A Poem a Sunday
July 10, 2022
Pentecost 8 C
St. Luke 10:25-37 -
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Commentary: A great preaching opportunity on a classic story. Might we take another angle on the text? Rather than a morality tale, take the position of the victim. This is a radical reversal often portrayed in the Gospel of Luke. The Kingdom comes in the most unexpected places with the most unexpected people. The poem, Robbed, takes the point of view of the victim. How will preachers preach this?
25 Just
then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus.[a] “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit
eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you
read there?” 27 He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all
your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You
have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii,[b] gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke
10:25
Gk him
Luke 10:35 The denarius was the usual day’s wage for a laborer
Robbed!
“A
twisted fisted hand,
A
bleeding furrowed brow.
My
eyes saw skies—dark, threatening.
Cries
arise through the tree boughs.
Tossed
in a ditch like garbage
From
a recent traveler’s meal.
I
had no breath to shout again.
My
mind began to reel.
In
a mindless stupor
My inner eye could see
Images
of people
Who
began to pass by me.
Out
of the foggy coma
A
dream-like man rode by.
A
Priest with prayer shawl muttered:
“Unclean! Unclean!” he sighed.
My
God! It seemed like days
Until
my inner eye could see
A
Levi dressed in Sabbath garb
Hovering
over me.
His
look of horror struck
Within
my mind and heart.
The
Sabbath Law must be obeyed
And
so he did depart.
A
twisted opened hand,
A
face I dare not trust,
Thrusted
hands now lifted me
And
we were in a rush.
The
sky was dark and gray.
Hands
gently salved my wounds.
I
found myself awake from sleep
Resting
in a room.
A
twisted opened hand
Passed
silver across the door.
Speaking
softly, left unknown:
“Tell
me if you need more.”
I
awakened from deep pain
And
thought it was a dream.
Could
comrades from my race
Have
left me in such a scene?
Samaritan
–a face of hate
--trash
–a dirty dog!
Salved
my wounds and brought me here?
My
God, I’m in a fog!
A
gentle voice, the innkeeper’s wife, sighed,
“No,
God’s Word is very near.
In
those we hate and despise
God’s
promise is made clear.”
Kenn Storck - Copyright
@ A Poem a Sunday
Reproduced with
permission
pastorkennsstudy.blogspot.com
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