My friends, it would seem that even on a surface level this week, “being a prophet” is  the issue we are called to ponder.  I like the word, “ponder” as it suggests we are looking at any issue in more than a surface way. 

   As always, let’s look to today’s Scriptures to see what this means in our everyday lives.  The prophet Ezekiel in the 1^st reading today doesn’t seem to have a very pleasing task given him by God’s Spirit.  We learn in this short reading from chapter 2 that the people have been, “rebellious, defiant, and stubborn”—not encouraging words as a “potential prophet” enters in.  And additionally, we learn another interesting thing about being a prophet—it is not as important that the people change their ways as it is that the “prophet speaks.” 

   Thus, the onus is not completely on the prophet to get people to in effect, “be better,”  but on the people themselves.  At the very least Scripture says, “they will know that a prophet has come among them.” 

   I believe it is good as we reflect on this passage, as well as on the 2^nd reading from Corinthians with Paul, and the Gospel from Mark with Jesus, to try and put ourselves in their places to understand, and appreciate what it truly means, “to be a prophet,” because as followers of our brother Jesus, we each are called to the same.  By spending time with each of these three prophets, Ezekiel, Paul, and Jesus, we realize that we are in “good company” first off, and we are able to find “our way” perhaps in acting likewise.

   We can only imagine that for each, a certain bit of “fear: was present, and perhaps some “reluctance,” to be “the one,” to speak out—there would be some who would believe, and others who would not.  Having others “believe and be accepting of” what we say that is perhaps new, even challenging can be a “heady thing,” and one has to always work toward a balance in “speaking the truth,” and letting that “ability” go to our heads. 

   There was the possible danger of that happening to Paul as he was given a [so-called] “thorn in his side” to keep that tendency in check.  Paul asked God to remove the “thorn” on several occasions, only to be told, “my grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” And it would seem that as Paul persevered in his call, “to be a prophet,” he learned a powerful lesson, saying, “when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong.” 

   I know personally, as I reflect on the privilege of pastoring this parish, that I am subject too, in my humanity, to letting it all “go to my head.”  Over the years, I have said to Robert, “If you ever see me becoming proud, pompous, and arrogant, please stop me!”

   This week we probably get our best advice, and counsel on the “gift of prophecy” from our brother Jesus. We see him “going home,” and finding more rejection than acceptance, saying to his apostles and disciples, then and now, “prophets [have] honor, except in their hometown and among their own relatives…”  Such was the case with me and my ordination—more who didn’t really know me were supportive, than those who did; some family members, and close friends were, as for Jesus, “stumbling blocks,” as I was, probably, in ways for them—“you are upsetting the applecart,” as we say in a more colloquial fashion—I was doing something, “out of the ordinary,” the status quo, something the Church fathers hadn’t sanctioned, and at that point, family and friendly connections for some didn’t matter—the law did.

   So my friends, as we ponder these Scriptures that really encourage us to be “prophets” in our world; a world that so needs those who will call a lie, a lie when they hear it, will challenge injustice when it is so blatant in minority groups of people, and who will simply strive every day, “to be their best,” even when there are few to model that behavior for them.

   I mentioned a few Sundays ago that I am reading a new book about Jimmy Carter, entitled, His Very Best.  Author Jonathan Alter no doubt named his work after a personal work by Carter, in his long life, entitled, in question form, Why Not the Best?

   This question for Carter came originally in his Navy days with a superior officer who asked him if, “he had done his best?” on a particular project, to which Carter answered, “No.”  His superior asked, “Why Not?”  Carter, it seems, has worked on his answer for the rest of his long life after, and I would guess will continue working on this challenge, “to be his best,” with whatever time he has remaining. 

   I have in the past addressed the Church’s Season of Ordinary Time, saying that it should perhaps be called, “Extra-Ordinary Time” because of all the challenge the Scriptures hold for us during these many weeks. And what I have come to these last years is that the “ordinary” things that each of us is called to “every” day of our Christian lives is the same challenge that Ezekiel, Paul and Jesus had in their lives; “to stand up, stand out, to be top-of-the-line—a real cutting edge!”

   As we look at our world, both in Church and State, we unfortunately don’t see much that is “cutting edge,” but more that I would humbly suggest are being, “stumbling blocks.”  Thus, we can’t wait for the “powers-that-be” in either Church or State, but must humbly speak our truth when called to do so, and this will be different for each of us.

   And if we aren’t always sure where to start, we can turn to Jesus’ words with the counsel, “check the fruits”—if you see peace, justice, and well-being happening—join in! If not, and the world picture looks full of distrust, chaos, self-centeredness, and injustice, speak from your hearts the truth that you hold there.  It has been said, “the heart is wiser than the head.”  And finally, when all is said and done, realize that like Ezekiel, you are not responsible for the ultimate change in people—but you are responsible for speaking the truth you know—perhaps your “speaking out” will plant a seed that will grow later—but again, you are responsible to do this much at least! Amen?  Amen!

My friends, as we continue on in Ordinary Time, a good place it seems to start today is with the Wisdom writer who said, in the 1^st reading that, [we] “are modeled [each of us] on the divine.”  That seems to go along well with the writer, whose name I am forgetting, who said, “We are spiritual people here, having a human experience.” 

   The idea that we “are modeled after the divine” is not just a “static” fact, but one that comes with a responsibility to strive to be our best.  The Wisdom writer goes on to say that “God created all things to be alive —[everything] is meant to be wholesome,” and additionally that, “justice lasts forever.”

   Now, if it is true that, “justice lasts forever,” and that our brother Jesus, came to “show us the way,” it would seem that part of our responsibility as his followers would be to have an awareness of the times and places where “justice isn’t equally given out in the lives of others, and this, by the way, includes ourselves!  Sometimes in our zeal to help others live a better life, we forget about ourselves.  This is often the case in the lives of many women who tend for the most part to be the givers/helpers in society, not often remembering themselves. 

   Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians in the 2^nd reading today, speaks about what really needs to be a “balancing” act in our lives. He quotes Scripture saying, “the one who gathered much had no excess, and the one who gathered little did not go short.”  In perhaps more simple language we could say, “at present, I have a surplus, and I need to, as a follower of Jesus, view that against another’s present need” –one day the surplus may belong to another, and I may be in need, with the hope that others will share with me! 

   Earlier, I spoke of women not always remembering to include themselves in the equation of “giving to others.”  Jesus, in today’s Gospel selection from Mark addresses this issue through the lives of two females.  It’s important from the get-go that we be aware that neither Jairus’ daughter, nor the woman with the unusual blood flow are named—the same is often true in other stories where children of either sex are spoken of—neither women, girls or boys had any standing in the culture in which Jesus lived and ministered, so why name them was probably the thought. 

   Next, let’s look at how Jesus handles each situation:  In a general way, wherever he finds injustice, his natural response seems to be, “to heal” –to bring understanding, compassion, and love. 

   In the case of the little, unnamed girl, Jesus hears with compassion the pain of her father, as he asks Jesus to heal her.  Jesus, I believe, is also trying to address our human tendency, to see the “glass half-empty” as opposed to “half-full.”  When the attendant arrives to say that “the little girl has died,” Jesus counters this with, “she is only sleeping.” 

   On one level—the surface that is, the child is dead, but Jesus wants to strengthen their faith—to see what may be beyond their human eyes.

   In the second story of the woman with the unusual blood flow, he is again working at addressing and strengthening the peoples’ faith. The woman with the physical condition already believes in something she can’t explain—”if I can only touch him,” I will be healed, and she believes in the miracle the moment it happens! 

   Additionally, I believe Jesus is trying to uplift the injustice that women face in his society by the mere fact of how they happened to have been born, and as such, he cares for, touches and heals females who suffer not only physically, but emotionally, and spiritually by the lack of equal justice in their world that doesn’t even name them! These are acts he wouldn’t have to do in his society, but then we know that he is always about, “doing something new!”

   Edward Foley, Capuchin friar, is well-known in  his book, From Age to Age: How Christians Have Celebrated the Eucharist for addressing Jesus’ desire that all would be treated equally, especially when speaking of who was welcomed in the temple.  As we know, women and children were relegated to a separate section apart from the men, and women experiencing any blood flow weren’t allowed at all along with anyone having any type of illness.  Jesus, Foley says, “took the meal to the hillside where everyone was welcome!”

   We can hardly miss the connection today to the hierarchical rules and regulations about who can present to receive the Eucharist.  It must be remembered that the invitation to receive the Eucharist does not ultimately come from the clergy, but from God, thus it is not the responsibility of humans to decide who is worthy or acceptable! That is why we women priests hold up the bread before it is received by all and say, “This is the Body of Christ, how blessed are we who are called to this table!” instead of, in the traditional Church we hear, “O Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I will be healed!”  The difference in the two statements seems to be that, in the 1^st, we receive with “gratitude,” rather than in the 2^nd, our stance is more about “shame.”

   In conclusion friends, I would direct us back to the Wisdom writer in the 1^st reading who said so well  that, “God created all things to be alive…wholesome,” and that each, could, should experience, justice.  Jesus often addressed “fear” in his ministry, saying, “Don’t be afraid, just trust, and believe.”  Our brother Jesus wants us to live and work in our world in like fashion, dispelling fear and shame, uplifting justice for all—touching and healing our world as he did his.  Jesus’ primary mission in our world was to make clear that his, and our “God’s goodness,” is as the psalmist says today, “for a lifetime.”  Our mission, like his, in our world, can be no less—or as Anglican Bishop John Shelby Spong is fond of saying, “over-the-top-love” for all, to the best of our ability.  Amen?  Amen!