Tag: values

Proper 27, 3rd Sunday before Advent

12th November 2023

Reflection (readings are below)

Amos is asking his audience if they are sure that want the Day of the Lord to come soon? Do they really want to be exposed to  God’s judgement? For that surely is part and parcel of the Day of the Lord? If it is a day of honest judgement, might it be more than we bargain for? Might it be like meeting a bear when you have just escaped from a lion? Or like reaching the safety of your home, only to put your hand on a scorpion? 

Earlier this week I was at conference considering how faith groups go about investing their financial resources. Would their choices of investment reflect well on the groups? How, for example, would they feel if they had to reveal to their congregations or supporters, where – in what companies and industries – they had invested their money? Would their investments reflect their commitment to God’s way, to the coming of the kingdom of God, or would they reflect the mercenary views of the ‘world’?

It seemed a good question to ask of ourselves. How would we feel explaining which bank we used, which pension provider, or which companies we invested with? How would we feel if we had to explain how we spent our money each week? 

So yesterday I was Christian Climate Action outside the Steam Museum in Swindon where the National Trust was holding its AGM. We and all the NT supporters recognise the good that they do to protect and enhance the natural environment, and to make it accessible to more and more people. A few years ago they divested from fossil fuels. Why then, we asked, are you banking with Barclays one of the worst in terms of their financing of fossil fuel projects? Is this in keeping with your values?

Amos then goes on to ask his audience if they are sure they know what God wants from them. Are they sure that what God wants are offerings of burnt incense or some songs of praise? Rather, says Amos, what God wants are deeds of justice and righteousness, deeds that will be ongoing – rolling – like a never ending stream. That will be the basis on which God will judge us.

If we look at the state of the world – the ongoing fighting in Ukraine, in North Sudan, in Yemen, in Gaza – do we feel ready to be judged? 

If we consider that in 2022 3.8 million people in the UK – including 1 million children – experienced destitution (struggling to afford to meet their most basic physical needs to stay warm, dry, clean and fed) – do we feel ready to be judged? 

If we look at global greenhouse gas emissions which are still rising, reaching a record high of  36.8 giga tonnes in 2022, whilst continuing to expand fossil fuel production- do we feel ready to be judged?

Jesus tells his audience a parable about judgement. Ten bridesmaids are tasked with doing what is expected of bridesmaids – that they be ready to light the way for the bridegroom when ever he arrives. Five take the task seriously, whilst five choose hope their work to date has been sufficient. 

Keeping lamps alight is like maintaining justice and wellbeing. It requires constant attention and resourcing. And that is our calling – our vocation – as Christians. To work constantly to maintain justice, to care for creation, to love our neighbours as ourselves – this is how we serve the kingdom of God. This is how we love God. 

Amos 5:18-24

Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord:

Alas for you who desire the day of the Lord!
Why do you want the day of the Lord?

It is darkness, not light;
as if someone fled from a lion,
and was met by a bear;

or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall,
and was bitten by a snake.

Is not the day of the Lord darkness, not light,
and gloom with no brightness in it?

I hate, I despise your festivals,
and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them;

and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals
I will not look upon.

Take away from me the noise of your songs;
I will not listen to the melody of your harps.

But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an everflowing stream.

Psalm 70

1 Be pleased, O God, to deliver me; *
O Lord, make haste to help me.

2 Let those who seek my life be ashamed
and altogether dismayed; *
let those who take pleasure in my misfortune
draw back and be disgraced.

3 Let those who say to me “Aha!” and gloat over me turn back, *
because they are ashamed.

4 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; *
let those who love your salvation say for ever,
“Great is the Lord!”

5 But as for me, I am poor and needy; *
come to me speedily, O God.

6 You are my helper and my deliverer; *
O Lord, do not tarry.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus said, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Proper 20, 16th Sunday after Trinity

24th September 2023

Reflection (readings below)

It is easy for people to get disgruntled, especially when they feel that a change in the system has unfairly affected them. 

Today’s readings are concerned with different systems. There is that of the world – sometimes referred to, by for example St Paul, as the way of the flesh. And there is that which is the way of God – the way of the kingdom of God. 

Life in Egypt operated under the system of the world. There were those in power and those enslaved. Those who were slaves worked whilst those in power enjoyed the fruits of their labour. To ensure those who were slaves kept on working, food was necessary.  Slaves worked to get food, and slaves got food to ensure they  worked.

God took the people out of that system in a way that was dramatic and promised to be life changing. But initially the people felt uncomfortable. They are not used to this system. They complain – Po I g the blame on Moses and Aaron. God knows what they are experiencing and God wants to introduce them to an alternative system, the system, or way, of God. God will feed them not because he wants them to work hard, but because they are God’s people. God wants them to learn God’s ways, to learn to follow God’s instructions and God’s example.

So without having to work, God provides them with food to eat – a free gift. But God’s way are about having enough and not being greedy or grasping. They are to collect each day just the food they need. Later in the story we hear that those who are greedy, and collect more that they need, find that the surplus they gathered goes mouldy! God’s ways are not just about having enough food, they are also about having enough rest. Just as God, after six days of labouring to create the world, rested on the seventh day, so to the people of God are to observe a day of rest on the seventh day. 

These words from today’s psalm reminds us that seeking God’s way is the way, will lead to rejoicing!

“Glory in his holy Name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.”

The story from St Matthew’s gospel likewise contrasts the ways of the world and the ways of God, and how the two systems have different ways of valuing people. The world values people according to their ability to work hard, whilst at the same time overlooking the fact that some people lack opportunity, that people are not playing on a level playing field. The kingdom of God values people because they are people made in God’s image. The kingdom of God serves to give people opportunities. The kingdom of God sets out to meet people’s need – not their greed. The kingdom of God asks that we be generous towards others just as God is generous to us.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians reminds us that to seek God’s kingdom, to follow in the ways of Christ, is not without discomfort and suffering, but despite these, it is always a way of life that is full of joy.

The way of the world still predominates. We still find that we and others are often constrained by its overwhelming force, and by its injustices. People still go hungry, people still lack opportunities, people still find that the system is set against them. Only this week Mr Sunak has declared that because people cannot afford to replace their existing gas heating systems, that he will allow these expensive systems to remain in place, locking users into an ongoing reliance on gas markets with ever increasing energy costs. Would it not be better to insulate people’s homes, fitting them out with energy efficient heating systems, and so allowing them to benefit from the lower costs of renewable energy. Would it not be even better to ensure that everyone has a warm home as a universal right?

Can we envisage how all our lives would look if we lived according to the values of the kingdom of God? Those values we pray for each time we say the Lord’s Prayer – ‘May your kingdom come, on earth as in heaven.’

Exodus 16:2-15

The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”

In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”

Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45

1 Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name; *
make known his deeds among the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, *
and speak of all his marvellous works.

3 Glory in his holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

4 Search for the Lord and his strength; *
continually seek his face.

5 Remember the marvels he has done, *
his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,

6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, *
O children of Jacob his chosen.

37 He led out his people with silver and gold; *
in all their tribes there was not one that stumbled.

38 Egypt was glad of their going, *
because they were afraid of them.

39 He spread out a cloud for a covering *
and a fire to give light in the night season.

40 They asked, and quails appeared, *
and he satisfied them with bread from heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and water flowed, *
so the river ran in the dry places.

42 For God remembered his holy word *
and Abraham his servant.

43 So he led forth his people with gladness, *
his chosen with shouts of joy.

44 He gave his people the lands of the nations, *
and they took the fruit of others’ toil,

45 That they might keep his statutes *
and observe his laws.
Hallelujah!

Philippians 1:21-30

To me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.

Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well– since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, ‘Why are you standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard.’ When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.’ When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”