 St Alban’s Episcopal Church Bolivar, Missouri Saturday, March 5, 2022 Lent and war against Ukraine  The Sunday Gospel – Luke 4:1-13 After his baptism, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.” Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant, all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said, “To you I will give all their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me and I give it to anyone I please. If you then will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve only him.” Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you.’ and, ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'” When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.”   Some Lenten thoughts Which picture resonates more with you?Do you think of “the devil”/”the temptor” as an external being, or as a voice so near as to be your own? And what do you suppose the purpose of the temptations was? And what was going on in the time before this story – “where for 40 days he was tempted…” ? Would he have resisted these, if he had not been tempted previously? Is there any value to measuring yourself against temptations? And what does the last sentence of this reading suggest to you? Lent in a time of aggression Only a couple of weeks ago we made it clear that we do not support spiritual and emotional wars of aggression against LGBTQ persons – no matter how piously they are waged, or by what authority. All along we have resisted racist language and assumptions about Black, and other persons of color – including within the Church of Jesus Christ. We have rejected the false choices about border security and our national need to welcome immigrants in need, whether from Mexico and Haiti, or from Afghanistan. And right now we deny the authority of Russia’s Putin to force Ukraine to deny its sovereignty and surrender to the power of an aggressor nation. We understand the need for peace. But it is the peace of God we seek, not the peace that sees any people crushed into submission. We will not accept a peace that does not reflect the justice of the kingdom of God – not here, and not in Ukraine. Part of what it means to be a Christian in troubled times – and they are always troubled – is to find ways to proclaim the kingdom of God – to resist evil within ourselves, and within the political and social world. There is always the temptation to stay out of trouble – to keep ourselves safe from criticism and rejection – to mind our own business. But our business is God’s.And while God isn’t the slightest bit interested in who wins basketball games, God is clearly interested in the welfare of all of God’s people, and all people are God’s. John Lewis urged us to get into “good trouble” – and I urge it as well. The President of Ukraine has clearly succeeded in rallying his people to do exactly that. They are making exceptional and creative “good trouble” in the face of atrocities, and death. They have even reminded us what real patriotism looks like – and what it costs. This Lent – find the good trouble, or let it find you. Stand up for something beyond yourself – beyond St Alban’s – Stand for God’s justice which leads to real peace. . If you are tempted not to make your voice or your stance known, recognize where that temptation arises. Learn to resist it. Ukraine needs your love, your prayer your money, your courage. And your hope. Your trust. Let Lent set you in the way of good trouble. And then, we pray, Easter will come to us – and to Ukraine – in beauty and in joy.  |
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