Luke 12:13-28

Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Love your neighbor as yourself.

These two sentences comprise the “Great Commandments,” and the Great Commandments are threaded through Luke’s Gospel in a subtle but powerful way. “Loving God” is woven into the radical freedom Jesus affirms for Mary—and to which Martha is invited—urging them to be full disciples, not limited to the domestic duties expected of women in that day. “Loving neighbor” reveals a shock in the parable of the Good Samaritan, where Jesus shows that we are called to show mercy and compassion beyond our besties and our tribe—in fact, even to our enemies. The Lord’s Prayer gives a recipe for living the Great Commandments in a few lines: remember that God is holy and pray that our world may come to reflect the perfection of God’s intention for creation; remember to forgive and to ask forgiveness to do your own part in hastening that perfection.

That same thread is in the Parable of the Rich Fool from Luke 12:13-21. The Rich Fool is not evil or bad. He is misguided, on the wrong path, missing the key connections and life-giving relationships, isolated with his wealth, hidden away in his giant barn. When things are going well it is so convenient to think that all the good we have in life is due to our own effort, cleverness, and goodness. The Rich Fool congratulates himself and himself alone, forgetting the blessings and good fortune that have made him wealthy, blind to God’s grace and favor, to a fertile earth that yields plenty, to those who helped him become wealthy by working his fields. It seems that the Rich Fool is only aware of himself and his own actions. His attitude is one that causes a breach between himself and God.

After years of wandering in the desert and on the verge of entering the Holy Land, God warns the Hebrew people in Deuteronomy 8: “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day… You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”

Not only has the Rich Fool forgotten to honor God: he has also forgotten God’s commandments to share abundance with those in need. This message is one of the most common refrains found in the Bible. A few examples:

“Leave what remains from the harvest for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow.” (Deut 24:21

“If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.” (Proverbs 21:13)

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:…Is it not to share your food with the hungry and provide the poor wandered with shelter?” (Isa 76)

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” (Mt 25:35)

“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor…” (Luke 14:13)

“Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16)

The Rich Fool also no sense of how he could change lives, change the wider world—how he could make a difference. He ignores the commandment to love one’s neighbor as oneself.

At the core of these encounters and parables is the question of the purpose of life, of life abundant; of eternal life. As one wise observer says about the Christian life, the purpose of life is not to have a bigger barn—the purpose is to be a blessing to others. Money is far from the only way to be a blessing: another person might bring a pan of brownies, or rake the leaves in the yard of a friend with a sprained ankle, or return library books for someone who is immobile; or accompany someone to a difficult appointment. It’s just that for the Rich Fool, wealth and surplus is such an obvious gift that fills such an obvious need.

The Great Commandments are the thread running through the Gospels and through the Bible—ever pushing us to follow the Way of Love in ways big and small.

Jen+

Rev. Jen has set her office drop-in day as Wednesday of each week from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. for anyone who would like to stop in and visit. You are always invited to make an appointment for a time convenient for you. Mondays are her Sabbath day.

TUESDAY BIBLE STUDY

The Book and Bible Group has begun again, meeting at 4:30 p.m. most Tuesday afternoons with Evening Prayer celebrated at 4:00 p.m. The next one will be Tuesday, August 12.

ALTAR FLOWER CALENDAR

An altar flower calendar is posted in Hamilton Hall. Sign up to sponsor the altar flowers to commemorate a birthday or anniversary, remember a loved one, or in thanksgiving for an important event. We ask a donation to help offset the cost of the altar flowers and other worship expenses. Be sure to tell the office your dedication so that it can be printed in the bulletin. Please make checks payable to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and in the memo field please put this information: Altar Flowers, person’s name, occasion, Sunday date you’d like for the flowers to be on the altar.

VESTRY MEETING MINUTES

If any of you are interested in what your Vestry is doing, there are two copies of each month’s minutes on the music stand in Hamilton Hall. Feel free to read and return!

SHOPPING LIST FOR NON-FOOD PANTRY

Please add Adult Pull-Ups (all sizes) and bed pads to your shopping list for the NFP for the month of August. If you are donating adult pull-ups/briefs, they should be the ones without tabs. We are currently overstocked in adult diapers and period products. Meals and conversation in Hamilton Hall are going well. Patrons are now able to pick out items they most need. Your contributions help our budget go farther in helping meet the needs of those in Putnam County. The next Non-Food Pantry will be Saturday, August 30 from noon – 2:00 p.m. If you can help with this ministry in any way, please contact Harriet Moore or Fred Vallowe.

KROGER COUPONS

If you have any unwanted Kroger coupons, please bring them to Hamilton Hall and place in the window ledge near the “Little Library”. We would like to make them available to our Non-Food Pantry recipients so that they might be able to take advantage of them to help extend their food budget. Thanks in advance!

FREE DAILY DEVOTIONAL

We have some large print Day by Day daily devotionals in the sanctuary that you are free to take home for your personal devotions–and if we know that people would like copies, we can order the right amount. Many of you may also appreciate the on-line version of Day to Day. Click here.

ON-GOING COVID PROTOCOL

We continue to respond to both our county’s current CDC designation and to the current variant. Masking is optional. Decisions on COVID policy have moved from the Reconvening Committee to Rev. Jen and the Wardens.

We have heard that the daily reflections and scripture readings provided during Lent were appreciated. The meditations are written by persons from Gobin UMC and Beech Grove UMC. They will be in the newsletter each week. Whether you enjoy these every day or as the Spirit moves you, may this resource continue to bring you spiritual food for the journey. Blessings!

Click here to view the readings and accompanying links.

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