Our texts give remind us that faithful people have lived through times of anguish, and as we live through times of great unraveling, we are called to be Christian community with one another. This gives us the strength to move through difficult times.
Vicar Natalie Wussler
The Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Lect. 33 B
Texts: Daniel 12:1-3; Psalm 16; Hebrews 10:11-14 [15-18] 19-25; Mark 13:1-8
Beloved in Christ, grace to you and peace in the name of the ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
It’s Scripture like this that we don’t want to hear in times like today. They paint bleak pictures that don’t feel like good news to our weary souls. We read about times of anguish, wars and rumors of wars, famine and temples crumbling. Jesus’ words here terrified the disciples. All they’d ever known would soon come tumbling down around them. At the oppressive hands of Rome, the very dwelling place of God on earth would be leveled to the ground, with not one stone left. It’s an absolutely devastating scene. And consider Daniel’s context–set during the Babylonian exile experiencing their own time of anguish with everything the Israelites knew turned up-side-down.
These writers are speaking into their current-day realities, but they feel far too close to home. Because all around us, things feel like they’re crumbling down. That grief, fear, and anger from last week has not disappeared. As the reality of our years to come set in, there’s lots crumbling down all around us. Trust in our leaders, trust in our fellow Americans, our hope, systems and structures that do their best at providing for the most vulnerable around us. The grief, fear, and anger does not stop at the political landscape. Today you might be carrying a crumbling relationship or you may have just received some news that upends your world or you may just be feeling hopeless. The truth is, we’re often in the midst of something crumbling down around us.
And that’s exactly why we need these Scriptures. They remind us that we’re not the first or the last community of faith living in a great unraveling. We follow in their footsteps–struggling in times of anguish and wondering where God is in the midst of it, searching for hope in the rubble and proclaiming good news in impossible times–carrying on as children of God. Because in the chaos of this world, we’re doing the same things in the desolation. We’re striving to build toward the world that Jesus has been teaching about–a world that uplifts vulnerable people, recognizes the widow’s gift as precious, and treats all with love and compassion. These texts remind us that faithful people have lived through times of anguish and figured out ways to live as Christ to one another. So the question is – how will we continue to live as Christ in the turmoil? How will we respond in the midst of the crumbling?
As Jesus speaks with the disciples, he first tells them these two things–Beware and do not be alarmed. Or “stay alert” and “do not be afraid” in some translations. Jesus is not saying all this to scare the disciples, but, instead, to warn them and prepare them to be the church in times of upheaval. “Stay alert,” Jesus says, to not be misled by those who want to take advantage of the chaos. Don’t let these kinds of people lead you away from God and one another. Stay alert to what God is actually doing during these exhausting times. And do not be afraid when you hear of wars and rumors of wars and when you see the fallout of the chaos. What Jesus says may feel like a tall order for us in times of anguish. Because while we want to have a total faith and trust like our Psalm professes, seeing temples toppled and hearing of wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, and famines, provokes fear. But Jesus never promised that our lives would be free from pain and fear. Instead, Jesus promises to be with us in the middle of it. Later in this chapter, Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will be with the disciples through all they will experience, an assurance for us that we are not alone.
That’s God’s promise to us–to be with us. In the crumbling, God promises us presence through the Holy Spirit, who abides in our very souls. When we fear, panic, or grieve, we can call on the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and strength to carry on. This same strength carried the disciples through their own persecution–it is sufficient to give you the hope you need to journey through whatever chaos you may face. God’s presence provides you refuge, counsel, and joy, says the Psalmist. And in God, you will find the strength to not be shaken. God gives you what you need to survive and continue to spread God’s transformative love through the world. God makes Godself known, even during times of turmoil.
And God shows up for us in one another. The writer of Hebrews knew this. Just listen to these invitations:
let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together.
Us, you and me, together with God. God gives us God’s presence through each other.
This life of faith is meant to be lived together, especially in times of anguish and turmoil. We need each other. Because in each other, we see the face of God. We find the strength and the hope to carry on, together. We remind each other that God is faithful. As we come before God and confess our hope as one body, we are encouraged to do the work of God in this weary world–to uplift poor and vulnerable people, to live as Christ with one another, prioritizing love and compassion.
When we are baptized, we are woven into the tapestry of God’s grace, into the family of God, and we are so much stronger collectively than we ever could be separately. With the communion of the saints, we face whatever this world throws at us, trusting that God is with us and holding us together. Let’s not allow our fear, grief, or anxiety to isolate us as it often can, but rather, let’s press into the community of faithful people we are blessed with. Let’s lean on each other and support one another. All while continuing to provoke each other to find courage to act as the body of Christ, because we all have a part to play in God’s good work in this world.
So beloved, let’s keep showing up for each other, trusting in God’s love which connects us all in a tapestry of grace. As we look toward these next years, we may feel overwhelmed at the enormity of what may crumble before us.
But take heart, dear friends. God is at work. In you, in me, in this community, and in millions of people provoking one another to do good things. To work for justice and compassion. To act in love in a world that seems so full of hate. With each good deed creating a ripple that can change tides toward something good.
And church, that is something worth hoping for.
In the name of the ☩ Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
