A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 17 –A

October 1, 2017

Commentary:

We’ve seen the crisis over Church authority in the headlines, of course, as clergy of all stripes have abused the authority entrusted to them, using it to coerce and injure through sexual abuse, financial misconduct, or manipulative preaching and teaching. Those kinds of abuses of authority are deep and damaging, as clergy too often confuse God’s authority with their own.

Yet there is another, equally pernicious, authority problem in our Church today: one of relinquished authority or abandoned authority. As clergy we have all too often, not abused our authority, but abrogated it.

·         We have toned down our preaching for fear of offending or rocking the boat.

·         We have sought consensus when we ought to have been prophetic.

·         We have bent to the whims of the congregation when we ought to have stood for the teaching of the Church.

·         We have been reluctant to proclaim God’s forgiveness, because to do so is to name first the harsh reality of sin.

·         We have been hesitant to name the Gospel as not just a good story, but the good news of salvation.

Source of Commentary:  Rt. Rev. Scott Gunn, Episcopalian https://www.sevenwholedays.org/2014/02/20/by-what-authority/

Matthew 21:23-3 - NRSV

The Authority of Jesus Questioned

23 When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

The Parable of the Two Sons

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. 30 The father[a] went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him.

Footnotes:

Matthew 21:30 Gk He

A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 17 – A

Authorized

Ancestors?

“Our family is

a charter member

of this congregation!”

Inerrant Bible?

“The Bible said it!

That is it!”

End of story.”

Pope?

“Ex-Cathedra.

Imprimatur.  Sealed.

Closed canon.”

Source,

origin,

please!

By what authority?

Tax Collectors,

Prostitutes

hear

and hearts change!

These are the

First Responders;

Called, Authorized

who see and cry out:

“Now I know the

Author

of life

and will work

in the Divine

Vineyard.”

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