In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina ravaged the southern coast of the United States, devastating the cities and towns of that region and leaving thousands of people without homes. I had been ordained just over a year when I received the call to respond with a group of clergy to the region to assist.
I was part of an extensive network of clergy from various denominations that would be deployed after a disaster had struck. We were trained to be prepared to take shelter wherever we could.
I packed what I thought I would need for the two weeks I was going to be gone. I think I secured the last rental car in the State of Louisiana, which would not only give me transportation, but shelter if I needed it. We were going to be gathering at the Catholic Charities Retreat House in Baton Rouge, as it was the only place left that had available space.
I arrived, greeted my fellow helpers, and embarked on a two-week journey that would change my life.
The task given to me was logistics. You see, when something like this happens, relief supplies begin to arrive. The state and federal governments preposition supplies all around the country that can be swiftly moved by air and road to the area of most need. My job was to ensure everything got to where it was supposed to be.
Part of that work involves conducting a needs assessment, which consists of visiting shelters and other places where people are being cared for to identify their needs. I spent countless hours sitting with people and just listening to their stories. Most of the staff in the shelters had also lost everything and were unsure of their next steps.
I wore a yellow vest with the word Chaplain emblazoned on it. I also had my collar on so we would be immediately recognizable. As one would imagine, folks wanted to talk with us.
One of the most common questions I hear is “Where was God?” And the second was “why did God do this?”
Today’s Gospel passage is a continuation of the 12th Chapter and begins with the words, “fear not.” For context purposes, this Chapter begins with Jesus warning the thousands who have gathered to listen to be on the watch for false teachers. Many will come to preach and teach in his name, and Jesus is saying, we need to be able to distinguish between fact and fiction.
Jesus goes on to say that we should fear those who will dam us to hell, the place of outer darkness. Those who will separate us from God and God’s grace. Those who build walls around God’s church with rules and regulations about who is in and who is out. Those who wish to build smaller tables with fewer chairs are the ones we should be on guard against.
But Jesus tells us that if we publicly acknowledge him, he will publicly acknowledge us.
It is almost as if Jesus were speaking to us today. Interesting.
Then, as we heard last week, Jesus is asked to mediate a dispute between two brothers over money. One brother feels he has been given less than he deserves and wants Jesus to tell his brother to pay up—nothing like appealing to a higher authority.
But Jesus does not get drawn into it. Jesus tells the man a story about another man who had lots of possessions. He had so many possessions that he needed to build a bigger barn to store them all. Jesus goes on to say that the night after he built his barn, the man died, and all his possessions were of no use. It’s not that we shouldn’t have stuff or that we shouldn’t be concerned about the future. The point is, our stuff should not control us.
Jesus is telling us not to be so concerned about our material possessions and comfort that we neglect those around us who have less than we do. Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will eat, or drink, or wear. Sure, we need to make sure we have food, clothing, and adequate shelter, but how much do we really need? And at what expense to ourselves and others.
Then we come to today’s passage, and it isn’t easy to hear. Jesus says, “Do not be afraid; sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor.” Jesus goes on to say, make purses for yourself that will never fail, where no thief or moth will come to destroy. Then he comes to the central point, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
I want to try a little experiment. Close your eyes for a moment and think about all your stuff. If you had 3 minutes to leave your house forever, what would you take with you? Don’t forget, all your stuff includes the humans and pets that live in the house with you. The things that you take are what you treasure, and what you treasure is where your heart will be.
Okay, let’s unpack this a bit because a lot is going on here.
The first thing we need to unpack is this notion that Jesus wants us to sell everything we have and give it to the poor.
I am not a biblical literalist. I do not believe that everything in scripture is to be taken literally. I mean, there are places where Jesus says to cut off your right and pluck out your eyes. I don’t see many one-handed and one-eyed people around. Yes, Jesus has a preferential option for the poor, and yes, Jesus says we need to feed and clothe people. But Jesus does not say we accomplish this by making ourselves hungry and naked. Are you tracking with me on this?
If we were to take today’s scripture passage literally, all y’all would need to leave here, go sell everything you have, give that money to the poor, then come back here, and make some purses that will last forever. Raise your hand if you are fixin to do that today.
Scripture does not provide all the answers. Scripture points us in a direction. Scripture is designed to make you think. We have to drill down past the surface to get to the heart of the matter. Jesus told those people to sell what they have, to cut off their right hands, to pluck out their eyes, because they were stumbling blocks to being able to follow God authentically. And again, I don’t think he wanted those folx to cut off and pluck out bits. It’s a metaphor for what keeps us back.
Now I am going to ask you to do some math. Think about your typical day. How much time do we spend thinking about what we are going to wear and what we are going to eat? How much time do we spend worrying about what is going on in the world by watching the news, reading the newspaper, listening to the radio, or surfing the interwebs?
Now, I want you to think about how much time you spend thinking about and talking to God, reading scripture, meditating on God’s words, and listening to sermons from trusted preachers and teachers. When is the last time you read a spiritual book, attended a bible study, or a church service that was not on a Sunday?
Remember Jesus saying What you treasure is where your heart is? What we spend time on is what we deem important. I can fiddle the day away on nonsense, but I cannot find the time to volunteer at the food pantry or for Habitat for Humanity. I am so busy that I don’t have time to sit with the elderly lady next door, who never has visitors and spends all day waiting for someone to knock on the door.
I am so busy building bigger barns that I cannot see that my neighbor is hungry, or naked, or cannot pay medical bills, or any of the other problems people have. Can we change the world? No, but we can change the world for the person next door by being kind and maybe offering help.
How much is enough?
So, back to the question of where God was in the midst of the storm. This is not an easy question to answer. Academically, it is easy; if we take the human equation out of things, answers are always easy. We need to save money by cutting either this program or that one. Fine, but remember, every dollar cut has a human face attached to it, and that face was created in the image and likeness of the same God that created you. If we dehumanize the situation, it becomes very easy to make decisions that affect people, very easy.
It took me years to come up with an answer, and I am still not sure it is the right one. Where was and is God? Right here, amid the storm, riding it out with you and holding your hand at the bedside when a loved one is dying, and sitting in the doctor’s office with you while you wait for the results of the latest test. God walks beside you all the time; it may not feel like it, but God is always there.
But God is also the people who come after—those who leave their homes and families to come and help. God is the Red Cross shelter worker. God is the guy who climbs up the pole and restores power. God is the woman driving the truck, bringing gallons and gallons of fresh water. God is the cook preparing meals. God is all around, all we have to do is look.
Our job, the church’s job, is to bring God into this crazy world. Our job is not to ask questions about who is or is not worthy; our job is to feed everyone, clothe everyone, house everyone, regardless of how we feel about them. Our job is not to build walls but rather to build longer and larger tables and more chairs.
My friends, our job is not to wait for God’s Kingdom on some far-off cloud; our job is to bring God’s kingdom right here in our neighborhood. Your kingdom come, your will be done, right here on earth as it is in heaven.
God is not asking us to sell all we have; God is asking us to stop focusing so much on our stuff and start focusing on the humans around us, and if some of your stuff can help someone else, then share it with them.
Where is God? God is right here, and God is asking us to just love everyone. To care for all of humanity and this world we live in. God is saying care for yourself, but not at the expense of others.
Fear not, little flock, the shepherd is always with you and will never, ever leave you.
Amen.
