Sermon July 22nd 2007
Sermon for July 22nd 2007
The Revd. J. Michael Povey at St. David’s, Englewood, FL
Genesis 18:1-10a; Psalm 15; Colossians 1:15-28; Luke 10:38-42
Thank you for your invitation to be with you today. I am Michael Povey, and just
over a year ago I retired from my ministry as Rector at St. James’s, Cambridge, MA. I live in Sarasota.
On my first Sunday in retirement I attended one of the parishes in Sarasota. As I approached the main door, I saw the usher, a smart and very well dressed gentleman. He was deep in conversation, and as I approached, without turning to look at me, he held out his hand which was holding the bulletin. He spoke not a word.
A few Sundays ago I attended a different parish in the County. There the welcome was more than effusive. A pleasant woman grabbed my arm saying, “come with me, the Rector tells us that you MUST sign the guest book”. But when I went to take a seat, another woman said “that place is reserved for my husband”.
I am talking about welcome and the ways in which we greet visitors.
But “welcoming” can be little more than a technique, something we have been taught is important, but which is not in our hearts.
For behind the welcome must be the spirit of hospitality.
That spirit is deeply imbedded in near and middle eastern cultures. Hence that snippet of a story from Genesis. Three strangers arrive and in haste, Abraham and Sarah prepare a meal. They did not have to think long and hard about it, it was simply the right thing to do.
We do not hear “the rest of the story”, in which Sarah laughs at the very thought that she would have pleasure in their old age. (I am not sure if the “pleasure” is in the fact that she will have a child, or in what you have to do to conceive a child!). But they did what they had to do, and she conceived, and a son was born and named “Isaac” - which means “son of laughter”.
This is the story which lays behind the text in the letter to the Hebrews “do not forget to welcome strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares”.
“Hospitality” - the natural thing to do - especially in Arab cultures. This was my experience in a visit to the Lebanon. It was impossible to enter a home without being treated to a feast of good food. And it was true for the culture of Jesus’ day.
Hence Martha invites Jesus into her home, and immediately sets about preparing a meal. She is intensely critical of her sister who is content to sit at Jesus’ feet.
We instinctively leap to the defence of Martha - after all, “someone has to do the work“. Surely Jesus is being more than a little hard on her.
I suggest two ways of looking at this story.
First, Jesus, addressing Martha in a gentle way: “Martha, Martha”, he says “you are distracted by many things”.
Is she being obsessive about her hospitality? Is this why she is distracted by many things?
(Have you ever been a dinner guest at which the hosts are so anxious to “get it right” that they fail to be welcoming to you? Maybe Martha was too anxious to “get it right”.)
Maybe the “one thing” to which Jesus refers is not only the Kingdom of God, but also “one simple dish”.
I hope that Jesus is saying “there’s no need to ‘put on the dog’ for me Martha, I want the pleasure of your company”.
When hospitality becomes an obsessive compulsion, we have missed the point.
I think that happened in the nearby parish when a person said to me “you MUST sign the guest book”.
When any ministry becomes obsessive then we have missed the point of serving Christ in each other. It does not all depend on us!
Second, hospitality involves listening. We are called to listen to our guests. That’s why Jesus says that Mary has chosen the better part. To listen to the stranger is part of the gift of hospitality.
And here I put in a personal plea for more silence in worship. We are often so busy in our liturgies, that we become “distracted by many things”. So we shall keep a bit of silence after this sermon, and before the Creed - just a little while to experience Mary-like hospitality - to listen.
To listen to the guest, to the stranger is an important part of ministry and hospitality.
that person may have some wisdom to offer which we need;
that person may have a heavy heart which is close to breaking;
that person may have a joy to share -
but we are so busy being hospitable that we do not hear them.
And we, in our busy-ness may just miss “Christ in them, the hope of glory”.
I am a talker, Lord am I a talker. But I am learning to listen.
I spend quite a bit of time at Resurrection House - that wonderful day shelter for homeless people in Sarasota.
Few people ever listen to the homeless.
We pass them by.
The police move them on.
Well meaning people tell them what to do.
But in the ministry of hospitality, which is what Resurrection House is all about, I am trying so hard to listen. For there are no “homeless” - but there are homeless people. And I want to be blessed by homeless people in the hospitality of listening.
An ancient Celtic rune puts it this way:
I saw a stranger today.
I put food for him
in the eating-place
And drink
in the drinking-place
And music
in the listening-place.
In the Holy name
of the Trinity
He blessed myself
and my family.
And the lark said in her warble
Often, often, often
Goes Christ
in the stranger's guise.
O, oft and oft and oft,
Goes Christ
in the stranger's guise
The Revd. J. Michael Povey at St. David’s, Englewood, FL
Genesis 18:1-10a; Psalm 15; Colossians 1:15-28; Luke 10:38-42
Thank you for your invitation to be with you today. I am Michael Povey, and just
over a year ago I retired from my ministry as Rector at St. James’s, Cambridge, MA. I live in Sarasota.
On my first Sunday in retirement I attended one of the parishes in Sarasota. As I approached the main door, I saw the usher, a smart and very well dressed gentleman. He was deep in conversation, and as I approached, without turning to look at me, he held out his hand which was holding the bulletin. He spoke not a word.
A few Sundays ago I attended a different parish in the County. There the welcome was more than effusive. A pleasant woman grabbed my arm saying, “come with me, the Rector tells us that you MUST sign the guest book”. But when I went to take a seat, another woman said “that place is reserved for my husband”.
I am talking about welcome and the ways in which we greet visitors.
But “welcoming” can be little more than a technique, something we have been taught is important, but which is not in our hearts.
For behind the welcome must be the spirit of hospitality.
That spirit is deeply imbedded in near and middle eastern cultures. Hence that snippet of a story from Genesis. Three strangers arrive and in haste, Abraham and Sarah prepare a meal. They did not have to think long and hard about it, it was simply the right thing to do.
We do not hear “the rest of the story”, in which Sarah laughs at the very thought that she would have pleasure in their old age. (I am not sure if the “pleasure” is in the fact that she will have a child, or in what you have to do to conceive a child!). But they did what they had to do, and she conceived, and a son was born and named “Isaac” - which means “son of laughter”.
This is the story which lays behind the text in the letter to the Hebrews “do not forget to welcome strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares”.
“Hospitality” - the natural thing to do - especially in Arab cultures. This was my experience in a visit to the Lebanon. It was impossible to enter a home without being treated to a feast of good food. And it was true for the culture of Jesus’ day.
Hence Martha invites Jesus into her home, and immediately sets about preparing a meal. She is intensely critical of her sister who is content to sit at Jesus’ feet.
We instinctively leap to the defence of Martha - after all, “someone has to do the work“. Surely Jesus is being more than a little hard on her.
I suggest two ways of looking at this story.
First, Jesus, addressing Martha in a gentle way: “Martha, Martha”, he says “you are distracted by many things”.
Is she being obsessive about her hospitality? Is this why she is distracted by many things?
(Have you ever been a dinner guest at which the hosts are so anxious to “get it right” that they fail to be welcoming to you? Maybe Martha was too anxious to “get it right”.)
Maybe the “one thing” to which Jesus refers is not only the Kingdom of God, but also “one simple dish”.
I hope that Jesus is saying “there’s no need to ‘put on the dog’ for me Martha, I want the pleasure of your company”.
When hospitality becomes an obsessive compulsion, we have missed the point.
I think that happened in the nearby parish when a person said to me “you MUST sign the guest book”.
When any ministry becomes obsessive then we have missed the point of serving Christ in each other. It does not all depend on us!
Second, hospitality involves listening. We are called to listen to our guests. That’s why Jesus says that Mary has chosen the better part. To listen to the stranger is part of the gift of hospitality.
And here I put in a personal plea for more silence in worship. We are often so busy in our liturgies, that we become “distracted by many things”. So we shall keep a bit of silence after this sermon, and before the Creed - just a little while to experience Mary-like hospitality - to listen.
To listen to the guest, to the stranger is an important part of ministry and hospitality.
that person may have some wisdom to offer which we need;
that person may have a heavy heart which is close to breaking;
that person may have a joy to share -
but we are so busy being hospitable that we do not hear them.
And we, in our busy-ness may just miss “Christ in them, the hope of glory”.
I am a talker, Lord am I a talker. But I am learning to listen.
I spend quite a bit of time at Resurrection House - that wonderful day shelter for homeless people in Sarasota.
Few people ever listen to the homeless.
We pass them by.
The police move them on.
Well meaning people tell them what to do.
But in the ministry of hospitality, which is what Resurrection House is all about, I am trying so hard to listen. For there are no “homeless” - but there are homeless people. And I want to be blessed by homeless people in the hospitality of listening.
An ancient Celtic rune puts it this way:
I saw a stranger today.
I put food for him
in the eating-place
And drink
in the drinking-place
And music
in the listening-place.
In the Holy name
of the Trinity
He blessed myself
and my family.
And the lark said in her warble
Often, often, often
Goes Christ
in the stranger's guise.
O, oft and oft and oft,
Goes Christ
in the stranger's guise
