The Rev. Canon Cliff Carr
George went to the doctor for his annual checkup. When he returned home, his wife noticed that he seemed troubled and anxious. “What’s the matter dear,” she asked. “The doctor told me that I would have to take a pill every day for the rest of my life.”
“That’s not so bad,” she said – “there are a lot of people who have to do that…….” “Yes dear, I know that,” said George, “but the doctor only gave me 10 pills.”
It’s surprising how many people are afraid and worry about all kinds of things: fear of illness, fear of losing a job or friends, fear of the past or the future. In today’s Gospel Jesus says, “Do not be afraid, little flock…… do not give up hope - - have faith.”
The scripture scholars tell us that Luke was most likely writing for early believers living under the threat of persecution – Jesus speaks to their fears like a mother or father speaking to a frightened child in the middle of the night. “Don’t be afraid, little one……..” Christ encourages us to put our trust only in God, rather than in wealth or possessions - - or in anything else that does not have “foundations whose architect and builder is God.” He also calls his disciples to “roll up their sleeves,” – to be “dressed for action and have their lamps lit,” for there is work to be done. We who are the Church are called to be a people of service and action – those whose work is to bring light to the world and society where we are. The New Hope Campaign of the Diocese, which begins this fall, is clearly a response to this call of Jesus to be ready and willing to live God’s love in our time and place.
Lest we be worn out along the way, we are encouraged by the witness of the Abrahams and Sarahs of the past, as well as Christ’s own promise that He will surely return and seat His faithful ones at the heavenly banquet table and wait on them. Here at this Eucharist we have a foretaste of what that will be like. And as usual when dealing with Jesus, things are turned upside-down. For here at this table, we can “take a breather” – we can rest a minute from our labors and gather our strength. Here we can “recline at the table” in the mid-eastern fashion and be waited on and served by the Master. Jesus offers us Himself in His Holy Word and Spiritual Food. And we are fed and nourished as we look around at the other servants who have also come in from the fields of their own labors to join us in voicing praise and thanks to God.
With them we reach out with hungry hearts for the food that sustains us as we work for the Lord and try to be vigilant during our long wait for His return. In the Gospels the various “meal images” always point us to that final Banquet we will share when this period of work and diligence and temptation is finally over. What we do here week-by-week is only a partial sign of that Heavenly Banquet, making visible in faith what the Gospel promises. For at this table we gather, we “recline” in faith and receive what Jesus offers us - - His very self as our food and our forgiveness - - nourishment given to strengthen us to do the work given us to do.
Today’s readings may sound like those we might hear during Advent - - with talk of perseverance in trials, faithfulness in waiting, and hope in Christ’s return. But watchfulness isn’t just a part-time virtue, or a one-season practice. We should always be on the watch for the Lord in our daily lives. It could be that Christ will come into my life TODAY. That Christ constantly comes into my life, steadily inhabiting every moment and every chance – being there always to fill the random things of my life with meaning. It could be that Christ is in my life and I haven’t noticed, that I am so busy preparing for an unknown future event that I can’t see what’s happening right in front of my eyes. That’s certainly true about a lot of other things. Barbara Crafton, meditating on this passage suggests that most of us “try to borrow the future every day, to live either in it’s happiness or its horrors, when the only joys and sorrows we really have are the ones we have right now. Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid little flock.” Look at what fills your life right now – maybe there are nuggets of gold embedded in the homeliest of them.”
At the most unexpected times, and yes, even in surprising people and circumstances, Jesus knocks at the door of our lives and asks to be let in. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus in this celebration and in the coming days, and give him an entrance through the Word we have heard and the Holy Food we are about to receive. AMEN.
