Readings for Proper 21C:
Amos 6:1-7; Ps. 146; Luke 16:19-31
September 30, 2007
The Rev. Karen Faye Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino, CA
“Happy are they who give justice to those who are oppressed and food to those who hunger.”[Ps. 146]
A grandmother and her grandson were sitting outside of the veterinary hospital. Their hearts were heavy, tears streaming down their faces. Somehow, the family dog had gotten out of the yard and was hit by a car. They rushed him to the vet who examined the dog and explained that he needed surgery, a surgery costing over a $1000 dollars. Neither the grandmother nor the grandson had that kind of money. Trying to come up with a solution, they sat together outside on the curb when a stranger saw them in distress. She took the time to walk over to them and asked them why they were so sad. When they told her the story, she went into the veterinary hospital and paid the bill anonymously.
Why would a complete stranger lay out 1000 dollars to help someone in need? It is called generosity. It is called compassion. It is called being a faithful servant. Being a faithful servant means responding to others in their distress. In this particular instance, she had the money, someone needed the money, and so she gave it away- simple as that. What were the consequences of her generous actions? A beloved dog was given new life, a family was relieved of a heavy financial burden, and a generous woman received joy in her heart. The Lord loves a generous giver. When we so give, God blesses us with joy!
Today’s gospel story tells about a situation on the opposite end of the spectrum. There was a rich man who dressed in fine clothes and feasted abundantly every day. Each day, he would step over a very needy man lying at his gate, covered with sores and starving for food. The rich man had the money, the poor man needed it, and the rich man decided to keep it all to himself. What were the consequences of his selfish action? Lazarus died of starvation, the rich man died in torment, and the cycle of self-indulgence was passed down to the next generation. Because the rich man knowingly and willing disobeyed the commands of Moses and the prophets, he suffered the consequences; separated from God, living in torment. He had given up a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the world.
Moses said: “There must be no poor people among you because God is going to bless you lavishly in the land that God is giving you. When you happen on someone who is in trouble or needs help ... don’t look the other way pretending you don’t see him. Don’t keep a tight grip on your purse. No. Look at him, open your purse, lend whatever and as much as he needs. Don’t count the cost and don’t listen to that selfish voice ... and leave your needy neighbor in the lurch, refusing to help him. Give freely and spontaneously. Don’t have a stingy heart ... There are always going to be poor and needy people among you. So I command you: Always be generous, open purse and hands, give to your neighbors in trouble, your poor and hurting neighbors.” [The Message, Deuteronomy 15]
In today’s first reading, Amos continues the prophetic voice of Moses, criticizing the Israelite culture of 8th century BCE. Living in a context of relative peace, the people of Israel were experiencing a time of economic prosperity. Those who found themselves in the upper classes forgot about the needy and engaged in a cycle of self-indulgent activities of drinking, feasting, excessive entertainment, and obsession with their bodies. Amos warns them that those who live only for today will suffer the consequences of such a self-centered life.
Today’s readings remind us of the consequences of being of being selfish. When our primary interest is the accumulation of material goods, then we are not only disobeying the Scriptures but we are putting our futures at risk. Seeking after riches instead of seeking after God continues the cycle of poverty and the disintegration of society. This is because there are consequences to every action we do. There are consequences to generosity and consequences to greed. One gives life and the other takes it away.
Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Francis, the most beloved saint in Christian history. Raised in wealth and luxury, Francis spent much of his youth enjoying pleasure and popularity (similar to the privileged folks of Amos’ time). But having suffered a debilitating disease while seeking military glory, he turned his back on everything to embrace God by living a life of radical generosity. Empowered and inflamed with a burning love for God, he took the words of Jesus to his heart and sought out ways he could practice them in his life.
His total embrace of God moved him to serve the lepers of his community, to care for the downtrodden, and to preach the gospel of love for people, animals, and the environment. He did this in a wild and carefree way, not stopping to calculate how it might hurt his career or cramp his life style. At first, he was rejected by his family and friends as being a misguided fanatic. But through the compelling example of his life, his followers grew from a handful into thousands, a movement that continues to this day.
In our fast-paced, consumer-oriented world where bigger, better, and faster is valued more than simplicity and generosity, we need to hear his voice of radical generosity: a spirit of infectious, passionate, no-holds-barred faith; reaching out into human-human relationships, into the animal world, and even into the world of our environment.
Today, we will celebrate this spirit of radical generosity by blessing our animal friends and recognizing the blessings that they give to us. The unconditional love our pets give to us opens our hearts to the Creator of all things and they become the window through which we are most like St. Francis.
This week in the news many of you probably saw the story of the large bear who was crossing a bridge in the Lake Tahoe area. Scared by two cars coming from opposite directions, he jumped over the side. Realizing he’d made a serious error, he hung desperately to the side of the bridge. He worked his way onto the support beams under the bridge and waited. People responded immediately. Forest rangers, the Humane Society, rock climbers, and just plain folk arrived to try and save this bear. Why? Because they had the skill, the bear needed their help, and they were willing to be radically generous. By the next morning, they were organized and ready to go. The climbers maneuvered a large net under the bear’s position, the Humane Society’s person shot the bear with a tranquilizer dart, and a volunteer climbed down to nudge the bear off the bridge into the net. Lowered down, safely released, protected until he returned to his senses, the bear, without a look back, lumbered off to safety in his own element. It was a huge gift of time, talent, and treasure from many people to save a creature.
The Lord loves a generous giver. And when we give, God blesses us with joy!
| Updated October 4, 2007 |
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