A Reflection for the 7th Sunday after Pentecost Church of the Holy Trinity, Hertford, NC
Thomas E. Wilson, Guest Celebrant July, 7, 2024
2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 Psalm 48 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 Mark 6:1-13
A Holy Year
Some weeks ago, I told you that the Books of Samuel would tell you of the history of the Kingdom of Saul and David. Saul was the great young leader who met with early success, but his arrogance plagued the last years of his Kingship. David will start off well and this week shows the young man at his prime. However, the authors of the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles have a deeper message to tell which was a warning about the Kings, in fact about any ruler who strays away from the path of following God's will to be a servant first and foremost. When “Rulers” understand that they must first be a faithful servant, then and only then can they rule wisely. This message will be reiterated in the Books of the Chronicles: “No matter how good a ruler wants to be; his or her arrogance will place them in tension with what God calls the rulers to be.”
Yes, the books are about the tension between Kings and Prophets of the past. But the deeper reason they were written was not only about the tragedies of the past, but also as a warning about the bitter comedies we, Kings and Peasants alike, tend to create in our own lives. It is all about human nature; we may begin as heroes of our own stories and imagination, but we can end up filled with arrogance if we follow our own agendas instead of God's. Almost all the Kings wanted to be seen as Heroes but they usually ended up one way of the other, to use the old Yiddish term,”Schmucks”.
In a 2010 article in Forward Magazine, Etiquette for Schmucks, Schlemiels, Schlimazels and Schmendriks, the author wrote:
“attempts to draw a distinction of the term "schmuck" from other Yiddish terms for stupid and inept persons: schlemiel, schlimazel, and schmendrik, a distinction not properly drawn in dictionaries. After a number of comparisons, the author concludes: "A schmuck is, in short, someone who lacks not intelligence, but all insight into what is humanly appropriate and what is not. This makes his condition remediable. A schlemiel, a schlimazel and a schmendrik are irredeemably what they are. A schmuck can be enlightened.”
In the Epistle, the Apostle Paul, who writes in Greek, not Yiddish, and uses the word “ἄφρων” (aphron), “foolish” when he refers to the temptation he has to think so highly of himself. He is the Leader of the church, a man who has the Risen Lord speak directly to him, being aware of his own difficulties in being in charge, his own “schmuckitude”.
In the Gospel lesson for today, Jesus returns to his own old hometown. The people don't know what to think of him, because he is pushing them to go deeper in their faith. They refuse to change, to be challenged to grow; and in essence they, brand him as a schmuck, not worth their consideration; “Who does he think he is?”
You would have thought that he would have just given up; but Jesus does not give up; he changes opportunities. In the Gospel lesson, Jesus takes the disciples deeper into their faith. He sends them out two by two, so they can build a deeper relationship with each other and God. They begin to use the sacred space between each other and, out of that sacred space, God's healing blossoms.
Over this last year, I told you about the first time I met my future wife. It was the first week working after graduating from Seminary in the new diocese and how little impressed she was with me, because she saw me, rightly, as so full of my own importance . As a good former Roman Catholic girl brought up in Toledo, Ohio, I am sure that the word “schmuck” did not occur to her, but I am sure she thought of a good long list of synonyms. It took her five years for her to think about working with me. Then, and only after we worked together; we risked going deeper in relationship. When we entered into the relationship, both of us worked hard to grow into and become the person the other wanted us to become. We entered into the sacred space between us to go deeper than we ever imagined into faith.
Your search Committee has done its work and has chosen a new Rector for this church. If I were ruler of the Universe, and I am not- I just want to be; one of the titles that I think should be junked in the Episcopal church is the title: “Rector”. The word “Rector” means “Ruler”, one of the worst titles to give a servant of God; right up there with King. But on the other hand, it may be helpful to remember that the Rulers, Rectors, Kings always needed Prophets to remind the Rector, Ruler, King, if even in their own mind, that they need to keep being reminded that they are not called to rule but to serve. As Jesus says in the 22nd chapter of Luke: “For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.”
When I first became a Rector of a church, after being as assistant at my previous church, I taped that reading from Luke: “I come among you as one who serves” to the door of my office, not to remind them - but to remind myself before that stuff about being a Ruler/Rector all went to my head and I ended up as a Schmuck. I had to keep reminding myself that if I entered a relationship with a congregation; I needed to work hard to become the person they wanted me to be. Often it was reciprocal as members of the congregations I served chose to go deeper into faith and served in ministering with me to others inside and outside the church.
When the Books of Samuel and Kings end; the prophets return to hold the leaders and the Kings to a path of being faithful; a path from which they keep wandering. The prophet Micah will thunder out to the Kings and to the people: “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).
This past week we celebrated the 4th of July, a day we remember our history when we refused to have Kings rule over us. We joined together to create a new nation. The writers pointed to- “ A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”
This is the 7th Sunday after Pentecost 2024; a year ago in July 2023 on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost, I came to this church and preached and celebrated. My wife had died a month before, and the funeral was to be held in about 10 days. I was on sort of an auto pilot, but I do remember how kind you were to me. I want to thank you for this year, for you have been part of my healing as you ministered to me. You forgave easily and chose not to dwell on my shortcomings. The new Rector is a fortunate person. Bless you in your new ministry together.
A Holy Year
It was July, the middle of the year,
When there were grace moments,
In coming together as components,
Of sacred times of grace held dear.
Losses and sadness were underneath,
While shared laughter and joy ruled,
Those spaces between whole, souled,
Folk being joy as flowers to a wreath.
The outward signs of a loving beauty,
Came into being Holy Space renewed,
Made into new life, hope's new attitude,
Blossomed more opportunities of duty.
This Priest came to lead some prayer
but ends up treasuring your new care.
Thank you for your ministry to me this
past year! May you and the new Priest bless each other and this
community in these coming years.
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