Proper 7 — 25
June 2017
Trinity, Iowa City – 7:45, 9:00, & 11:00
Track 2: Jeremiah 20:7-13 |
Psalm 69:8-11, (12-17), 18-20
|
Romans 6:1b-11 | Matthew 10:24-39
Romans 6:1b-11 | Matthew 10:24-39
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth;
I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” [Matt
10:34]
There are still a few of us around who remember the little
section of the Prayer Book Communion Service called “The Comfortable
Words.” That was the part that began,
“Hear what comfortable words our Saviour Christ saith unto all who truly turn
to him.” The first of those sayings, you
may recall – or not! – was from St. Matthew’s Gospel: “Come unto me, all ye
that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you.”
(Those were in the “old Prayer Book,” as opposed to the “new
Prayer Book.” But the “new” Prayer Book
is forty-plus years old now, and the “old” Prayer Book that it replaced only lasted
for about fifty years. And the version
of the Prayer Book before that only made it for a bit over thirty. But I digress.)
Actually, these “Comfortable Words” are still in the
current Prayer Book, in Rite One, but they are no longer called “The
Comfortable Words”; now they are introduced with “Hear the Word of God to all
who truly turn to him.” (Page 332, if
you’re getting bored, or haven’t any idea what I’m talking about, and want to
look them up.) But the “Comfortable
Words” title goes back to the first English-language Book of Common Prayer, in
1549, four and a half centuries ago. Do
these verses from the New Testament make us feel comfortable? Well, actually, I suppose they do, and that’s
fine. But probably not exactly what Archbishop Thomas Cranmer
had in mind when he compiled the first English Prayer Book. As you’re aware, words shift meaning over the
centuries, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.
The original meaning of “comfort” is not so much “make feel better” (the
general modern meaning) as it is “strengthen.” (The English word “com-fort” comes from Latin
through French. Check the OED!) A related example is the still-in-some-use
title “The Holy Comforter” for the Holy Spirit.
But the Spirit is not a warm fuzzy blanket, but a source of spiritual strength. And what makes us strong may or may not make us feel
good. And very often not.
And this, in case you were wondering, or may already have
guessed, brings us to the Gospel reading today.
There’s not much very “comfortable” (in the modern sense)
about the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel.
You possibly may have noticed that today’s reading, from St. Matthew,
follows directly upon the Gospel reading last Sunday, which also wasn’t very
comfortable. You may recall Jesus’ words
last week: “…You will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a
testimony to them and the Gentiles.… Brother will betray brother to death, and
a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to
death; and you will be hated by all because of my name.” [Matt 10:18,21-22a]
Well, it doesn’t get any better in today’s Gospel reading. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace
to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ‘For I have come to set a man against his
father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.’” [Matthew 10:34-36; quoting Micah 7:6]
Oh, that’s
comfortable!
We should note that the part about “the man against his
father” and so on is Jesus quoting the prophet Micah, where it is part of a
prophecy of doom against Israel for her faithlessness. Jesus’ disciples would presumably have recognized
that, as would the Christians in Matthew’s community. I’m not sure whether that’s very helpful for
us, but it does mean that Jesus didn’t just make these words up on his own! But it is still the case that Jesus is
warning his disciples in his mission charge to them (which is what last
Sunday’s Gospel reading and this Sunday’s is) that if they are faithful in
proclaiming God’s Kingdom, they are not likely to be regarded as rock
stars. God’s faithful ones may very well
end up in all kinds of worldly trouble, rejected, maybe persecuted, even unto
death. It was true for Jesus’ own
disciples; it was true for Matthew’s community; it is true for us. I think we need to take that seriously.
No, it is not very likely in this country that faithful
Christians will suffer overt persecution, although indifference and even scorn
are likely to increase. But there are
many places in the world today where Christians are currently facing oppression
and even death. As was the case for the
first three centuries of Christian history, at least on and off in the Roman
Empire, and in other places for many centuries after that, up until and
including our own time.
Jesus was not crucified because he went around saying
things to make people comfortable (in the modern sense). He certainly didn’t preach a “prosperity
gospel.” He said, “Follow me,” and we
know, as he knew, where that would lead.
Yes, ultimately, resurrection; but first the cross. As we hear St. Paul today, writing to the
Christians at Rome: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into
Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that,
just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too
might walk in newness of life.” [Romans
6:3-4]
Jesus speaks to us to challenge us, to strengthen us, yes,
even, ultimately, to comfort us. “Do not
be afraid, little flock,
for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” [Luke 12:32]
Last week we heard him assure us, “The one who endures to the end will
be saved.” [Matthew 10:22b] He gave comfort – strength and assurance – to
Dame Julian of Norwich: “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all
manner of thing shall be well.” [Showing
13] And to his disciples, including us,
Jesus says, “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28:20]
