Ain't that Good News/ (Epiphany 3C)

 

Ain’t that Good News?
Homily delivered for the Third Sunday after Epiphany (Year C)

The Rev. Fr. Tony Hutchinson, SCP, Ph.D.
23 January 2022

10:00 a.m. Said Eucharist
Holy Spirit Episcopal Church

Sutherlin, Oregon

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Ps 19; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21

 

God, take away our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh. Amen.

 

A few years ago, I was waiting along with several other people in the anteroom of a courtroom in Medford to attend a criminal trial involving two people I had ministered to at Trinity Ashland.  I wanted to show solidarity and support to both of them, and was wearing my clerical collar.  A couple of times, people coming from the other courtrooms, on seeing my priestly garb in this secular Temple of Justice, dropped their jaws, shocked or surprised, and then quickly covered their astonishment with a vague look out the windows or across the room.   Once they were out of earshot, one of the people sitting with me asked, “Do you often get that when you dress like this?”  “Not so much the look of shock.  Sometimes people on the street are just more willing to approach me, to ask for directions, say, engage in small talk, or volunteer out of the blue that they are ‘spiritual but not religious.’  Once in Hong Kong just after I had been ordained, an absolute stranger saw the collar, got very angry and spit in my face, muttering something about child molesters.  But this look of surprise is new for me, and I wonder what those people are thinking when they see (pulling at the collar) this (indicating court) here.”  “Oh, I can tell you that,” replied one of the people waiting with me, “’cuz it’s what I think when I see it: judgment, of being examined and being found wanting: Condemnation.  What are we supposed to think when we see it?”   I paused.  “Well I kind of hoped that you would see in it the meaning I have when I put it on.  It’s a sign of God’s love, and support.  It’s a sign that God’s kingdom is here and open for business, declaring reconciliation.  Declaring God’s forgiveness and love is a priest’s main job.  That’s all this collar means for me.” The reply came quickly, “Most of us, though, are used to being condemned by the Church, and so I think that’s what we expect.” 

 

Today’s scriptures all in one way or another talk about our perceptions about God stuff, and the contrast between fear of just condemnation or anger at unjust condemnation on the one hand and joy and gratitude at God’s love on the other.  

 

In the Hebrew scripture reading, the scribe Ezra reads the book of the Law before the people who react by bursting into weeping, totally dismayed at its severity. Ezra’s fellow leaders react:  no weeping or mourning allowed, only feasting shared with the poor, because “LAW IS GOOD” no matter what! 

 

The Psalm says that we can learn much about God in looking at the wondrous stars and planets in the skies above us, as well as by reading the Law, a “perfect” and “sure” teacher that “revives” and “makes wise” the heart by stirring it up to “fear” and prayers that our words and thoughts be acceptable to the God thus revealed. 

 

The Gospel reading is Luke’s portrayal of Jesus’ first public sermon. He reads from Isaiah 61, beginning

 

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because

he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me

to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,” 

 

But then, instead of the next line, “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,” Jesus ends the reading by throwing in a line from another part of Isaiah (58:6) and saying: 

 

“to send out into freedom those once downtrodden,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

 

He deliberately deletes Second Isaiah’s reference to “the Day of Vengeance of our God” and replaces it with a line from Second Isaiah’s great song about what true worship is:

 

“Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of injustice,
    to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to send out into freedom those once downtrodden,
    and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover them,
    and not to hide yourself from your own kin?”

 (Isaiah 56:5-7)

 

Jesus applies this all to himself, and thus announces his mission.    By deleting the reference to the Day of Vengeance, Jesus marks a distinction between his message of Good News, hope and forgiveness, with John the Baptist’s more fear-inducing focus on the need to repent before the coming Day of Doom.    Jesus is to break the bonds, and then send out those who were once downtrodden into freedom, as sent ones, or apostles, with his message of liberation to others. 

 

We will read of the congregation’s reaction to Jesus’ sermon next week.  But the story we read today is clear: Jesus’ mission is to bring joy not fear, hope not despair. Jesus’ message is one of joyous gratitude, a Happy Announcement, or Good News. 

 

This is decidedly NOT what my friend in the court anteroom saw as the Christian message.  It was not an Announcement of Joy, but one of condemnation and judgment. 

 

This perception has driven many, especially the young, from what they call “organized religion.”  For many, it is not “Good News,” that Christian Churches proclaim, but rather, “bad news”: you don’t measure up, you need to shape up or ship out, and even if Jesus wants to love you, you are simply not worthy, not up to snuff.  God with a capital G really is annoyed with you, and especially with the fact that you don’t feel properly convicted of your evil ways.  The things that give you pleasure and joy are all forbidden, you yourself are deficient and hopeless, and only by throwing yourself at the mercy of the Church, with its abusive hierarchs, hypocritical congregations, pointing fingers, demands for mindless submission and faith, and constant demands for money and time, you might be able, just possibly, to gain a bit of favor from the overarching, homophobic, woman-hating, sex-hating, drink-loathing, KILLJOY IN THE SKY.  

 

But we need to understand that Jesus’ message is a message of GOOD NEWS, no matter where you are. 

 

I used to sing my children to sleep by singing lullabies and African-American Spirituals.  One of their favorites was this: 

 

I got shoes in that kingdom, ain’t that good news?  (repeat)

I’m gonna lay down my troubles, and shoulder up my cross,

Good God, I’m gonna bear it home

to my Jesus,

Now ain’t that good news? 

 

The other verses followed suit:  “I got a robe in that kingdom,” “I got a house in that kingdom.”  “I got a crown in that kingdom.”

 

The point is that in Jesus, we have a promise for what we need, even things like shoes, shelter, and food.  We have a blessing in him to receive the true desire of our hearts.  It doesn’t mean that all we think we may want is right, or that he has promised bad things for us because we in our brokenness want the wrong things. But it does mean Jesus is good news, not bad.  

 

This is not good news for the afterlife only.    It is about our lives here and now, about who we are, not just about how we should be.  It is about liberation from what binds us, what keeps us back, what holds us down, both individually and communally.   Liberation from addictions, obsessions, fears, and vicious habits.  Healing from illness.  Jesus went out from that sermon and healed people, and called them to help each other.    This is the heart of Christian mission:  Jesus sends out free those who were once held captive, once down-trodden, and aks them to free others. 

 

The Christian doctrine of Salvation is a far broader concept than “transferred Karmic payback for my sins.”  It is being rescued from anything and everything that is the matter.  And different things are “the matter” for different people.  So “Good News” can mean different things to different people.  And yet Jesus is proclaimer of Good News to all, of healing to all, of liberation to all, of deliverance to all.   

 

That is the gist of today’s epistle reading.  Paul likens us to a body with all sorts of different body parts.   The very diversity of the body’s different parts is a good thing, and makes the body strong.   One size does not fit all.  And if it pretends to, it fits no one.    Paul calls on us to get along, and to value and respect—even honor—diversity. 

 

One of the great glories of the Anglican tradition is that we value diversity.  Historically, we are a broad tent, and include both very evangelically-minded protestants as well as sacramentally-minded catholics.  We include liberals as well as conservatives, and have a wide range of worship styles. 

 

As St. Paul notes, the key here in healthy community life in the Church is grounding ourselves in Christ.  It demands not just toleration—holding our noses and putting up with others’ habits and ideas that are not so attractive to us—but rather truly honoring and welcoming difference. 

 

Let us focus on being heralds of Good News—of liberation, healing, reconciliation, and love.   Let us work to set the captives free and break every chain that ties us down and holds us back.  Let us honor and respect all our fellow human beings, and especially each other here, and embrace the glorious diversity that God created us for. 

 

In the Name of God, Amen.