Pentecost II – C
Pastor Peter Lisinski
“PRAISEWORTHY UNWORTHINESS”
(Texts: I Kings 17:17-24; Galatians 1:11-24; Luke 7:1-10)
Today’s scripture readings address the age-old human question, “what have I done to deserve this?” In our first lesson, the question is raised by an anonymous foreign widow with whom the prophet Elijah was lodging when her only child died: “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!”
It’s human nature, that is, it’s natural for human beings, to believe we are the “makers of our own beds”, the captains of our own ships; that we are punished – by God, by fate, or by the universe, depending on our personal spirituality – for the wrong choices and bad decisions we make, and rewarded for our good decisions and right choices. In fact, that is arguably the most powerful myth guiding western – once traditionally regarded as Christian – civilization nowadays.
Exhibit A: the self-esteem industry. Go to the Chapters/Indigo website, type in the words “self-esteem” and find the list of books more than four hundred titles long! The common message – proclaimed by Oprah and Dr. Phil, affirmed by celebrity culture, and even taught in our public schools – says: “Believe in yourself, and if you work hard enough you can do anything, have everything, and become whatever you want.” In other words, you get what you deserve, and you deserve what you get, on the basis of what you do!
That modern myth is the same ancient myth exposed as false in today’s Gospel. A Roman centurion, whose favourite household slave is on his death bed, sends a delegation to ask Jesus to heal him. They present the centurion as someone who deserves his help because of all the good things he has done: “He is worthy,” they assure Jesus, “For he loves our people, and built our synagogue for us.”
But the centurion’s own self-assessment contradicts the opinion of his supporters. When he heard that Jesus was coming to his house, he sent another group of friends and neighbours to stop him. “Lord,” he instructed them to say, “I am not worthy to welcome you into my house; that’s why I didn’t dare to come to you myself. But only say the word, and my servant will be healed.”
The
centurion’s humility stopped Jesus dead in his tracks!
In spite of all the good decisions and right choices he had made on his
way to obvious success – as one with authority over others, rich enough to pay
off our congregation’s mortgage, held in high esteem by the community; in
spite of all the power, wealth, and status he had achieved – which others
thought entitled him to more blessings in life – this infidel and outsider
stunned Jesus with a better understanding of the Gospel truth that God’s own
chosen and faithful insiders had! “Not
even in
So, what exactly was it about this foreigner’s faith that surprised Jesus as unique and original? Two things come to mind. First, his sense of personal unworthiness. Now, being unworthy doesn’t mean he was a worthless person. No human being – not even the worst one we can imagine – is worthless to God! Unworthy simply means that he recognized within himself the moral ambiguity and selfish motivation that make it impossible for any human being to earn or deserve God’s love. After all, as an officer in the world’s most powerful military, deployed to enforce his society’s version of peace and justice, and impose its brand of law and order – if necessary, even by crucifixion – there was no denying his personal responsibility for the suffering inflicted on innocent civilians. So, he did what he could; he built them a synagogue. But he knew, even if they didn’t that it was hardly generous compensation for their degradation, oppression and impoverishment.
The second impressive thing abut this Roman centurion’s faith was that he asked for God’s blessing in spite of his personal unworthiness! He knew that being loved by God does not depend on who a person is, or what a person does. He understood that God’s love has nothing to do with the quality of human nature or personal character, but everything to do with the divine nature and personal character of God! God loves and provides for all his human children because of who and what God is – just as human parents love and provide for our children, regardless of what they may or may not do!
In a divided and violent world, the singular faith that all human beings are equally priceless members of God’s one human family motivated by a Gentile Roman conqueror to love and serve his conquered Jewish enemies to the best of his ability. The same faith in the one and only God worthy of the name, inspired the Israeli prophet Elijah to show compassion for a destitute Palestinian widow, and transformed the Pharisee Saul from Christian persecutor into the Apostle Paul, Christian missionary.
Through the ages, that same faith has continued to reconcile political enemies, liberate the economically impoverished, and overcome ethnic prejudice, national pride, and religious intolerance. And no it’s our turn to speak the word of Gospel truth that heals our still-divided and violent world, to each and every human being, at each and every opportunity: “You are God’s precious child. You are a person of infinite worth, God loves you, now and forever, no matter what!”
That is the only self-esteem message you and I – or anyone and everyone else needs, and will ever need, to give us hope, joy and meaning in life.