"Rebuild My Church"

St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Owings Mills MD

October 8, 2023

Year A, Proper 22: The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20

Psalm 19

Philippians 3:4b-14

Matthew 21:33-46

“Rebuild My Church”

In today’s gospel lesson, we pick up right where we left off last week.

The conflict between the religious leaders and Jesus continues.

If you were here last week, you may remember that the “Chief Priests and elders” asked Jesus about the source of his authority. 

Who or what gave Jesus this power to teach and heal?

Who or what gave Jesus the right to challenge the official religious authorities?

Jesus responds to the questioning religious leaders by bringing up a touchy subject: John the Baptist.

The people had no trouble recognizing John as the real deal but the religious leaders, not so much.

And the same was true for Jesus – people knew that Jesus was teaching like no one they had ever seen or heard - people knew that Jesus was healing like no one they had ever seen or heard.

But, the religious leaders, not so much.

Today, as the conflict between the religious leaders and Jesus continues, Jesus offers a parable – and not a particularly subtle parable, at that.

It’s a parable that tells the history of religious leaders rejecting God’s prophets, religious leaders even rejecting God’s Son – and that rejection leads to dire circumstances for the religious leaders who were sure that they knew God so very well.

So, no surprise, as a religious leader myself, this ongoing conflict between the religious leaders and Jesus makes me… uncomfortable. 

And, actually, the ongoing conflict between the religious leaders and Jesus should probably make all of us churchgoers at least a little uncomfortable.

How often do we miss signs of God at work around us?

How often do we miss God at work in and through seemingly unlikely people?

Well, 800 years ago, in the central Italian region of Umbria, quite a few people saw God at work in and through a seemingly unlikely person: Francis of Assisi.

Born in probably 1181, Francis grew up in a well-to-do family – his father was a prosperous cloth merchant.

In his youth, Francis liked the usual things for his time, place, and class: the songs of the troubadours, the ideals of chivalry, and the supposed glory of battle.

But after being held for a year as a prisoner of war, Francis began to change.

Or, God began to change Francis.

Francis felt called to follow Jesus as closely as he could, determined to give away all of his possessions and live in holy poverty, to preach peace and love and forgiveness to both people and animals, to radically trust that God would provide all that he really needed.

Early on during his time of transformation, Francis was praying alone in a falling down chapel – the Chapel of San Damiano. While he was praying, he heard Jesus call to him. The Lord said:

“Francis, Francis, go and repair my church which, as you can see, is falling into ruins.”

At first, Francis interpreted this call as a “Buildings and Grounds” issue. 

We know all about that!

So, Francis began to literally repair that dilapidated chapel. 

But later, Francis came to understand that Jesus was calling him to something more.

You see, the church of Francis’ time had grown wealthy, corrupted by worldly power. 

Many in the church had forgotten – or had chosen to forget – Jesus’ way of loving service.

Francis, and the men and women who followed in his footsteps, rebuilt the church not with stone and mortar, and not even by criticizing the religious authorities of that time.

No, Francis and his followers simply rebuilt the church with love - love for God’s people – love for all of God’s creatures.

Francis and his friends trusted that Jesus is the cornerstone, and upon that sure foundation they rebuilt – or renewed – a church of love and service.

Renewal is an ongoing task, of course.

It won’t be news to you that today the Church is in desperate need of renewal.

So many dismiss the Church as corrupt, irrelevant, closed-minded, and abusive.

And, let’s be honest, considering how so many religious leaders and self-professed Christians have behaved, who can blame people for seeing the Church this way?

So, while we may not be able to hear him quite as clearly as Francis did, Jesus is calling to us here today: “Rebuild my church.”

And, right here and now at St. Thomas’, I see so many you, each in your own way, answering that call and following the way of Jesus, the way of Francis:

Offering love to everyone, especially the poor and suffering.

Devoting so much time, talent, and treasure to serving others.

Caring for our little corner of the earth, and the creatures who depend on it.

Yes, the great rebuilding – the holy renewal – of the Church is underway.

With God’s help, may we continue to follow the way of Jesus and Francis. 

In a world that is so broken and fearful, may we be instruments of God’s peace.

Amen.