St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Owings Mills MD
October 15, 2023
Year A, Proper 23: The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost – Outreach Sunday
Exodus 32:1-14
Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23
Philippians 4:1-9
Matthew 22:1-14
Rejecting Idolatry, Choosing Loving Service
This past week, I have been so disoriented by the dramatic contrast between our life together here at St. Thomas’ and what’s going on out there in the world.
Here, we have so much good stuff going on.
Last Sunday, we had a joyful Blessing of the Animals service, with a couple of dozen happy barking dogs and one probably less than thrilled cat.
And just yesterday, we had the second session of a lively and thoughtful book study – and a bunch of parishioners and preschool families went to First Fruits Farm and helped to bag 33,000 pounds of potatoes (!) that will feed the poor – and, later in the day, the rectory was filled with parishioners who came to our Newcomers Reception.
But out there, it has been a heartbreaking, terrifying, and infuriating week.
Sometimes I think we really have seen it all – that we have grown numb to violence and suffering.
But the surprise attack by Hamas on Israel was truly shocking – shocking in its horrific brutality – and also shocking because so many of us, including many Israelis, had placed so much confidence in their surveillance and defense abilities.
And now, Israel is in the midst of a furious response, which may or may not be effective but is already causing even more suffering and death for innocent people just trying to get by in Gaza, in what was already an awful situation.
The outbreak of war in the Middle East has overshadowed suffering elsewhere – for example, thousands were killed in an earthquake in Afghanistan – and also the steady drumbeat of violence continues closer to home, including shootings at both Bowie State and Morgan State – bringing fear and bloodshed once again to places of learning.
Well, what might today’s readings say to us in these days of trouble?
Today’s parable from Jesus is a tough one – one that doesn’t make much sense if we assume that the king is a stand-in for God.
No, this king sounds just like the kind of king that people in the ancient world would have known well – the kind of dictator that we find all too often in the world today – vengeful and placing a very low value on life.
Not properly dressed for the wedding? You are cast into the outer darkness!
Yes, unfortunately, we know the type.
And then there’s today’s first lesson, the familiar story of the Golden Calf.
The people of Israel are out in the wilderness and Moses has been up on that mountain an awfully long time and it sure seems like God isn’t really coming through for God’s people.
What has God done for us lately, anyway?
So, you know, why don’t we make ourselves a statue and worship it?
The people think to themselves, times are tough, so let’s live like everybody else and bow down before an idol and see if that works.
Bad idea.
You may have seen on the news that, in an effort to prevent future violence, the leadership of Morgan State is looking to fence in much of their campus.
It’s not my place to second-guess their decision – it’s a heavy responsibility to keep a campus safe. But the truth is that desperate and determined people usually find a way.
Walls and gates often fail, as Israel has learned so painfully.
And, I will say this – it is not an option for the church to build a kind of wall or gate to protect ourselves from the suffering of the world.
No, just the opposite.
We are called to reject idolatry – the idolatry of violence – the idolatry of hate - even the idolatry of our own safety.
Instead, we are meant to stand beside the suffering, offering loving service to and with people in need.
No matter what is going on out there, we are called to be a servant church, to bring some of the good stuff from in here to people out there.
And that’s why we celebrate Outreach Sunday today – this is why we have invited some of our ministry partners to speak with us today.
The prophets envisioned that someday we – all of us - would lay down our weapons and live together in peace.
When I look out into the world, that vision sure seems like a fantasy.
But when I look closer to home, when I look around here, I think, we are on our way.
So, with God’s help, may we continue to reject idolatry and instead choose loving service.
Amen.
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