The congregation sang a song that was new to most of us, Hosea, as a Gathering Song. The music flowed and God's perspective coming through the lyrics was powerful and introduced the tree imagery into the service.Suzi delivered today's readings. The first reading, Isaiah 55:1-9, had the verses, again from God's perspective, "For my thoughts are not you thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." This added an additional frame in which to think about the Gospel.
Today's Gospel was Luke 13:1-9. Luke 12 describes Jesus teaching about preparing for new life to a crowd of thousands. The first verse comes from the crowds reaction which is to tell him a story about Pilate's cruelty and suffering. Jesus was teaching about internal change and Pastor Michelle pointed out this allows them to deflect that teaching to external injustice and simultaneously asks a question that is heartfelt "Does God cause suffering or why does God allow suffering?" Jesus answers that suffering is not a result of God's judgement and also brings them back to the internal change of his teaching by saying unless they repent they will all perish just as those who suffered cruelty or an accident did.
Pastor Michelle then quoted two other Bible passages to support the appeal of Jesus that our purpose is to love and support others as we are supported. The passages were Genesis 12:2 I will make of you a great nation and will bless you. I will make your name respected, and you will be a blessing. and John 9:1-5 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”. "Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Pastor Michelle is open to talking about her experiences with God and today was another example. She related her frustration regarding injustice and her desire to see God do something about if and God's response to her was the reflection of the Genesis passage. "My child, you're beginning to see and I gave you life to give life to others. I bless you to be a blessing to others". The John passage emphasized how this is continual work to be done.
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree, like most of the parables of Jesus, is amazing and uncomfortable. Parables have ever-shifting meanings each time they encountered.
Today the first thing in my mind was the Isaiah passage in the first reading. God's thoughts and ways are not our thoughts and ways. It informs this parable where the gardener or vine dresser who advocates for the fig tree that provides no figs.
The advocacy may feel provisional because it is time limited but won't this happen but that the gardener will continue to plead for the tree? I live my life in faith of this God's grace and the gardener's forgiveness which comes regardless of the fruit that I might produce. I live under God's judgement but Jesus came only to forgive not to count the fruit Scripture was written and is understood at different times, different places with people in many varying circumstances. Perhaps if I lived in another time, imagining God's future judgement against an oppressor would feel like social justice and a vindication.
After the Gospel, Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery lyrics about death and every person lost and broken wears the body of our Lord pushed new meanings into the Gospel as well.
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