Homily for June 2, 2013

Proper 4 C

We are called to share the love of God with the stranger, welcoming all whom God calls into his family.

Our first reading today, takes place after King Solomon has completed building the Temple in Jerusalem. What we see today is part of the prayers of the Temple dedication ceremony.  Solomon prays that God will welcome even foreigners and answer their prayers. This is to fulfill the dream that all will come to know the Lord. 

Paul (in our second reading) strives to establish his credentials as superior to that of his detractors. That is, those who are preaching the “different gospel." Paul sees the Galatians as being led astray by false teachers.

In today’s gospel, Jesus heals the centurion's servant.  The Centurion is an officer in the Roman army of occupation, but he is unusually accepting of the Jewish people and their religion.  He is so loved by the Jewish community that he can send emissaries to Jesus about his servant.  They ask Jesus to bend the rules, to treat him as he would a Jew. Jesus willingly agrees and they set out on their way to the house.  When another of the servants of the centurion brings them the message which Jesus finds tremendously amazing.  The faith and trust of the centurion is beyond compare.  This foreigner becomes an example to all of us who should have such faith. 

This all reminds me of a blacksmith who’s daughter asked him how he came to their village and met their mom.  His story went like this: 

After earning his journeyman status he set out to find a place to start his business and make his home.  At the first village he came to he went to the inn and introduced himself to the innkeeper.  The innkeeper introduced himself warmly and asked how many nights the young man planned on staying in town.  Our young journeyman immediately felt uncomfortable because he had hoped to make this villages his new home.  He responded to the innkeeper "I will be staying just one night."

That evening he sat in the common room of the inn eating and drinking and introducing himself to people from the town.  Each shared various news about local events and persons but none introduced him to their resident blacksmith or made any indication that they were glad the young journeyman had stopped in town.

The next morning he went on his way.  At the end of that next day's journey he arrived at yet another village, the response of the people was very much the same.  So he left the very next morning.

On the third day, his travels found him camping in the wilderness; between towns.  On the fourth day he walked onto a third village and again went straight to the inn.  This time when he introduced himself to the innkeeper, the man introduced himself he and also said "I'm delighted you've come to our town, we haven't had a blacksmith for over a year."  Would you stay for a while and at least do some work for us before you go on?  The young journeyman said "I would be delighted to do some work here, is there a shop used by the former blacksmith still in town?"  The innkeeper showed the young journeyman to the empty blacksmith shop and promised him a hot meal and a clean room at the inn each night he was in town.

After he had cleaned up the unused shop and started a new fire in the forge it was evening so the young journeyman returned to the inn for his meal and bed.  The innkeeper introduced him to each of the local business people and several of the farmers who were in town for the evening.  Each were delighted to meet the young journeyman and spoke about the blacksmith work that they needed.

The young journeyman worked in that village from day to day and never really found an end to the work that came his way.  Neighbors, around the blacksmith shop, help him clean out the old home which was behind the shop so he could move in rather than staying at the inn.  Then he said to his little daughter: “your mom was one of the next door neighbors!”

My brothers and sisters, I'm sure we have all experienced being the outsider.  It's that awkward feeling, when you're new to a group or a place and don't know who to talk to or even what is going on.  Sometimes an individual steps forward, introduces themselves and helps us feel at home.  Sometimes we assert ourselves and make introductions.  But even then we can still feel awkward not knowing if or how we are being received. 

As Christians, our responsibility is not simply about welcoming new persons who walk in the door of our church.  It is also about helping them feel at home, finding their niche (their place to be), that is, showing them that they are really wanted.  Let us never allow ourselves to forget this lesson.