Whom Does Worship Change?

[Reflections on Isaiah 1: 1,10-20]

Although Isaiah’s ministry was in Jerusalem, some 2700 years ago, he can still speak to our time. First, he condemns the worship practices of the people of his time:
... What to me (asks the Lord) is the multitude of your sacrifices? ... bringing offerings is futile ... my soul hates your appointed festivals, they have become a burden to me ... even though you make your prayers, I will not listen. ...

We could probably not imagine how those words, critical of their cherished worship traditions, would have shocked the regular temple-goers. But, this was not an impulsive rant. Isaiah was seriously concerned about the health of the nation, and of their relationship with God. This is a carefully considered warning, and a serious call to change. Worship can never be separated from the rest of life, from everyday social and business relationships within the community. And, in case there should be any doubt, Isaiah states clearly exactly what is missing:
… remove the evil of your doings ... seek justice, rescue the oppresed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow ...

No doubt, Isaiah would tell us that our worship is also simply an idle exercise, unless it (1) connects with our life the rest of the week; and unless it (2) brings about changed hearts, changed directions in our lives. For example, do we think of our worship as a duty we perform, to please God, to make God like us?; or as something we do to please others, and make them admire us? OR, is our worship something that changes us, re-forms our attitudes and opinions, and strengthens us in our striving for God’s purposes of justice and peace?

Worship, without a life of justice, is hypocrisy. Isaiah calls upon the people of Sodom and Gomorrah to listen to God’s teaching. What was their sin? NOT some sexual perversion (as is often assumed); the sin was a lack of hospitality. Ezekiel [16.49] spells it out clearly:
… The sin of Sodom is the pride that goes with food in plenty, comfort, and ease, yet ever helping the poor in their need. …
Isaiah's calls his society to:
...seek justice, rescue the oppressed, and defend the orphan, plead for the widow ...

We must translate his words into words for our society; we need to ask, “Who are the oppressed, the widow, the orphan, for us? who are the equivalent people today?” Widows without a pension would still be on the list; we would easily add many single mothers. One wonders how well gay or lesbian teenagers manage in a small town in Alberta! Economic refugees, and now, increasingly, environmental refugees, are in need of justice. And, I still hear the assumption that people with non-British or European names are somehow not ”Canadian”.

We each will have our own list of who are the oppressed, but essentially it means any who are powerless in our society, those at the bottom of the heap, who are the victims of the policies which benefit those at the top of the heap. Isaiah's society was experiencing a widening gap, between the rich-and-powerful, and the poor-and-vulnerable; much the same, I suspect, as the widening gap today, in our world, and country. We are experiencing the so-called "free” market economy transform our society and our world. We are beginning to learn how costly that is, costly for the most vulnerable, and costly for our environment. But somehow, the human costs, and the environmental costs, are never factored in to the calculations of this global economy; mother earth, and human labour, are simply "resources" [ie: to be "used"]. We even hear leading politicians tell us, “Yes, we must be concerned about the degradation of our environment; but not if there is any expense to the economy! Isaiah warned his people, Isaiah warns us:
... if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword...

No society, then or now, that flouts justice and compassion, which are the very nature of God, can hope to escape the consequences of its actions.

We are in danger of misunderstanding our worship. We often approach worship as if it were a way of "manipulating" God, trying to get God to do what we want God to do for us; to fulfill our purposes, our desires. (My favourite example is the prayer group, that intensely prays for sunshine for the church picnic - when the area is in the middle of a drought!) Worship is meant to change us, not God! Worship should help us to conform ourselves to God's purposes and desires, God's purposes of justice and compassion.

Only one thing ...

Reflection on Luke 10.38-42

Another good story from Luke. This may be the first visit Jesus made to the home of Mary and Martha, a place which was to become a place of refuge for him. We hear of a bit of tension in the household, between the two sisters. But Luke is not just giving us some juicy gossip, about a family squabble. We should hear the story within its context, that section of the gospel called the “Travel Narrative”, where the dominant theme is teaching about discipleship. And, the incident comes right after the story of the despised Samaritan. The Samaritan story is about help, and hospitality, given by a stranger. In this story, we hear of hospitality given by Mary and Martha to Jesus. The two stories form a pair. On one level, they show the necessary balance, between love of neighbour (last week), and love of God (this week). But on another level, they tell us of another necessary balance; about doing, and about not doing.

Mary and Martha are each being good hosts, offering hospitality to their guest. Martha is hospitable (in the usual way), by being occupied with the "many household tasks" (we would say, "keeping busy in the kitchen"). Jesus clearly affirms this domestic work, as a valuable ministry. However, Mary shows her ministry of hospitality differently, simply by being open to what Jesus was saying. “She sat at his feet”. Now, according to middle eastern traditions, that is the customary position and attitude of a disciple, one who listens, and learns. "She listened to what Jesus was saying".

But Martha is offended. She has been left with all the dishes! We may notice that Martha does not speak directly to Mary, either simply to ask for help, or even to scold her. Interesting! Instead, she comes to Jesus, looking for his support. She asks if he does not care, that her sister had “left me to do all the work by myself”. She tells Jesus, to tell Mary, to help her. It is clear that Martha has some particular views about what Mary should, and should not be doing. And, she expects that her judgement will be confirmed by Jesus. But her expectations are disappointed. Jesus tells her she is "worried and distracted by too many things".

He adds, "there is need of only one thing". Well, what is “the one thing”? (It does not mean, as some have suggested, that instead of a five-course meal, one casserole would do!) What is the “better part”, that Jesus clearly states Mary has chosen? It is, to be a disciple, a follower, to listen to God’s “word”. Listening, hearing, rather than doing.

We all create so many distractions, so much busyness for ourselves (often quite good-intentioned and helpful, but still busyness). Being “on the go”, even “hectic”, is considered admirable; being “quiet”, or “not getting out”, is looked upon with disfavour. Certainly, we can do things to be of help to others; but we can also end up being busy-bodies. There is a balance, that needs to be found. As a culture, a society, we seem incapable of sitting, of being still, or quiet. But, how else could we ever be able to listen for, to hear, God's word. It takes time, and stillness, and withdrawal, to be able to discern God's word. God’s word for me.
And, God’s word for us, now. We cannot simply take every word, and expectation, of teachings of earlier times, and blindly carry those injunctions into our time, and our situation. We need much careful reflection. And that takes time.

The ministries of both Mary and Martha are necessary; both are part of our response to God. As individuals, we each need to be able to find a balance – the balance that is appropriate to each one of us, and it will be different from another’s balance. [The “Rule of Life” at the end of the catechism in the BCP gives a good outline of how this balance could be developed].
But a church community also needs balance. We need to support disciples whose emphasis is on their active ministry, in our homes and in our community; on what they do to be of service. And we need to support disciples whose emphasis is on their quiet ministry, who take time to listen, to learn, and study, and reflect: "What is God's word, God’s purposes?"

Let's take one more step. In the culture in which Jesus lived and taught, it was men (that is, adult males), who did the teaching; and the learning, who reflected on the scriptures. But Jesus would not perpetuate old teachings that were not compassionate. He broke boundaries that would exclude any group from God's love and acceptance. Today's story of Mary and Martha shows us the radical practice of the early church: women were full disciples; they were learners, they were permitted to discuss, and even teach. In the Samaritan story, in Mary & Martha’s home, Jesus breaks open a cultural restrictions; on perceived differences, on women. But the point in each case is the same: Jesus still today challenges his church to question, and break open, unjust boundaries; those discriminations and assumptions in our culture which restrict the dignity, or the full acceptance, of any human being - no matter how different or strange they may seem to us.