Psalms 137:1-6(7-9); 144 * 104; Micah 5:1-4,10-15; Acts 25:13-27; Luke 8:16-25We have a huge amount of information thrown at us this morning by Luke. First we have Jesus saying that our light should not and cannot be hid, followed by his saying that nothing will stay secret and that we need to listen carefully for more will be given to us, but woe unto those who think they have some things for even those things will be taken away. His Mom and siblings show up, and he diss-es them. And then Jesus takes the disciples on a boat ride in a storm and he calms the raging seas and criticizes his companions lack of faith. Kind of information overload today, like a large dog charging you on an empty beach with her forgetting that she isn't a tiny puppy anymore.
We need to remember that yesterday Jesus told the parable of the seed falling on four different kinds of ground and saying to his disciples that they are the repositories of the secrets. Followed today with his saying that secrets are not going to remain hidden. There is a seeming contradiction in those verses. With the plethora of information dumped on us this morning, this issue of a shining light and revealed secrets is the one that tweaks my curiosity.
I was raised being told not to draw attention to myself. I know I was told other things contradictory to that as well, but for whatever reason, that message of keeping attention off of me took root and has informed a great deal of my interactions with the world. I am a lawyer by training and practice and a priest by choice and training and calling. Both of these professions run counter to that informed root of how I operate in the world. Contradictions abound this morning. I have been fairly successful in both of these areas (with the usual highs and lows associated with any career choice or job). And yet, I have never tried, or liked, to put myself on stage, front and center. I have always made my focus the message, letting the light from the message be the thing that shines. Allowing the argument in regard to the law be the shiny object of attention; letting God's holy word shine through my attempts at explaining them. Look at this, not me...... look over there. And I think this is one of the things Jesus is pointing us toward today: the light of God's love for us is going to shine and our attempts to hide it will not succeed.
I firmly believe that light will shine, and our efforts to fuel the light are always welcomed and encouraged. Our efforts are about that fueling, not about our own ego.
jfd+
Copyright 2010, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved.
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