Sunday, April 13, 2025 Palm Sunday

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Palm Sunday? I promise this is not a trick question, but I am assuming that most of you immediately thought, “well palms. Duh, Vicar Karla. It is Palm Sunday.” We think of the triumph of yelling “Hosanna” as we process and parade through the church, often led by children, shouting for joy at the coming of Christ to Jerusalem.

 Maybe you think of the prominent juxtaposition of today’s seemingly joyful parade with the journey to the cross we will very soon take with Jesus as we go toward Good Friday and Jesus’ crucifixion.

 These are certainly logical and worthy responses. And, for me, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Palm Sunday is always a rickety donkey that may not make it the entire way down the aisle. The church I grew up in had this old donkey that I always think of. How all of us kids would argue about who would get to walk the donkey during the procession each year. Heaven forbid someone actually ride it because I kid you not, the fear was that the thing would fall apart if you just looked at it the wrong way.

So because of this image, today, my first time preaching on Palm Sunday, I was immediately drawn to the narrative about the donkey as I read today’s gospel lesson from Luke. All of the language about the donkey caught my attention because I always so strongly associate Palm Sunday with the wooden donkey that I am very confident was rolled out at Salem Lutheran in St. Cloud this morning.

 After moving beyond the donkey, I am struck that the other components of the things we associate with Palm Sunday, namely the palms and the shouting of Hosanna are nowhere to be found in today’s readings from Luke. It is in the other gospel readings depicting today that we are shown that. In today’s reading, it is cloaks that are laid down for Jesus to both sit upon and for the donkey to walk upon.

 So, if we don’t have the hosannas and the palms tying today’s gospel to the rest of the gospels, what do we have? The donkey. We have the donkey which is the unifyer between all of these narratives.

 And to be clear, there is something pretty profound about the donkey. Where we might expect a war horse or a parade fit for the Roman military of the time, instead Jesus rides into Jerusalem riding on a lowly donkey. This is a prominent example of a place where we anticipate kingly grandeur and are instead given humility and camaraderie with the poor and the lowly.

We live in a world where we laud the wealthy, the famous. Those who have the money, the power, the influence make the rules, the orders. We don’t look to the poor- the houseless, the sick, the refugee, the poor, the outcast to hold the power in society. The same would have been true in Jesus’ time. Where a large, imposing war horse would have been expected, Jesus comes in on a donkey. We do everything we can to try to get Jesus to fit the narrative of power and might we have built in our head that we fail to remember that Jesus told us where he would always be- with the poor, the outcast, the stranger. Jesus doesn’t spend his short time on Earth with the powerful. He seeks out the sinners, the tax collectors, those pushed aside to the furthest corners of society’s margins.

And with all this in mind, I can’t help but think that it is fitting that the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Palm Sunday is that decrepit donkey. Because, even though Jesus stipulates that the donkey he would ride into Jerusalem would be a colt never ridden before, there is something striking about my image of this donkey from my childhood that has clearly seen better days. Because Jesus prioritized those whose current days were not their best. Jesus prioritized those who were deep into the hardest, most gritty days of their lives.

 There are many juxtapositions present in Palm Sunday. Where we lay down our cloaks and welcome Jesus to Jerusalem today, we remember that in only a few short days from now, he will be crucified, murdered as a sacrifice, but also because he was so subversive in the way he dared to speak out against the mistreatment of the marginalized that the powers that be were so threatened they put him to death.

In a few short days, where today we gather to welcome and celebrate, we will soon gather to condemn and to turn away, to deny.

 Palm Sunday sets the stage for what is to come. Palm Sunday reminds us that Jesus draws near to us in our most challenging days. The days where we might just feel like that rickety donkey utilized at my home church.

 And even on those hard, gritty days, Jesus still draws us near.

Vicar Karla Leitzman

Sunday, April 6, 2025

How does LOVE SMELL…

 What do you think that LOVE smells like? Tastes like? Feels like? Looks like? Sounds like?

Does love taste like:  Homemade chocolate chip cookies? An ice cream sundae on a hot July day? Apple pie..OR?

What Does love feel like:  A hug, an embrace, a hearty handshake, or snuggling a baby..OR?

What Does love look like: A sunrise, a family gathering, a soup kitchen…Or?

What Does love sound like: A symphonic orchestra? a baby’s first cry? Silence? Or?

What Does love smell like: A dozen roses? Bread baking in the oven? A bottle of exquisite expensive perfume?

In our Gospel lesson, love smelled like pure nard.

To put our story into context,  Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead and so his sisters, Martha and Mary, threw a celebration to honor and thank Jesus and to celebrate the new life of their beloved brother – who they once thought was dead and now is reclining by the table.

To celebrate, “Martha served” – and while we may remember the story of Martha serving and COMPLAINING that Mary wasn’t helping— this time all we hear is that Martha is doing what Jesus calls all his disciples to do – serve the other. I bet, under Martha’s experienced hands, love tasted delicious? Martha reveals her love through the smells and taste of good food – a feast of fresh bread and wine along with all of the special foods created just for this day. For Martha, love looks like humble service. Of course Martha served. She was in her element.

 But Mary was different.  Mary was at Jesus’ feet again. This time, not as a listening disciple, drinking in Jesus’ words. This time… Mary pours a whole pound of expensive perfume – they say it was pure nard - over Jesus’ feet and wipes them with her hair. The smell must have been overwhelming. I opened this little tiny bottle and the smell wafted out. And it was expensive – especially for a woman in Bethany. It cost a year’s wages for a man. How did she even come up with it – and then to pour it on Jesus’ feet?

This display of extravagant expense is made even more shocking by the intimacy of Mary letting down her hair right there at the dining table. Women did not do that outside of the bedroom. But Mary didn’t seem to give a fig about the rules she was breaking as she massaged the oil into Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair and ignored the stares and rude comments of Judas. What does love smell like? What does love look like? What does love feel like?  Mary’s love looks, smells and feels extravagant, intimate and personal.

It also made everyone in the room take notice. I mean, how could you not notice the smell which filled the room.  How could you not notice a woman on the floor untying her hair and massaging Jesus’ feet?

Judas noticed – and couldn’t refrain from rebuking Mary. He sounds a bit self-righteous in suggesting that “the money could have been given to the poor.” As readers, we are given a little aside suggests Judas has an ulterior motive – rumor was that he helped himself from the community funds. So, while Mary and Martha demonstrate the love of that we, as disciples, followers of Jesus should emulate, Judas who was chosen as a disciple, is shown as the opposite, the anti-disciple that everyone loves to hate. But, in a way, he’s right, the perfume could have been sold and given to the poor.

Jesus’ response to Judas is worth exploring. Jesus quotes Leviticus 15 which states that you will always have the poor with you – AND – that this means you should always care for the poor. Jesus’ command to love one another includes loving and caring for the poor. Caring for the poor remains our duty, our obligation and our command from Jesus. That doesn’t go away.

AND, not but, AND, Jesus supports, honors and interprets Mary’s action as being greater than she perhaps even imagined. Mary gave out of love – and she gave all that she had – her money, her hair, her self.  This was an act of extravagant love, gratitude and selflessness.  

Love is extravagant. This is the kind of love that God gives to us.

John begins his Gospel with another story of extravagant love. Jesus was with his mother Mary and the disciples at a wedding. The wine ran out. And remember what Jesus did? He turned water into wine – lots of wine, an over-abundance of the best wine to celebrate a marriage. It was extravagant. It could have been sold and the money given to the poor. But at that wedding feast, love tasted like rich wine – the best wine – and the response to this gift – was to share it with the whole village - rich and poor.

God’s love is generous – not stern or stingy. As theologian Dan Clendenin writes, again and again we see in the Bible that God is “like a manager who pays a full day's wages for one hour of work. He's the God who asks Jonah if he's angry because he is generous to the pagan Ninevites. He's the waiting father who welcomes home a wayward son with a ring, a robe, and a party.”1 God’s love is generous and surprising. 

In our Gospel today, Jesus declares that Mary’s action is not only generous and surprising, but it is also prophetic; Mary is anointing him for his burial.  For Jesus is the Messiah; Messiah means the anointed one. Jesus is anointed by GOD at his baptism and he is anointed by Mary in this last act of love before his arrest, death and resurrection.

This is what love looks like: Jesus loved you so much that he was willing to suffer, to be ridiculed, and even to die – in the most shameful manner - on a cross.

Today’s Gospel story from John might be a bit out of order in our journey to the cross. Mark places it on the Wednesday of Holy Week. It certainly points to the passion of Jesus.

But… regardless of the timeline, this story gives us an opportunity, while we are still in the midst of Lent, to ponder: How do we love Jesus?  Or rather – make it personal, like Mary does: How do you love Jesus?

As we see from the two sisters, love can take many forms. Love can be shown in acts of service, like Martha does. Love can be shown in acts of devotion and adoration like Mary who uses her whole body to express her love – much to the surprise and alarm of others in the room. I dare say that most of the people in our culture – or at least the culture in which I grew up - would react much in the same way. My grandmother – whose name happens to be Martha – would be much more comfortable in the kitchen than on the floor wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair. How about you? How would you express your love, your gratitude, your adoration of Jesus?

Again, Love takes many forms. Love is generous and extravagant and Love is also open to something new. As our reading from Isaiah says, “Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive I will make a way…for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people… so that they may declare my praise.” 

Brothers and sisters, I do not know how God is making a new way in our world today. Too often I see only the sorrow and the pain and the challenges of our world.  But… I do believe that God is active in our world. And I believe that Jesus shows God’s way through the gift of love, a love that sometimes surprises us with how it smells, tastes, feels, looks and sounds.  

In these days of Lent, and as we come to the time of Holy, I ask you to receive the surprising love of Jesus given FOR YOU. And then ponder: How do we – as a church, as a community, love Jesus?  And then… don’t be afraid to make it personal - How do you love Jesus?... Amen.

1 Dan Clendenin, Journey with Jesus, https://www.journeywithjesus.net/lectionary-essays/current-essay/ 2025

April 6, 2025 + Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane

Sunday, March 23, 2025

Vicar Karla Leitzman

 One maybe interesting thing about me is that I really love a movie, book, or TV series that doesn’t have a clear cut ending. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good romantic comedy with a predictable ending too, but I do really enjoy being allowed to think about different ways a story could end.

 Take the classic movie from 1943, Casablanca, which is one of my all time favorites. We don’t really know what is in store for our characters at the close of the movie, and every time I watch it, I wonder how it all shakes out.

 So, for anyone who hasn’t seen it, or maybe hasn’t seen it in a while, the story takes place in the midst of World War Two Morocco where night club owner, and previous gun runner, Rick, wants nothing more than to go about his day to day life, making a living, not getting involved in politics and just going about his business that only affects him individually.

 You see, during WWII, French Morocco was a very prominent stop on what was referred to as the refugee trail. Many left France and other parts of central Europe to cross the Mediterranean down into northern Africa where they awaited their next steps, often having no idea what those next steps would be. Nazi officials, working with local authorities, could wander the streets, demanding any person show their papers, always looking for those who were either part of the French resistance or Jews or general enemies of the Third Reich. There are several mentions in the movie of people being forced to wait endlessly to determine where they would next end up, often gambling for money to afford bribes to get Visas to leave Morocco.

 One particular line from Rick that always sticks out to me as different officials are trying to get him to take a position in one way or the other and he says, “I don’t stick my neck out for nobody.”

 So one night, Rick is sitting at his bar and in walks Ilsa, the woman he fell in love with as the Nazis were coming into Paris walks into the bar. We learn that her husband is a prominent resistance fighter who was sent to a concentration camp and she believed him to be dead when she met Rick. It turned out that was not the case and she goes back to her husband and then they both end up in Rick’s bar with the famous line, “out of all the gin joints in all the towns in the world, she walks into mine.”

The movie ends with Isla and her husband escaping Casablanca so he can continue his resistance work against the Nazis but not before he ceremoniously welcomes Rick “back to the fight.” We’re not sure what is next for Rick, but it is evident that he is back to the work of resistance, and he is, in fact, going to be sticking his neck out for others.

 One of my other favorite things about the movie is that it was made in 1943 so really during the height or pinnacle of World War II. The writers have it ending with a hopeful defeat of the Nazis and alluding to Rick’s continued resistance work, but they wouldn’t have known how the current situation they were embroiled within would end. 

 I promise I have more of a point to make than just giving you a summary or a recap of one of my most favorite classic movies. But, I’ve found myself making a lot of parallels to the movie and this week’s gospel lesson.

 The first is the connection between the end of the movie and the end of today’s reading from Luke. The way that the reading ends where Jesus is talking about the fig tree and saying to try to enable it to grow for another year, to give it just another chance, before cutting it down makes me kind of shake the bible a little bit, wondering if insight about what happens next will fall out of the pages. Even though I am a self-professed lover of stories with open endings, the end of today’s reading makes me wonder, “well, what happened in a year? Did the fig tree bear fruit? Did the gardener tend the soil with care and give the tree every chance to bear figs? Or, did the gardener not create an environment of good and rich soil and thereby letting the tree continue to not give fruit?”

 It is fitting, then, to realize that maybe the reason it is left with an un resolved ending is because there is no way Jesus would know if the tree would bear fruit, because as we know, we are just a short time away from Jesus’ death. We are therefore left to wonder if the tending to the soil and creating as a good of an environment as possible for this fig tree to bear fruit really will pay off.

 The author of Luke doesn’t tell us. We don’t get an epilogue or a follow up to show us what comes to pass.

In a commentary he wrote for today’s gospel reading, one of my favorite professors of the New Testament at Luther Seminary, Matt Skinner, writes “Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling? Not here. This time it’s loud and pointedly.

So, loudly and pointedly Jesus is calling.

 As we continue on this journey to Palm Sunday and Holy Week, I often in these days find myself wondering what or how Jesus would be feeling leading up to his entrance to Jerusalem and his subsequent murder by the authorities of Rome. And, I think I can understand his exasperation and pointedness that we see on display in today’s gospel lesson from Luke.

 Jesus has been living out his ministry during his short time on Earth trying so hard to get people to re-evaluate how they live in community with and for one another, how to care for those the world does not care for. And so, in today’s passage, I guess I can understand how he is employing this very strong language of needing to repent. It’s almost like he is saying, “why do you still not understand? I have been moving, living, teaching, embodying the ways that God wants you to to love others. Why are you still not tending the soil in a way that creates an atmosphere for nourishment and growth? In a world that is brutally occupied by the Roman Empire, where the poor are continually made poorer, where the disenfranchised are continually kept from resources, where the sad and sick are made sadder and sicker, I have shown you how to love and who to love. Why are you still continuing to not listen to what I am showing you?

 Today’s lesson is a pretty pivotal narrative as we move throughout the rest of Lent and eventually into Holy Week. I’m not sure about you, but I for one have gotten the impression that Pilate is a character who kind of goes along for the ride later on in the passion narrative. We’ve been led to believe he’s kind of wishy washy, a prop for Rone, and he tries to get the crowd to spare Jesus when he puts up Barabas and then sort of gets caught in the cross hairs. But, today’s reading depicts him in another way entirely. Today’s reading depicts him as cruel and calculating.

 Not only, today, does Jesus give a very interesting commentary on the need to repent for sins and seek forgiveness, but we also get some insight into human suffering. As humans, oftentimes we want easy answers. If something bad happens to us or someone we love, we want to know what we could have possibly done to deserve such a thing. Or, if we pray for something and it doesn’t come to pass, we wonder what we did wrong. Why God seemingly didn’t answer our prayers. Jesus reminds us that we are all apt to suffering and that if we feel our prayers are not answered or if we are in pain, it doesn’t mean that we have done something wrong or that God is punishing us. Because after all, we are not promised easy days or days without pain. But, we are promised God’s presence, that God will meat us in those easy day and that God will meat us in the hard days and that we are not alone and that we are loved.

 Like the movie Casablanca and today’s ending of the gospel reading, we are still living in an unfinished story. We do our best to create a good environment for growth and for a foundation for Jesus’ teachings to take root in our hearts and beyond. And, we might fall short. Some days, some seasons, we might do a better job of nurturing that than others. And, God meets us in all of those places and in all of the in betweens.

 And yet, all of that does not let us off the hook. Just because we do not have to perform a specified set of good works to earn God’s grace and love doesn’t mean that we can life our lives for ourselves alone and not stick our necks out for anyone like Rick at the start of the movie. In fact, it is precisely because of that lack of need for prescribed good deeds that we are charged with repenting for our sins, for acknowledging the ways both our action and inaction cause people harm and suffering. It is because we don’t have to focus on checking off our good deeds boxes that we are freed to fiercely and boldly love and serve our neighbors, constantly tending the soil, constantly evaluating how we can move through the world with more grace, empathy, and love so that our hearts can bear good fruit.

We are always living into this cycle. We repent and come to awareness of the ways we fall short in Christ’s call to love and to serve. And then, we will probably fall short again. And the beautiful thing is that we are loved, and we are constantly born anew, always given grace and opportunities to keep working to create God’s kingdom here on Earth. Amen.

Sunday, March 16, 2025

Listen to God and Trust in the Lord

 What animals come to mind if you were asked to name an animal that is powerful and majestic? Maybe a lion, a stallion or an eagle? Certainly these feel majestic and fierce in their looks and actions: the lion roars, the stallion charges into battle and the eagle soars.

 But while we might choose a lion. Jesus comes as a lamb.

We may wish for a stallion, but Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey.

And while we may be awed by the eagle, Jesus says, he is like a mother hen.

 Notice that the animals I named as our images of power and majesty are animals who have been used in battle or are predators themselves. They take what they want by force., or in the case of the horse, they are used to help us get what we want.

 But this is not the nature of Jesus.

 Instead, Jesus chooses the image of a mother hen, who, in the face of danger, will stand up and spread her wings wide, beckoning her little chicks to safety.  And as she does so, she puts herself at risk.  If she had wished to fight, she would have used her wings to fly and attack her opponent.  Having raised chickens when I was a child, I know, first hand, that when a chicken chooses to fly at you, their tender middle is protected by their wings which flap at you and cause distraction while their sharp beaks can do some painful damage.  But a mother hen does not attack. Instead, she stands up and clucks to her chicks. She is vulnerable as she opens wide her wings, her soft belly exposed. Scurrying towards her, the chicks disappear under the folds of her wings without a sound, as if they were never there.  But the chicks who have strayed and do not hear the call – well… they become lunchmeat for the eagle or the fox.  

 Speaking of foxes, after the Pharisees warn Jesus about Herod, Jesus calls Herod a fox. It’s not hard to imagine him as someone who would happily snack on little chicks – and eat the mother chicken for lunch.  After all, everyone knew that Herod had killed John the Baptist at one of his dinners and now, apparently, Herod wanted to see Jesus.  But, unafraid, Jesus declares that nothing will stop him from doing the work that God has sent him to do. Jesus is on the road to Jerusalem – but before he even gets there, he knows that not all will listen and that some of those who cry “Blessed be the one who comes in the name of the Lord” as he enters the city on a donkey, not on a warhorse, will also cry, “Crucify him.”

 And yet… despite the danger to himself, Jesus does not choose another way, nor does he choose a different image, one that is more fierce than a little fox. If he had wanted a powerful mother image, he could have chosen a lioness or a she-bear who will destroy anyone or anything who endangers her little cubs. But instead, Jesus chooses a mother hen to describe his desire to gather ALL the people under his wings….even though he knows that some of the foolish chicks do not come when the mother hen clucks, and not everyone then or now listens to the sound of his voice.

 And this is why Jesus gives a cry of lament, “Jerusalem, O Jerusalem.”  He cries out in lament, but he is not lamenting for his own sake nor for the lost splendor of the city – even though by the time that Luke is writing, the temple and Jerusalem have both been destroyed. Instead, Jesus laments for all those – who like little chicks – had been led astray. He laments, “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing.”

 Lament is an emotion of deep sorrow, of grief, of loss.  Abram in our first lesson expresses lament to God for not keeping God’s promise to give him a child, an heir.  Lament is all too familiar to anyone who has lost a loved one too soon, has had dreams shattered, or is saddened by unfulfilled hopes and promises. We know the deep sorrow, grief and sometimes frustration, that comes with lament.

 Lament can lead to anger, reactive violence, fear and the deep dark valley of despair and hopelessness.

 When we are afraid or angry, our instincts urge us to either run away or fight. But everyone knows what happens to a little chick who tries to outrun a fox. The same is true if it tries to fight. It becomes lunch. And even with the best tools, a little more violence is not the answer to violence. It just begets more violence. And this can lead to despair and a feeling of hopelessness.

 But this is not the only option. Lament can also be a turning point. For sometimes….in our darkest moments… we come to the realization that we can go no farther on our own, we have hit a wall. We need help. For as much as we hate to depend upon others, and as much as we would love to be able to cry out, “I can do it myself,” or think of ourselves as the leader of the army who is fighting to make things right…. we are more like the little chicks who need the outstretched wings and care of the mother hen. 

 As we see in our Psalm, lament can lead us towards trusting in God rather than in our own power.  Despite the challenges before him, Psalmist puts his trust in God, proclaiming, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”  He later bends his will to God’s will, praying, “Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me on a level path” and ends with a proclamation of faith – for the here and now, “

This I believe—that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!” Even though it is hard, the Psalmist urges others to also: “Wait for the Lord and be strong. Take heart and wait for the Lord!”

 This does not mean that, as followers of Christ, we should do nothing at all but pray. Instead, when I think it means is that we should pray – first.  And then act in the way of the Lord, in the way of Jesus.

 Abram’s prayer is kind of a complaint to God. But God answers him in a way that he couldn’t even imagine possible. God not only assures him that the promise of a child will come true, but God makes a new covenant with Abram, binding God’s very self to keeping this promise.

And God’s promise comes true – in God’s time, not in Abram’s time.

 This is one of the challenges of trusting in God. We aren’t in charge of the timeline. Instead, as Christians, we are invited, like the Psalmist, to proclaim our trust in the Lord.  And then, like Carmelite nun, Teresa of Avila proclaimed in the 1500s, be the hands and feet of Christ.

 This is challenging work, in the midst of lament, to not wallow in our sorrows and grief nor take out our anger or frustration on others. But instead to pray, to listen and to trust in God to show us the way. 

When we pray first, we see that the way of Jesus is the way of love, of praising God, trusting God and then walking in the way of God. For example, Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights leader – and a pastor -- led non-violent marches to promote racial equality and justice.  He never lost sight of following in the way of Christ. And neither should we. 

Before Martin Luther King Jr. marched, he insisted that the people base their work in scripture and prayer.  This is the way of Jesus.

 Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, let us follow in the way of Jesus, he who stretched out his arms and died for our sake, proclaims that he comes to us as a vulnerable mother hen who would gladly bring you all into the shelter of her wings. In response to our lament of the challenges of this world --- and there are many -- let us trust in the Lord and follow in the way of Jesus. Amen.

March 16, 2025 + Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran+ Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane 

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Learning to Listen to God: Tests. Trust. Discipleship.

Jesus was tested. The Spirit led him into the desert – without his boyscout 10 essentials, without anything really, for 40 days…which means, a very long time. So, of course, he was hungry.  And yet… even though the devil seemed to think that Jesus had the power to turn the stones into bread, Jesus does not use his power for himself. This is true here at the beginning of his ministry and at the end when the man who was on the cross next to him says,  “IF you are the Messiah, save yourself and us!”  But while Jesus later feeds 5 thousand people out of nothing but a little boy’s lunch, he tells the devil that “one does not eat by bread alone.” Again, Jesus does not use his power for himself.

 Jesus does not use his power to gain power and authority. It was what the people of Israel wanted: they were yearning for a King like David to overthrow the oppression of Caesar who was called the “son of god.”  How much better to have the real Son of God as their ruler! The devil even offers to give it to him – but there is a cost: worship the devil. Jesus is firm in his denial, using words right out of the 10 commandments: worship the Lord God and serve only God.

 Finally, the devil turns to scripture and, quoting Psalm 91, today’s Psalm, he double dog dares Jesus to jump from the pinnacle of heaven to prove who HE is. This last test has always intrigued me, because, the devil doesn’t misquote the scripture. Instead, what he does is use pieces of scripture for his own purposes. Which is worse! Of course, Jesus also knows Psalm 91– and knows who he is – and so he sends the devil packing “until an opportune time.”

 But – even though Jesus needs no help in getting rid of the devil - I think it is worth taking another look at the Psalm and how it is used.

 First of all, I love this Psalm – it is beautiful and comforting. Others apparently have thought so too. One Israeli scholar characterized Psalm 91 as an “amulet psalm.”1  What that means is that in ancient days, people would put sacred or inspiring words in a capsule and wear them as a necklace so that the words would be close to their heart. We do the same thing with jewelry, banners and plaques. I have the passage highlighted in my Bible. We, too, like to keep these passages close, to inspire us and as a reminder that God is our refuge.

 At the same time, it is important to interpret the Psalm as Jesus does, not literally as doctrine, but rather as filled with images of God’s overarching love and care. The poetic language of this psalm is like art and liturgy, reminding us of God’s presence with us and love for us but not suggesting that we will never face challenges or harm. After all, God gives us that freedom to try new things – and make mistakes. And some of our mistakes are costly – for us and for others.

 In addition, as I was reading about Psalm 91, I learned that it is, in some ways, a response to the psalm right before it. That psalm, Psalm 50 ends with the writer asking for help in a difficult time, a time in which they have made some mistakes and are paying the consequences of their actions. At the end of Psalm 90, the psalmist begs God saying, “Turn, O Lord, How long? Have compassion on your servants.”

 Psalm 91 is the response to that plea. It is a song of God’s compassion and love for all of God’s people. And so, while God does not promise to literally keep you from every harm or hurt, God does promise to be with you in times of trouble as well as in times of joy.

 We will be tempted and tested in this life. And sometimes we will make mistakes. But God is there to forgive us, renew us and teach us to walk in the way of God – in both big ways and small.

 I ran across a story about a monk Brother Carlos and his two house mates, I’ll call them Brother John and Brother Tomas that shows us first that we can make choices and that the choices that we make, can impact ourselves – and our neighbors. Even if they are seemingly small choices.

 Brother Carlos went into their kitchen to make coffee and discovered that there was only a little bit left. He was distraught. He counted on that cup of coffee to get him going in the morning –and they were a long way from a grocery store so he couldn’t go get more. He didn’t even drive anymore. What should he do? He wondered and he worried. He said to himself, “I’m old… I need this coffee… I deserve this coffee.” And so, quietly, he made the last of the coffee. He poured it into a mug and he smelled it. He couldn’t resist. He drank it up quickly – before the others would come.  And then, he quickly washed his dish and left. He’d gotten away it! And yet… he hadn’t. Because all day long the coffee gurgled in his stomach. He felt terrible. He had taken it all for himself. At the end of the day, he confessed. Of course, he was forgiven. But he thought about it a lot – and about how weak his fortitude had been. Jesus made it 40 days without food. He couldn’t make it for a day without coffee? It was just a cup of coffee… and yet… he had selfishly thought of himself and his own needs – and no one else.

 It was just a cup of coffee. But what if Brother Carlos had the opportunity for a “do-over.” That’s what we called it when my kids were little and there was some infraction made – usually a problem in which both of them were at fault. We would proclaim a “do-over” and then, armed with this bit of grace, they were able to make different choices.

 So, what if we gave Brother Carlos a “do-over?” What if, instead of pouring the last of the coffee into his mug and hastily drinking it, he set out three cups and called Brothers John and Tomas into the kitchen to enjoy the last of the coffee with him together. They would only each get a 1/3 of a cup. But can you imagine the joy of sharing the last drop together? Perhaps, before even taking a sip, they would inhale the smell of the ground coffee and only then would they take drink and sip it slowly, savoring each sip and sharing in community together. It might have been the best coffee they had ever had.

Or, maybe, after Brothers John and Tomas came into the kitchen and saw the little bit of coffee that was available, and knowing how much Brother Carlos loved coffee, Brother John might have said, “Oh Brother Carlos thank you so much for making the coffee, but I really had a hankering for tea today. Would you mind if I made tea instead?? And, perhaps brother Tomas would have preferred tea on that day too. Then Carlos would have drunk the last of the coffee – not as a stolen treasure that became bitter as the day went on but rather as a gift and joy.

 It is only a cup of coffee. Or is it?

 Everyday, we make lots of choices. The question is: will you trust God enough to choose the Christ-like way, serving God and the neighbor?  Or will you follow culture and serve yourself? Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, let us lean into discipleship this Lent as we learn, every day,  to listen to God and to follow in God’s way. And, let us praise God together, trusting that God will be our refuge and shelter us in the shadows of God’s wings. Amen.

 March 9, 2025 + Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran Church + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane

1

1Amanda Benckhuysen , Working Preacher  https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/first-sunday-in-lent-3/commentary-on-psalm-911-2-9-16-6

2 Adapted from Jim Summers A Sermon for Every Sunday, Good Faith Media.

March 5, 2025 Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday 2025

What is truth? This is the question that Pilate asks Jesus at the end of his trial. But that is on Good Friday, the end of our season of Lent. And yet it is a good question for today. Or rather the question for today is “Will you tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about yourself to God and to yourself.

 It's so much easier to look at the faults and the failures of others. Somehow, we all have really good farsighted vision when it comes to seeing the log in our neighbor’s eye. I find that the further away from me “they” are, the better I can see clearly what their faults are – where they have fallen short. I can summon a pretty fiery righteous indignation over other people’s actions.

 But tonight is not about fixing the world. It’s not even about fixing or even helping the neighbor. Tonight is about being truthful with yourself about yourself. In our Gospel today, Jesus warns against actions that are focused on “appearing” to be holy and pious in prayer, in spiritual practices and even in our giving. God sees through all of that… and is not impressed. After all – God knows your thoughts, actions and desires. And…. God love you anyway and wants a real relationship with you.  God also wants you to be your best self.   

 And so I have a few questions for you to ponder as we take time to “take stock of ourselves and our relationship with God.” And as you think about these things – please do not compare yourself with someone else…. either to say… well I’m not as faithful of a pray-er as Jane but at least I’m not like Harry.  God didn’t make you Jane or Harry. God made you with particular gifts and talents and challenges.

 So try to be honest with yourself when you answer these questions about yourself – to yourself and God. 

 First – How is your relationship with God? Is there time in your life that you set aside as “God time?” Or, put another way, is there time – whether it’s five, 10, 20 minutes or an hour that you could set aside in the morning or at lunch or in the evening to listen to God

 There are lots of ways to do this. Some of you may already have a daily routine that works for you. Great. But if not, or if you would like to try something new, we have a couple of options – an online Bible study, time with Vicar Karla on zoom, or a printed Lenten devotion or book. Or see me – I would love to help you find a good fit.  A word of warning: Don’t try to do them all! This is a season… a time of 6 weeks. Choose one new thing to try. Otherwise, it can be overwhelming.

 The second question I have for you is: how are you caring for yourself? Lent is a time to focus on growing your relationship with God – but that also means that it might be necessary to look at yourself and your habits. Ask yourself how you are spending your free time? What are you consuming? First think about what you eat and drink…do they make you feel well? Healthy? Or sluggish? How much sleep do you get? Do you spring up ready to go in the morning or do you wish you could roll over and go back to bed?  What about the media you watch, what you read, what you take in? What are your days being consumed by?

 Again, if there is something that you want to change, choose one thing. Six weeks is a great amount of time for an experiment in making choices that can bring you better health and also closer to God.

 Engaging in any type of change can be challenging. It reminds me of when my husband and I first talked about moving, I said, “Sure. But first I want to go through all of the boxes in the basement, get everything organized and then we will be in a great position to move.” Except. I never went through the boxes. It was simply too much – so I never started. It was only after a developer built a huge house next door and we lost our “private backyard” that we called a realtor who told us exactly what we had to do – and gave us a deadline.  And so, we did it. Box by box.  Project by project.

 The Israelites learned this the hard way. When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, they spent a long time in the wilderness. This wilderness time was a time to learn God’s way. The book of Deuteronomy – the book of the law – recounts the stories of how they learned to follow God – and the consequences for them when they did not follow God.  Time after time, God is merciful and reminds them both of who they are, and that their best future, the way forward is to keep the covenant that God had made with them.  This is nothing new. Through Moses, God reminds them:

 “This command which I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky… Nor is it across the sea….No, it is something very near to you already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).

 Friends in Christ, this is our task too. It is not too difficult for us, for Jesus has promised to walk with us on the way, on our journey.

And so, on this day, we take time to reflect, to take stock of our sins of commission – things that we have done that have hurt our relationship with God, with ourselves and with others. And we take time to reflect on our sins of omission, those things that we did not do.  We tell the truth to ourself and to God about ourselves. And we are reminded: We are dust. And to dust we will return. But let me remind you that in spite of being dust – or maybe because we are made out of the dust of the earth by the living God, this God who knows the truth about you and loves you – not anyway but because you are God’s beloved child, God invites you and me to open our hands and our lives to receive the mercy and forgiveness that God yearns to give us. Amen.

March 5, 2025 + Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane

Sunday, March 2, 2025

Vicar Karla Leitzman

3/2/2025 Sermon

One really nerdy thing that pastors and seminarians sometimes do is to ask each other which gospel is their favorite because you can admittedly glean some pretty interesting things about a person based on their answer. As an example, my answer has long been Mark. I like its relative simplicity and how profoundly human Jesus is portrayed to be throughout. I also appreciate that it ends with the disciples being confused and not knowing what to do next and are thus left to interpret together how to wade through that confusion, and let’s face it, I think there are elements of that we can all relate to.

                But, I also really tend to gravitate toward the gospel of Luke because in Luke over and over again we are reminded that Jesus has a heart for the outcast, the stranger, the lowly, and that we are all called to share that heart. After all, it is in the gospel of Luke that we hear the Magnificat and Mary’s song about the lowly being raised up. It is here, too, where we see that God chooses to come to a world that is fraught with pain and discord, coming to Earth in human form in a far removed town in a land forcefully occupied by Rome. The gospel of Luke, over and over shows us a Jesus who looks out for those who are overlooked, and we are reminded that Jesus is the earthly embodiment of God’s love.

                It is with stories like today’s Transfiguration of our Lord that I often like to look at context like this when I am trying to figure out where to start because as you all noticed, we have a lot going on here. We’ve got Jesus shining in bright light and then he’s talking to Elijah and Moses and then let’s just throw in the exorcizing of a demon in there for good measure, too at the end. Why not? But, it is when I remember who Jesus is portrayed to be throughout the rest of Luke’s gospel, where we get our lesson from today, that I am better able to unpack some of these elements and we can find some excellent context.

                This is a pivotal moment for several reasons where we get to glimpse the divinity of Jesus before his death and resurrection when that divinity will be on full display. As we look to the start of Lent, we will soon together share in Jesus’ journey to the cross, to death, and to resurrection. But before we can get there, first we are afforded a peak behind the curtain, so to speak, and get to witness the divinity of Jesus when he is in the midst of his ministry and life here on Earth. The transfiguration described today, gives us a sense of foreshadowing to the bright and beautiful resurrection we will celebrate here together in just 43 days. It also showcases through the presence of Elijah and Moses that there is knowledge and great insight to be found in ancestors who have come before, and that as we have our doubts and curiosities, that even Jesus had those same feelings to bring before these ancient ancestors. One of the lessons we can take from this story is that we are never so enlightened that we should ignore the wisdom and the stories of those who have come before  us and we are not the first to yearn for insight and answers.

In one of my trinitarian theology classes, I remember several of us remarking that there is a lot to contemplate in following a God who is all at once in three beings. I have realized though, especially in the last few years, that the story of Jesus is how I make sense of who God in all three parts is. It is because God could have chosen to be enfleshed in human form in any time and any place and yet God chose to come to Earth during a tumultuous time, born to outcast peasants in a far removed hamlet no one had any interest in. That Jesus sought out those that the world pushed the margins and he uplifted them and celebrated them. He went to the hard places, the rough places.

                So, it is so profound when God refers to Jesus and exclaims, “Listen to him.” It’s  like God is saying, this human is the extension of me on Earth. What he does, who he uplifts, who he loves, that is who I uplift and love. He is the manifestation of my promise and my love for all of you. Do what he says and emulate what he does. Throughout his life, death, and resurrection, we are reminded that Jesus is with us, and as Jesus meets us, so too, do we meet Jesus in this transfiguration. As he is transfigured, we are too. And the beautiful thing is that this doesn’t have to be a one time occurrence, we get to transfigure ourselves back to Christ and to his teachings of love and kindness over and over again. Even if and when we fall short in that call, God’s grace is still abundantly given to us.

                A kind of fun fact about me is that I have a deep love and fascination with the Chrstian mystics. There is something about how throughout time and space, we share a yearning for an experience with God like prominent mystics such as Augustine, Hildegard von Bingen, the big names, if you will, of Christian mysticism. Like this clear example of God overtly calling out and recognizing Jesus, the mystics and so many others have sought meaningful and transcendent relationships with God throughout time and space. One of my favorite historical Christian mystics, though, is Teresa of Avila. Teresa was a Carmelite nun and a prominent Catholic mystic in the mid 1500s so during the time of the Protestant Reformation, and she is in many ways a symbol of rebirth and renewal as she reformed the Carmelite order for both men and women. She spent much of her life founding and restoring convents and monasteries which often were the only way that girls and women could receive any kind of more formalized education. One of my favorite Christian readings of all time was written by Teresa and it is titled, “Christ has no Body. It goes,

“Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks

Compassion on this world,

Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,

Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,

Yours are the eyes, you are his body.

Christ has no body now but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks

compassion on this world.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

                In the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, of which Faith Lilac Way is a part of, we proudly and boldly proclaim, “God’s work, our hands” which is beautifully synonymous with this writing from Teresa. Jesus is not here physically with us to tell us what to do or to show us where to prioritize our time. He is not standing here in front of the alter with the heavens opening above him and the voice of God telling us point blank, “this is my Son. Listen to him.” But, thanks to the authors of Luke where today’s gospel lesson comes from and the rest of the synoptic gospels, we are shown who Jesus uplifts when the world does not. Jesus shows us where he would be if he were physically here on Earth. It would be with the poor, those who are grieving, those who are doubting, those who are frightened. And, because Jesus is not here in person to do it, we are left to be the hands and feet of Christ in his physical absence.

                I know I do not have to tell you how hard it can be to listen for God’s voice amidst the noise and tumultuousness of our current world. In a time of intense polarization, of heated discourse, of fear and doubt and anger and confusion and feelings of helplessness, it can be so overwhelming, so noisy that we can wonder where God’s voice is in the midst of it all. We are here to be Christ’s hands and feet and to do God’s work here on Earth. And each day, we are able, by God’s grace to re orient ourselves back to Jesus’ example. To do our best to push out the noise and distractions to transfigure us back to Christ’s teachings.

                In my study of the Christian mystics, I am struck by the similarities I see in those ancient practices and with a more modern pentecostal or born again Christian theology. And truthfully, as mainline Protestants, I think there is a thing or two we could learn. Both the mystics and the more modern born again Christian theology seek communion and profound experiences with God. They both yearn for enlightenment and fortitude. As Lutherans, we get to celebrate that through grace and the promise of our baptism we get to be born anew each time we remember our baptism. Over and over again, we are always being made new and it is never too late to re orient, to trasfigure ourselves back to God. That just as Jesus casts out the demon in today’s gospel story, we are continually called to cast out our own demons. These demons are the things of the world that pull us from God and from God’s call to love our neighbor as ourselves, and not just our neighbors who are very alike to us but those who could not be more different from us. The demons that make us dwell in anger and malice, the demons that allow us to look away in the face of our neighbor’s suffering.

                ELCA Presiding Bishop, Elizabeth Eaton, shared the following message this week on her public instagram profile, and I think it is very fitting to today’s subject of our shared transfiguration back to Christ. She says:

Many in our pews and communities are suffering in silence, wondering if anyone notices, if anyone cares. I want to encourage all of us, our entire church, to bear one another’s burdens. Take a moment to check in on one another. We cannot presume our friends and neighbors are ok. I am reminded of the words of Isaiah when God says, “Do not fear for I am with you. Do not be afraid for I am your God.” We are not alone. We are the body of Christ called to bear one another’s burdens. To be present, to listen, to love. We may not know what tomorrow brings but we have each other, and we have the promise of a god who meets us in our fear, who walks with us in our struggles, and who calls us to be beacons of hope. So church, let’s show up for one another at home and in our communities. Let us remind the world that God’s promise, a promise of love, calls us together and moves us to action. Be well, dear church.

Amen

Sunday, February 23, 2025

Love Your Enemies.

  “What is the hardest thing about following Jesus?” Rolf Jacobson asked his confirmation students. “Loving your enemies,” one of the students replied. Rolf is now a professor at Luther Seminary but as he reflected on today’s Gospel in Luther’s podcast, he said that answer has stuck with him… because he thinks the student got it right. Jesus’ teaching to: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” sounds not only impossible but unwise and unsafe.1

 It's also uniquely Jesus. Most of what Jesus teaches can be found in the Hebrew Scriptures, our Old Testament. Most of the world religions promote love – love yourself, the neighbor and the stranger; treat others as you would have them treat you; follow the Golden Rule.  But no one else asks you to love your enemy or to do good to those who hate or to bless those who curse or to pray for those who hurt you. This only comes from Jesus who instructs his followers – then and now – to be merciful just as God is merciful.

 Our reading from Genesis tells a piece of Joseph’s story. You may remember that Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob. Jacob had twelve sons but Joseph was his favorite. As you can imagine, this didn’t sit well with the older 10 brothers – who were half-brothers. It probably didn’t help that Joseph shared his dreams of them bowing down to him. And so, family dynamics being what they were, it probably shouldn’t have come as a surprise that the brothers turned against Joseph. They were about to kill him when some Egyptian slave traders came by – and they sold him into slavery instead.

 However, God was with Joseph and eventually, after interpreting the Pharoah’s dreams about 7 years of feast and 7 years of famine, he became Pharoah’s right hand. As Joseph had predicted, there were 7 good years. Joseph managed the grain and built big silos to preserve it for the 7 years of famine to come. And the 7 years of famine did come and it affected all of the land – not just Egypt.

 And this is why Joseph’s brothers had come to Egypt. The word was out that Egypt had food.  And so they came. This wasn’t their first visit. They had come before – and Joseph had seen them and had put them through a few tests to see if they were still the cruel hard-hearted people that had sold him into slavery – or if they had changed. The brothers passed the test by protecting the youngest brother, Benjamin, who was Joseph’s full brother, and by clearly caring for their father and each other.  And so Joseph reveals himself to them. Notice their first response is not joy – but fear. Joseph is in a position of power. He could have chosen to follow the rule: an eye for an eye and sold them into slavery. He could have chosen retribution and retaliation. He could have had them killed.

 Instead, Joseph chooses forgiveness and reconciliation. But not before speaking the truth to them about the harm that they had done. He does not let his brothers off the hook. Also, notice who Joseph credits for his current status. Joseph doesn’t say it was because of his own wisdom that he ended up as Pharoah’s grain czar. Instead, he shares the way that God has worked through this evil, cruel act of his brothers to not only preserve his life but to put him in a position to protect the life of the whole tribe. Joseph later says that it was God who was at work in his life for good – even though they intended it for harm. 

 Joseph was in a position of power when he offered forgiveness, reconciliation and literally the bread of life to his brothers. But not everyone who suffers abuse or cruelty is in a position of power. Too often, victims of abuse, often but not only women, have been told to forgive an abusive partner and to just forget and forgive. But without the truth telling, and the recognition by the abuser – the one causing harm - that what was done was wrong, there is little likelihood that the situation will change, especially if the abuser still has power. Reconciliation is not always possible or even wise.

 And yet, Jesus gives us this seemingly impossible task: “love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return… be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”  The confirmation student is right: This is hard. And yet… we can’t just dismiss it – because this it is the way of Jesus, this is the way of God.

A pastor colleague of mine has shared publicly a story of a hard time in her life – I’ll call her Jane. She had just gone through a rough, messy divorce in which her now ex-husband had left her and their children and refused to pay any alimony and was basically being a jerk. Jane was spitting angry, resentful and full of hatred for what he had done to her and their children. She was so mad that she couldn’t sleep, she couldn’t eat, she couldn’t even think; her life was miserable.

 Finally, she went to another pastor I’ll call her Sophia because Sophia means “wisdom.” Jane told Sophia the story and then said, “Help me. I can’t live like this. I feel as if I’m carrying a rock of anger in the pit of my stomach and I don’t even like who I’ve become.”   Sophia was compassionate and listened carefully. And then she asked Jane, what would you want in your life? What would you hope for in your life? Jane thought for a moment and then said, “I want to not have to worry about where the next meal is coming from; I want to love and be loved, to share joy and to be at peace.” 

 Sophia looked at her with eyes of compassion and said, “I have an idea for you. But it is not going to be easy – and it’s going to take 30 days.” Jane, with a sigh of disappointment said, “Sure. I can do anything for 30 days. What is it?”

 Sophia said, “OK. For the next 30 days, I want you to pray for all of those things that you named – for your Ex. Pray for him, that he have financial stability, love, and live with joy and peace.”

 Jane said, “Those are the things I want for me – not for him. But… I don’t want him I know Jesus said to ‘love our enemies’. I don’t like it. But I said I would it so I’ll do it.” And she did. For the first 10 days, she prayed with clenched teeth: “God give him love, financial stability and let him live with joy and peace.” For the next 10 days, she found herself rolling her eyes and saying, “God give him financial stability, love and let him live with joy and peace” but found herself saying it without so much anger. By the time she reached day 30, she had come to peace with realizing that she really did wish for him –financial stability, love, peace, and joy. Her life was still challenging as a single mom. But the heavy rock that she was carrying in the pit of her stomach was gone. And she was able to move forward with her life.

 “Love your enemies, do good… be merciful.”  These are challenging words at any time. But they are perhaps even more important for us to hear now, as our civic life is becoming more and more polarized with fewer people willing to listen to the other or to compromise or to work for the common good. Jesus calls us, as Christians, as followers of Jesus, to be different. We are to follow the hard but true words of Jesus: Love your enemies, pray for them, forgive as you have been forgiven. These are not easy.But, at least in this place, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we have a community of grace in which we can practice speaking words with kindness, praying for others with whom we disagree, and following in the way of Jesus, who is our Savior and Lord. Thanks be to God, Amen.

 1 Workingpreacher.com, Rev. Rolf Jacobson with workingpreacher podcast

 February 23, 2025 + Faith-Lilac Way + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane

Sunday, February 16, 2025

What does it mean to be blessed?

Is it what happens when you are baptized? When you come to receive

communion? When something good happens? Yes to all of those – but that

doesn’t begin to contain what it means to be “blessed.” There are also many

times in the Bible in which someone is “blessed.” For example, Jacob steals

his brother Esau’s birthright and blessing, Aaron shares a blessing in the book

of Numbers, and Jesus received a blessing at his baptism.

Jesus gives blessings too, like the Beatitudes. Beatitude is simply the Latin

word for blessing. In Matthew, Jesus is on the mountaintop and proclaims.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit…Blessed are the meek”… and continues

blessing those whom others consider “the least of these” or less desirable or

deserving or worthy. It is absolutely beautiful and inspiring. I love it.

But, Luke’s blessings tell a different story, one that is much harder for us to

hear. For this time, Jesus is not on a mountain. Jesus is on the level plain -

which means he is accessible to and welcomes the poor, the hurting, the sick,

those in need. They come and Jesus responds - healing the sick, the lame and

giving good news to the poor.

I hear a bit of an echo of Mary’s Magnificat from earlier in Luke’s Gospel in

which Mary prophesies the poor would be lifted up and the rich would be

brought down.. and now here Jesus is, proclaiming blessings. And woes.

This would be completely shocking to Jesus’ first audience. They lived in a

very hierarchical society. The Emperor was at the top and was considered the

one who was the most blessed. As Diana Butler Bass explains, The blessed”

in Greek actually became interchangeable with “the gods” and “the elite.”…

Thus, the “the blessed” were the big shots of the ancient world” and the

“blessings” were the material riches that were handed down (or not) by those

in power. 1

By blessing the people who are poor, who have no food to eat, who wonder

where their next meal is coming from, who live off food stamps and handouts

and food pantries and bags of food offered by charities, Jesus turns the

hierarchy upside down. He gives hope to people who have no hope and he

2

gives a promise of change. To the poor, Jesus promises the kingdom of God,

to the hungry, he proclaimed, “you will be fed,” and to those who weep, that

they will rejoice with laughter.

These promises are in keeping with the promises of the psalmists and

prophets who remind the people of God that the earth and everything in it is

the Lord’s (Psalm 24:1) – and do not belong to the Emperor or any other

person. Just as Isaiah and the prophets declared that when God’s Kingdom

comes, the Lord will wipe away all your tears, so Jesus declares that those

who weep will rejoice. In addition, there is an underlying message that since

Jesus is not giving these blessings from on high, but rather from the plain,

where there is no hierarchy, these blessings are for the ordinary people.

But that is not all. Jesus also has a message for the rich, for those who have

put their trust in the Emperor or other gods or in their own status or luck.

And the message is “Woe to you.”

This is not a blanket condemnation of the rich and powerful but rather a

warning for them and all who have God-given resources and yet are not

following the way of God. It is also an invitation to repent and change.

For example, remember the story of Zacchaeus? This is a story from later in

the Gospel of Luke. Zacchaeus was a rich tax collector. And yet, Jesus saw

that he had a good heart - and so Jesus called Zacchaeus to dine with him.

Zacchaeus was overjoyed and in response, shared his wealth generously -

especially for anyone who felt wronged. After Zacchaeus made that

announcement, Jesus responded, ‘Today salvation has come to this house,

because he too is a son of Abraham.  10 For the Son of Man came to seek out

and to save the lost.’ Jesus was calling those with riches and wealth to trust

in the power of God - and not their own selves, and what they call their own

– whether it is property, status and power. For if you put your trust in

anything less than the love and power and provision of God, it will not last.

Luther Seminary Professor Dr. Mary Hinkle Shore writes that the challenge

for those of us in our 21st-century American, mainline Christian context is

that most of us who will hear this word are not inclined to trust it.” After all,

who would want to be poor, have your character maligned, be bullied or

3

“cancelled” – even if it was for the sake of our faith? As Mary says, “We aim

to be rich, full, laughing, and respected. Hearing the beatitudes from Jesus,

we may be tempted to think, “I’ll take my chances with the status quo.” It’s

tempting to put your trust in pensions and security systems rather than in

Jesus. But Mary says, “It is as if Jesus said, “Certain things are worthy of

your trust, and other things are sure to betray it.” When those objects of

misplaced loyalty do betray your trust -Lord, have mercy.” 2

Dr. Kate Bowler, a professor at Duke University, was studying the prosperity

gospel and evangelical church culture when she was diagnosed, at age 35

with a rare form of cancer, at stage IV. The church community told her to

pray for healing. She prayed. They prayed. But she didn’t heal. Some in her

church assumed it was because she didn’t have enough faith. They felt that if

she did, she would have been healed. And since she wasn’t, clearly, she

wasn’t “blessed.” 3

Through all of this, Kate held onto her faith – despite the diagnosis, despite

the shaming from some in her church, and despite the challenges and the

grief of dreams that had to die. Suddenly, Kate had to confront her own ideas

about what it meant to be blessed. And she found that it wasn’t being perfect,

it wasn’t about winning God’s favor. Instead, Kate discovered it was about

living fully the ordinary life that she was given, trusting in God, and caring

for others in the world around her. She also discovered that she had a gift for

noticing the blessings in the ordinary of her life and ours. She shares these

blessings freely on her website. Here’s one for you. It’s titled:

4

a blessing for the life you have

Blessed are you who

hold hope with an open hand.

You who try not to fix your gaze

on time’s far horizon or

get drunk on what might yet be.

And blessed are you who

avoid walking too far down memory

lane, getting stuck wondering if that

was as good as it gets,

if you’ve peaked,

or feeling resentful about all that

has disappointed before.

Blessed are you who know

that sometimes you need

to stay right here.

At least for a minute.

Blessed are you who look

wide-eyed, maybe timidly,

at the present moment,

gazing at those things that

are gently, actually within

the reach of your fingertips.

Blessed are you amid the

ordinary details that define

what life is for you, right now.

And as you see them,

greet them—each one—

as you smile and

call them by name.

Everyday joys. Small pleasures.

Birds chirping. Cat cuddles.

A cold glass of water.

5

A little child calling your name.

The breeze on your cheeks.

The ocean rhythm.

The perfect pillow.

The kindness of a friend.

Loves that are and were

and ever will be.

May they seem even lovelier,

even more delicious because

they become gifts offered anew.

May gratitude fill you,

reaching all of the spaces within

you that disappointment

left behind and fear has gripped.

May something rise in your heart

that feels like a strange

new kind of contentment.

Because this isn’t what

you had planned, but it

surprises you that even here

it can be good. Satisfying.

In a way that you know you

can come back to. A place that can

sustain you through

whatever may come.

Blessed are you,

finding that life is good

because it is enough.

6

Friends in Christ, you are blessed. Trust in Jesus when the way before you

seems difficult – and when things are going so well that you feel on top of the

moon. For God is the provider of it all – including all the blessings for the

poor, the ordinary, those who are considered “less than,” the young, the old,

the middle aged and all of those just trying to make it to the next day. And so,

regardless of what happens in your world and in your life, trust in God, keep

the faith and receive God’s many blessings. Friends in Christ, may the Lord

bless you, and keep you in God’s loving and surprising grace. In Jesus’ name.

Amen.

1Diana Butler Bass, Grateful

2 Workingpreacher.com Mary Hinkle Shore

3 Dr. Kate Bowler, Everything Happens for a Reason and all the Lies I’ve learned to Hate.

4. Dr. Kate Bowler website,

https://katebowler.com

Sunday, February 9, 2025

YOU Are CALLED by GOD

And invited to CALL on GOD

Back in the day when cell phones were a relatively new thing, someone’s phone would inevitably ring during our Synod conference, and as the embarrassed pastor would quickly try to silence it, then Bishop Mark Hanson would always say: “That had better be God!”

 I haven’t heard any stories yet of God calling on a cell phone, but in our lessons today, we see three different ways that God calls people into God’s mission for the world.

Isaiah receives a vision of God sitting on a throne with seraphs – these are not sweet little cherubic angels gathered on soft fluffy clouds but rather fiery flying serpents. They are singing a song of praise to God, “Holy, Holy, Holy”, but Isaiah is not comforted. He is terrified. He says, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” He thought he was going to die. No one had ever seen God before and lived. He certainly did not feel worthy – he was a man of unclean lips.

Peter, in our Gospel lesson, was at work, cleaning his nets after a disappointing night of fishing. They caught nothing. This was his livelihood. But he had no fish to sell; no fish even for his family to eat. But as he was working, a rabbi came and sat in his boat and started to teach the crowd. I imagine that Peter stopped cleaning his nets and paid attention to the rabbi who was using his boat as a pulpit, or maybe he listened while he worked. In either case, when Jesus was done speaking, he instructed Peter to push out into the deep water and throw down your nets for a catch.

Peter was the professional fisherman. He knew how to fish.  And he knew that he and his father and his father’s father had always fished at night when the fish came up to feed. During the hot summer day, the fish swam in the cool waters down deep. And yet… even though he was probably exhausted and ready for a little shut-eye… Peter said, “If you say so, I will let down the nets.”

This act of faith – or maybe just this openness to Jesus’ word – led to a surprising miracle. Peter went to the deep waters and put out the nets – and immediately, their nets were so full, they were beginning to break. Peter and his partner – probably Andrew - signaled the other boat to come and help. Both boats had so many fish the boats began to sink.  But, like Isaiah, Peter’s first response was not awe and excitement at this amazing catch. It was fear. “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

Paul also felt unworthy to be called a disciple of Christ. When writing to the church at Corinth, Paul recounts all of the others to whom Jesus had appeared and then he writes, “Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” Paul writes of that he is unfit to be an apostle because of his prior persecution of the church

And yet, God called Paul, the persecutor of his people, four failed fishermen, and Isaiah, a reluctant prophet, all of whom felt unworthy, as God’s messengers to the world. If you haven’t noticed, God has a habit of choosing surprising people, often the most ordinary people, to proclaim God’s message and do God’s work.

But God doesn’t force any of them to do God’s work. The voice of the Lord asks Isaiah, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah says yes to God’s call: “Here am I; send me!”

Likewise, when Jesus invites them to follow, Peter and his brother Andrew and James and John drop their nets – which were full of the best catch ever! That night, they had caught no fish. Suddenly, they had more fish than they had ever seen before. And they left it all on the shore – the fish, their father, their families – and they followed Jesus. For they had heard the voice of God.

Jesus is still calling. Probably not on your cell phone – although I wouldn’t put it past him. Like Paul, we have not walked with Jesus on the shore of Galilee, as Peter and the other disciples did, trying to figure out what Jesus meant when he proclaimed that the Kingdom of God was at hand. Like Paul, we have received the Good News from other people. We are a part of a long line of people of faith – Sunday School teachers, parents, grandparents, pastors and camp counselors and friends and neighbors and family who have passed on the message of Jesus, the stories of his life, death, resurrection and ascension and of God’s continuing work in the world. God continues to call people, ordinary and extraordinary people – like you – to share the message of Jesus and to do God’s work in bringing, hope, faith and love to everyone in God’s world.

God is calling you and me into the world, into our community, to love the neighbor, feed the hungry, care for the poor and the vulnerable. For, as Jesus says, when we do this, we are caring for Jesus.

We are called to be engaged in the world. But I also know that it has been difficult to keep up with all of the changes and proposed changes and the consequences of those changes in our country and in the world over the last few weeks. It causes me, anyway, a great deal of anxiety when our partner Lutheran organizations are being attacked by an official without cause. We need to respond to set the record straight.

However, when the news of the world is overwhelming, confusing and, or challenging, which it often is, I invite you to stop listening to the news for a bit. Take a break and listen to the words of Jesus’ prayerbook, the Psalms.

For not only does God call you and me into the world to share God’s message of love, faith, hope and care for the vulnerable, but God also welcomes you and me to call on God and God’s Holy Spirit.

As we read in our Psalm for today, Psalm 138, “When I called, you answered me.” We do not always get our answers as quickly as we would like. God is on my speed dial these days, but God’s response doesn’t usually come in a tweet. Instead, God invites us to slow down, remember who we are and whose we are. You are a child of God and God has called you by name.

Martin Luther found that in the midst of the chaos in his time – when his life was endangered and he was hidden in a cold drafty castle –he turned to prayer and to the Psalms. Luther once said that at times of trial, he needed twice the amount of time with God. It’s not a bad habit.

For when we read scripture and hear the promises of God, and the love that God has for us, we can join the Psalmist in proclaiming and praying to God, “You will make good your purpose for me; O Lord, your steadfast love endures forever; do not abandon the works of your hands.” 

Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, have confidence in the word of God for you and listen for God’s call. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Sunday, February 2, 2025

Love is…

First Corinthians 13 is a beautiful ode to love. Paul holds love up like a gemstone or a work of art from every angle, reflecting on its depth and beauty: “Love is patient; love is kind…Love never ends.”  And so, it’s not surprising that this passage is a favorite scripture for weddings. And it is a great choice, reminding the couple – and all who are gathered – that love is not a static gemstone or work of art to be admired from afar… but instead, must be lived, and practiced day after day.

But while these are great words for a couple who is getting married and beginning their life together, Paul wrote them to a congregation that was in conflict. They were arguing about who had the greatest gifts. Was it preaching or teaching or speaking in tongues?

In response, in chapter 12, which we explored last week, Paul uses the metaphor of the body to show that all of the gifts that God has given are not only important – but each one has a role to play, just as an eye and an ear and a hand each has a job to do for for the sake of the whole body.

There are three words for love in Greek – eros – romantic love, filio, the love of friends and agape love, the love of God. Paul writes about agape love.  The gift of agape love is like the skin that holds all of the parts of the body together and holds a community together. Because love “is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude” all gifts can be honored. Because love does not insist on its own way but encourages the community to listen to others, the community is able to thrive. Maybe we can even be open to new ideas?. Likewise, because love is not irritable or resentful but instead, seeks to lift up the young, the old, the vulnerable, the stranger, the person who feels left out… and to appreciate their gifts too… love, agape love, binds people together into the beloved community of Christ. 

This is who we want to be as a church, as the people of God.

We have a scout troop, Troop 67, that meets in our building. I have a soft spot in my heart for scouts, since both of my sons were scouts and it was an important part of their growing up years.  And so, when Aaron invited me to do the invocation and blessing at his Eagle Court of Honor, the highest rank, I happily agreed.

An Eagle court of Honor is a time to light up the accomplishments of the scout. Aaron had many. He was clearly a young man who was good for scouting – he had tons of merit badges on his sash and participated in all of the scout programs. He had even overcome his fear of heights enough to encourage his troop to take the long hike up a mountain pass rather than an easier journey because, according to the scout leader, Aaron wanted to be an example for others to face their fears. But as strong and as uplifting as the accolades that the troop leaders heaped upon Aaron, I was most impressed with what I observed before the court of honor even began.

I got to the rehearsal early – not because I needed the practice – I’ve done a few of these before, but because I knew that Aaron would be running the rehearsal himself and that sometimes organizing a troop of adolescent boys isn’t easy – so if the adults show up on time, it’s one less thing for him to worry about. 

As I waited for my line, I noticed that the boys were all very attentive and listened to Aaron’s directions. Aaron treated them all with respect and care. I also noticed that there were two boys to whom Aaron gave extra attention. The first boy is one that I had met before - he is on the Autism spectrum and very active in the scout troop. His job was to carry in one of the flags. But he couldn’t quite carry it on his own, so Aaron – who was the one being honored – carried it with him.  The second scout, also had some special needs and sat in the audience. Aaron went over to him and included him, inviting him to read a small part in the program.

I was impressed with the way that Aaron exhibited incredible care for each one of the scouts.

Actions often speak louder than words.  So I guess I should not have been surprised, when it was Aaron’s turn to speak, that he spoke directly to the scouts. Rather than speak about the Scout Law or the Scout Oath, Aaron encouraged them to CARE. Care about one another. Find a hill and stand on it. CARE for one another and the community around you.

Aaron chose the word “Care.” But as he was speaking, a different word came to my mind because I was reminded of Jesus’ commandment to “Love one another.” Caring for someone is a way to show love, Agape love.

Although he focuses on love, Paul lifts up three great gifts from God – faith, hope and love.  In Christians community, these three gifts work together.

Simeon and Anna are great examples of faith, hope and love and the role of wise elders in the community.   The Holy Spirit has given Simeon the hope and promise that he would see the Messiah. Anna is one of the very few named female prophets in the Bible. She is devout, full of faith- and hope --- despite her life circumstances. As a childless widow in that culture, she had little social standing. And yet, out of love, Agape love, they both shine a light on who Jesus is, proclaiming him as the Messiah and as the one to redeem – save – God’s people.

So how do we, in this time in which we live, proclaim faith, hope and love? How do we show care to one another – and to the community around us?

There isn’t a 7 step program. Nor is this something we can check off our list. Instead, this is the life that we are called to live into, this is the life of God’s beloved community. We are called – you and I – to live as Christ Jesus would have us live. We are to love one another – and the other, the stranger, the neighbor, the outsider, the immigrant – as Christ loves us.

This is not easy at any time. It is certainly not easy when there are some in our government sowing discord and is in a period of change and uncertainty. But what we can do, is what God has always called us to do: pray for one another --- and for our enemies and our perceived enemies. Care for the world around us. Act and speak out of faith, hope and Agape love.

Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, the good news is that God is with us – always. For there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. And so, my prayer for you:  May the Holy Spirit surround you with grace and mercy and give you peace.  In Jesus name. Amen.

February 2, 2025 + Faith-Lilac Way Lutheran + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane

Sunday, January 26, 2025

We are Many Parts and One Body in Christ Jesus

 When I was growing up, my mother sometimes put big puzzle out on our big table in the dining room for everyone to work on together. It was good fun and we found that, working together, it came together relatively quickly. But there was a problem. One piece – in the very center of the puzzle -- was missing. We looked high and low.  But we couldn’t find it.  As children, we were very frustrated. Although almost all of the puzzle was complete, our focus was drawn to the hole. where the missing piece should have been. We needed all the pieces of the puzzle in order for the picture to be complete.

 Paul is saying much the same thing to the people of Corinth. They had been fighting amongst themselves over who had the best, most spiritual gift. Using the metaphor of the body, Paul writes, “Your body has many parts—limbs, organs, cells—but no matter how many parts you can name, you’re still one body. It’s exactly the same with Christ… Each of us is now a part of Jesus’ resurrection body” Message Bible 1 Cor 12 and we are refreshed and sustained at Christ’s table, where we come to be renewed by God’s spirit.

 For just as an eye is not better than an ear, nor is an ear better than your stomach, we need all of them to do their own job for the sake of the whole body. As Eugene Peterson translates this, “ No part is important on its own. Can you imagine Eye telling Hand, “Get lost; I don’t need you”? Or, Head telling Foot, “You’re fired; your job has been phased out”? As a matter of fact, in practice it works the other way—the “lower” the part, the more basic, and therefore necessary. You can live without an eye, for instance, but not without a stomach. When it’s a part of your own body you are concerned with, it makes no difference whether the part is visible or clothed, higher or lower. You give it dignity and honor just as it is, without comparisons. If anything, you have more concern for the lower parts than the higher. If you had to choose, wouldn’t you prefer good digestion to full-bodied hair?”  We are called to honor and care for all the parts of the body so that the whole body can function well. 

The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part” 1 Cor 12:20-23 The Message Bible

 If we look at our church, this is indeed the case.We are called to unity – to share the gifts we have been given. But we are not called to uniformity. For example, in the choir, not everyone can reach the low notes of the basses or the high notes of our sopranos, but together, the choir can lead the rest of us in singing beautiful praises to God. Likewise, some use their math and accounting skills to keep us on track financially while others focus on keeping the building running well. Some of you cook, others bake, and we all join together in making a delicious potluck fellowship that we can enjoy together after worship. When we all share the gifts that we have been given, we do the work that God calls us to do.

 We can extend this even further. Just as each of us are one part of the congregation of Faith-Lilac Way, so our church is one part of Wildfire churches, which is one part of the NW Hennepin Conference which is one part of the Minneapolis Area Synod, which is one part of the ELCA, which is one part of the World federation of Churches, which is one part of Christ’s body. It’s like zooming out from the individual pieces to see the beauty of the whole. But when we zoom back in, we also see that just as when my family lost the puzzle piece, the picture was incomplete, so each individual piece is an important, essential part of the body of Christ.

 And so, let us honor and celebrate the many gifts that God has entrusted to us – for God has indeed given us many gifts… including the gift of relationship between us and these larger organizations of which we are a part. And, as we celebrate the diversity of the gifts, let us also remember that even the seemingly littlest gift, the smallest person is an essential part of the body of Christ. As Paul writes, God calls Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female1 Cor 12:13 and I would add, republicans and democrats, voters and visitors, refugees and generational immigrants, all of these seemingly polar opposites, to be one in Christ Jesus.

And then Paul goes further, to remind us of our relationship with one another. Just as, if you hurt your hand, your whole body is affected and so works to heal the hand, so too, we as members of the body of Christ, should care for one another. For while we represent a great diversity of gifts and talents and opinions, we need unity when it comes to the care of the body of Christ. As Paul writes, “there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it.” And so, we suffer with the homeless, the refugee without a home or a country, the people impoverished by war or violence, the people whose homes have been burned by fire or flooded or destroyed by mudslides. The body of Christ has many different people with diverse qualities and gifts and all of them belong – and when any of them are missing or hurting or suffering – we all feel their suffering and so we are called to do what we can  to care for the part, the people, who are hurting. 

 My father was a great guy and had many gifts and skills but… vacuuming wasn’t one of them.  So, I found it odd one day when he got out the vacuum, disconnected the hose from the vacuum and then got out his flashlight and peered through the long hose. He then started to shake it violently. And… the missing puzzle piece came flying out.

 We rejoice with those who rejoice and especially when one who was hurting is healed and those who were homeless are housed and all who are hungry are fed. This is our mission as the body of Christ. So let us not forget to rejoice with those who rejoice.

  Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, let us celebrate the diversity among us and the unity we share in the body of Christ. Let us take special care of those in need of comfort, care and wholeness and let us rejoice with all who rejoice in the love of Christ Jesus. Amen.

 Faith-Lilac Way + January 26, 2025 + Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane