The Rev. Virginia W. Nagel
Ephphatha Parish of the Deaf
Episcopal Diocese of Central NY
One of the things that I like about the Bible is one of the same things that makes me mad at the Bible sometimes. It's simply that God tells things like they are and doesn't pull any punches. He doesn't mosey around sweet-talking us into finally taking a look at the truth of things. He doesn't sugar-coat bitter truths to make them easy to swallow. He tells us the truth, pure and simple, and leaves us to wrestle with it in our own hearts and souls. And sometimes that hurts. Sometimes that gives us an excuse (we think) to ignore the truths God is trying to teach us. But even while we are trying to ignore those truths, we know, deep down, that we have to look at them and learn them and digest them. Today's readings are truths like that...so, let's look at them, even if it hurts.
Amos speaks for God first. We all like the easy life. We all like to say that we've earned some free time, that we have a right to enjoy ourselves, take things easy. We all like to say that, after all, we're really basically good people so it shouldn't count against us if we miss church, forget our prayers now and then, and do fun things instead of working to help others and spread God's Kingdom. Everybody deserves some time off for themselves, right? Everybody deserves a little frosting on the cake of life, right?
And Amos tells us that God answers with a loud, resounding NO! Following God is a 24/7 deal. We don't get a day off, we don't get a time when we can ignore God's laws and forget God's purposes for building his Kingdom here on earth. We can't skip prayers, we can't ignore church, we can't pretend that it doesn't matter. The prophet Haggai tells us that taking God for granted is the first step in turning away from God and our faith. David, the Psalmist, tells us that In everything you do, praise the Lord. We simply cannot follow the ways of the world and think of our religion or our faith as a kind of extra ruffle added on to an ordinary life. No, our life has to be really, wholly different from the lives of people who don't know God. God is not an unneeded "extra." God is the fabric of life itself...after all, it's God that invented life, and love, and justice for all, and mercy for sinners. And those are the things that have to shape our life if we call ourselves followers of God most High. We "let God go" at our own peril. Ignoring God, even for a moment, is the most dangerous thing we can do!
Paul's letter to the Bishop Timothy repeats all this. He adds some clear instructions, just in case we don't get the point: ...avoid all earthly riches. Strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness...for it was to this life that God called you when you firmly professed your faith before many witnesses....Command those who are rich in the things of this life to be not proud, but to place their hope, not in such an uncertain thing as riches, but in God, who generously gives us everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share with others. In this way they will be able to store up for themselves a treasure which will be a solid foundation for the future. And then they will be able to win the life which is true life.
Jesus' story of the beggar Lazarus and the rich man hammers home this point. The last two sentences really hit home, don't they? The rich man answered, 'That is not enough, Father Abraham! But if someone were to rise from death and go to them, then they would turn from their sins.' But Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone were to rise from death.' Well, someone HAS risen from death, Jesus the Christ, the one who told this story. Have YOU listened to him? And what are you doing about it?
Amen.
