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Isaiah 5:1-7 and Psalm 80:1-2, 8-19 • Hebrews 11:29-12:2 • Luke 12:49-56

Our gospel today is both scary and popular – like a Stephen King novel, but with a happier ending. It’s scary because we’d prefer a Jesus who DID come to bring peace to the earth rather than fiery division. It’s popular because it’s a handy excuse for breaking or broken relationships – blaming it on our path of Christian discipleship. I confess that I’ve often taken comfort from Jesus’ sayings here about the conflicts and divisions between mothers and daughters or daughters-in-law – maybe my conflicts are further proof that I’m a good Christian?! Perhaps I should breathe a sigh of relief and say – hey it’s not my fault – Jesus warned us this would happen. And then under my breath I think – Hey Jesus, the fact that mothers and daughters-in-law often don’t get along – may not be your most original thought! Unfortunately, this passage has been used to justify all kinds of self-justifications for divisions leading to cruelty and war. Or to rationalize denominational schisms and excommunications, etc. We saw something like this recently at Lambeth when those conservative anti-gay bishops wanted a separate worship space -- away from where gay bishops were part of the crowd.

While Jesus is known to us as the Prince of Peace, he often made fiery prophetic statements about our need to pursue justice and compassion – calling out the powers-that-be who protected their own systems of power and wealth – over the needs of the poor and vulnerable. Peace is a good thing, of course, but when ‘getting along’ or ‘keeping the peace’ becomes more important than the need to address humanity’s sufferings, it can get dicey. We may have experienced or heard about many special family dinners, for example, that turned sour or even dangerous when justice matters came up. Before the last American election I was following a Facebook page called Christians against Trump and boy-oh-boy … I sure read about immense and widespread family divisions there.

It might be tiring to keep hearing about the need to pursue and promote justice – we have it again today at the end of our Isaiah reading (v.7). After the sad lament of God’s great disappointment with his ‘vineyard’ – the house and people of Israel – we hear at the end that God “expected justice but saw bloodshed [and expected] righteousness, but heard a cry!” The pursuit of justice is an ongoing biblical theme, but it's not necessarily an angry or pushy thing. Rather, as others have said: we’re called to work for justice so that we can compassionately share our joy! Who doesn’t want joy in their lives, right? But joy is to be shared, and not just in our own backyards. Even the sharing of pain can bring healing joy – when hearing about other people’s pains and struggles helps us to put our own struggles into a more hopeful context. Rupert Ross’ book on Indigenous Healing makes this clear in his high regard for indigenous healing circles, for example, where people are seated in that circular configuration of equality – and can grow in healing love as they hear that others have endured similar things and have found a way through towards a healthier existence.

Our reading from Hebrews is a long list of many ways that people throughout history have suffered for their faith – with these being our models for dealing with the sufferings we endure, and then that famous line: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us”. How does this relate to our times? I’d like to lay aside some weight, but that’s quite challenging, right? Oh, that’s not what they meant. Thankfully we’re not facing direct persecution for being Christians, nor a threat of being tortured and martyred for our faith. But how can we live out our faith in response to the challenges and context of our times? That’s an ongoing question with no simple answers – a question that requires continual vigilance as to all the ways that selfishness, greed and apathy try to invade and penetrate our lives. As the Harry Potter series makes clear – evil is always trying to find a way into our lives. As Jesus says, we know how to interpret weather, especially with a weather app on our phones nowadays. But how do we know the best response to the entrenched human practices that are causing great suffering, and destroying our earth for future generations; or perpetrating colossal lies for the sake of personal and corporate greed?

Perhaps the scariest line in today’s gospel, given our current context, is the first one: “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” Oh-oh, do we need to report Jesus to the fire department? I like what J.M. Neal says about this:

Fire is an ambivalent image in scripture. There are burning bushes of revelation (Exodus 3:2) and fiery conflagrations of sin (Genesis 19:24). It is ambivalent in the present day, as well. Catastrophic wildfires, exacerbated by rising temperatures and drought, bring devastation. But wildfires can also lead to new life, creating the conditions for habitat diversity and helping plants adapt to novel climates.2 The fire Jesus describes is costly, but it serves the purpose of life and love. It does not, however, serve the purposes of comfort. Jesus’ fire is not like the fire of a hearth, safely controlled and tightly bound for the somnolent pleasures of a single household. In the words of Mary Oliver’s “What I Have Learned So Far,” this is not light that leads to “indolence.” It is light that leads to “action.”3 This fire of love burns away our obsession with self-preservation, our idolization of kinship, and our false sense of control. https://www.workingpreacher.org/.../commentary-on-luke...

At times we’re called to put out fires, but not always. Sometimes, old systems, old ways that preserve the status quo, require a cleansing fire. How can we become more ready to let go of that which no longer serves God’s compassionate love for all creatures? It’s an ongoing question. Perhaps we need to especially listen to the voices of young people, whose future is so greatly at risk in our current status quo way of living. May God grant us wisdom to hear what directions we need to take for a healthier future for all, Amen.