Luke 4:21-30
NRSV Translation
21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
23-24 He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’ ” And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
25-27 “But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months and there was a severe famine over all the land, yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many with a skin disease in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”
28-30 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
REFLECTIONS:
Thoughts from John:
If last week’s text can be described as Jesus’ inaugural message, this week's continuation of the story might best be paralleled by an Episcopal Bishop advocating for mercy from the most powerful man in the world.
According to the nationalistic religion of Jesus’ time, God only cared about Israel - and cared the most about those who followed Israel’s sacred rules the best. God certainly didn’t care for people of different nationalities and humanities who looked different, dressed different, or worshiped different. Even in Israel, God didn’t care for those who were cursed with disease or ended marriages or lost parents.
Invoking the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian would be like declaring in the Capitol Rotunda today: God loves the asylum seeker and her children, as well as the transgender student in a public school. and the Haitian residents of Springfield, Ohio. and Hamas and Hezbollah and Iran. and the DEI Directors. and the Socialists. and the seasonal field worker and his new baby born in Woodburn, Oregon. and the gang member. and the homeless man with matted hair and odor that lingers who can't complete a coherent sentence but clearly wants a cup of coffee from your favorite coffee shop.
And in the words of Reverend Benjamin Cremer, “if your Christianity causes you to be offended by someone asking the most powerful person in the country to be merciful toward the powerless, then you have profoundly misunderstood the teachings of Jesus Christ.”
This week, may our offense be holy and Christ-like.
And may we have the humility to know when we are offended by Christ.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Reflect on any behavior that may have had unintended negative impact on someone else. Apologize, even if you don’t think you need to.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
Is there someone from whom you’d like to request a change in behavior? Think about how you can make your request specific, time bound, and realistic.
Pathways toward Centeredness
Contemplation (drawing near to God in silence and solitude):
When you think of a healed and whole world, or a reality in which all things are made “right,” what do you see? what do you hear? what things about our current reality change? Spend time this week reminding yourself that the world really can change.
Questions for Reflection
Are there any humans who you believe to currently exist outside of God’s family? What would need to change for you to see God’s care and concern for them?
What is one action you can take to understand the reality of someone you are tempted to judge?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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