The Ven. Richard I Cluett
January 21, 2007
Nehemiah 8:1-10 + 1Cor 12:12-31a + Luke 4:14-21
"Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
When you look around do you see it fulfilled? Do you see it done yet? Do you see those held captive by war, by poverty, by disease, by debt, by want and need – do you see them being released? I don’t. It’s not done yet.
Do you see the year of the Lord’s favor being lived out – at any time in your lifetime? Do you see an equitable distribution of the goods of this world – of food, of medicines, of water, of education? I don’t. It’s not done yet.
The BBC World Service reported a United Nations study in mid-December that stated, “The richest 2% of adults in the world own more than half of all household wealth… the poorer half of the world's population own barely 1% of global wealth.”
The year of the Lord’s favor, the Jubilee year, was the most radical part of the Law, the Torah, the Covenant between God and the people. Every fifty years debts were to be forgiven, land redistributed fairly – in other words every fifty years we are to be giving each other the opportunity to start over, to do it better by helping each other.
It was in the Law of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, and it was in the re-establishment of the Law given in the reading by Ezra the priest in the reign of Nehemiah. Israel had been released from captivity in Babylon and returned to rebuild the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem – to begin again, to start over. It was the basis for Ezra and Nehemiah’s call to rejoice. Captives were released. Land was redistributed. It was deemed to be a year of the Lord’s favor.
But, in our day and time? Fulfilled? I don’t see it. It’s not done yet.
When Jesus hands the scroll back to the minister and sits down, one of the translations of Luke reads that Jesus told the people “Today this scripture which you have heard is being brought to fulfillment.” …being brought to fulfillment. The fulfillment is begun in Jesus of Nazareth. But it is not done yet.
Would that all God’s people – which means – would that all people – could “eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to those who have nothing.”
And find in their lives, in each life, that seed of joy planted by God in each person, and nurture it in themselves and in one another so that it grows and grows and bursts forth at any moment and in odd moments and spills out and spills over all those around them until eventually all the world is infected with that joy. Until each of us in any and every circumstance of life, in good season and bad, in abundant times and in times of deprivation can touch that place where God has planted joy.
In that day scripture will finally and completely be fulfilled. What was begun in Jesus will be completed, when all know that joy of being God’s own, and that joy of caring for God’s own. What a day that will be! It will be like unto the day when Ezra read the Law to the people of God and called them to joy.
Lest you are beginning to think so, let me state that this is not a “Be Happy” sermon. This is not me telling you that when you are in the midst of want – of whatever kind – you should be happy. I am not talking about “being happy”.
Have you ever been surprised by joy? You are just sitting there alone or with others, it makes no difference. And you begin to feel welling up in yourself from your very center, your core, in even a physical way, this feeling of overwhelming joy? You can’t account for it, you can’t explain why you have it, it is just there and it over flows – and you know it overflows because of the tears - and if you are with others they can see in your face this divine gift – this joy. And you have been surprised by joy.
I have seen that. I have experienced that. I have known that. And I have witnessed that. I pray God that you have as well. I have seen it in everyday life. I have seen it the oddest moments of life. I have seen it in the faces of some of the most deprived persons on the face of the earth. I have seen it in the midst of the liturgy, in the beauty of music. I have seen it in the face of one prepared to die. And on and on. Joy breaks out.
In this life, I am firmly convinced, God’s plan is for us to “eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to those who have nothing.” That’s the nature of God’s kingdom. That is the nature of God’s reign. It is the work of Jesus. It is the work of the Church. That is, we are told in scripture, what heaven will be like – a banquet prepared for all people.
But, its not done yet. Scripture is being fulfilled, but it is not fulfilled yet. It has been a while since we have had, since we have made, a Jubilee Year. The work of Jesus is not done. The work of his people is not done.
When it is done, when it is fulfilled it will look and feel, I think, like the dream of Martin Luther King, Jr given that day on the mall in Washington:
“… all of God's children, black and white, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, (and I would add; rich and poor) will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, ‘Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!’”
It will be the Day of the Lord’s Favor. Then it will be done. Then we will see it. Then we will be done. Then we will know true joy. Then all will be fulfilled.
Thanks be to God.
