As the rector of Saint Joseph's Episcopal Church, I say to you, "Happy Feast Day!" on this our patronal feast. Joseph's journey, both physical and spiritual, echoes the themes that emerge today, especially from the stories in Luke 18. Normally, we hear a parable and then come to an understanding of its meaning. Today, Luke tells us up front what the meaning is: "Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart" (Luke 18:1). This two-fold message gives us specific instructions as to my actions (pray always) as well as the attitude that should underlie those actions (not losing heart). Likewise, the story of the Pharisee gives a similar two-fold teaching: yes, it is good that you do all these good things, but equally important is the attitude of dependence on God that should underlie those actions.
Saint Joseph lived his life in responding to God's call when everything within himself and the culture would have told him to do otherwise. He did not lose heart, and God gave him the dream and vision of possibility, and he persevered on his journey with Mary and Jesus. It is when he places himself in dependence on God rather than himself that miracles start to happen. Not unlike the blind man at the end of Luke 18, once we finally cry out in helplessness and dependence on God that He is able to say to us, "Your faith has saved you.”
If you were longing to hear a reflection today on cross-gender dressing, crushed testicles, or the multitude of other things that Deuteronomy 22-24 considers "abhorrent to the Lord," I suggest you fast forward to the second half of the Bible. However, if nothing else, perhaps the attempt of the ancient people of God to try to observe the multitudinous laws put before them will lead us to see the futile nature of trying to earn our salvation. Whenever I try to please God by what I do ("we've given up everything to follow you..."), eventually I reach the breaking point that inevitably comes when I realize I cannot control that with is beyond my control.
T.S. Eliot, in Murder in the Cathedral, puts these words on Thomas Becket's lips: "The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the wrong reason." Luke asks us to ponder our actions today, but just as importantly, the motivating factor for those actions as well. In the long run, what Luke teaches us by parable, and Joseph and Jesus teach us by example, is that our attitude of persistence and humility must underlie the actions on our journey.
A final encouragement is that God is even more persistent than the widow in the parable. He will never stop pursuing justice for us. As Psalm 60 concludes today, "With God we shall do valiantly; it is He who will tread down our foes." Where we may see hopelessness, God sees the vision of new life in each one of us. In the end, we open ourselves up in all that we do and all that we are, to whatever adventures God has in store for us each day. In the words of John Kontol's beautiful song,
To your word, my ears wide open
To your truth, my arms wide open
To your light, my eyes wide open.
To your word, to your truth, to your light, to your love,
O Lord, my heart wide open.
(see and hear this song for St. Joseph's Day at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40uUhzXdL1o&feature=youtu.be)
Marty Zlatic
Saint Joseph lived his life in responding to God's call when everything within himself and the culture would have told him to do otherwise. He did not lose heart, and God gave him the dream and vision of possibility, and he persevered on his journey with Mary and Jesus. It is when he places himself in dependence on God rather than himself that miracles start to happen. Not unlike the blind man at the end of Luke 18, once we finally cry out in helplessness and dependence on God that He is able to say to us, "Your faith has saved you.”
If you were longing to hear a reflection today on cross-gender dressing, crushed testicles, or the multitude of other things that Deuteronomy 22-24 considers "abhorrent to the Lord," I suggest you fast forward to the second half of the Bible. However, if nothing else, perhaps the attempt of the ancient people of God to try to observe the multitudinous laws put before them will lead us to see the futile nature of trying to earn our salvation. Whenever I try to please God by what I do ("we've given up everything to follow you..."), eventually I reach the breaking point that inevitably comes when I realize I cannot control that with is beyond my control.
T.S. Eliot, in Murder in the Cathedral, puts these words on Thomas Becket's lips: "The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the wrong reason." Luke asks us to ponder our actions today, but just as importantly, the motivating factor for those actions as well. In the long run, what Luke teaches us by parable, and Joseph and Jesus teach us by example, is that our attitude of persistence and humility must underlie the actions on our journey.
A final encouragement is that God is even more persistent than the widow in the parable. He will never stop pursuing justice for us. As Psalm 60 concludes today, "With God we shall do valiantly; it is He who will tread down our foes." Where we may see hopelessness, God sees the vision of new life in each one of us. In the end, we open ourselves up in all that we do and all that we are, to whatever adventures God has in store for us each day. In the words of John Kontol's beautiful song,
To your word, my ears wide open
To your truth, my arms wide open
To your light, my eyes wide open.
To your word, to your truth, to your light, to your love,
O Lord, my heart wide open.
(see and hear this song for St. Joseph's Day at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40uUhzXdL1o&feature=youtu.be)
Marty Zlatic
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