17th Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 19

Old Testament Lesson: Proverbs 31:10-31

After playfully avoiding the passage yesterday, let’s take a deeper-than-average dive into this portrayal of a “capable wife.”

At first glance, this description of a wife and mother represents either an overwhelming ideal, or an impossible job description. Make your own clothes, get up before dawn to prepare meals for the whole house, mind the family business, work into the early hours of the morning, be charitable to those in need, be dignified, profound, humorous, and carefree.

It reminds me of Gloria’s speech in the 2022 Barbie Movie. Are we really to believe that scripture would provide such an exhausting expectation for women?

I would suggest that there is a way to read this text that would provide some relief from such lofty expectations.

I would suggest that we not read this as an exhausting list of tasks that a single woman is to perform.  Instead, if we read it as reflecting a composite vision of the ways in which women make a positive difference in our community, we move from the expectation that we should be “all things to all people,” and replace it with a passage that invites us to consider how we can share our individual gifts with the community.

Psalm:

Psalm 1

Psalm 1 sets the tone for the entire Book of Psalms by contrasting the paths and destinies of the righteous and the wicked. The psalm opens by describing the blessedness of the righteous person who does not follow the way of the wicked but delights in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. 

This introductory psalm encapsulates the central themes of wisdom, the law of the Lord, and the dichotomy between the righteous and the wicked that permeate the Psalter.

Epistle: James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a

James begins by contrasting earthly wisdom, which is selfish and ambitious, with heavenly wisdom that is pure, peace-loving, and considerate. He points out that where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will also be disorder and every evil practice.

James then shifts to discuss the source of quarrels and fights among believers, attributing them to desires that battle within individuals. He criticizes the believers for their wrong motives in prayer, which focus on self-indulgence rather than God’s will, leading to unanswered prayers.

In response to these quarrels, James suggests submission to God as the antidote. He instructs believers to resist the devil, purify their hearts, and humble themselves before God.

Like Proverbs and the Psalm, James suggests that humility’s the foundation for true wisdom and peace among the community.

Gospel:

Mark 9:30-37

There are two episodes in this week’s gospel. The first continues the theme of Mark’s Messianic Secret, where Jesus tries to furtively pass through Galilee without notice, speaking to his disciples for a second time about his upcoming rejection, death, and resurrection.

The disciples don’t understand, but they aren’t willing to brave asking questions that might draw them out of their ignorance.

Instead, their ignorance continues. Whether they realize it or not, they represent the earthly concerns of greatness, power, and privilege. To that, Jesus invites them to up-end their priorities. Instead of jockeying to be first, they need to be last and servant of all. More than that, they need to embrace those without privilege, in this case a child. Relationships are not transactional in Jesus’ kingdom, they are grounded in mutual service. To seek and serve one that society might deem unworthy is the very heart of the gospel.

Instead of a manuscript, here are my sermon notes

I’ve been playing a game called “Connections” in the New York Times app. The game has 16 tiles, each with a single word, and the task is to sort them into groups of four.

It is a wonderful metaphor for trying to preach. There’s all these readings, and your job is to try and come up with a theme.

I think it is clear that the theme for this week is Wisdom. Who has wisdom and understanding?

The preacher who avoids today’s Proverbs lesson is both wise and has understanding. I have been married for 20 years, and at least part of the reason is because I have never listed the attributes of a capable wife and shared them publicly.

The disciples aren’t held up as exemplars of wisdom and understanding. Quite the opposite, they remain in their ignorance, too afraid to ask questions that might open their minds and spirit to Jesus’ mission.

My goal today, is to invite you—not just to ask questions boldly, but to join a small community that will help provide a venue for those questions.

My hope is that you will consider joining our Confirmation class. It is designed to be a place where we can ask questions.

The Bible envisions faith organically. The goal is not stasis, but growth. The Psalm talks about being rooted. We want to be rooted so that our faith can help us weather the concerns and worries of this life. We want our faith to be a taproot that will supply us in times of adversity.

The means to this faith is asking questions.