Proper 6, Yr A (2023) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield
Proper 6, Yr A (2023) The Rev. Karen C. Barfield
Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7) St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Romans 5:1-8
Matthew 9:35-10:8(9-23)
In the name of the one, holy, and living God:
in whom we live, and move, and have our being. Amen.
When, and how, has God shown up for you when times were rough?
When you weren’t sure you could get through
or even go on?
In today’s reading from Genesis,
Abraham is trying to find some relief from the scorching heat
as he sits in the shade of some trees,
sitting at the entrance to his tent in case a gentle breeze comes through!
All of a sudden,
God shows up in the form of three men…
at least it seems so….only one of the three is referred to as “the Lord.”
Abraham is so excited to see them he runs out into the heat,
bows down to the ground in welcome,
and then scurries about making preparations for a fine meal for his guests.
After the meal is prepared,
they all take cover from the sun under the canopy of the tree.
Then the men inquire about Sarah:
where is she?
She’s off in the tent…taking shelter from the blistering sun.
Then one of the men tells Abraham that in due season Sarah will bear a son.
Now, if you recall,
at this point Abraham and Sarah are well beyond child-bearing years
and yet God has promised Abraham that he will be the father of many generations.
And Abraham and Sarah are still waiting for that son.
So now, despite God’s past promise,
when Sarah hears that she will bear a son,
she cannot help but laugh out loud.
Overhearing her laughter,
God says to Abraham,
“Why did Sarah laugh?....
Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?”
Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?
When a situation seems too difficult to handle,
or we’ve reached the end of our rope,
and we are struggling to find hope…
Is anything too wonderful for God?
Is there anything that is beyond God’s reach?
I remember one such barren situation many years ago.
For several years I worked with a prison ministry through which various churches used their church vans to take family and friends to visit their loved ones in rural prisons.
One day a card came in the mail from a man I did not know.
He was writing to thank us.
He said that he had no family or friends who would come visit him,
but that every Saturday when he saw the church vans drive into the parking lot,
his hope was renewed.
His hope was renewed
because someone else cared enough to bring folks to visit their loved ones.
God showed up in this man’s life in an unexpected way,
to show him that love was alive and well
so that he could move forward each day with hope.
Is anything too wonderful for God?
Is there anything that is beyond God’s reach?
Despite their old age, Sarah did indeed bear Abraham a son.
Abraham named him Isaac, meaning “laughter.”
And Abraham circumcised him on the 8th day, as God had commanded him.
Sarah said, “God has brought laughter for me;
everyone who hears will laugh with me.”
God shows up when we have run out of our own resources…
and brings cause for new life and joy.
I recently have been taught by a friend of mine who has stage 4 cancer
that it’s important to laugh every day.
Even when we are confronted with things beyond our control,
our ability to laugh allows us to hold this life a little more loosely,
in the sure and certain hope that God offers us abundant and eternal life.
There is nothing beyond God’s reach.
In today’s Gospel we hear that Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching and proclaiming the Good News,
and curing every disease and sickness.
When he saw the crowds,
he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Day after day Jesus encountered crowds of people who were at the end of their rope!
And he had compassion for them…
and offered them healing.
But it seems that Jesus realized that he could not do this alone.
He appointed disciples and sent them out to engage this ministry of compassion
because Jesus needed more hands and feet on the ground
to meet the many needs of the people.
This past week I had a woman sitting in my office with an exorbitant electric bill
and no shoes on her feet –
not because it was warm
but because she had no shoes.
She needs electricity to keep her oxygen tank running.
And to top it off,
she still needs repairs done on her home from flood damage 2 years ago!
This is just one woman in need;
I don’t know what resources this community will need in the near or distant future.
We anticipate that this Fall more children will need the Backpacks program,
in which St. Andrew’s and the Canton Missional Network provide bags of food
for over 100 children every weekend during the school year.
We are currently planning a block party for early August
during which we will gather school supplies for our neighborhood children.
I have wondered about also collecting shoes for whoever needs them.
They are expensive!
And then I wonder about broader issues like transgender youth who cannot get gender-affirming medical treatment.
There is already a high degree of suicide among transgender youth already.
My heart weeps for them.
Jesus went about all the cities and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom,
and curing every disease and every sickness.
When he saw the crowds,
he had compassion for them,
because they were harassed and helpless,
like sheep without a shepherd.
The Good Shepherd has come
and sends us out into world to live out lives of compassion,
proclaiming, “The kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Now our proclaiming “the kingdom of heaven has come near”
may come in the form of a bag of food
or clothes and shoes
or school supplies
or a hug and the words “I love you”
or contacting our Town, State, or National representatives on important issues.
God’s new life comes near
as God empowers us
and sends us forth to share God’s reconciling and redeeming Grace.
God’s reign is here!
Let us go forth,
and in word and deed proclaim the Good News. Amen.
