Proper 22b:
Job 1:1, 2:1-10; Psalm 26;
Hebrew 1:1-5, 2:5-12; Mark 10: 2-16
“As for me, I will live with
integrity,” the Psalmist proclaims.
What does it mean for
Christians to live with integrity? What
might that look like?
The word integrity comes from
the verb “to integrate.” One way the
dictionary defines “to integrate” is:
· to combine one thing with another so they become a
whole
Today’s reading from the letter to the Hebrews tells
us “Jesus is the exact imprint of God’s very being, the reflection of God’s
glory,” and yet the nativity and crucifixion stories in the Gospels makes it
clear that Jesus is also a man. Jesus is fully human, and yet, fully divine,
and for him there is no separation of the two.
Two entities that come together to make one whole. Integrity.
Through the gift of Jesus, God shows what it means to
have integrity as a human being; it means we are to live like Jesus, to love
like Jesus, to be like Jesus. Jesus is
the embodiment of human integrity.
In the book of Job, it is hard to deny that one truth
spelled out is that God allows bad things to happen to good people. God doesn’t cause bad things, but God does
allow bad things to happen. That is a
truth in this life that is pretty impossible to deny. Human integrity here is Job’s reaction. Job refuses to stop believing that God’s plan
for him is better than any plan he can make for himself. Job never stops trusting that God is with
him, God is for him, and God sustains him.
This is what human integrity looks like when we are faced with the
brokenness of life in this wordly Kingdom.
Human integrity also means displaying God’s justice. In
Jesus’ time, marriage wasn’t about love as it mostly is in our culture. We have to understand it a bit differently
here. Marriage was about two families
and their property, their status, and honor.
Divorce wrecked havoc on these things; it was about more than the two
who were once-married. Many suffered.
And the one who stood to suffer the most was the
wife. Only men could demand a divorce. Women were property. So if the man was not
satisfied with his wife for any variety of reasons, he could ask for a
divorce. Doing this put the woman at a
great disadvantage. Her husband was her
entire security. If she had no family
available who could or would take her back into their home, she was left
homeless with no means to take care of herself.
Jesus’ prohibition of divorce, then, is a justice statement
Jesus is declaring that no one in God’s Kingdom should
be placed in a position of homelessness, of not knowing where to get the next
meal, no one should be left to feel as if one is not worthy of having security. Having integrity means making God’s justice
our justice.
A second definition of the verb “to integrate” is “to
bring people or groups with particular characteristics or needs into equal
participation.”
Today we read about an event in the Gospel that is
probably much like our worship service this morning---people coming to see and
know Jesus. Men, women, and children are
gathering. Like women, children at this time were also property---and fairly
useless property when they were young.
They had no status, no power or authority, no importance, no voice. The disciples, of course, were trying to keep
this gathering of people coming to see and know Jesus “appropriate” as they saw
it. And that meant, no kids! “No, no,” we can hear the disciples saying, ”take
those children out of here. Everything
has to be just so---everyone who comes to see Jesus must be just so. This is Jesus we’re talking about, after
all. Do you think just anyone can show
up?”
Jesus loves those disciples, but Jesus simply will not
stand for it. Jesus says no to the
disciples’ idea of who and what is appropriate for worship and continues to
knock down all the barriers between him and any and all people.
Jesus demands integrity: “bringing people with
particular characteristics or needs into equal participation.” Without integration, without integrity, God’s
justice is not present.
God’s Kingdom is a reflection of God’s character,
God’s glory. God’s Kingdom is meant to
look like Jesus---where all are welcome, all are equally worthy of having
enough, all are able to participate and share at the meal.
Integrity is an incredibly hard thing for us to live
out as disciples. The messiness of life
and of our humanity gets in the way. But
there is a time and a space when and where we can intentionally live with
integrity.
Here, at worship.
Here, in this space we refer to as God’s house. Here, when we gather as those who know, love
and follow Jesus. Jesus says no to the
disciples when they try to manufacture the perfect gathering of people who come
to see and know Jesus. Jesus says no
because worship is God’s thanksgiving party and God’s guest list may not look
like we imagine. At the top of God’s guest list are the ones without status,
the ones without import, the ones without authority, the ones without security.
We might not like to
recognize it, but we are the privileged.
Even when I was a young single parent on welfare, I was still
privileged. I lived in a social context
that thought I deserved food, shelter, and healthcare---even when I couldn’t
provide it for myself and my child. I am
white. I am educated. I have the opportunity to take advantage of a
free education---up to a certain level, at least. I am privileged. Most of us here are privileged. The privileged are not at the top of God’s guest
list. (Doesn’t that just knock us on our backsides!) In fact, those of us who already know God,
who have already confessed and live with Jesus as our Lord and Savior, I don’t
think we are down on the list as guests at all.
I think we are called to be the servants at this shindig of God’s.
We are the ones called to
open the doors to the party; called to prepare the space, get ready the meal
and welcome the guests.
Worship isn’t about us.
Worship isn’t for us. Worship
isn’t meant to fulfill our private and personal prayer needs or quiet time or
contemplation. We are meant to set aside
other time for that.
Worship is liturgy---the work of the people for a
public good. Liturgy is our work, with
God as the Host of the Table, but for the benefit of others. God’s benefit, first and foremost: Giving
thanks and praise to God. And as we gather, God’s presence is made manifest, so
that the guests might see, smell, taste, and know that God is good.
Our gathering as people of God is meant to give all
humanity, all of Creation, a glimpse of another reality, another possibility,
another Kingdom. A Kingdom where all are
brought into equal participation because all are gifted, all are worthy, all
are beloved, all are welcomed.
This is what it means to live with integrity; this is God’s
justice. Instead of texting on our
phones or posting a Facebook meme with #all
lives matter----let’s live it.
Instead of lamenting another massacre of gun violence happening, let’s
demand a change to the systems and structures that allow these atrocious acts
to continue to happen.
The Good News of Jesus Christ declares, demands and
demonstrates: Those considered as non-essential by our society’s standards are
not to be kept out of God’s thanksgiving feast---out of God’s movements toward
justice and mercy---out of God’s holy gathering of misfits---the poor, the
rich, the young, the old, the broken, the advantaged, the male, the female and
all those in-between.
Beloved, the Truth is: We cannot be made whole without
them.
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