Joel 2:1-2,12-17 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 Matthew 6:1-6,16-21 Psalm 103 or 103:8-14
A few weeks ago, I shared with you that I had heard that since moving into this facility, St. Andrew’s had turned its focus inward. Our commitment to mission had taken a back seat to paying for our building. Later, in response to this, a member quoted today’s Gospel, “when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret.”
What I heard of St. Andrew’s was not true of our members who donate countless hours and money to support needed causes in our community, such as the Food Basket, Kindness, Baxter Regional, Serenity House, Hospice, and so much more. Much of the mission of our church is done in silence. Angel Food Ministry is the only mission supported each month by this church – the rest of our mission outreach comes in the form of contributions by individuals, the Episcopal Church Women, or special collections.
Is this wrong – does not the scripture call us to give in silence? The answer is a paradox – just as Christianity itself is a paradox. Sunday I shared that the color purple we use in Lent is a symbol of both humility and royalty. I noted it is fitting because it provides us the opportunity to reflect on Jesus as the servant king. The idea of being a servant and king appears to be contradictory, not unlike what the Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians: “We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see-- we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” Notice Paul says the people are seen as poor, yet they are rich. Just as Jesus says in today’s Gospel: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
The paradox of Christianity is often viewed as understanding the difference between worldly, or material wealth, and spiritual wealth. Some people take this to be the difference between this life and the next. Certainly I would agree that in Christianity we need to understand that what is to be valued in life is more spiritual than physical – but we cannot neglect the physical. What is important is that we put it in perspective. God created us in the flesh and people do need adequate food, clothing, and shelter. Speaking at the graduation ceremony at the University of the South, Desmond Tutu said that God has created and given us all that we need to feed and clothe the world. Now, God wants us to help.
Our call to mission, our call to service cannot be entirely in secret – for we cannot do all that needs to be alone. We need to invite others to join us in doing God’s will. We need others to know God’s love and respond in love. God’s call to us to serve is not one to keep silent. As a church we must lead by example.
The point of this passage is not to be silent, but that the transformation of God’s love is one that comes from within – it is not a show. If we merely pretend to be followers of Christ, then our reward is no greater than the recognition we receive from others.
Mission is of little value unless it is a response to God’s love. And mission and outreach that come in response to God’s love feeds more than just the bodies of those who hunger – it feeds their souls as well. No one who is hungry wants just a prayer, and no one who is without wants food alone. God created us to live in community and in fellowship – with the strong helping the weak and the faithful helping those have lost faith.
In just a few minutes we will have the imposition of Ashes. In ancient times, the people of Israel wore sackcloth and covered themselves in ashes as a sign of grief and shame. It was an act of repentance and a reminder that God created us from dust and to dust we shall return. It was a ritualistic act that was be performed by people who realized they had not been faithful to God. Penitence followed by redemption.
Today, at the committal of a body at the graveside or columbarium, we say “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,” and we pray for the peace of God to rest with the person who has died. As Christians, on this day in particular, we understand that this life on earth is temporary and that we are to live our lives to the glory of God. Yet, we also know that in our human frailty, we sin and fall short. We also understand Paul’s message to the Corinthians – that for us to have life we must lose it. We must die to our life based on worldly goods and material wealth and be born anew into life in Christ.
The ashes serve as a reminder that our lives are mortal and as a reminder that Christ conquered death and invites us to life in him – life that is eternal. This season of Lent is a time to reflect on how easily we put ourselves first – before Christ, and how the death of our ego brings with it the hope of life in Christ.
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being. Help us to live in such a way that you are the center of our lives. Help us to live in community and invite others to join us in fellowship and in service. Transform St. Andrew’s that in our live together, we might bear witness to others by how we work together to bring about your kingdom. In the name of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
