Proper 14
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday, August 11, 2019
Year C
Jesus once again speaks to us in the middle of our fears: our turmoil, our insufficiency, our inadequacy, our smallness. And he says: Fear not! “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.“ Luke 12:32
And yet as often as the Bible speaks to our fear, we find that fear is pervasive. Some fear is good. It’s healthy. It keeps us alive and out of harm’s way. Fear is found in the newborn that refuses to be comforted if they’re not being held. It is found in the small child that knows the world changes when the lights go out. As small children we begin to cling to objects for what they represent: safety, comfort, and security. A relationship with Mom is condensed into a blanket with her scent. The love of Dad carried around in a stolen hankie.
In times of fear and anxiety humans crave comfort. We crave something physical and tangible. We create rituals for ourselves to self-soothe and insulate us from fear and anxiety. As we transition into adulthood, however, our sources of security lose some of their cuteness. They grow bigger and less fuzzy. Our monthly auto deposits into savings. A steady consumption of things kept just in case we might need them. We insulate ourselves from problems with a shopping trip.
So how do we really hear what Jesus has to say today? Fear not. You don’t need to create your own kingdom of stuff. You don’t need to store all you could ever need or want. Trust that it is God’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom! We have the ultimate security deposit in heaven. Despite the damage we may receive here, or the payments that may come late or lacking. The balance is held in God’s hands. Jesus challenges us out of the temptation to hoard for our own security, and instead to sell our possessions. To use them to change the world, to make it a little more like the kingdom to come.
So fear not! Take a risk, a risk for the Kingdom. Dare to believe that God has given you more than enough, and let go of the more, so that by your hands, labor, and alms you can change the world, with Jesus. For as you serve the master, the master is waiting to serve you.
– Mo. Tracy Dugger will begin Oct. 1 as the new rector of Church of the Nativity in Port St. Lucie.