Sermon: 21st Sunday after Pentecost
25 October 2020 –
Archdeacon Mark Long
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; and Matthew 22:34-46; NRSV
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Our Scripture readings today call us to holy living, and to a lifestyle that reflects a dedication to the purposes of God in our lives. Thanksgiving is one facet of what it means to be holy, and in terms of our focus today, holy living is a call to live distinctive lives that stand out in the crowd. We stand out because we find the courage in a world increasingly defined by consumerism to look beyond ourselves to the needs of others, especially those who lack resources; and we seek to counter the growing individualism of western society by seeking to participate in community. It is worth reading a little further on from where the epistle reading from 1 Thessalonians 2 ends, to where Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy urge the faithful in Thessalonica to “… lead a life worthy of God”[1], and speak of themselves as committed to share the Good News in such a manner as “… not to please mortals, but to please God who tests our hearts.”[2] As children of God you and I are all called to lead lives worthy of God, difficult as this can be in a world that often is at odds with the values of God’s Kingdom.
In today’s reading from Matthew’s Gospel Jesus’ response to the Pharisees’ question also highlights the holiness you and I are called to. While Jesus often challenges the Pharisees they are in fact the group he is most aligned with, and we see that in his interaction with them in this passage he takes their question seriously, answering it and posing a question of his own (in contrast with his interaction that directly proceeds this one with the Sadducees where he informs them that they “… are wrong, because [they] know neither the scriptures nor the power of God”).[3] For Jesus there is not one ultimate commandment, but two, and interestingly he draws not from the Ten Commandments, but from Deuteronomy[4] and Leviticus[5]. As Anglicans we know this answer well as we hear it proclaimed each Sunday as part of our penitential preparation for Holy Communion. Our confession is both individual and communal: acknowledging that our lives often fall far short of the holiness we are called to. Although loving God with all our being is the greatest commandment, it is lived out through the second commandment, and much of our personal and communal confession by necessity relates to the variety of ways we ignore our neighbour. In rabbinical teaching reference to a portion of Scripture often referred to a wider passage, and it may be helpful to read the whole of Leviticus 19 – often referred to as the Holiness Code – in seeking to get a hold on what Jesus meant about loving one’s neighbour. There are some aspects of Leviticus 19 that don’t make much sense in our 21st century environment and can probably be overlooked, but the references to the manner in which we are called to live in good relationship may well be instructive: verse 18, where this second commandment is to be found, also speaks of not holding a grudge nor seeking revenge; verse 17 speaks of the need to reprove our neighbour; in verse 13 we are reminded not to defraud or steal, or hold over an employees wages till tomorrow; in verse 15 we are instructed not to be partial to the poor or defer to the great; in verse 32 we’re enjoined to rise before the aged and defer to the old … these are just a few titbits of the Code that give us an image of what true holiness looks like. Much of this is practical, everyday instruction calling us to live transparent and just lives where people matter, from the more intimate space of family relationships to the societal environment where many are strangers to us.
Thanksgiving Sunday here at St Thomas’ is a practical step of holiness. Your willingness to be thankful and to translate that into an extraordinary financial gift that will be passed on via Fikelela this year to meet the overwhelming need that the Covid-19 lockdown has created for many in the wider Cape Town environment, above and beyond the food parcels we already provide, is a profound act of practical care for our neighbour. God bless you!
I close with a prayer by Pádraig O Tuama, Irish poet and theologian. Let us pray,
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