June 17, 2007
Luke 7: 36 - 8:3
The Rev. Dr. George Hermanson
Our Luke passage is one of those that makes more sense when you know the social context of the passage. Picture the room when the dinner is being held. A group of men is at a table and they are eating in the Roman style. That means two people on a couch, this is so intimate conversations can happen. It is the elite of the village - those who are learned in the Law.
They have gathered to listen to this new rabbi on the scene. They know he has been making a fuss in the area. He is known to be suggesting that the kingdom of God is in opposition to the Roman Empire. They have a hunger for a fresh vision of their faith. So there they are. At dinner.
Into the room bursts a woman, whose reputation is known to all. They are scandalized by her presence. First because she is a woman and this is not her place. And also because of what they know about her. She should not be there.
The scandal is increased because she pours out fine ointment. She touches Jesus’ feet and wipes them with her tears, drying them with her hair. At this act, the room would have exploded - it is one of the most intimate - personal - activity a woman could do to a man. And here she is a sinner. In the protocol of the times Jesus should have responded with horror. And he doesn’t.
Simeon, the host, is affronted by Jesus’ response. As far as he concerned, he has been dishonored. Jesus recognizes the negativity around him and speaks a common sense wisdom saying. He catches Simeon because Simeon knows the answer. He knows in a transactional world the greater the debt the greater is the forgiveness and the gratitude.
Luke wants us to identify with Simeon. He is rule bound. He knows what hospitality is. Yet he has not done what he ought to have done. He forgot the first rule of hosting. As well, he is repulsed by an act of Holy Hospitality. He is caught by his world view, what he thinks is proper religiously and socially. He has tried to domesticate Jesus.
He is not alone. Often when people ask what would Jesus do they have in mind what they think is proper. Jesus cannot be domesticated. He welcomes the woman. He is not worried about her past. He is only concerned with her future. He responds in unexpected ways. This is the character of the God he worships. A God of holy hospitality where the boundaries are broken.
God whose first concern is Grace and forgiveness. Jesus addresses the issue of need. What does this woman need? It is forgiveness and being thanked for her boldness. He reminds the listener this is hard core common sense. Compassion and persuasion create an open future, a world where transactional values are gone. If you do this for me I will do that for you. No it is a Grace that is given with no strings attached. I don’t know about you but there are times when I wish my world was not challenged by the needs of those at the edge of our vision. It would be more tidy.
However, that is not how the inspiration of God comes to us. It is always a wildness of the power of love. Old habits are called into question. Old ways of thinking about the world are called into question.
When we identify with the woman there are some answers so this wildness is not overcoming. We can find some shelter in the storm of change.
This is the power of the narrative for it gives us many viewpoints, and people to identify with. We are all the actors in the story. It is only the issues that force us to shift our identity. Faith gives us many perspectives for the living of our time. So to the woman: She knows what she needs. She comes searching for healing even if it causes a disturbance. She has a boldness for she knows what she is doing has crossed the boundaries. In fact, it has made her even more suspect. What is clear is that she has heard of Jesus, maybe even seen Jesus in action. She knows there is holy hospitality in his presence. She knows she can find release and healing. So she crosses over, demands inclusion.
It is important to feel this for there are many in our society who demand inclusion. In fact, like Simeon we resist and hope those voices will be quiet - we say quietly, “why don’t they stay in the closet?”
This narrative reminds us that Jesus knew her background and it did not matter. This is a most difficult thing for us to understand. We have been schooled that the past creates our identity. We often hear people say, “Oh, I'm recovering drug addict.” It was true for this is a past experience. However, in the economy of God it is the present that counts. True there are things in all of our pasts that we wish were not there. All of us have done things of which we are not proud. However, that is the past and the past does not determine the present or the future. It only does when we run on habits of the mind and habits can be overcome. Sure it is not an easy task to break destructive habits but we are not determined by them. An insight from cognitive behavioral therapy is, we can bring to consciousness and make visible those shadow sides of our experience. When we do, they are de-powered. Those things that will influence our actions are created in the present moment. This demands awareness and knowledge of what we need.
Like the woman we can demand that the past not determine our identity.
However, the identity of a past reality is so ingrained in the consciousness of other that it is hard to shake it off. Remembrance is always a double edge sword - it can cut and leave us in negative space, or it can cut in a positive direction, and free us. Jesus addresses the woman’s need and she is freed. No long need she live out of the past realities she has assumed and others have placed on her. Jesus says to her that her coming to consciousness has broken the bounds of the past and to go now in peace.
Luke is maddening because here is another story that does not follow the woman to find out what she does with her life. It is enough for the moment of Grace to happen, the moment when we see the world in a new way. Now it is up to us to live in holy hospitality. And the good news is that it is not a once in life time get out of jail card, for it is away of existing in the world., redemptions continues in each moment.
When we feel deep down this persuasive love we will be formed by it. And this is a realistic assessment of our situation. Our way of being is to be those who bring love and compassion and justice. It is realistic because it also knows that we are finite and fallible people. We are not defined by our missteps but by our attention to the present and thus creating a future for ourselves and for others.
We are not always comfortable with this view of reality. There are times we want others to pay for their wrong doing. We also like to feel guilty as a punishment for our failures. It is true that there are consequences for actions. We can see that in our ecological footprint on the world. We can learn from that and not be caught in old ways of behaving. If our identity is one of Graceful living, we can reach out to ourselves and others in invitational ways.
One of the learnings from what is called constructive criticism when it is applied to an art form, is that the artist gets better. It is a method of criticism which suggests that given what is done how can it be better. A child gives a recital and the judge begins with the strength and moves to how it could be stronger. My friend who plays jazz has got better since he plays with one who has pushed himself and pushed the boundaries. They push one another to excellence. Building on their strengths, and potential.
Simeon had a chance to go beyond his narrow world and he knew the answer. He was caught in his habits. The woman took a chance to go beyond how she was defined and was freed.
What the narrative invites us to do is to see what habits are freeing and go for them. And to let loose of those definitions of ourselves that keeps us in bondage. And the narrative invites us to use this graceful way of being in daily activity. Are we inviting others to be more than they have been defined? And are we providing structures where we are wishing well-being for others is put into practice? Being freed we offer the hand of freedom to others. That is now our identity - our passion - our vocation.
George Hermanson
