From the Rector’s Study

A number of years ago I was asked the question, is it a problem there are so many different churches? My answer no, as long as they don’t think they’re the only ones with the right answer. But since then, I’ve asked myself the question, why are there so many different churches?

One of the ways I was taught to look at gospel passages in preparation for a sermon was to ask questions, more specifically identify the questions I have about the passage itself. There are two questions I have about today’s gospel.

I am reminded the bumper sticker, whoever dies with the most toys wins. The bad news we cannot take them with us. Yet, there is a correlation between wealth and length of life. Life expectancy for the rich is longer than for the poor.

Is prayer valuable? In some sense it feels like a waste of time. Not productive time and feels like its very passive. Someone who is a lot holier than I have said when asked, is it a waste of time to spend it praying at the beginning of the day, or would your time be better spent doing other things?

We all know the story of the sisters, Martha and Mary, and Jesus’ visit with them. It is one of the most familiar in the Gospels, and only Luke relates it. Mary will forever be remembered as the one who missed the point.

The parable of the Good Samaritan. Two stories come to mind that relate men are about dealing with this parable. As the story goes there was a Bible study group meeting in the church and they heard the sound of a car accident outside. They considered what they were discussing in Bible study was so important, but they didn’t want to be interrupted. The irony is what they were discussing was the parable of the Good Samaritan.

In some versions of this passage the number is 72 instead of 70. This according to Hebrew scholars is the number of descendants of Noah from the Ark. So, this means all the world is involved in this mission and ministry. A universal implication. And some sense of metaphor in this as well.

Jesus at various times calls on his followers, those listening to him to follow him. Today we hear about two people Jesus says to follow him, but they have a reason not to. He tells them not to look back, one says let me bury my father first and the other says let me go and say goodbye to my family.

June is National Indigenous Awareness Month. June signals the end of spring and the beginning of summer. June is called Ode’imini Giizis in the Anishinaabe language, meaning ‘Strawberry Moon.’ This morning we are celebrating the National Indigenous Day of Prayer, the Sunday before National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21st.