Today I opened Not Less than Everything, a book that I have wanted to read for some time. It is a collection of essays I’d heard about describing heroes of conscience and written by Catholic writers. I finally tracked it down and had an hour to read (putting off writing this newsletter). I opened the book, and on the first page of the book I found these questions:

“To what extent is anyone required to submit to those in authority who have seriously compromised themselves and others?”

“To what extent do such figures even hold legitimate authority?”

This is precisely the question I had in mind for this newsletter message. It is the question implicit in Sunday’s Gospel and Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and Herodians of “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Since the 1700s “render unto Caesar” has been misinterpreted as teaching what we in the United States call the “separation of church and state,” that is, of expecting questions of religion to stay clear of the hard, practical questions that come from the here and now of our political reality. Jesus’ response indicates exactly the opposite message. In answering the question “Is it lawful to pay taxes?” he asks his interrogators—and us—to consider the social, political, and economic cost of daily living, figuring out what we owe and to whom we have obligations. He reminds us that we are each “coined” in the image of God, and to remember that everything belongs to God as “the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it; the world and they that dwell within it” (Psalm 24). He allows that there are obligations to the world but leaves open exactly what they are and exactly what we are to do.

Our obligations to authority depend on what is asked, what is given, what is owed and to whom. Precisely because life is messy and complicated, precisely because “it depends,” in order to discern our course of action we must be steeped in the practice of the Way that Jesus proclaimed and lived. Life is complicated, situations differ, consequences matter. Thus in preparation we need to cultivate a way of living and perceiving in tune with the kingdom to come as we act in the “kingdom” that is.

Almost every Sunday in October and November, the assigned readings wrestle with the question of legitimate authority and righteous action, narrating Jesus’ challenges to the religious leaders as he taught in the Temple in Jerusalem just a few days before his death. Passage after passage challenge authority that has been compromised by neglect or outright malice. Parables feature disobedient sons, evil tenants, a violent and capricious king, foolish bridesmaids, and faithless servants, encounters include leaders asking Jesus just who he think he is and trying to trap him in questions about obligation to the government.

During these weeks, a second theme moves in tandem with the question of response to tainted worldly authority. This second theme guides us in the core principles that give us guidance to this question. For instance, the Sunday we hear a challenging parable of evil tenants we also hear the Ten Commandments. Other Sundays we hear the Greatest Commandment and the Sermon on the Mount, the blueprint for God’s kingdom proclaimed by Jesus. On All Saints we repeat our baptismal vows. One Sunday we hear Joshua proclaim to the Israelites, who are tempted to worship other gods, that “for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” And at the very end of November, the parable of the sheep and the goats tells us listeners that it is our actions that reveal our faithfulness—even the smallest actions of a drink of water to the thirsty.

The Incarnation is a messy, complicated, worldly event—Jesus digs right in. Jesus’ life in this world, his arguments, teaching, examples alert us that to follow him means going into the mess, making difficult decisions and inevitable compromises. That is why we must be sure to have a north star, a through-line, a practice of recognizing and living into a pattern that honors God, the knowledge of patterns and teachings that protect the vulnerable, that enables our neighbors living their best lives.

The Bible never proclaims that democracy is God’s chosen and approved mode of governance. Instead, we are to apply our capacities to change the world we live in, as we are able. For adult American citizens this means voting and running for office. It is the policy of the Episcopal church not to instruct parishioners on their voting; instead, our work is to grapple with and understanding Bible and teachings so that we may discern the candidates and measures most likely to bring God’s kingdom. A reading from Leviticus 19 scheduled for the end of October reads:

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord.

You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

So vote. And before you vote, ask yourself:

What candidates are concerned for justice?

For the welfare of the poor?

What candidates welcome and serve the stranger?

What candidates turn from hatred and grudges?

What candidates strive to love their enemies and pray for them?

The challenge of Christian living has always been to live in the world while keeping eye and heart on something greater, something more demanding—the kingdom that Jesus proclaimed.

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.

CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER **on a break until Oct. 28**

On Wednesdays at 1:00, we gather for about a half hour in quiet contemplative prayer. A leader introduces the prayer and a bell is chimed; we sit in prayer for twenty minutes until another chime sounds and then close with a spoken prayer. Feel free to come in any time between 1:00 and 1:20 to pray in silence in a lovely sacred space.

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 see the Non-Food Pantry Latest section of the newsletter for items most in need for this month. 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. Please scroll down to view the distribution dates and latest updates. If you can help with this ministry in any way, please contact Harriet Moore or Carl Huffman.

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.

Your prayers are asked for:

Haile Bane, grandson of Joanne Haymaker
Beth Benedix, friend to many at St. Andrew’s
+Tom Breidenthal
Jennifer Clarke, friend of Patti Harmless
Tom Kaiser, friend of Jen+ & Chris
Lynda, friend of Sarah Finlay-Black
Teresa Masten, friend of Karen & Jim Mannon
Trevor and Christy Moore, friend of Karen and Jim Mannon
Sally Motsch, friend to many at St. Andrew’s
Gordon Redden
Gene Shaw, brother-in-law of Patti Harmless
Elizabeth & Natalie Sheffler, daughter & granddaughter of Page & Narda Cotton
Deloris Smith, friend of Emily Knuth
Jenny Smyth, niece of Patti Harmless
Luke Smith, son of Mark Smith
Skip Sutton
Eugene Swanger, friend of Jen+
Donald Voermans, father of Nick Voermans
Edwina Vose, friend of Jen+
Catherine Waggoner, friend of Jen+
Dwight Ziegler, uncle of Stephanie Gurnon

Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: St. Thomas, Franklin, The Rev. Karen Sullivan