Proper 8, Yr C (2025) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

Proper 8, Yr C (2025)                                                                         The Rev. Karen C. Barfield

2 Kings 2:1-2,6-14                                                                        St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church

Galatians 5:1, 13-25

Luke 9:51-62

In the name of the one, holy, and loving God:

            in whom we live, and move, and have our being.  Amen.

In Paul’s letter to the Church in Galatia, he says:

            “The whole law is summed up in a single commandment,

       ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Today’s Old Testament and Gospel stories speak of making decisions at the crossroads of life.

What do we do when we find ourselves standing at the crossroads?

I feel like, in a number of ways, we are standing at the crossroads.

We are just beginning the Season after Pentecost,

            yet we are also halfway through our liturgical year, as a whole.

We are coming up on July in a couple of days…

            halfway through our calendar year.

We are now fully seeing our new political administration taking its shape,

            and we are called upon to respond.

As a community, several of our elders have passed this year,

            and we have the opportunity to take up their mantles.

Some of us have decisions to make regarding where to live,

what level of care we need,

        and what medical care or treatment we want to pursue.

So, what do we do when we find ourselves standing at the crossroads?

Let’s take a look at our story about Elijah and Elisha.

Elijah knows his time has come to be whisked into the heavens,

            so, to spare Elisha the pain of his departure,

       he keeps encouraging Elisha to stay behind.

But, Elisha must follow Elijah to the bitter end.

Elisha has utterly committed his whole life to following Elijah,

            and he refuses to stay behind.

At last, Elijah asks Elisha what he can do for him before he departs.

“Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit,” Elisha responds.

Alrighty. 

Well, if you see me when I am being taken from you,

       it will be granted you.

Elisha’s eyes remained glued to Elijah as they walk along.

He even watches as the blazing brightness of fire separates them.

            He will not look away.

When Elijah disappears,

            Elisha tears his clothing in mourning

       and then picks up Elijah’s mantle,

                        striking the Jordan and passing through on dry land.

Elisha has inherited Elijah’s spirit

            and is ready to carry on in his footsteps.

At Elisha’s crossroad of death and life,

            he chooses to embrace Elijah’s spirit

       and embody God’s redeeming work in the world.

In today’s Gospel stories,

we hear of other journeys

        and choices at the crossroads.

Jesus, himself, has just chosen a path forward:

            “When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up,

        he set his face to go to Jerusalem.”

In choosing to keep his eyes utterly focused on the Father,

            Jesus chooses to witness to love for one’s neighbor.

Time is of the essence for Jesus,

            and time is of the essence for us.

As Jesus and his disciples journeyed along,

Jesus sent messengers ahead of them to make preparations.

When some folks in a Samaritan town did not welcome him,

            James and John wanted to rain fire down from heaven and consume them.

But, Jesus rebukes them.

No!

Destruction is not the way forward.

Love your neighbor.

As they continue on their journey,

            Jesus tells folks that the journey of love can be lonely

                        and isolating…

       and that it requires above all else…above all else

                 one’s undivided attention upon God.

This journey of loving one’s neighbor is one that does not reign down fire

upon those who disagree with us

or disappoint us

or do not welcome us

or who frighten us.

This journey of love and grace and forgiveness and reconciliation

            may not make any sense in the eyes of our culture or even our family.

We may be mocked

             and derided

                        and hung on a cross.

That is what Jesus shows us.

Violence begets violence.

Jesus died on the cross to show us another way.

            We are still trying to learn.

This week in my “inbox,”

I received a letter from the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church (June 2025).

It began this way:

“We arrived the day after the U.S. dropped bombs on Iran,

so it was no surprise that we began with prayers for peace…”

It later continued:

“[Presiding] Bishop Rowe reminded us that all over the church,

‘we are offering an alternative Christian witness,

centered in our relationship with God in Christ and with humanity

and proclaiming God’s reconciling love.

‘When we get it right,

we Episcopalians are capable of resolute commitment to both justice and unity,

and to extending grace to one another and to all of God’s people,

        even those who don’t agree with us.
 
‘This kind of Christian witness changes people’s lives.

‘In fact, it saves people’s lives,

and our work to build more capacity for it in The Episcopal Church is urgent.’”

Justice, unity, and Grace.

Then yesterday I read these words from Fr. Gregory Boyle,

            the founder of Homeboy Industries,

                        a gang-rehabilitation organization that operates on the principle that…

      in the kinship of God,

                  we all belong.

Boyle says:

“How do we arrive at a place and tenor of community that asserts:

            Nobody VS. anybody?

“This is, in fact, a good definition for the kinship of God:

            No Us and Them, just US.

       This is, indeed, God’s dream come true….

“I recently spoke on a panel…[and] I told the crowd that two unwavering principles held at Homeboy Industries were the following:

1)    Everyone is unshakably good (no exceptions) and

2)    We belong to each other (no exceptions)

“Then I posited:

            Now, do I think all our vexing and complex social dilemmas would disappear

                        If we embraced those two notions?...

“Yes, I do….

“Yes, I do.

“These two ideas allow us to…love without measure and without regret.

            So that we can cultivate a new way of seeing.

      We finally understand that the answer to every question is, indeed, compassion.

“How else to we bridge the great polarizing divide that presents itself now,

            as a clear and present danger in our country….?

“We see as God sees.”

[Gregory Boyle, Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times (Avid Reader Press, 2024), 1, 2-3, 7.]

Everyone is unshakably good (no exceptions).

            We belong to each other (no exceptions).

“All are welcome.”

            That is the by-line for The Episcopal Church.

       All are welcome!

Love your neighbor as yourself.

So, what do we do when we find ourselves standing at a crossroads?

Today’s scriptures suggest that we keep our eyes focused on God

            and follow the way of love and justice and mercy,

       even if we have no idea what’s around the next bend in the road,

                        much less, our final destination!

The kindom of God needs our bodies

            to enflesh God’s Spirit.

Thinking of the witness of those who have gone before,

            if I can receive just a fraction of their Spirit,

        I will be grateful.

But, I guess the first question is:

            Will we reach down and pick up the mantle?  Amen.