Lectionary 14B
Grace Lutheran Church
Lakeland, FL
July 4, 2021
Ezekiel 2:1-5
Psalm 123
2 Corinthians 12:2-10
Mark 6:1-13
Grace to you and peace from God and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus, the Christ.
Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
Last week we talked about one of our senses – touch. And today we are going to talk about another – sight. The text for our reflection and meditation today is the second verse of our Psalm: As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he has mercy on us.
Eyes - powerful instruments of communication. Think of it. With the eyes alone we can express wonder, awe, fear, amusement, disdain, anger, lust, understanding, curiosity, boredom, sleepiness, love, forgiveness, and much more. In just a look there can be as much information communicated as in a hundred words.
Remember a child looking up to a parent perhaps with eager anticipation of the warm smile and nod of approval, or the long-awaited “yes, you may have the keys tonight.” Or the eyes of our boss, shaking our hand and commending us for a job well-done. The eyes of our loved one, searching ours when they or we have been in pain. Eyes conveying love and care. And unfortunately, our eyes can as readily convey contempt and anger.
I think about all of the eyes present in today’s readings, not just in the Psalm but also in the Gospel reading. We come upon a scene in which Jesus is back in Nazareth. This after his ministry of healing and teaching around Galilee, his calming the sea with just his spoken word, his ministry in the hostile Gentile lands. And now he’s back home. And the crowds can hardly believe it. But rather than welcoming him, they look at him and then each other and you can just hear the comments, “Just WHO does he think he is? I knew him when he was just a snotty-nosed kid. He’s gotten a little big for his britches if you ask me.”
But the Psalmist describes another way of looking at the Holy One. In the same way that a servant looks to the eyes of his master, in the same way that a maiden looks to her lady, so too we look to God. We look to God, not fearful of his displeasure, not despising his next word to us. No, with the Psalmist, we look to God anticipating God’s grace and mercy. Our eyes look to God.
Then we consider Jesus’ eyes looking to the people around him. Throughout the Gospels, we learn of Jesus coming upon people in need – people who are hungry, ill, dying. And so often the Gospel writers tell us that Jesus looked at them and was filled with compassion. Jesus’ eyes were filled with mercy and grace, care and concern. Yet, the first part of today’s reading tells us that, upon hearing the contempt and derision and scorn of his hometown neighbors, Jesus looked at them with amazement – astonishment and undoubtedly dismay and sorrow. Even back home, where people had known him for thirty years, back home where he could expect a warm welcome, Jesus was scorned and mocked.
Seeing this, Jesus moved on to other villages with his disciples and then sent them out, two by two. But this sending did not consist in orders sent by email. This sending was up close and personal. In this sending, you can be certain that Jesus looked into his disciples’ eyes as he gave them authority to do the work of the kingdom. Looked into his disciples eyes as he told them what they should do – travel light, don’t seek the nicest place to stay, do your work, and then move on. The followers would have looked to Jesus just as the Psalmist described – the eye of a servant looking to his master. And Jesus would have returned that gaze with grace and mercy.
And the followers then, having been sent by Jesus, set out. And with the compassion shown them, with the authority given them, they looked at those whom God placed in their path.
I want you to think for a moment or two about what your eyes have seen as you as a follower of Jesus have brought the Kingdom of God to another. And, perhaps your vision isn’t as good as you’d like it to be. Maybe you lean in close to hear another’s voice. Or perhaps you particularly feel the warmth of the touch – a pat on the back. However it is that you perceive God’s kingdom around you, that’s what I’d like you to tune in to right now, to what you have noticed around you, what needs of God’s people you have observed or sensed.
These are the stories of our faith life. These are the stories we can share with each other, with the stranger at the lunch counter, with our neighbor. But before we can share these stories with others, we need to become aware of them ourselves.
One of the stories of my faith life, one of the times that I felt the presence of Jesus so clearly was when I was in the hospital waiting room coming to grips with the fact that Earl was doing very poorly. The hospital chaplain, who happened to be a Buddhist, came along side of me and sat and listened, was quiet yet attentive. In his very presence, Jesus was there.
Another was the day that our youngest was baptized. It was winter in northern Indiana. And we all gathered around for photos after the service. Earl had gone out to get something out of the car and came back in – with melting snowflakes in his hair. Water on his head – signs of his baptism and mine. Generation to generation.
And there were the eyes of Terry, homeless Terry, coming into the community breakfast hall glad for a hot breakfast served on real dishes. But more eager for a real conversation with a real person. I saw it in his eyes.
And then there was the stranger. He was hungry and wanted a snack. I gave him some crackers and a soda and he shook my hand and said thank you.
Yes, please think about the eyes of another person you have encountered as you have shared God’s love. Doesn’t need to be the most important situation, doesn’t need to be the most recent, doesn’t need to be the most touching. Just think about one person’s eyes. And, again, if your vision isn’t what you’d like it to be, please think about the voice of another you have encountered as you have shared God’s love. Where have you seen God? Where has God seen you? (PAUSE)
As you go from church this morning to your lunch or brunch or your kitchen table, please talk with each other or ruminate yourself about the eyes of another who has touched you or whom you have touched with the love of God in Jesus.
Like the Psalmist, our eyes look to God because we know that we will find mercy. Then our eyes look around because we know that there is need. Then we look into the eyes of those within our reach and bring the touch of Jesus to them. And then they look to God. And the circle is a spiral and goes on and on. And the Kingdom of God grows.
Thanks be to God.
