This week we hear one of Jesus’ parables found in the gospel of Luke. In Jesus’ parable the owner of the garden observes a barren fig tree. Reasonably, he orders it yanked out. But the gardener suggests that the owner give the fig tree another year. In the meantime he’ll break up the hard earth, aerating the ground around it so the roots can breathe and drink and take in nourishment. He’ll put manure around it, that golden substance which is the very ground of life and fertility – changing the very soil nurturing the fig tree.

So could it be that we are called to be good stewards of the gifts God has given us–our time, our talent, and our resources? That God expects us to be fruitful to the best of our abilities?  

Lent offers the time of aerating the soil and adding humble manure. Lent is a time of taking care of things, while being taken care of.

In this week’s passage from Luke’s gospel, Jesus uses the imagery of a fox and a hen in a surprising way. But the archetypes remain the same, so we know that in the end the fox won’t succeed and the hen will save the day.

 

When Jesus speaks of Jerusalem, we get a rare glimpse of God as mother. He likens himself to a hen who longs to gather her disobedient chicks. This is God as loving and longing to protect even when it isn’t wanted or appreciated. The hen who sacrificially covers her children with her wings to endure whatever attack may come, from a fox or whatever would destroy them.

The reading we hear this week from the gospel of Luke describes Jesus’ retreat in the wilderness. Following his baptism, Jesus retreats to an isolated place to ground his vocation as God’s beloved child and messenger of salvation. No doubt Jesus understands that with great power comes the possibility for great temptation.

In solitude, the many inner voices of life often emerge. In this time of retreat, Jesus is visited by temptation. The temptations Jesus experiences involve good things that come between God and ourselves. There is nothing in principle wrong with comfort food, safety, and power for the good. Yet, all of these, when they become the sole focus of our lives, can lead us from our deepest vocation and relationship with God. We are seldom tempted by “bad” things. Rather good things that divert us from better things are the source of the greatest temptations.

The overarching themes in the readings for this week are relationships and forgiveness. In Genesis we see the relationship breakdown in families. You might think there's nothing new there, over 2,000 years on. On the one hand you have the brothers a bit disheartened that Joseph is alive, as they will have to ‘fess up' to what they actually did, and on the other hand we see Joseph offering forgiveness and acceptance of the wrong done and the hurt caused to him.

 

In the gospel reading from Luke, Jesus talks too about the importance of loving our enemies. He calls for attitudes and actions that seek the good of the other, which builds up the community. “Love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return." How can we love our enemies though when everything we feel inside us about them makes us want to hurt them back as they have hurt us? 

 

 

Jesus is not telling people to remain victims but to find new ways of dealing with those who hurt us. He is inviting all of us into forgiveness, into a deep, unlimited and radical kind of forgiveness that we can fully appreciate only when we have been on the receiving end of it.

In the verses just before today’s passage, Jesus has been up on a mountain praying all night. When the sun comes up he calls together twelve of his followers and makes them disciples. Then he comes down to a level place and starts to teach. He hasn’t even had breakfast yet and people are gathering from all over the place to come hear him.

 

They are coming from as far away as Jerusalem in the south and Tyre and Sidon on the Mediterranean coast – several days worth of walking have brought Jews and Gentiles alike to listen to Jesus teach.  

 

Those gathered looked forward in hope to the time when God would renew the level places and reveal God’s glory and salvation in them. Jesus stands with us in our broken level world and teaches the ways of this renewal through the Kingdom of God. At first, it sounds like the very things that bring us woe – riches, good food, and prestige – are the same things that bring us blessings when they are scarce. But this week we look deeper at these blessings and woes.

One of our readings this week comes from the gospel of Luke. We hear how Joseph’s son has grown up. The wee boy that had sat at his father's feet in the carpentry shop hearing the worries of farmers as they waited for their ploughs to be fixed or the stories of husbands getting chairs mended, or the secrets shared as people worried over prices and priorities. That wee boy, whose craftsmanship as a carpenter but also as a listener had helped to sustain life in the village, was now a man in his own right, and when he spoke in the synagogue, Luke writes how well all spoke of him and how amazed they were at the gracious words he spoke. Here was someone who had heard and understood the concerns and complaints, the doubts and despairs of customers, who had smiled at their old jokes and joined in their celebrations and now was able to understand scripture not as a dry text of rules, but as real hope and light in the lives of what we might call ‘ordinary' people. 

He was one of their own, welcomed and celebrated and given thanks for. If only Jesus had left it there, if he had been content to promise and celebrate but had he done that, the job would only have been half finished.

You’ve got to love a new box of crayons. I am much more tempted to sit down and colour when there is a new box to break in. What is it though, about a new box that creates such excitement? Well, first every crayon is nice and sharp, perfect for staying in the lines. Second, all the colours are there. It is a complete and total set. So no matter what you decide to create, from a beautiful butterfly to a rainbow or sunset, every colour is there for the choosing. 

 

Missing colours can wreck a lot of things. In fact, missing colours would change the world. Just think about it, if yellow was missing, would we have the sun? If green were not there, what colour would the grass be? Every colour has a purpose. After all that’s the way that God designed the world — with colour. 

 

Variety. Distinctiveness. Diversity. Each one of us is different, yet put together in the same box so that the artwork of God can be created. This is the wonder of the church which is called Christ’s body. This week we hear a letter from Paul to the church in Corinth about being part of the body of Christ. God has placed each person in it with uniqueness of personality, strengths, talents, and gifts. Many members, but one body. Many colours, but one box.

The season of Epiphany began with celebrating the gifts of the magi, it continued with God’s gift of grace, affirmed through Jesus’ baptism, and focuses this Sunday on God’s vocational gifts bestowed on each person for the sake of the community and their own personal fulfillment.This week we hear the story of Jesus’ transformation of water into wine from John’s gospel, a continuation of the theme of divine giftedness. 

 

We have callings for our lifetime and we also have calls for every situation. God’s vision long-term, local and momentary. On that particular day, Jesus’ calling was to bring joy to a couple and their family. There was no need that day for preaching, lecturing or even a healing touch; the need was for good wine and plenty of it! 

 

Each of our gifts and vocations emerge and flourish in real time, oriented toward real people, and real situations. Indeed, the miracle of the wedding feast suggests that we have many vocations and callings, each appropriate to our particular setting. This is good news that challenges us to stay awake to God’s particular vocational vision for each of us.

Rev. Lorrie Daly-Price,

This week we hear the story of Jesus being baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist, from the gospel of Luke. At the beginning of the passage Luke tells us the people were filled with anticipation. They were seeking, searching, longing for the Messiah, their saviour. 

 

John in turn gives them hope in his witness of who is to come and what the Messiah will bring, for John understands his role and God's purpose for him. John intimates through his narrative that this coming Messiah will be judge and Saviour and will demand justice where there is none. Later when Jesus is baptized by John, he receives the Holy Spirit and God's approval, the prophesy is fulfilled and Jesus' ministry begins in earnest.

“Did you know Boxing Day was originally a day to give rather than receive? Before Boxing Day came to be associated with turkey sandwiches, football, and discounts, it was known as a day to serve people in need. Historically, the church visited those most vulnerable on Boxing Day and gave them money and gifts. The day wasn’t about giving―it was about giving our best.” (excerpt from united-church.ca)

 

This will be a special service highlighting how we give including our time, talents and donations to the church. Giving is about more than making a gift. It’s about lighting the way for everyone.