July 4th, 2024

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48

For many years, my parents hosted the town 4th of July bicycle parade in our town. The decorated bikes and riders would gather at the firehouse and be lead around Cape May Point by the fire engine, blaring the siren and coming to an end on our front lawn. We fed the crowds cookies, crumpets, Kool-Aid and water ice. My parents began the parade when we were young and kept it going until 2014. I know that some of the people gathered on the lawn were friends. Some not so much. No matter what, my folks wanted the love of neighbor and community to ring out loud on the 4th. They wanted radical welcome and love to be shared with whomever showed up. 

Wondrous Creator, we give you thanks today

for our freedom which we celebrate today

for the love you shower down upon us

and for our country despite our many struggles.

Our history has been wrought with violence

many have never tasted the true freedom promised

we often boast before we really should have

and wonder if our season has come to an end.

Lord, let this day be dedicated to love

love shown to friend and enemy alike

love that is a gift received and a gift given 

so we might share your loving presence today. Amen.

Respect

‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. But the tenants seized his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first; and they treated them in the same way. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.” But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, “This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.” So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?’ They said to him, ‘He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the harvest time.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes”? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.’ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. They wanted to arrest him, but they feared the crowds, because they regarded him as a prophet. Matthew 21:33-46

As very small children we are taught to respect our elders, especially, and to listen quietly when they are speaking. No matter how regal or downtrodden, our elders have great wisdom to share. We are taught to respect and honor all living beings, including the very earth we live on. Greedily taking advantage of others has no place. Too often these days, we are so wrapped up in getting what we want, we do not recognize the wisdom and knowledge around us. We are invited today to renew our respect for the earth, for our elders and for all living beings. We have not listened enough nor have we respected enough and now we are paying the consequences.

Gracious Creator you brought us into being

setting us into families and communities

deep wells of insight and great knowledge

and poured your spirit on all who listen.

We have grown impatient and greedy

unwilling to learn from our loving elders

anxious to take control and be in charge

when we barely understand how life works.

Let us quiet down our need and greed today

and instead learn to settle in and listen

for much wisdom abounds in our elders

and in the world you love and heal. Amen.

Authority

When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, ‘By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?’ And they argued with one another, ‘If we say, “From heaven”, he will say to us, “Why then did you not believe him?” But if we say, “Of human origin”, we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.’ So they answered Jesus, ‘We do not know.’ And he said to them, ‘Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. ‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The first.’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, the tax-collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax-collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him. Matthew 21:23-32

Retired Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller called me after I was elected bishop to invite to come to Tahlequah. It was late fall of 2001, not even two months after 9/11 and the country was in crisis and in mourning. I was honored and accepted immediately. Wilma will always be an authority to me, a wise woman, who faced untold struggles and challenges and still rose above it to be our chief. She held the people together in rough times and brought about a new era of tribal strength and determination. God blesses certain people, despite their gender, race or language, a deep love for the people and great authority in leadership. The ones who stand up to injustice, the ones who do the hard work, the ones who toil in the field are all given the strength they need to face the day.

Loving Creator, you raise up leaders for us

who lead with your heart and your spirit

who care for the people who are crying

and who seek you in their prayers daily.

Too often we think celebrity is a leader

too often we trust the glamour not the heart

often we are shattered by their heartlessness

and we think we have been abandoned by you.

Help us to be deep in prayer at all times

may we lead with your love and compassion

humble enough to always seek your lead

and kind enough to make room for others. Amen.

A House of Prayer

Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves. He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer”; but you are making it a den of robbers.’ The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’, they became angry and said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, “Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself”?’ He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there. In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, ‘How did the fig tree wither at once?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be lifted up and thrown into the sea”, it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.’ Matthew 21:12-22

This "fragile earth our island home" is the Creator's house of prayer. Our land is holy, our waters sacred, and we too often have carved it up and sold it all. Jesus comes into the temple and finds the wealthy extracting high prices from the poor for their offerings. He is angry, as we should be, when wealth and uncontrolled usury is more respected than prayer. Jesus tells his disciples, after this episode, that prayer is much more powerful than any weapon or wealth. Prayer on scared ground changes the world. We took often move to political tactics and violence before we spend our time in prayer. Let us all, in these days of great turbulence, be found in prayer, prayer full of deep, abiding faith.

Loving Creator, ground of our beings

you planted us on fragile, holy ground

you taught us to pray in all times

and promise to move mountains for us.

We are too often focused on our goals

forgetting about the needs of others

you call us to pray without ceasing

while we scheme and ignore your call.

Help us today to be in prayer always

ready to be made new for your purpose

give us new hearts and new spirits

so we might carry your love with us today. Amen.