The View from the West Mesa

The lection this morning was the Good Samaritan, and Mary and Martha; two very familiar stories from Luke’s Gospel. Seemingly two different stories, Luke places them together for a reason. Let’s see if we can figure out why. In the first story, a teacher of the Law decides he’s going to have some sport with this itinerant rabbi, and so he asks, “how can I inherit eternal life?” A couple things here with this question. How would one inherit eternal life anyway? Well if you’re a child of Abraham, you likely thought you could – the Children of Abraham, the People of God – because it was passed on by natural birth (didn’t Paul say something about “not by the will of man?”). For now though, let’s pay attention to that question – how can I get eternal life. Don’t lose sight of that question. Jesus doesn’t say you’re a child of Abraham, so you’re in. No, he turns the question back: what does the Law say? The teacher responds with the two greatest commandments (we’ll be told that combined,...

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village. As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my h...

Lent is a season to refocus or repurpose ourselves in this common faith. The season looks toward the Triduum, as a sober period that focuses on the movement of God in the world - namely the reconciliation of all people to God. The season calls for reflection on the need of that reconciliation and my part in that need. This period though, isn't primarily about denial or self-flagellation, but intentional and deeper reflection. At the risk of sounding morose, let me observe that this period leads toward, or focuses on our own death; our own self-giving of ourselves for and to others. Looking toward death, living in death is counter-intuitive in most societies. One of the more interesting ideas in some monastic communities is a reminder of the "moment of death." In these circles, this moment is to remind us that we are mortal and that no matter who we are or what we accomplish, we remain mortal. As mortal, we will all proceed to that moment. All of us will proc...