It was groundbreaking, earth shaking, mind quaking!
That’s what Jesus was doing!
A gentile woman, someone who was not of Israel, not one of God’s chosen, her daughter was demon ridden. She begged for Jesus to heal her daughter.
Jesus said no. The children come first, before Gentile dogs.
And she answered. Even dogs get the crumbs under the table. If I were a dog I would still have a crumb of your grace. Am I less than a dog? She argues and wrestles with God like the great heroes of Israel like Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Jonah and Job.
The only time Jesus lost an argument.
It is interesting that Jesus heals her daughter not because of faith, but because she was right.
God’s children, God’s chosen are not chosen because they are better or special, they are chosen for a purpose, for a mission, to bring light to the world, healing, freedom.
To be chosen is not so much about being blessed as it is to be burdened by God to be a blessing, to bring blessing to others.
Jesus is building something, a means of grace that will embrace the world. A table where even the dogs are fed, no one is left out.
God’s Kingdom is under construction and it is groundbreaking, earth shaking, mind quaking.
We are a community under construction.
More than bricks and mortar.
We break ground today on more than an expansion to the parish property. We are breaking ground on our character, our faith, our relationships, on just how we will bring this blessing of God’s table to the world for all to share in. How are we going to keep the feast?
We are beginning a new phase in our life together today. So much of our attention and energy for the past five years has gone into making the restoration and expansion of the Church property happen. It is a large complex multiphase project that we started last year and won’t finish until early next year, a project that we will need to be diligent for years to come to finish paying for it.
So much has gone into this. There are so many thank-yous that need to be said. We have learned so much.
So what comes next? It isn’t so much that we are finishing a project as we are just beginning the project of sharing the blessing of God’s Table with the world. What next? How will we do that?
Now that we won’t be wringing our hands over an out of date church property and massive delayed building maintenance, now that this is coming to an end, do we rest and call it a day?
Or, do we roll up our sleeves and break ground on how we share the blessing of God’s table with the world?
Join in. Play a part. Don’t wait or expect others to invite you. Give the invitation yourself, do the inviting yourself. We will be planning and dreaming this year on just how we want to design not a building but a kingdom.
The Bishop has made a professional survey available to us that we will be taking in a few weeks to help us begin this planning. We will be rethinking stewardship and just what it means to be a fellowship that breaks bread together.
We are under construction.
A table that is for everyone.
It is time for groundbreaking, for earth shaking, for mind quaking.