Ash Wednesday Community Building
We three pastors each preached a short homily following each of the scripture texts that were read. I preached on the Isaiah text. Here is the message I shared:
At first glance,
it’s easy to see why this portion of Isaiah is read on Ash Wed.
It’s about fasting, which is a
discipline some folks practice during Lent
This reading is about right and wrong fasting and worship
But the heart of the
message goes far deeper
“God was
disturbed by Israel’s lack of social justice. Their fasting had become [a
public show. It was] a means to boast of their righteousness rather than live
out a faith where one cares for one’s neighbor” (Dr. Keith Wagner)
The people of Israel were trying to
build a new community
This generation
was back in their homeland after living in exile in Babylon
People were
jockeying for position as factions were grabbing for power
All the while
the people prayed loudly and fasted with false humility
They had some real worship issues
At
first glance it seems like they understood worship
God
said, “they seek me and delight to know my ways”
“they
delight to draw near to [me]”
But
God also said that the people of Israel sinned
By
serving their own interests
And
ignoring the hungry, naked and homeless members of their own people.
There
was a disconnect between the people’s worship and their everyday lives.
God
wanted his people to live lives of mercy and justice.
God wants worship
that flows from a dynamic relationship between himself and his people--that will
change lives.
We too, here in Portville, are building a
community as we gather here tonight
We are building
the community of the body of Christ, the church.
As
our lives are affected by our encounters with God and each other our communities of Portville and the
surrounding areas are changed.
Christ is doing for us what we cannot do
for ourselves
During this time
of Lent, we embark on a journey that leads to the cross on Good Friday.
The death of
Christ on the cross was the greatest act of love that our Creator could do on our behalf.
Our
response to that love should be to reach out to others with:
food, clothing, shelter and love.
We
are called to be Christ’s hands and feet to those we meet.
In the song, “If We are the Body,” The
Christian group, Casting Crowns expresses it this way:
But if we are
the body
Why aren’t his
arms reaching?
Why aren’t his
hands healing?
Why aren’t his
words teaching?
And if we are
the body
Why aren’t his
feet going?
Why is his love
not showing them
There is a way?
Amen!
What else will this group of Portville mainline pastors (all women) get into? You never know. Stay tuned. We are the newly reformed Portville Ministerium.
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