Lord of the Sabbath

One sabbath while Jesus was going through the cornfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. But some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ Jesus answered, ‘Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?’ Then he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.’ On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Come and stand here.’ He got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?’ After looking around at all of them, he said to him, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. Luke 6:1-11

Today marks 35 years since I was ordained a priest. It was only legal to make women priests for a little more than 15 years and less than two years after Barbara Harris was consecrated as the first female bishop. Before then it was illegal for us to serve as priests and bishops. The rules humans make for the life of faith and for a country are often at odds with what God desires. Jesus teaches radical inclusion. He invites all to serve and be a part of the life of the church. It has taken millennium for the church to catch up with God's desire of inclusion. And many ignore God's desires and set out rigid rules and exclusionary behavior. Still God desires us to see everyone as part of the family and everyone able to be servant leaders among us.

Loving Creator, your arms surround all creation

your heart is for all people in every generation

you see beyond our human constraints and rules

trusting in the potential healing of each of us.

We love to exclude, weaponize and judge

despite that you have told us not to judge

we set ourselves above other people 

even though we know you love them too.

Help us today Lord to learn to love again

not as the world loves in a limited way

but with your generous all-embracing love

which transform the world in every generation. Amen.