ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
March 23, 2022
What is good news? In your own thinking, what attributes are essential for you to claim something to be good news? In the Gospel of Mark 13, Jesus was speaking about turbulent times. He goes on to say, “First, the good news must be proclaimed to all the nations. When they haul you in and hand you over, don’t worry ahead of time about what to answer or say. Instead, say whatever is given to you at that moment, for you aren’t doing the speaking but the Holy Spirit is.” He sort of had me at, “…good news must be proclaimed,” but then sort of lost me with the whole “haul you in” comment. There are days when I am preparing to preach a sermon and suddenly I am brought to an abrupt stop. I ask myself, “Is anyone going to believe this nonsense?” It’s not that I personally find it to be nonsense, but I sort of do. I’m inviting people to live in an upside down world, and then trying to convince them that the upside down world is in fact right side up… we’ve just forgot. Some might find it hard to keep a straight face when telling folk how the first will be last and the last will be first; how humility and loving one’s enemy are excellent approaches to daily life; how the marginalized and most hated in society are members of God’s family. It is Good News when we do as the Apostle Paul suggested and take on the mind of Christ. In that moment, we are no longer looking at life or trying to live life from a self-focused, self-serving mindset. It’s about Jesus, and the world he envisioned, the world we’re supposed to embody. Suddenly, what sounded like nonsense makes a whole lot of sense. It’s not always easy to get there, but we take a step every single day.
Give me courage; provide me strength of heart and mind; assign me enough conviction that I do not give into the idea that it’s all a bunch of holy hooey. Merciful and Encouraging Spirit, I give thanks for your ever-present grace. I’m not alone, even when the last naysayer has walked away. I believe in love, the capacity of your relentless and unconditional love to transform both individual hearts and social structures. This is Good News, even when I am one of those whose heart might need a bit more work in the area of transformation. Amen.
