Monthly Archives: September 2007
Weird Name…I Know.
Gavin Richardson over at The Methoblog asks, “How did your blog get its name?” (h/t John the Methodist)
This question spurred me to update my “About” space, so I thought I’d also post that information here with a few minor additions.
Catching Meddlers comes from an obscure old saying I first remember hearing from my Grandma and Grandpa. I would find something interesting – a piece of metal or some other kind of junk – laying around their place and I would ask, “What is this?” Many times they didn’t know what it was or couldn’t explain it to me, so they’d reply, “It’s a layover to catch meddlers.” Being a curious kid, I heard this all the time!
One of the things that kept me from blogging for a long time was the lack of a good name. Finally, I gave up looking for something cool and decided to go with something unique! When I was trying to think of a name for my blog, I wanted something that captured something about who I am while describing something about the blog as well. This obscure phrase became a way to capture a little of both. As an adult, I’ve come to realize that many of the sayings I thought everyone grew up with are actually either indigenous to my family or to the place I grew up in rural Southeastern Oklahoma. So the obscurity of the phrase became a picture of my family, my life, and my curiosity which I hope is apparent at times on the blog. On the other hand, it describes the fact that the blog began as something I had a hard time describing!
So there you go – the story of Catching Meddlers. That’s all there is to it.
Weird Name…I Know.
Gavin Richardson over at The Methoblog asks, “How did your blog get its name?” (h/t John the Methodist)
This question spurred me to update my “About” space, so I thought I’d also post that information here with a few minor additions.
Catching Meddlers comes from an obscure old saying I first remember hearing from my Grandma and Grandpa. I would find something interesting – a piece of metal or some other kind of junk – laying around their place and I would ask, “What is this?” Many times they didn’t know what it was or couldn’t explain it to me, so they’d reply, “It’s a layover to catch meddlers.” Being a curious kid, I heard this all the time!
One of the things that kept me from blogging for a long time was the lack of a good name. Finally, I gave up looking for something cool and decided to go with something unique! When I was trying to think of a name for my blog, I wanted something that captured something about who I am while describing something about the blog as well. This obscure phrase became a way to capture a little of both. As an adult, I’ve come to realize that many of the sayings I thought everyone grew up with are actually either indigenous to my family or to the place I grew up in rural Southeastern Oklahoma. So the obscurity of the phrase became a picture of my family, my life, and my curiosity which I hope is apparent at times on the blog. On the other hand, it describes the fact that the blog began as something I had a hard time describing!
So there you go – the story of Catching Meddlers. That’s all there is to it.
Ordination Questions: Nature & Mission of the Church
8.) Describe the nature and mission of the Church. What are its primary tasks today?
The Church is the global Body of Christ formed for the salvation of the world. The United Methodist Book of Discipline helpfully reminds us of the nature of the local church as: 1.) a place of disciple-making, 2.) a community of true believers under the Lordship of Christ, 3.) the redemptive fellowship where the Word of God is proclaimed, and 4.) the place where the sacraments are administered to the people of God.[1] The Discipline then breaks these tasks into three distinct activities: maintenance of worship, edification of believers, and the redemption of the world.
One of the congregations I serve has been transformed by the answer to this question. Over the last few years, we have been involved in not one, but two mission trips to Rio Bravo, Mexico. Although this is a fairly common occurrence for some congregations around the Oklahoma Conference, it has been extremely significant for our congregation. Not only had our congregation never been to Mexico on a mission trip, they had never participated in a Volunteer in Mission experience in the history of the congregation! The difference in the congregation has been profound, and I believe the reason relates directly to the nature and mission of the Church. As we participated in these two missions, we have received far more than we have given. The mission experiences have been far more than simply going to build homes and serve others; they have been opportunities for deepened discipleship, a testimony to the Lordship of Christ, the very proclamation of God’s word, and active participation in the redemption of the world.
As we have been formed by God’s true story of creation, fall, and above all, redemption, we have been much more sensitive to God’s claim on our lives and our community. Worship of the Living God is no longer simply “going to worship;” it is training for our missional life together as God’s people. Christian formation becomes far more than simply memorizing Scripture and learning historical facts about a dry and dusty faith; it becomes learning about a living and active God that we have seen working in our midst. Redeeming the world is no longer something we hope and pray for as though we are simply wishing for something impossible; it is something we have seen on the ground, incarnate in Christ, and lived in our experience.
As we are caught up in the passionate pursuit of God in our lives and world, the community of faith becomes the primary place where we grow as disciples, challenging one another, encouraging one another, and learning to embrace God’s guidance and grace. Although each of our Churches are imperfect and flawed, God has entrusted us with the call to carry out the mission of the Kingdom as God’s vision made known in our world. We receive a picture of this vision in Luke when we hear how Jesus initiated his mission as he read from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). As followers of Christ, we can expect no less than full participation in this mission and God’s vision: preaching good news to the poor, proclaiming release and recovery, releasing the oppressed, and proclaiming the Lord’s favor. This vision and understanding of the nature and mission of the Church is profound. As we move from an understanding of Church as “the place we meet on Sundays” to “an essential means God has given for redemption and salvation,” we will begin to live a different way. If live a life of faithful response to God’s call and vision for the Church, our congregations, our communities, and our world will never be the same.
[1] United Methodist Book of Discipline, ¶201
Good Thoughts on Blogging as a Tool for Ministry
Cory Miller, director of communications at Quail Springs Baptist Church (a congregation my wife and I visited way back when we were newlyweds in ’99), and blogger over at Church Communications Pro, provides a great apologetic for blogging here: Blogging is Not a Four-Letter Word. Check it out! 
Ordination Questions: The Sacraments
As I get into some of these questions, I won’t be posting everything. Some of the questions don’t require much more than our assent to certain things. These are important questions, but they’re not all that interesting to read.
7.) What is the meaning and significance of the Sacraments?
As United Methodists, we recognize Baptism and Holy Communion as the, “two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord.”[1] John Wesley described the sacraments as means of grace and then defined that term, “By ‘means of grace’ I understand outward signs, words, or actions, ordained by God, and appointed for this end, to be the ordinary channels whereby he might convey to men [and women], preventing, justifying, and sanctifying grace.”[2] Baptism is the sacrament through which we are united with the Church and incorporated into the body of Christ, and Holy Communion is the ongoing sacred meal of the community in which we celebrate by eating and drinking with one another and with Christ.[3]
The sacraments have a powerful formative role in the community of faith and are essential to our ongoing mission as God’s people. In Baptism, we are able to communicate the story of God’s people in a dynamic and dramatic act. Whether we are baptizing adults or infants, we are richly communicating the essential nature of discipleship and the salvation we receive through the loving work of Jesus, even as grace is conveyed and received. In Communion, we remember the mighty acts of our Lord who welcomed tax collectors and sinners to a common table for fellowship, we actively participate in God’s Kingdom, and we are formed, nourished, and strengthened in grace to live out our calling as those set apart by God for God’s mission in the world.
In closing, I want to use a story in order to more fully explore, understand, and explain the significance of the sacraments. When my daughter Emma was just old enough to start asking questions about the faith, our family went to an evening communion service at the Church where I was doing my seminary internship. After the pastor consecrated the elements and people started to go forward, Emma looked at me and said, “What are we doing?” I tried to summarize what took place in a sacrament in terms that a three year old would understand, so I said, “Honey, when we do this it means Jesus is here with us.” Immediately, with the faith of a child, she began craning her neck to see if she could get a glimpse of him. With the faith of a child, Emma noticed something that many of us take years to understand. In the sacraments, Christ is truly present offering grace, healing, forgiveness, and love. May we have the kind of innocent trust that might allow us to recognize God’s holy presence each time we see someone brought to the Holy Waters of Baptism and each time we celebrate the mystery, eating together at Christ’s Holy Table!
[1] United Methodist Book of Discipline. ¶103, Article XVI – Of the Sacraments
[2] Gayle Carlton Felton, This Holy Mystery: A United Methodist Understanding of Holy Communion. (Nashville:
Discipleship Resources, 2006). p. 15.
[3] ibid., p. 25
Ordination Questions: Traditional Evangelical doctrines
5.) How do you understand the following traditional evangelical doctrines: (a) repentance; (b) justification; (c) regeneration; and (d) sanctification? What are the marks of the Christian life?
Repentance has its conceptual roots in the Hebrew language. The original word, bwv – transliterated as shuwb – simply means to turn around. Thus, in terms of the evangelical understanding of the life of faith, repentance means to make a 180 degree turn with ones life. In other words, when we are heading down a path separated from any consideration of God and the things of God, repentance would mean to literally change course and turn back on a path that led to the richness of God’s love and guidance. John Wesley spoke regularly about, “bringing forth fruites meet for repentance,” such as ceasing from doing evil and learning to do well.[1] Wesley also believed that repentance was in some sense a necessary predecessor to justification, even though he believed faith has to be the only absolutely necessary prerequisite for justification.
Justification itself is a slightly more difficult concept. According to the Anchor Bible Dictionary article by Richard B. Hays, justification is, “A term that describes the event whereby persons are set or declared to be in right relation to God.”[2] This is justification at its very simplest. Our experience shows us a demonstrable gulf between humanity and the Divine. In order for us to regain a holistic connection with God, something must take place. That “something” is the event we describe using the word justification. Although Protestantism, beginning with Martin Luther, has emphasized “justification by faith alone,” Wesley and the Anglican tradition from which he arose have been careful to emphasize the dual importance of faith and works. By holding these two together, Wesley emphasized that true faith is never simply mental assent to several difficult propositions. One cannot simply mouth the words, “I believe in Jesus Christ,” like a magical formula and be justified. True faith, instead, is always a faith of the mind and heart. True faith is faith working in love.[3]
While justification gives us new standing in relationship with God, regeneration is the way we describe the renewed ability we are given to live life in a new way. While some parts of the Christian Tradition have focused on justification alone, others have focused primarily on transformation that comes through faith in Christ. The doctrine of regeneration, at its best, holds these together. The doctrine of regeneration teaches us that salvation is more than a personal policy for salvation; it is the beginning of a transformed life to live out the call to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength while loving our neighbor as ourselves.
After justification and regeneration, we are called to continually grow in grace toward the end God has in store for us. Although we enter a new relationship with God when we are justified, we still have to undergo a process of transformation to be the people God ultimately calls us to be. Over time, we are shaped and formed more profoundly as followers of Jesus. Sanctification is the term we use to describe this long-term process transformation that occurs by God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit.
The marks of the Christian life are the tell-tale signs of growth in grace. As we are shaped and formed more clearly into God’s image, by God’s sanctifying grace, we grow to be more Christ-like. Galatians 5:22 gives us the fruit of God’s Holy Spirit which are definite marks of the Christian life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Although the language sometimes obscures the meaning, we who follow in the theological traditions of John Wesley believe that we are being made perfect in grace. Therefore growth in grace is one of the great distinguishing marks of the Christian. I often tell people in my congregation that the question is not, “Am I like the perfect Christian I have pictured in my mind?” Instead, we’re called to look at our lives and ask, “Am I more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, and so on than I was one year ago, five years ago, or ten years ago?” Further, “Are we seeing a transformation from selfishness and inward focus to loving God and loving neighbor?” By God’s grace, we will be able to respond with great confidence that we are moving on to perfection as we are shaped and formed more fully in God’s image.
[1] Abraham, William., Wesley for Armchair Theologians (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2005), p. 75
[2]Freedman, D. N. The Anchor Bible Dictionary . (New York, Doubleday, 1996)
[3] Abraham, William., Wesley for Armchair Theologians (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2005), pp. 76-77
Searching the Lectionary
So…does anyone know why I’ve received so many hits for a lectionary passage the week after it appears in the lectionary? I’ve had several hits from people searching for Luke 14:1, 7-14.
The same thing happened the last time I posted a sermon based on a passage from the lectionary, and it always happens a week late. Anyone else have the same experience? Any clue as to why this happens? Are there folks out there who preach a week behind so they can get fresh stuff from blogs etc? 
Ordination Questions: The Quadrilateral
4.) The United Methodist Church holds that Scripture, tradition, experience, and reason are sources and norms for belief and practice but that the Bible is primary among them. What is your understanding of this theological position of the Church?
In a recent book by Bishop William H. Willimon, we find the following statement, “Scripture is clearly – in Wesleyanism and in us – primary.”[1] At the same time, Willimon describes the quadrilateral itself as our primary pattern of thought and a means of interpretation, “[the quadrilateral] enables us to play some essentials of Christian thought in concert with one another.”[2] In other words, although Scripture is our primary, “source and criterion” for theological reflection and mission in our world, we never approach it alone. Instead, we approach Scripture together with the entire household of faith (tradition), as believers and participants in the Body of Christ (experience), who hold its truths so valuable that we submit them to the most rigorous of inquiries (reason). Even though Scripture is our primary source and criterion, we are not fundamentalist in the way we seek to interact with it. Anglican Bishop Tom Wright could be describing a United Methodist view of Scripture when he writes, “The Bible is there to enable God’s people to be equipped to do God’s work in God’s world, not to give them an excuse to sit back smugly, knowing they possess all God’s truth.”[3] Above all else, United Methodist Christians believe that Scripture issues a call both to belief and action in our world. Arguments over the exact nature of Scripture’s power are far less important to us than living out God’s will in our world while holding a rich conversation with the witness of the scriptural narrative.
In the local Church, I have found that this approach is greatly valued. People who have experienced being confronted in unhealthy ways with Scripture are able to fall in love with God’s Word once again when they realize they can ask difficult questions and wrestle with Scripture without being afraid they will come up empty or with handfuls of easy answers. I believe we need to continue to emphasize the dynamic interplay between scripture, tradition, experience, and reason as a key component of our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
[1] Willimon, William H. United Methodist Beliefs: A Brief Introduction. (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox
Press, 2007) p. 66
[2] ibid, p. 117
[3] Wright, N.T., Simply Christian (New York: Harper Collins, 2006), p. 184.
Sunday Sermon: Luke 14:1, 7-14 – God’s Table Etiquette
In recent years many people have criticized the decline of etiquette and manners in our world. To many, it seems that society has grown accustomed to things that would have been considered incredibly rude only a decade or so before. My Grandma was always in charge of patrolling this area for my family. Even though Grandma and Grandpa didn’t have much in the way of material things, this was by no means an excuse to be uncivilized! There would be no elbows on the table, the forks were always on the left, and you most certainly did not come inside the house without taking off your hat or cap! So this morning, in memory of my Grandma Pauline, I want to give you a little reminder of some important Table Manners. So, here are ten simple table manners from Emily Post’s daughter Lizzie, who has updated them just a bit for this generation: 1.) Chew with your mouth shut. 2.) Avoid slurping, smacking, blowing your nose, or other gross noises. (If necessary, excuse yourself to take care of whatever it is you need to take care of.) 3.) Don’t use your utensils like a shovel or as if you’ve just stabbed the food you’re about to eat. 4.) Don’t pick your teeth at the table. 5.) Remember to use your napkin at all times (contrary to popular belief, this is not the reason shirt sleeves were invented – that addition is from Grandma). 6.) Wait until you’re done chewing to sip or swallow a drink. (The exception is if you’re choking.) 7.) Cut only one piece of food at a time. 8.) Avoid slouching and don’t place your elbows on the table while eating (though it is okay to prop your elbows on the table while conversing between courses.) 9.) Instead of reaching across the table for something, ask for it to be passed to you. 10.) Always say ‘excuse me’ whenever you leave the table.
We won’t take a poll on how many of those you all follow, because today I want to talk about a different kind of table etiquette – a kind that comes from a significantly higher authority than Emily Post’s daughter! Someone once said that in the book of Luke you always find Jesus coming to a meal, at a meal, or leaving a meal, and that is true in this passage. Jesus had been invited to the home of one of the leading Pharisees, but it wasn’t just your average social occasion. The passage shares the real reason for the invitation – they were watching Jesus closely.
This group of Pharisees and religious scholars probably wanted to give Jesus a very thorough test, but in a surprising twist, the only observations made at the table came from Jesus himself, as he began to comment on their table manners. You see, the religious and social culture of that day had very strict and well-developed list of social rules for eating together, and there were an incredible number of do’s and don’ts. The ways you interacted in these settings were very much tied to your social standing and your place in society. The place you sat at the table was incredibly important and determined your social rank, so we may not be surprised to find that as they sat down to eat, there was a great deal of jockeying for position.
Lest you think we’re above this kind of behavior, and social ranking has nothing to do with your seating, just think about your last family Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering. Maybe your family has a “kids table” that still has thirty and forty year olds sitting at it?! At Nanci’s family gatherings, those of us who are the younger adults in the family had to wait until we had enough kids to populate the kids table with grandkids in order to get to sit with the adults! In my family, my Dad sat in the same spot at the table for as long as I can remember! And even though we might think these kinds of things don’t really matter in our day and age, it was a little bit awkward the first Thanksgiving after my Dad’s death, because no one else had ever sat in that place.
Jesus noticed how the people put a great deal of effort as they jostled for position at the table, so he began to teach through a parable. He told the people gathering around the table the best way to go about choosing a seat. “If you’re invited to a banquet, don’t simply sit in the place of honor. You just might not be the most honored person there, and it will be incredibly humiliating when your host asks you to give up your seat and you have to traipse back down to the children’s table…” Instead, Jesus says, “Sit at the least honorable place, so that your host can invite you to the higher place. Then you’ll receive a great honor.”
Now what happened next is the most surprising, because Jesus doesn’t stop with what may have been accepted as reasonable and practical advice. Instead he challenged the very notion of what honor and privilege were all about as he turned to look at the host and challenged the practical wisdom and etiquette of the day.
Meals like this one were not just occasions to gather, eat, and talk; they were occasions to build your own reputation and connections. Gifts, such as an invitation to a meal, weren’t free but were tied to obligations to those who accepted the invitation. If you gave out an invitation, you expected to receive one in return. In a way, these dinner invitations were a lot like political rallies. You’re invited to attend, but there are expectations that are tied to the invitation. But Jesus turned this on its head when he said, “When you have a big meal, don’t invite all the people you’d normally think of inviting, just because they can invite you in return and pay you back. Instead, when you throw a party, invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind because they can’t repay you. And in the end, you’ll receive your reward, not from them, but at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Jesus gave them, and he gives us, a completely different kind of table etiquette. In those days, common wisdom and social etiquette said jockey for position. Jesus said God’s etiquette calls for something completely different – all who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted. In those days, common wisdom and social etiquette was to invite those who can give in return. Jesus said that God’s etiquette reminds us to invite the very least: the poor, lame, and blind. And when we show generosity to those who can never give in return, Jesus says that we’ll find out something incredible. You won’t be repaid in the usual way, but you’ll be repaid by the very God who created every man, woman, and child. God himself will be the one who gives in return for those who are unable in the resurrection of the righteous.
Jesus shows us that God’s table etiquette operates with an entirely different way of looking at the world, and I believe that is directly connected today with our celebration of Holy Communion today. At God’s table, everyone is welcome. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, able or disabled, young or old, white, black, Asian, or Hispanic. As we kneel at Christ’s table today, we are shoulder to shoulder and elbow to elbow with people from all walks of life. Because around Christ’s table, we are all one receiving the very same grace, love, and forgiveness that only God can give. Kneeling at the feet of Jesus Christ, we are all loved, we are all cared for, and we have all been offered the same gift of forgiveness and Salvation. As we prepare our hearts and minds for communion today, let us pray that God will give us the grace to practice the kind of etiquette we learn at God’s table outside these walls in our daily lives – that’s the kind of etiquette that will truly be rewarded…
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Sunday Sermon: Luke 14:1, 7-14 – God’s Table Etiquette
In recent years many people have criticized the decline of etiquette and manners in our world. To many, it seems that society has grown accustomed to things that would have been considered incredibly rude only a decade or so before. My Grandma was always in charge of patrolling this area for my family. Even though Grandma and Grandpa didn’t have much in the way of material things, this was by no means an excuse to be uncivilized! There would be no elbows on the table, the forks were always on the left, and you most certainly did not come inside the house without taking off your hat or cap! So this morning, in memory of my Grandma Pauline, I want to give you a little reminder of some important Table Manners. So, here are ten simple table manners from Emily Post’s daughter Lizzie, who has updated them just a bit for this generation: 1.) Chew with your mouth shut. 2.) Avoid slurping, smacking, blowing your nose, or other gross noises. (If necessary, excuse yourself to take care of whatever it is you need to take care of.) 3.) Don’t use your utensils like a shovel or as if you’ve just stabbed the food you’re about to eat. 4.) Don’t pick your teeth at the table. 5.) Remember to use your napkin at all times (contrary to popular belief, this is not the reason shirt sleeves were invented – that addition is from Grandma). 6.) Wait until you’re done chewing to sip or swallow a drink. (The exception is if you’re choking.) 7.) Cut only one piece of food at a time. 8.) Avoid slouching and don’t place your elbows on the table while eating (though it is okay to prop your elbows on the table while conversing between courses.) 9.) Instead of reaching across the table for something, ask for it to be passed to you. 10.) Always say ‘excuse me’ whenever you leave the table.
We won’t take a poll on how many of those you all follow, because today I want to talk about a different kind of table etiquette – a kind that comes from a significantly higher authority than Emily Post’s daughter! Someone once said that in the book of Luke you always find Jesus coming to a meal, at a meal, or leaving a meal, and that is true in this passage. Jesus had been invited to the home of one of the leading Pharisees, but it wasn’t just your average social occasion. The passage shares the real reason for the invitation – they were watching Jesus closely.
This group of Pharisees and religious scholars probably wanted to give Jesus a very thorough test, but in a surprising twist, the only observations made at the table came from Jesus himself, as he began to comment on their table manners. You see, the religious and social culture of that day had very strict and well-developed list of social rules for eating together, and there were an incredible number of do’s and don’ts. The ways you interacted in these settings were very much tied to your social standing and your place in society. The place you sat at the table was incredibly important and determined your social rank, so we may not be surprised to find that as they sat down to eat, there was a great deal of jockeying for position.
Lest you think we’re above this kind of behavior, and social ranking has nothing to do with your seating, just think about your last family Thanksgiving or Christmas gathering. Maybe your family has a “kids table” that still has thirty and forty year olds sitting at it?! At Nanci’s family gatherings, those of us who are the younger adults in the family had to wait until we had enough kids to populate the kids table with grandkids in order to get to sit with the adults! In my family, my Dad sat in the same spot at the table for as long as I can remember! And even though we might think these kinds of things don’t really matter in our day and age, it was a little bit awkward the first Thanksgiving after my Dad’s death, because no one else had ever sat in that place.
Jesus noticed how the people put a great deal of effort as they jostled for position at the table, so he began to teach through a parable. He told the people gathering around the table the best way to go about choosing a seat. “If you’re invited to a banquet, don’t simply sit in the place of honor. You just might not be the most honored person there, and it will be incredibly humiliating when your host asks you to give up your seat and you have to traipse back down to the children’s table…” Instead, Jesus says, “Sit at the least honorable place, so that your host can invite you to the higher place. Then you’ll receive a great honor.”
Now what happened next is the most surprising, because Jesus doesn’t stop with what may have been accepted as reasonable and practical advice. Instead he challenged the very notion of what honor and privilege were all about as he turned to look at the host and challenged the practical wisdom and etiquette of the day.
Meals like this one were not just occasions to gather, eat, and talk; they were occasions to build your own reputation and connections. Gifts, such as an invitation to a meal, weren’t free but were tied to obligations to those who accepted the invitation. If you gave out an invitation, you expected to receive one in return. In a way, these dinner invitations were a lot like political rallies. You’re invited to attend, but there are expectations that are tied to the invitation. But Jesus turned this on its head when he said, “When you have a big meal, don’t invite all the people you’d normally think of inviting, just because they can invite you in return and pay you back. Instead, when you throw a party, invite the poor, cripples, lame, and blind because they can’t repay you. And in the end, you’ll receive your reward, not from them, but at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Jesus gave them, and he gives us, a completely different kind of table etiquette. In those days, common wisdom and social etiquette said jockey for position. Jesus said God’s etiquette calls for something completely different – all who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted. In those days, common wisdom and social etiquette was to invite those who can give in return. Jesus said that God’s etiquette reminds us to invite the very least: the poor, lame, and blind. And when we show generosity to those who can never give in return, Jesus says that we’ll find out something incredible. You won’t be repaid in the usual way, but you’ll be repaid by the very God who created every man, woman, and child. God himself will be the one who gives in return for those who are unable in the resurrection of the righteous.
Jesus shows us that God’s table etiquette operates with an entirely different way of looking at the world, and I believe that is directly connected today with our celebration of Holy Communion today. At God’s table, everyone is welcome. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, able or disabled, young or old, white, black, Asian, or Hispanic. As we kneel at Christ’s table today, we are shoulder to shoulder and elbow to elbow with people from all walks of life. Because around Christ’s table, we are all one receiving the very same grace, love, and forgiveness that only God can give. Kneeling at the feet of Jesus Christ, we are all loved, we are all cared for, and we have all been offered the same gift of forgiveness and Salvation. As we prepare our hearts and minds for communion today, let us pray that God will give us the grace to practice the kind of etiquette we learn at God’s table outside these walls in our daily lives – that’s the kind of etiquette that will truly be rewarded…
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
