, and don’t necessarily think when using the word as God “lording” it over us, so to speak – we use it more, out of loving respect. 

   So, my friends, I have addressed the concept of a powerful God, as imaged in the term, “Lord,” but if that term is still meaningful to you, I don’t want to take that away.  Going forward, as I have done in past years, we will strike a balance of many different names for our God.  This reminds me of a book that I am presently reading, Freeing Jesus, by Diane Butler Bass, wherein she is basically saying that each of us needs to allow God-to-be-God, and in not putting God “in a box” of our own making, we will continue to discover this, Ever-watchful friend, Great Spirit, Creator, Revealer, opening up to us in many and varied ways. Again, balance.

   So, moving back to that original theme, seemingly tying the three readings together, that of “trusting in God,” we hear Paul telling the Colossians that through baptism, they have, “true life in Christ” – Christ being the way Paul knows Jesus.  He goes on to say that now, “Christ … is your life.” And because “Christ is now your life,” [you should]  “set your heart on higher realms.” And Paul goes on to tell the Colossians that this “Christ” has no distinctions in caring for us, “Greek or Jew, slave or free” – and we can add, “male or female,” as he had already added this in his earlier letter to the Galatians. 

   Before leaving the 2^nd reading to the Colossians, I would like to lift up Paul’s use of “heart,” to distinguish on “how” they live their lives – stating, “set your heart” on higher realms – anything we come at out of “love,” which resides, “in the heart,” always has a better outcome. 

   The writer of Psalm 95 would seem to agree, “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.”  Today, when you arrived, you had the chance to take a stone to perhaps carry around this next week to remind you of this important piece of wisdom. And as we reflected earlier, look for God’s voice everywhere – not just in church, or when you officially pray, but out in nature, at home with family, or with friends – anywhere and everywhere! 

   I am just in the beginning chapter of the book I mentioned earlier, Freeing Jesus, wherein the author shares an experience she had at the National Cathedral in Washington where she said she distinctly heard Jesus speaking to her from an artistic representation on the wall. Jesus said, “Get me out of here!”  It took her a while to accept that, “in the silence,” Jesus was indeed speaking to her, and it would only be much later that she would attempt, “freeing Jesus,” allowing him/God to BE as God is!

   The final reading today my friends from Luke seems to speak to our free will, given by God to either trust in God’s wisdom to live our best lives, or to go our own way choosing what perhaps “feels good” at the time without taking any responsibility for the outcomes.  And even though God would want us to choose, “to be our best selves,” living “balanced lives,” God will not step in and take our free will away. 

   I have always loved this story in Luke’s gospel for today, and have smiled over the farmer’s answer to his great harvest – “I know, I’ll build bigger barns!”  — instead of being satisfied with “enough” and sharing the surplus.  Once again, balance. 

   Even though God doesn’t “step in” my friends, and choose for us, in the words of the Bible Translation, The Message, in the 23^rd Psalm, God will keep “chasing after us,” all the days of our lives,” setting people and messages in our paths, “to show us the way.”  So, once again, “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts!”  Amen? Amen!