The parable from Matthew’s Gospel today (25:14-30) is generally read as either an eschatological warning (“Be prepared for the end times!”) or ethical instruction (“Use your talents”). William Herzog (Parables as Subversive Speech 1994) asks us to read it from the perspective of the poor.
In this reading, the hero of the story is the third servant—the one who stands up to the domineering master who expected them to exploit their friends and neighbours for monetary gain. The parable becomes a story of the prophet who stands up to power and is punished for it; of a servant who shows to the truth to power and is destroyed for it.
This reading of the story carries a different sort of warning—a warning about expecting to be rewarded for following the way of Christ. Doing God’s will means standing against the corrupting influences of powerful people and the lure of money or prestige; and copping the results of that audacity.
So what does that mean for how we understand mission?
It doesn’t paint a picture of the grand success of wealth, popularity and status. Instead, the result of speaking the truth to power is destruction.
God’s mission in our world is not about the people of God being wealthy or popular or adulated. God’s mission in the world is about the reconciliation of Creation—all Creation. And that means the powerful need to be called to account; and the powerless given their status as the beloved children of God.
Through God’s graciousness, we are enfolded into God’s work in our world—it’s not our work, it’s God’s—but it’s not God’s if it’s not God’s—if it does not demonstrate the values of God’s realm—justice, peace, reconciliation.
How then do we assess our role in the mission of God? It’s got nothing to do with how many we are, how much we own, how popular we are, how much money we raise… It’s all about how we act in and for God’s world… and for that, we can never have any expectation of reward!
Showing posts with label Year A Ordinary Sunday 33. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Year A Ordinary Sunday 33. Show all posts
Thursday, November 10, 2011
You Have Made Us Your Friends!
We lift our eyes to you, O God:
it’s what seems natural to worship the great Creator,
the faraway God of our beginnings
and so that is true, but it is not all of you.
This tendency to look up searching for you
means that we miss a lot of who you are.
What would happen if we just looked a little sideways,
or perhaps down—would you become more real then?
Have mercy on us, God, we cry as your servants,
and so we are, but that is not all of us either;
and it is certainly not all that you would have us be.
In Jesus, you have called us friends.
In Jesus, you have made us look sideways to our neighbours
and to our enemies.
In Jesus, you have made us see you in humility
and even squalor.
Nothing is too depraved; no-one is too despised
to be your dwelling-place.
And when we look up, because of Jesus, we see,
not an arrogant god on a ridiculously majestic throne,
but a life given for our sake,
and the healing of your whole Creation.
Forgive us when we fail to speak truth to power
and miss out on authentic relationship with you.
Forgive us when we bemoan our own predicaments
while neglecting the plight of the oppressed.
Forgive us when we spend so much time congratulating ourselves that we are your servants,
that we completely miss your invitation to companionship.
When arrogance masks itself as humility,
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
When self-pity blinds us to real poverty,
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
When fear pretends to be prudence,
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Expand our vision of you to a 360⁰ view
that we might find ourselves in the sort of relationship with you
that you envisaged at our creation, right there in the beginning,
when you dared to make creatures who would speak with you.
Through the influence of your Spirit,
help us to be friends and partners, not slaves or crazed fans.
Work through us as your colleagues in creativity and compassion
for you have gifted us with your image,
and in Jesus, you have made us your friends. Amen.
it’s what seems natural to worship the great Creator,
the faraway God of our beginnings
and so that is true, but it is not all of you.
This tendency to look up searching for you
means that we miss a lot of who you are.
What would happen if we just looked a little sideways,
or perhaps down—would you become more real then?
Have mercy on us, God, we cry as your servants,
and so we are, but that is not all of us either;
and it is certainly not all that you would have us be.
In Jesus, you have called us friends.
In Jesus, you have made us look sideways to our neighbours
and to our enemies.
In Jesus, you have made us see you in humility
and even squalor.
Nothing is too depraved; no-one is too despised
to be your dwelling-place.
And when we look up, because of Jesus, we see,
not an arrogant god on a ridiculously majestic throne,
but a life given for our sake,
and the healing of your whole Creation.
Forgive us when we fail to speak truth to power
and miss out on authentic relationship with you.
Forgive us when we bemoan our own predicaments
while neglecting the plight of the oppressed.
Forgive us when we spend so much time congratulating ourselves that we are your servants,
that we completely miss your invitation to companionship.
When arrogance masks itself as humility,
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
When self-pity blinds us to real poverty,
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
When fear pretends to be prudence,
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Expand our vision of you to a 360⁰ view
that we might find ourselves in the sort of relationship with you
that you envisaged at our creation, right there in the beginning,
when you dared to make creatures who would speak with you.
Through the influence of your Spirit,
help us to be friends and partners, not slaves or crazed fans.
Work through us as your colleagues in creativity and compassion
for you have gifted us with your image,
and in Jesus, you have made us your friends. Amen.
Lift Your Eyes to God!
Lift your eyes to God:
in the highest heavens, we see your glory, Great Creator.
Reach out your hands to Jesus:
in the compassion of an enemy, we know your love, O Christ.
Feel the breathe of the Spirit:
in our sinews and in our souls, the Spirit whispers hope.
Let us worship the God who reigns,
by entering the depths of our humanity
and setting the humble soaring on the wings of the Spirit
for the sake of eternity.
in the highest heavens, we see your glory, Great Creator.
Reach out your hands to Jesus:
in the compassion of an enemy, we know your love, O Christ.
Feel the breathe of the Spirit:
in our sinews and in our souls, the Spirit whispers hope.
Let us worship the God who reigns,
by entering the depths of our humanity
and setting the humble soaring on the wings of the Spirit
for the sake of eternity.
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