Author: websexton

And Jesus spoke: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to an iconic black church that held an emotionally charged service Sunday as its members, the city and the nation continued a painful healing process. Church bells tolled across the city at 10 a.m. in memory of the victims of Dylann Roof, who opened fire Wednesday night on a Bible study group at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.”

Belonging to two realms is what the crucifix symbolizes, the tangible earthly economy of exchange and services, and the vertical realm, of the Holy Spirit, and how the two are inextricably tied.

I am taken by the young Jesus’ ability to belong easefully within both realms, with obedience and grace — and win the favor of both earthly and immortal realms.

Forgiving those that trespass against us is hard work.
 
Forgiveness is an action that requires setting aside ego. To forgive is not an acceptance of wrongdoing, it’s a path to discovering the common truth. In compassion we find mercy and healing.
 
These lessons are difficult under any circumstances.

One Tuesday, a family came in, visiting from Italy. The dad looked around and asked, “Where is the host?” Though at first confused, I then had an epiphany: Oh, that Host! More important, this visitor and I had an opportunity for a friendly discussion of Christians’ varying views on Holy Communion.

At the end of the Gospel, Jesus says, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve…” I think the service Jesus is talking about is not so much a task as a way of being in the world, of living into the generosity and humility that defies our daily risk and reward calculations.

When I was in college I told people I was a vegetarian but in fact continued to eat meat. I was not willfully deceptive. I actually believed I was vegetarian but this was 100% imaginary; a fantasy about what kind of person I wanted to be, in those days. The next step — putting an aspiration and belief into action — never quite happened. I cheerfully continued to eat hamburgers.

How are we working to define ourselves during this year’s Lenten journey? Maybe we’ve given something up. Maybe we’ve committed to do something outside of our normal daily life. All of these are very lonely ways for us to be who we are. Why not see what it would be like to have others define us for a little while?

In Matthew, Jesus transposes the terms of devotion. It is we who are loved without judgment or limit, regardless of our righteousness or lack thereof. To be perfect as God is perfect is to turn the Psalmist’s unwavering love towards each other; to love everyone without limit or inhibition or judgment, to love all with unstinting forgiveness. The best commentary on this passage that I’ve found is from The Merchant of Venice.