Year C 5 Epiphany WED 2019 Of Worth

Year C 5 Epiphany WEDNESDAY, 13 February 2019 

St. James the Less Episcopal, Ashland, VA 

“Of Worth” 

 

2 Tim 1:15-2:13 You are aware that all who are in Asia have turned away from me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain; when he arrived in Rome, he eagerly searched for me and found me —may the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! And you know very well how much service he rendered in Ephesus.   You then, my child, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; and what you have heard from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful people who will be able to teach others as well. Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer. And in the case of an athlete, no one is crowned without competing according to the rules. It is the farmer who does the work who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things.  Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The saying is sure: 

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;  if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us;  if we are faithless, he remains faithful— 

for he cannot deny himself. 

 

It is a pep talk. It is a soliloquy of a probably dying mentor. It is words of love and encouragement of an older leader to a young one. It is the letters of Paul to Timothy. A letter from a curmudgeonly Jewish man who was SOOO radically converted to a new way of thinking that this Greek kid he considers a son. (That’s radical, by the way!) 

 

When I was serving my first church as a seminary student, there was an older minister who was part-time. He would come in early on Wednesdays before the church dinner, and we had a wonderful time of telling stories and asking each other questions. Soon after I had moved on to another position he died. I bumped into his daughter years later, and her first question was if I was still in the ministry. I told her I was, and she was so happy. And then said something that meant so much. She said, “You gave my dad such hope.” I thought he was giving me wisdom. Little did I realize what I was doing for him. 

 

So we see here a powerful example of assurance. We see Timothy assured that his mentor has stayed strong in the faith, and he can, too. We see Paul assuring himself that no matter his condition he can be hopeful. He has Timothy, and that the Gospel is not bound. 

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. 

And then we get a snippet of an early hymn from the Church, which echoes some of the words of Christ. 

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;  if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us;  if we are faithless, he remains faithful— 

for he cannot deny himself. 

When we see Jesus in his ministry in today’s Gospel reading, both to those considering divorce, and to the children, we see a clear portrayal that the weak and powerless, have worth and are welcome in the Kingdom of God. Women are more than chattel, and children are not possessions. Men are warned not to divorce their wives, and instead of fulfilling their “rights,” they are breaking the 10 Commandments, and forcing others to do the same. A horror to good Jewish boys. He welcomes those seen as not worthy of being recognized. 

if we are faithless, he remains faithful— 

He is faithful to even the least of these, children and abandoned women.  

 

Paul brings up this chorus, this hymn of joy and transformation because when days are dark, that might be all we have. Buechner spoke in one of his book titles of “Whistling in the Dark.” Maybe that is what Paul is doing here. Giving comfort and hope across the miles to his grieving pupil.  

 

We all need hope in dark days. And it can come to us in many ways. We see here, in both Paul and Mark’s writings, that Jesus cares for us, and wants us, even when it seems that no one else does. Even when we are in chains &/or considered worthless. Amen