Herb Wounded Head, Brookings, SD

Warm-up Questions

• How does it feel to be invited to a party?
• How does it feel to be excluded from the party?
• How does it feel to invite others to a party and not have them come?

Hope Beyond Violence

A horrific and horrible tragedy unfolded on the night of October 1^st, 2017. A gunman opened fire on  a large crowd at an outdoor concert in Las Vegas for approximately 11 minutes wounding hundreds and killing 59 people. It’s been called the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. Our nation has been left stunned as a result with many people asking “Why?” Why would someone do such a horrific thing? What would drive someone to believe that they needed to open fire on a crowd of innocent people? The massacre quickly turned into political discussions about gun control, background checks, and the National Rifle Association. The more troubling question beyond the “Why?” has been the “How?” How did someone go undetected to set up at a high point and open fire on so many people?

There is no good answer or resolution to such questions. While we can certainly talk about the need for more gun control or about our 2^nd amendment rights, the fact of the matter is that people were left dead and even more left suffering. In the aftermath of such chaos, different stories begin to come to light, stories of people doing extraordinary things in order to limit the damage dealt by a person with an arsenal. First responders went against their usual training to wait for the gunfire to subside before helping people.  Instead, they waded back into the place of chaos to begin to save as many people as they possibly could, knowing full well that their own lives were at stake.

Discussion Questions

• What was your reaction, your first feelings when you heard about the shootings in Las Vegas?
• What are your feelings about gun control and 2^nd amendment rights?
• Has this tragedy changed your perception of firearms as a result?
• What would your reaction be if you were placed in the same situation?

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

In our Gospel lesson for today, Jesus tells his followers a troubling parable about the kingdom of heaven which consists of two parts. A king invites some guests to attend a banquet.  Those invited don’t really care about the invitation; in fact, most of them kill some of his slaves. The king then responds in kind and destroys those whom he first invited.  Then he tells his servants to invite everyone that they can find to fill the wedding hall with guests. These guests probably never imagined that they would be invited to such an event. This invitation is extended to everybody.

But there’s a warning in the final section of the parable. One guest doesn’t appear to have it “right.” He’s not wearing the proper clothes at the wedding banquet. When he is asked why, he has no response and is cast out of the party. Jesus concludes the parable with this, “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

The parable is troubling. On the one hand, it might leave us with a sense of anxiety. We may ask ourselves if we’re doing enough, or even if we’re wearing the right clothes. Most of us have enough of this anxiety already; do we really need more concerns? On the other hand, the parable does show us about God’s grace. The invitation is now for everyone.  Still, you’d best know who the party is for; the party is for Jesus. It’s in Jesus that we have our answer to the king’s question. When we are asked how we got in, our answer is simply, “Jesus.”

Discussion Questions

• What troubles you about this parable?
• Where do you find yourself in the story Jesus tells?
• What gives you hope in this parable?
• This parable has a great deal of violence.  Why do you think Jesus tells a story which includes such elements?  Does this story condone violence?  Why or why not?
• With the shooting in Las Vegas in mind, what gives you hope in the midst of great tragedy?

Activity Suggestions

Mine Field is a team-building activity involving trust and teamwork.

Find a good large outdoor field or large indoor space.  Be sure there are no dangerous items or hazards nearby.  Set up the “minefield” by placing “mines” (large paper cups, empty plastic bottles, cones, soft foam balls, etc.) in many places all over the space.

Once the minefield is set up, divide players into pairs.  Create pairs carefully.  In each pair, one person will be blindfolded and will be not allowed to see or talk.  The other person is allowed to see and talk, but is not allowed to touch the other person or enter the minefield.  Have each pair decide which role they want to play and distribute blindfolds.

The goal is for each blindfolded person to get from one side of the field to the other.  He or she must safely avoid touching the “mines,” by carefully listening to the verbal guidance of their partners.

Give each pair a few minutes of planning and preparation for their communication strategy.  Then, have all the pairs go to one end of the minefield.  Once blindfolds are worn and everyone is ready, say “Go!” and the activity begins.  The blindfolded person can not talk; he or she just listens and walks.  The guider can’t touch his or her partner, but he or she can speak to his partner and use whatever verbal strategy he or she wishes.

After a pair successfully reaches the other side of the minefield, swap roles and repeat the process.

Note:

• Be careful that blindfolded people don’t crash into each other.  The facilitator should ensure collisions don’t occur.  He or she can walk around and help keep people separated.
• Create a penalty for touching a “mine”.  Perhaps a time delay, or a loss of points, or (worse case) a restart.
• If a person prefers not to play, do not force a person to be blindfolded.

At the end of the time, debrief and allow for reflection; ask pairs what they learned from the experience.

Closing Prayer

Holy and gracious God, you have formed the universe out of chaos into your good creation. Help us to recognize your grace in our everyday lives. From the time that we rise, to the time that we rest, surround us with the knowledge that you have called us into Your presence where we can know peace, compassion and security, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scott Mims, Virginia Beach, VA

Warm-up Questions

• What are some of the most important symbols or images of the Christian faith to you and what do they communicate? (For example, what meanings does the cross convey?)
• Think about your worship service, what symbolic actions, gestures, or postures do you notice? What do they “say?”
• Can you think of any other important symbols at work in our daily lives? What do they communicate – what “stories” do they tell? Do they draw people together or push them apart?

Taking a Knee or Making a Stand?

Some stood.  Some knelt.  Some remained in the locker rooms or stood together in the tunnel, as an unprecedented collective action unfolded prior to the kickoff of all 14 NFL games on Sunday, September 24.  During the pregame ceremonies, in which the American flag is displayed as the national anthem is sung, players, coaches, staff, and

even some team owners locked arms with each other on the sidelines in response to comments made earlier in the weekend by President Donald Trump. The President had called for team owners to “fire or suspend” players who kneel during the national anthem.  As the acts of solidarity among NFL teams played out throughout Sunday’s events, President Trump continued to weigh in against those who knelt via Twitter, encouraging fans to boycott games if the protests continued.  The national conversation that was sparked by these events is ongoing.

At the heart of the issue is the meaning and power of important symbols, and of the postures one assumes regarding those symbols. Do you stand or take a knee?  Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid of the San Francisco 49ers originally decided to kneel during the anthem as a protest to what they understand to be issues of systemic racial injustice.  You can read a recent opinion piece by Eric Reid outlining their reasons and intentions here: https://nyti.ms/2yoJqPU.

On the other side of the debate are those who believe that the players’ refusal to stand during the national anthem shows great disrespect for the flag, and, therefore, for America, itself.  This is the President’s stated objection, also tying the symbol of the flag to the service of those in our military, and to their sacrifices on our nation’s behalf.  For President Trump, the issue is not about race.  (You can read one of many articles outlining the President’s position here: http://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-trump-on-his-role-in-kneeling-protest-1506289872-htmlstory.html)

So, what is this moment in our national conversation really about?  Is it about confronting injustice or disrespect for the flag?  Is it about standing with those who have given of themselves to create a nation characterized by values such as freedom, justice, and equality?  Or is it about taking a knee in critique of how far we have yet to go in the struggle to make those values a reality in the lives of many people of color?  How can our interpretation of certain postures be so different? And finally, who gets to decide what the real issues are?  Perhaps it is the symbols that are in play, and the power they have, that make it hard for us to know.

Discussion Questions

• Flags are potent national symbols, and can impact us at deep, emotional levels. Have you ever experienced a time when the sight or use of the American flag stirred you emotionally?
• How would you answer the questions in the final paragraph above?
• What issues have threatened to destroy our unity as a nation in the past? What issues divide people today?  How are these issues the same?  How are they different?

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Isaiah 5:1-7

Philippians 3:4b-14

Matthew 21:33-46

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

In our gospel lesson for today, Jesus is also dealing in some very powerful symbols.  Jesus’ “Parable of the Wicked Tenants” follows his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event we celebrate on Palm/Passion Sunday as the beginning of Holy Week.  The

donkey and the route that Jesus takes in this procession are not accidental.  Jesus makes use of potent national symbols to make a statement about himself, as the gospel writer makes clear in Matthew 21:1-11.  Jesus then attacks the powers that be through “cleansing the Temple,” itself a central symbol for the Jewish people. Among other things, Jesus’ actions lead to the setting of this story, a series of confrontations with the Jewish religious leaders and authorities. Last week’s gospel reading (Matt. 22:23-32) presented the first part of the conversation we rejoin today.  In this conversation, the Jewish leaders challenge Jesus’ legitimacy and authority to do the things he is doing.  He, in turn, calls into question not only their legitimacy as leaders of the true Israel, but also their loyalties and motives concerning God and God’s purposes and desires for the people.

One of the well-known symbols that Jesus uses in these confrontations is that of a vineyard, long an image for Israel and Israel’s special relationship as God’s people.  The prophet Isaiah’s “Song of the Unfruitful Vineyard” in today’s first lesson (Isaiah 5:1-7) is but one example of this symbol’s use in Scripture, and is well worth reading over.  The point of Isaiah’s message is Israel’s unfaithfulness.  What more could God have done?  God prepared in the very best ways, planting and cultivating a people through whom a harvest of faithfulness, justice and righteousness was expected.  What God received was something else altogether.

Jesus’ parable follows a very similar plot.  Here a landowner prepares a vineyard and leases the vineyard to tenant farmers, expecting to receive his due – a share of the harvest.  They in turn are not faithful to their responsibilities, but instead treat the landowner’s representatives (and therefore the landowner, himself) with great contempt and violence.  Now given that Jesus’ opponents were also experts in the Scriptures, it is easy to imagine that they made the connections right off the bat.  The landowner is God, of course, and the tenants are the leadership of Israel.  The long-string of servants which the tenants mistreat are the prophets who were beaten, stoned, even killed for declaring the word of the Lord and pointing Israel back to her true purpose and vocation.  But who then is the landowner’s son in the story?  That is the question.

Lest we think the answer to this question is obvious – Jesus, of course – remember that the whole issue behind these confrontations and the increasing animosity towards Jesus centers around his true identity and by what authority and power he is doing the things he is doing.  In answer, Jesus points them to two places in the Scriptures, Psalm 118:22-23 (Matt. 21:42) and Daniel 2:44-45 (Matt. 21:44).  In the first, Jesus makes use of a play on words in the Hebrew language between the word for “son,” ben, and the word for “stone,” eben.  Though they are rejecting Jesus and his message, and indeed will ultimately reject him through the cross, God has something else in mind and will vindicate Jesus in the end.  The second passage from Daniel serves to underscore Jesus’ point.  Here again the image of a stone is used, but this time from an important passage in terms of the hope of a time – a messianic age – in which God would defeat all the opposing kingdoms and restore Israel.  God is doing that, Jesus claims, but not in the way that many, including his opponents, were expecting.

In the end, the chief priests and the Pharisees who have come to confront Jesus get the point.  They are the tenants in the story and Jesus is the son.  Enraged by such a challenge to their legitimacy and authority, they want to arrest Jesus – and will eventually – but for now they can only stand by helpless because of the crowds around them.

It is easy, of course, to read this passage from the perspective of being on the right side of things.  After all, we know who Jesus is.  We believe in him, “unlike those stubborn, hard-hearted people who put him on the cross.”  Sadly, the history of the church has been to do just that, to read such passages and find in them a reason to hate and persecute our Jewish brothers and sisters as “Christ killers.”  Yet if we are to listen carefully to our own experiences – to conversations such as the ones we are having now around taking a knee or making a stand – then perhaps we can come to a deeper understanding of what is happening in this passage, especially in light of its  use of powerful symbols of faith and national identity.

One final thought concerning the ending of this parable: if Jesus is indeed the Messiah (and I believe that he is), and if we are “joint heirs” with him of God’s kingdom as Paul says (Romans 8:15-17), then are we not also accountable to God for producing the “fruits” God expects to see?  Perhaps then another issue this passage calls us to think about is this, if we, as followers of Jesus, have been given the kingdom as Matthew declares (Matt. 21:43), then what sorts of “fruit” is God looking for from us?  What sort of “kingdom” is God calling us to be?

Discussion Questions

• When we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…” what do you think we are asking? What does God’s kingdom look like to you? What pictures or images come to mind?
• What is the “harvest” that you think God wants/expects to see from God’s “kingdom people?” Perhaps make a list together.  Some passages you might investigate for ideas include: Isaiah 58:1-14; Micah 6:6-8; the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7).  What other verses, stories, or parables come to mind?
• If you talked above about the issues that divide people today, what do you think would be a Christian response(s) to some of the things you discussed? Or if there are other issues, anxieties, or needs particular to your group or community, talk about how you might respond in ways which bring God’s love and light to bear.  What is one small step…one small action that you could take today to make a difference?

Activity Suggestion

Take a tour your worship space together. What symbols do you notice? If your space has stained glass windows depicting biblical people or stories, for instance, why do you think those themes were chosen?  Does the shape of your worship space or the way that the altar is arranged communicate something?  For example, many older sanctuaries are built in the shape of a cross, and altars are often placed in the round.  What are the messages?

Closing Prayer

Gracious and loving God, in the waters of baptism you name us and claim us and make us your very own.  Thank you for the gift of faith, and for your relentless love that will not let us go, no matter what.  Empower us by your Spirit to be the kingdom-people you call us to be, and lead us to be living signs of your grace in the lives of those around us.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

Drew Tucker, Radford, VA

Warm-up Question

Who has authority in your life? What are the limits to that authority?

By Whose Authority?

Eminent domain is a hot button political issue for many people. If you’re not familiar with the term, eminent domain means the government’s right to purchase private property from citizens regardless of the citizen’s desire to sell that property. In the United States, the property must be intended for public use to qualify for eminent domain. For instance, the President couldn’t just take all of your family’s land to create a private hunting reserve, but the state can make you sell a portion of the yard in front of your house if they need to widen the street for the increased amount of traffic in your neighborhood. The government has the authority of eminent domain, but it has limits and must be used properly.

That’s what the Fraternal Order of Eagles local aerie (“aerie” is the term they use for their lodges) discovered recently in Puyallup, WA. As the city continues to grow along with its neighbors Tacoma and Seattle, Puyallup is also expanding their public transportation. That new development requires the space currently owned by the Fraternal Order of the Eagles. It’s a touchy situation for aerie members, as it would likely be for church members selling a sanctuary or families selling a home. Even though they didn’t want to give up their home of nearly eight decades, the Eagles don’t view the needs of eminent domain as entirely negative.

It’s the amount offered that’s absolutely unacceptable.

Sound Transit, the public transportation authority, offered an amount well below the market value determined by a private appraiser. The Eagles hope to work out a solution with Puyallup’s city council and Sound Transit that affords them a fair price for the space and helps them locate a new building from which they can continue their philanthropic work. They haven’t necessarily challenged the government’s authority; instead, they’re arguing that they’re not using that authority well. You can read more about the Eagles hopes here (http://komonews.com/news/local/eminent-domain-cost-puyallup-eagles-their-home-now-theyre-asking-city-for-help) and see why Sound Transit wants the property here (https://www.soundtransit.org/puyallupimprovements).

While property law isn’t the most interesting subject for some, it brings up some important questions about authority.

Discussion Questions

• Do you think the government should have this authority? Why/why not?
• How would you react if you were a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Puyallup?
• Imagine you need public transit everyday from Puyallup into Seattle. How would you feel about the expansion project then?
• How can a good use of authority benefit the Eagles and public transit users?

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32

Philippians 2:1-13

Matthew 21:23-32

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

This confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees hinges upon authority: John’s authority, Jesus’s authority, and the authority of the Pharisees. They ask a question not only to challenge John’s leadership and to scuttle Jesus’s influence. They ask in the hopes to reassert their own authority. This is because both John and Jesus challenged the control of the Pharisees in 1^st century Israel. Pharisees view authority as something of a limited commodity, a thing that they had that others shouldn’t possess.

In his famously subversive fashion, Jesus flips the script and challenges their authority, first confounding them with a simple question and then a parable. Their answer to the question reveals that the Pharisees lacked the courage to lead. They didn’t want to anger the crowds, nor did they want to enter additional conversation with Jesus. If they chose an answer, there was a risk. Option 1 means they might lose their influence over the people right away. Option 2 brings the chance of further public humiliation when confronted by Jesus. Their lack of an answer is answer enough about their own authority: they don’t have the courage to lead.

The parable pushes even deeper into the meaning of authority. We hear that authority is revealed by obedience. The father had authority over both children, but only one recognized it enough to follow the father’s will into the vineyard. In effect, Jesus tells the Pharisees that those whose lives don’t reflect the will of God don’t truly comprehend God’s authority. And if you can’t understand God’s authority, you surely can’t be trusted with much authority yourself.

Deeds of the leader (John and Jesus) and deeds of the follower (the first son) confirm true authority. That’s what makes Jesus such a unique leader. His deeds of healing the sick, forgiving sinners, feeding the hungry, and giving justice to the oppressed reveal his integrity as a leader. They reveal that he deserves authority. More than that, the obedience of those who follow him reveal the contagious nature of his leadership. His authority is recognized and actualized by those under his authority. That his disciples attempt to do his will – succeeding at times and failing epically at others – shows us that Jesus carries a unique authority, one that identifies him as more than a king, smarter than a teacher, more powerful than a magician. The authority by which Jesus does–well, everything in his life–that’s God’s authority.

Discussion Questions

• What stands out to you about this passage?
• How does Jesus’s subversive approach reveal his authority even as it confuses those who question him?
• Why were the Pharisees so challenged by the presence of teachers like John and Jesus?
• Why doesn’t Jesus tell them who gave him his authority?

Activity Suggestions

• Play “Reverse Simon (or Samantha or Sam) Says” but with a twist. Add a purpose to the game beyond winning. Perhaps have youth set the table for a meal together or put together school kits for Lutheran World Relief. Regardless, the goal isn’t to see who messes up the least. The goal is to highlight the difficulty of authority by ensuring that the person giving directions gives every direction. “Sam says walk to the table. Sam says pick up the fork with your right hand it and put it to the left of the plate.” Perhaps prompt Sam to say something silly to display the problems of displaced authority, like “fill the pitchers with thumb tacks.” Eventually, you may point out that good leadership might see someone with talent or skills and pass a level of authority on to them.
• Plan worship together as a group. Talk about the different kinds of authority we experience. The authority of scripture as the foundation for worship. The authority of the pastor to forgive sins. The authority of the hymns, songs, and prayers to shape our doctrine. Of course, remind everyone that these are all expressions of God’s authority shown through human means.

Closing Prayer

Lord God, you gave all authority on heaven and earth to your only child Jesus. He used that authority to heal, to liberate, to forgive, and to commission, all signs of your good will. Send your Holy Spirit to help us recognize your authority in all the ways that you come to us. Tune our hearts especially to those places where we don’t expect to find you. Help us to rely, not on our own authority, but on your gracious will. In the name of Jesus Christ, our savior and friend, we pray: Amen.

Anne Williams, Ankeny, IA

Warm-up Question

Think about Christmas; how does your family decide what “fair” is for presents? Is it the same number of presents to open? Is it the amount the presents costs? Why do you think your family does “fairness” that way?

Fairness is Relative

“When it comes to business, fairness is relative,” says banker John Norris. In a newspaper column, Norris, a banker in Birmingham, Alabama, tells the story of a friend who had done well all year and had reached his sales goal for the year by September. His boss told him that doing so meant he had also reached his cap on bonuses and commissions for the year. The boss felt that it wouldn’t be fair for Norris’ friend to earn that much more money than anyone else.   Norris’ friend was none too happy with this decision and told Norris that he wouldn’t negotiate another sale for his company until January, when he could get commission and bonuses again.

Norris’ response to his friend was to say the company was stupid to max him out with three more months to go in the year when this friend could be making more money for the company. Both Norris and his friend know and understood that in business, those contracts and sales pay for everyone’s salary, everyone’s bonuses and cover things like overhead (what it costs to run the business) and health insurance. But Norris’ friend needed an incentive. As Norris writes, “He simply didn’t want to work for free. Why would he? That wouldn’t be fair, would it?”

Discussion Questions

• What do you think about salaries that are based on bonuses and commissions? Would you want a job like that?
• Who’s right, the boss who thinks bonuses above the goal is unfair or Norris who thinks his friend shouldn’t work for “free”?
• Does fairness seem difficult to nail down in this situation? Is it relative? Is it always relative? Is there objective fairness in the world?

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

In this parable, Jesus tells us a story about the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s like a man who owns a vineyard who hires workers for that vineyard at three hour intervals during the day and then pays them all a full day’s wage at the end of the work day.

Here’s your fun fact for the day: a day’s wage, in the ancient world, was enough money to a family to eat for a day. Think about that: earning just enough money each day to buy the food you needed to keep you and your family alive. It’s called subsistence living (Google Dictionary definition of Subsistence: “the action or fact of maintaining or supporting oneself at a minimum level”).

Now here’s where things get sticky, could the workers who were chosen at 5:00 expect a full days wage? Were they dreaming of that, but trying to limit their expectations to something less? Can you imagine the surprise and maybe even confusion of the workers who got a full day’s wage even after working just one hour?

What about the anger from the other workers who had also been paid the usual daily wage? How would they feel? Here’s what the landlord has to say for himself (verses 12 – 15)

[The workers grumbled], “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?”

The best part is that Jesus says only this by way of explanation: “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Fairness doesn’t always look the same in every situation. It’s not about being first or last, it’s situational.  In this case, fairness in the Kingdom of Heaven looks like everyone having work enough to feed their families. Now by our definition it’s not at all fair that enough work looks like all day for some and one hour for others. The words Jesus gives the God character in this story, the landlord, reflect fairness rules that are pretty foreign to us: It’s more important that everyone have enough to eat than to be fair about work hours, for example. It also implies that fairness has something to do with our values and morals. What’s fair in the Kingdom is that everyone eats rather than everyone being paid hour by hour for their work.

Discussion Questions

• Since we don’t yet live fully in the Kingdom of God, but we really want to, whose fairness rules should we be living by?
• What would it be like to live like God was our landlord?
• What motivates your sense of fairness? What values or morals do you think about when you think about fairness?
• Jesus seems to think that generosity is more important than what we usually regard as absolute fairness. Can you think of cases where you would agree?

Activity Suggestion

Fairness exercise: hide a bunch of candy around the space you’re meeting in (Keep a full sized bar out of sight). When all of the students have found all the candy, give the “prize” to the person with the least candy. Debrief the exercise with questions like, does this feel fair? How does it make you feel that the prize went to the person with the least?

Closing Prayer

God of all things, you command us to love one another and to love you. Help us to show that love in our actions and how we share with others. Remind us that fairness should be looked at from your point of view, not ours and that you make the last first and first last. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Ginger Litman-Koon, Chapin, SC

Warm-up Question

Many relationships, personal and professional, are based on a system of credit and debt. People invest in others with the hope of receiving something in return; employees show up to work with the intention to be compensated later; ER doctors provides treatment with the expectation the cost will be covered. Does a credit/debt system promote the good of all involved? What happens when a debt is forgiven?

Debts Forgiven

For much of history, unpaid debts were legally punishable with prison time. Only fairly recently in history has the use of so-called “debtors’ prisons” been outlawed as a penalty for unpaid debts or fines. Nevertheless, in some states and municipalities, laws still allow for individuals to be jailed for “willful refusal” to pay what they owe. Consider the story of Edward Brown reported on NPR:

On a night last week when the temperature dropped to 17 degrees, Edward Brown, who’s 62 and homeless, slept at the bus stop in front of the Jennings, Mo., city hall in St. Louis County… Brown’s troubles started when he tried to fight the city of Jennings, and his story shows how court fines and fees can grow, turning an impoverished person’s life upside down. The city wanted to condemn his small, crumbling house, where he had lived for 25 years. Officials sent him a citation for letting the grass grow too high. Brown stayed in the house after it was condemned, and received a citation for trespassing. Brown had been bedridden from injuring his back, and was unable to push a lawnmower. He was ticketed, too, for not getting a rabies vaccine for his dog, Matrix. Altogether Brown owed the city $464. But Brown lives on a $488 Social Security check and food stamps, so he didn’t pay his fines. “I went to jail for that,” he says. Since 2009, he’s been jailed several times — once for 30 days, another time for 20 days.

In the case of Mr. Brown, he was jailed because of “willful refusal” to pay his fines, even though he was disabled and unable to work. Others like him have been jailed for defiance of the court because they know they’re be unable to pay, have health problems, have limited access to transportation, or are unable to get the time off from work or child care necessary to go and appear in front of a judge.

While these practices may be legal, they often effectively punish people for being poor, to add indignity to poverty, and to introduce added instability into the lives of those who may already be struggling to get by. One advocacy group that has taken up this cause defines the “human costs” of debtors’ prisons in this way: “Debtors’ prisons waste taxpayer money and resources by jailing people who may never be able to pay their debts [and create a system] in which the poor receive harsher, longer punishments for committing the same crimes as the rich, simply because they are poor.” Advocacy and legal teams have been working in recent years to tackle this injustice on a case-by-case system in the municipalities around the country.

Fines and fees are put in place in order to accomplish certain goals: to deter people from violating laws, to maintain the legal boundaries of municipalities and to raise revenue for the enforcement of laws. Their intent is, at its core, a good thing. However, as we see, the burden of fines and fees on those who live in poverty can become overwhelming and detrimental. Christians are called through our baptisms to be a voice for the voiceless – in this case, for those who wield little political power due to their socioeconomic status. One way we can do that is through advocacy – promoting the rights of the poor and speaking out against unjust policies. The ELCA Advocacy Office makes speaking up for those living in poverty a priority. You can become an advocate by learning more about the laws in your town, by writing a letter to your local officials, by learning more about ELCA Advocacy, or by simply remembering this issue in your prayers and in the work of your church.

Discussion Questions

• What do you think of Mr. Brown’s situation? What parts of his story surprised you or made you think?
• What is prison like? Do you think temporary imprisonment an effective way to get people to pay their debts? Why or why not?
• Many states maintain jail time as a permissible punishment for those who fail to pay owed Child Support. What do you think about that?

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Genesis 50:15-21

Romans 14:1-12

Matthew 18:21-35

(Text links are to Oremus Bible Browser. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year B at Lectionary Readings

For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic Agnus Day.

Gospel Reflection

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus teaches about forgiveness. He tells his disciples that they should not only forgive, but they should be prepared to forgive (almost) infinitely. Jesus then goes on to tell a story about the slave of a king who was forgiven a seemingly infinite debt. Ten thousand talents was an unimaginable amount for a slave to try to repay. By telling this story, Jesus is comparing us to the indebted slave and God to the merciful king. God has and will forgive all our sins, as infinite as they may seem, and he will continue to do so. Therefore, we are called, not just to forgive, but to become forgiving people – that is, to make it our business to regularly practice forgiveness, just as God regularly forgives us.

However, in this story, the slave who has been infinitely forgiven turns around and does the opposite. He goes to one who owes him a debt and refuses to forgive him. And on top of that, he turns violent and demands that he be jailed as recompense. In prison, not only would that slave have to suffer harsh and inhumane conditions, but he would also miss out on the opportunity to return to work and to provide for his family.

We see two kinds of poverty in this story. The second slave is impoverished financially. He has no money to repay the debt that he owes. He has to work, not only to please his master the king, but also to repay the debt he has accrued by borrowing from another slave. He is at the bottom of this social hierarchy, and he faces further suffering at the hand of a fellow slave. On the other hand, the first slave in the story is impoverished spiritually. He is morally bankrupt, because he is unable to show mercy, even after being shown an incredible amount of mercy by the master himself.

What about us? If we recognize the tremendous mercy that was shown to us – to the point of God sending his own Son to suffer and die for our sake – do we ourselves show mercy? Do we repay the never-ending forgiveness of our loving God by forgiving others? Or do our hearts harbor grudges, judgment, or resentment for those we feel have wronged us, knowingly or unknowingly? And do we use the gifts given to us to provide for the needs of others? Do we use the voices given to us to speak out for those in need? Do we use the faith given to us to bring others to faith?

As Christians, we are rich. No matter what kind of income our families bring home, we are rich because of the love God pours out on us in Christ. God’s love enriches us with an over-abundance of love, forgiveness, mercy, and generosity to share with others. When we use these riches, we are truly living out our baptismal covenants with the God who so richly blesses and loves us.

Discussion Questions

• What are the debts you owe to others…that are owed to you?  Remember this is about more than money.
• The first slave is blind to the absurdity of his being so harsh to a fellow slave on the heels of having received a massive gift from  his master.  Why do you think it is easy for us to take blessings as our right instead of seeing them as tools to help others?

Activity Suggestions

Option A: Forgiveness takes practice. The more we forgive, the more we train our hearts to forgive. Write a short letter thanking God for specific things you have been forgiven of. Then write a letter to someone that you need to forgive. Specify what they did, how it made you feel, and how you are going to move on from it. You don’t have to send the letter, but commit yourself to truly letting go of the grudge/resentment/hate and ask God to free you from that burden. 

Option B: Play the SPENT money challenge and poverty simulator at www.playspent.org

Closing Prayer

Giving God, you provide everything that we need, and you bless us richly with our time, talent, treasures, and your never-failing mercy. Give us grateful hearts for the forgiveness you give us every day and make us generous in giving and forgiving.