Commitment
Mark 12: 38-44

November 9, 2003

A WEEK OR SO AGO, IN A SUBURB OF MONTREAL, THE LOCAL WAL-MART STORE SNUBBED THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BY REFUSING THE LEGION PERMISSION TO HOLD THEIR ANNUAL “POPPY” CAMPAIGN INTHE STORE ENTRANCEWAY. ALTHOUGH THE LEGION HAS BEEN SELLINGPOPPIES THERE FOR YEARS, WAL-MART UNILATERALLY DECIDED THIS FALL TO GIVE ACCESS TO THE SPACE TO A MUCH MORE ‘CURRENT” CAUSE, WHICH WOULD TAKE UP ALL THE AVAILABLE ROOM. NEVER MIND THAT THIS SPECIFIC VENUE, OVER THE YEARS HAD BECOME ONE OF THE LEGION’S BEST LOCATIONS – YES, FOR BRINGING IN A LITTLE CASH TO FILL THE COFFERS OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION. BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, JUDGING BY THE OUTRAGE EXPRESSED BY THE LEGION, IN THEIR VIEW, IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST VENUES FOR GETTING THE “MESSAGE”OUT!

AND WHAT, I THOUGHT, IN THE YEAR 2003, WHAT IS THAT MESSAGE REALLY?

IN A WORLD BRIMMING WITH WAR AND CONFLICT, WHAT IS THE POWER OF THE REMEMBRANCE DAY OBSERVANCE IN OUR TIME? YES, IT EXPRESSES A HOPE THAT NEVER AGAIN WILL THERE BE A WAR WHICH VICTIMIZES THE WHOLE WORLD. AND YES, IT IS AS WELL, AN AMAZINGLY LONGSTANDING, AND MORE THAN APPROPRIATE MEMORIAL TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO TOOK PART IN THE “WORLD WARS” OF THE 20TH CENTURY, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT LOST THEIR LIVES.

I WONDERED IF THE MESSAGE ISN’T EVEN MORE FUNDAMENTALLY SOMETHING ELSE, SOMETHING THAT LIES WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF OUR FAITH? AND, ISN’T THIS SOMETHING ELSE THE REAL REASON TO ACCEPT, WITH RELIEF, WAL-MART’S DECISION TO CHANGE THEIR MIND, AND LET THE LEGION BACK INTO THEIR STORE?

IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LECTIONARY FOR THIS DAY, PERHAPS THERE IS AN ANSWER.

AS WE HEARD EARLIER, THE OLD TESTAMENT READING FOR TODAY PICKS UP THE STORY OF THE PROPHET ELIJAH AT A TIME WHEN HE IS RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE. SOMETIME AFTER THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL,THE NORTHERN KINGDOM HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY KING AHAB AND HIS WIFE QUEEN JEZEBEL. NON-JEWISH LEADERS THEMSELVES, THEY ARE NOT IMPRESSED WITH THE JEWISH PROPHETS, AMONG WHOM ELIJAH WAS PROMINENT , OR OF THEIR CONSISTENT MESSAGES ABOUT FAMINE IN THEIR LAND. THEY HAVE ORDERED THAT ALL THE PROPHETS BE PUT TO DEATH, AND REPLACED BY 1000 HAND-PICKED PAGAN PRIESTS. ELIJAH HAS BEEN DIRECTED BY GOD TO FLEE FOR HIS LIFE.AFTER ELIJAH HAS BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR SOMETIME, SURVIVING, WE ARE TOLD BY EATING THE FOOD THAT IS BROUGHT TO HIM BY RAVENS, GOD TELLS ELIJAH TO HEAD FOR A CITY CALLED ZEREPHATH WHERE GOD SAYS, A WIDOW WOMAN WILL PROVIDE FOR HIM.

IN THE YARD OUTSIDE HER HOME, ON A HOT, DRY AFTERNOON A WOMAN IS OUT LOOKING FOR KINDLING SO SHE CAN BUILD A FIRE FOR COOKING. SHE HEARS A MAN’S VOICE,ELIJAH’S VOICE, AND IS SURPRISED TO SEE A LONE MAN APPROACHING (IT WASN’T CUSTOMARY IN THOSE DAYS FOR MEN TO SPEAK TO WOMEN ALONE) – AND, AN UNUSUAL LOOKING MAN TO SAY THE LEAST –NO DOUBT DISHEVELLED AND GRUBBY FROM BEING ON THE ROAD, PROBABLY TIRED FROM LITTLE OR UNSETTLED SLEEP, AND DESCRIBED BY ONE SOURCE AS PROBABLY WEARING A “DIAPER-LIKE COVERING OF BLACK CAMEL-HAIR” THIS STRANGER ASKS HER FOR SOME WATER, AND AS SHE TURNS TO THE HOUSE TO GET IT FOR HIM HE ASKS IF SHE WILL BRING HIM A MORSEL OF BREAD.

SHE EXPLAINS TO HIM THAT SHE AND HER CHILD HAVE RUN OUT OF ALL BUT THEIR LAST BIT OF FOOD, WHICH SHE IS JUST BUILDING A FIRE TO PREPARE, AND THAT WHEN SHE AND HER SON HAVE EATEN THEY WILL LIE DOWN AND READY THEMSELVES FOR DEATH. SHE TELLS HIM THAT SHE CAN NOT SPARE ANYTHING.

ELIJAH SAYS TO THE WOMAN “DO NOT FEAR!”AND HE TELLS HER TO GO AHEAD WITH HER COOKING PLANS , EXCEPT HE ADDS, “BUT FIRST, PLEASE MAKE ME A SMALL CAKE AND BRING IT TO ME, AND THEN MAKE SOME FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR SON”! THEN HE TELLS HER

THAT THE LORD HAS TOLD HIM THAT HER SUPPLIES WILL NOT RUN OUT BEFORE THE DROUGHT IS OVER

MAY BE SHE THOUGHT THIS IS TOO RIDICULOUS FOR WORDS TO BE ASKED TO GIVE UP A PORTION OF HER CHILD’S AND HER OWN LAST MEAL ON EARTH TO FEED THIS WANDERER!!. MAYBE SHE JUST HAD COMPASSION FOR THIS MAN IN LIGHT OF HIS STRANGENESS, CONFRONTED BY HIS UNUSUAL REQUEST…. HOWEVER,WHAT WE ARETOLD IN THE STORY IS THAT, WITH ONLY ELIJAH’S COMMENT TO GO ON, THE WOMAN PROCEEDS , IN FAITH, TO DO WHAT TURNS OUT TO BE THE RIGHT THING….. SHE PREPARES A CAKE FOR ELIJAH BEFORE FEEDING HERSELF AND HER SON.

AS SOMETIMES HAPPENS, THE WIDOW WAS SOON ABLE TO SEE DIRECTLY SOME POSITIVE AFFECTS IN HER OWN LIFE THAT FLOWED DIRECTLY FROM THIS FAITH-BASED DECISION TO FEED ELIJAH.ELIJAH STAYED ON, TAKING A ROOM IN THE WOMAN’S HOUSE AND WHAT HAD BEEN AN EXHAUSTED FOOD SUPPLY FET THE THREE OF THEM FOR, THE STORY SAYS SIMPLY, “MANY DAYS”. WHEN HER CHILD SUDDENLY DIES, ELIJAH INTERCEDES WITH GOD AND RESTORES THE CHILD TO LIFE – FINALLY MAKING IT APPARENT TO THE WOMAN THAT ELIJAH WAS A MAN OF GOD, “AND THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD IN YOUR MOUTH IS TRUTH”.

THE ALTERNATIVE SET OF READINGS FOR THIS MORNING INCLUDES A SMALL SEGMENT OF THE STORY OF RUTH. RUTH, OF COURSE, WAS THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW OF NAOMI AND ELIMELECH, TWO JEWISH PEOPLE WHO HAD MOVED, WITH THEIR TWO SONS TO MOAB TO ESCAPE FAMINE IN JUDAH. OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, THE SONS HAD MARRIED RUTH AND ORPAH .THEN, UNEXPECTEDLY ELIMELECH DIED, AS DI D BOTH OF THE SONS, LEAVING THEIR WIVES CHILDLESS. AS THE RECOURSE WITH CHILDLESS WIDOWS IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD WAS TO RETURN TO THEIR FAMILIES OF ORIGIN FOR SUPPORT, NAOMI SAID GOODBYE TO HER DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW AND PREPARED TO RETURN TO JUDAH. ALTHOUGH ORPAH STAYS IN MOAB, RUTH, KNOWING THE DESPARATE CIRCUMSTANCE POTENTIALLY AWAITING NAOMI, AND BEING VERY FOND OF HER AS WELL MAKES THE DECISION TO LEAVE HER OWN HOMELAND, FAMILY AND RELATIVES AND GO TO LIVE WITH NAOMI. ONE GETS A SENSE OF THE IMMENSITY OF THIS DECISION IN HER FAMOUS COMMITMENT TO NAOMI, BASED ON HER FAITH, THAT THIS WAS RIGHT TO DO: “WHEREVER YOU GO, I WILL GO; AND WHEREVER YOU LODGE, ILL LODGE; YOUR PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE AND YOUR GOD, MY GOD. WHERE YOU DIE, I WILL DIE, AND THERE WILL I BE BURIED”.

ALTHOUGH IT IS A COMPLICATED STORY INVOLVING HARDSHIP AND HARDWORK, INTRIGUE, SEDUCTION, AND COMPLICATED REAL-ESTATE LAWS, RUTH’S COMMITMENT TO NAOMI EVENTUALLY RESULTS IN IMPROVED LIVING CONDITIONS FOR BOTH WOMEN. RUTH EVENTUALLY MARRIES BOAZ, A RELATIVE OF NAOMI’S, AND RAISES A SON EXTENDING THE FAMILY LINE. IN TIME IT WILL RESULT THAT SHE WILL BE REMEMBERED AS THE GREAT-GRANDMOTHER OF THE FUTURE PSALMIST AND KING, DAVID, A DIRECT ANCESTOR OF CHRIST. AGAIN WE HAVE A STORY WHICH CALLS UPON AN ORDINARY PERSON TO COMMIT TO A COURSE OF ACTION, ON FAITH – AN ACTION WITH UNPREDICTABLE BUT POSITIVE RESULTS.

IN MARK’S GOSPEL WE ENCOUNTER JESUS SITTING “OPPOSITE THE TREASURY” IN THE TEMPLE, WATCHING PEOPLE MAKING THEIR DONATIONS. HE IS MOVED WHEN HE NOTICES A POOR WIDOW, CONTRIBUTE “TWO MITES” TO THE COFFERS - PROBABLY LESS THAN WHAT WE MIGHT CALL A MERE PITTANCE . JESUS POINTS HER OUT TO HIS DISCIPLES SAYING THAT “THIS POOR WOMAN HAS PUT IN MORE THAN ALL THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN TO THE TREASURY; FOR THEY PUT IN OUT OF THEIR ABUNDANCE, BUT SHE, OUT OF HER POVERTY PUT IN ALL THAT SHE HAD, HER WHOLE LIVELIHOOD”.

TO PUT ALL THESE STORIES TOGETHER INTO CONTEXT, IT SEEMS TO ME AS USUAL, ONE NEEDS TO LOOK A LITTLE BEYOND THE SPECIFIC VERSES SELECTED FOR THE READING OF THE DAY. JUST PRIOR TO THIS OBSERVATION OF THE WIDOW BY JESUS, MARK HAS TOLD THE STORY OF JESUS ENCOUNTER WITH ONE PARTICULAR SCRIBE WHO HAS ASKED JESUS TO TELL WHAT THE FIRST COMMANDMENT IS. REPLYING, IN TURN TO JESUS’ ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, THE SCRIBE SAYS :

YOU HAVE SPOKEN THE TRUTH, FOR THERE IS ONE GOD,AND THERE IS NO OTHER , BUT HE. AND TO LOVE HIM, WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING, WITH ALL THE SOUL, AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOUR AS ONESELF IS MORE THAN ALL THE WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES” AND MARK GOES ON TO SAY :NOW WHEN JESUS SAW THAT HE ANSWERED WISELY, HE SAID TO HIM: “YOU ARE NOT FAR FROM THE KINGDOM OF GOD”.

IN ANOTHER EARLIER ENCOUNTER WITH A YOUNG MAN IN THE STREET SOMEWHERE, JESUS IS ASKED “WHAT SHALL I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?” JESUS REPLIES, “YOU KNOW THE COMMANDMENTS…DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.DO NOT MURDER. DO NOT STEAL. DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS. DO NOT DEFRAUD. HONOUR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER” AND THE YOUNG MAN SAYS “I HAVE KEPT THESE COMMANDMENTS ALL MY LIFE!”

THEN JESUS SAID. “ONE THING YOU LACK. GO, SELL WHAT YOU HAVE AND GIVE TO THE POOR, AND YOU WILL HAVE TREASURE IN HEAVEN. AND COME”, HE INVITES THE YOUNG MAN, “TAKE UP THE CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.” THE GOSPEL RECORDS THEN :” BUT HE WAS SAD AT THIS WORD, AND WENT AWAY SORROWFUL, FOR HE HAD GREAT POSSESSIONS”. AND JESUS COMMENTS SADLY, “HOW HARD IT IS FOR THOSE WHO TRUST IN RICHES TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”

AT ANOTHER PLACE IN SCRIPTURE, I THINK IN THE EPISTLES OF JAMES, THE ECHOING PHRASE MIGHT BE, “BE YE DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY” . A MODERN IDIOMATIC EXPRESSION MIGHT HAVE IT AS – “JUST DO IT!”

IT IS, I THINK, IMPOSSIBLE TO ESCAPE THE REALIZATION THAT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH IS A CALL TO ACTION, A CALL TO PARTICIPATE PROACTIVELY, TO EXTEND OURSELVES IN THE SERVICE OF THE WORK AND WORSHIP OF GOD AND HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST. WE ARE CALLED TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT OUR MOTIVATIONS, AND THEN, ABOVE ALL TO PARTICIPATE , SECURE IN OUR FAITH THAT GOD WILL PROVIDE.

SURELY THAT IS THE LEARNING FOR US IN THE STORY OF THE FAITHFUL WIDOW PROVIDING SUSTENANCE FOR ELIJAH; SURELY WE ARE GIVEN A GLIMPSE INTO GOD’S PLAN THROUGH THE COURAGEOUS DECISIONS MADE, AND THE LIFE CHOSEN BY RUTH.

AND ISN’T THAT THE INFERENCE IN JESUS ‘REPLY TO THE SCRIBE, AND IN THE PATHOS OF HIS REPLY TO THE YOUNG MAN WHO HAD “OBSERVED” ALL THE COMMANDMENTS ALL HIS LIFE. ISN’T HE SAYING TO BOTH THESE YOUNG MEN,” BUT, NOW, GO AND ACT ON YOUR BELIEFS FOR YOURSELF AND THE SAKE OF YOUR OWN SOUL – COMMIT YOURSELF TO YOUR BELIEFS”, FOR MY SAKE AND FOR THE GOSPELS.”

IN THIS CONTEXT, THEN, LEST I FORGET, LIES MY INTERPRETATION OF THE POWER OF THIS MEMORIAL ACT OF SELLING AND WEARING POPPIES FOR REMEMBRANCE DAY. WHATEVER ELSE IT MEANS IN MEMORY TO THOSE FAMILIES, AND THEIR FRIENDS THAT LOST LOVED ONES IN WAR, WHAT EVER ELSE IT SIGNALS ABOUT OUR FERVENT PRAYER THAT SUCH THINGS MAY NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN – SURELY THIS ACT OF REMEMBRANCE IS A GRATEFUL AND RESPECTFUL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF UNPARALLELED COLLECTIVE ACTS OF COMMITMENT PERFORMED IN FAITH AND LOVE BY ALL WHO PARTICIPATED, WHETHER IN THE ARMED SERVICES OR NOT. ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, IT SEEMS TO ME, THAT ETERNAL INDEBTEDNESS NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED – WHICH IS WHY, TO ME, WAL-MART DID THE RIGHT THING AND CHANGED THEIR MIND.

THE PROPHET MICAH , WRITING IN THE 8TH CENTURY BC, ASKED THIS: “WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU? TO ACT JUSTLY, AND TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD”. JESUS, IN HIS TIME AMONG US, WAS PRETTY CLEAR ABOUT THE SPIRIT IN WHICH SUCH THINGS SHOULD BE DONE,.AND, ALTHOUGH HE WAS CLEAR IN TELLING US, AND THROUGH HIS OWN LIFE SHOWING US,THAT TO BE HIS FOLLOWERS IS NOT A PASSIVE OR EASY THING. HE WAS ALSO VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE REWARDS AWAITING HIS FOLLOWERS, BOTH IN THIS LIFE AND THE NEXT.AND THEN, CHARACTERISTICALLY, HE LEFT US THE CHOICE - TO FOLLOW OR TO FLEE.

THE APOSTLE PAUL REMINDS US THAT, “TO THOSE WHO EAGERLY WAIT FOR HIM, CHRIST WILL APPEAR A SECOND TIME, APART FROM SIN, FOR SALVATION”. LET US PRAY, FOR OURSELVES THAT, IN OUR DEFINING MOMENTS , WE WILL BE ABLE CONFIDENTLY TO COMMIT OURSELVES TO ACTIONS THAT MIRROR OUR BELIEFS AND DO HONOUR TO OUR GOD, IN HOPE OF OUR OWN RIGHTFUL PARTICIPATION IN THAT GLORIOUS HEREAFTER.

TO THAT MAY ALL OF GOD’S CHILDREN SAY, AMEN.

Preached by Thomas D. Stickland
Knox-Metropolitan United Church
Regina, Saskatchewan