CALLED FOR JUST SUCH A TIME AS THIS
Isaiah 6:1-8; Luke 5:1-11
5th Sunday after Epiphany, February 9, 2025
Pastor Ritva H Williams
In our house, the first week of February commemorates four birthdays, and since 2016, one death. This year brought a new twist: John and I both turned 65. We are now senior citizens with Medicare Part A and B, and Advantage plans. As if the feelings around that weren’t enough …
On Wednesday February 5, the President and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, Rev, Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, (an ordained Baptist minister) sent out a memo listing seven “attacks” on faith communities in this country by members of the current administration. These include
rescinding the long-standing practice of not having armed government agents conduct raids in houses of worship. This action has resulted in a law suit from the Quakers, and drawn protests from Southern Baptists, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
drafting a congressional resolution to condemn Episcopal Bishop Marianne Edgar Budde, for asking the President to show mercy to immigrants and members of the LGBTQIA community. Harassment and death threats from members of the public have followed.
suspending a Christian employee organization at the US State Department for promoting diversity, equality and inclusivity.
making what appear to be Nazi gestures, joking about the Holocaust, standing with far-right German organizations and encouraging them to stop feeling guilty for the Holocaust, thus raising alarm in the Jewish community.
questioning the motives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for helping resettle “illegal” immigrants: it’s all about the bottom line.
gutting USAID which means defunding the work of faith based anti-poverty, anti-hunger organizations like Catholic Relief, World Vision, and Bread for the World
singling out Lutheran social service agencies, falsely accusing them of money laundering. ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton, synod bishops, and pastors have all denounced these charges.
Who could ever imagine that such things could or would happen in America?
Two days later, Diana Butler Bass sent a note from The Cottage to her readers, stating:
For years, my co-workers, colleagues, fellow churchgoers, and readers have consistently told me that they can’t and won’t preach about politics or act in any way that can be seen as political in church …I wish I had a nickel for every time a mainline church leader said to me, “We can’t do that.” Or, “politics doesn’t belong in the church.” Dearest friends, guess what? YOU HAVE BEEN POLITICIZED. You are now a target. For your good works of service. For your denominational stances on things like human rights. For welcoming those who have been marginalized. For caring about the poor. Feeding hungry people … Preaching about mercy … Hosting a Spanish-speaking church service …Hiring a pastor of color … Having a woman preacher … Displaying a sign or a flag welcoming everyone … Believing that empathy and compassion are central to Christian faith … Loving your neighbor as yourself … [all these are now political actions]… The very thing you’ve tried the hardest to avoid is now knocking on your door … Now you need to face what you’ve been fearing …
Butler Bass is correct, we have to face the fact that the way is follow Jesus is under attack. What are we called to do in a time such a this? Stay true to Christ and Christ’s mission. (See the handout by our Iowa bishops). Personally for me, it means preaching and teaching a Lutheran understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Right now, it means turning to our scripture readings for insight.
738 years before Jesus was born, in a time of transition, impending warfare, and aggression by a superpower, God calls Isaiah to be a prophet. While he’s worshipping in the temple — the place where heaven and earth are believed to touch, Isaiah has a deeply spiritual visionary. He sees God enthroned in the Holy of Holies, which represents heaven, and the hem of God’s robe filling the entire sanctuary, which represents the created universe. This is a huge Aha! moment for Isaiah. God is enthroned in heaven, AND God fills all of creation. The chorus of six-winged seraphs affirms Isaiah’s insight, crying out “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of God’s glory.”
Realizing that he is in God’s presence not only in worship, but every moment, everywhere on earth, Isaiah cries out. “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among people of unclean lips." Isaiah confesses to the sin of unholy speech: misusing God’s holy name (second commandment), and bearing false witness against other humans (eighth commandment).
It seems that Isaiah expects to be struck dead. It doesn’t happen. Instead, a seraph cleanses Isaiah’s lips with a burning coal (remember it’s a visionary experience). Isaiah’s confession leads to God’s taking action to purify and empower Isaiah to speak holy, prayerful, praiseful, truthful, life-giving words. When God asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Isaiah is able to respond, “Here am I; send me.”
In our gospel lesson we meet Jesus as he calls his first disciples — Simon, James and John. They are fishers, exhausted and discouraged from working all night and having nothing to show for it. Jesus commandeers Simon’s boat as a platform for teaching God’s word to the gathered people. Lesson finished, Jesus tells Simon to put out into the deep water and put down the net. Simon objects but does it anyway. The net comes up so full of fish, Simon has to call for help. Tired and weary, pushed to the limits of his strength, Simon is totally overwhelmed. It’s a “what the heck, I can’t deal with any of this” moment in which Simon begs Jesus to leave him be. Simon confesses, “I am a sinful man” — “I just don’t have what it takes, Lord.”
Perceiving that Simon is overwhelmed with anxiety, fear, and desperation, Jesus says: “Do not be afraid.” No condemnation, just grace and mercy, and a new direction: “from now on you will be catching people.” The Greek word here is zogreo which means to catch up alive. Simon and friends will be gathering up, bringing people together to give them new life and new strength.
The mission of Jesus is not about catching people for judgment or punishment, but drawing people together in community for mutual care and support, where weary spirits are revived, and all are affirmed and celebrated as persons created in God’s image with gifts to share for the common good.
So what is God calling us to do in a time such a this? Listen to Jesus! Do not give in to fear. Trust God to equip us abundantly for Christ’s mission. Ask for help! Form partnerships. Stand up against unholy speech wherever we encounter it, including when it comes from our own lips.
Black History Month provides us with rich inspiration, like this picture from Diana Butler Bass’ post. It a statue of Harriet Tubman and Thomas Garrett in Wilmington, DE. Harriet Tubman was one of the greatest conductors of the Underground Railroad. Thomas Garrett was a Quaker, who led more than 2,000 people to freedom and lost his family fortune doing so. He raised money to aid Tubman’s missions and supported her in his home. When Tubman rescued her parents, she entrusted them to Garrett’s care until she could follow.They were friends and co-workers for justice. Both were motivated by their faith — and the promise of a truly free America — to do the risky work they did. They saved other human beings from the terrors of enslavement.
Let me close with this prayer:
O God, give your grace to federal workers, public servants, social workers, counselors, therapists and all those who work in human service organizations caring for the most vulnerable members of our society. Guide them in their work for the common good. May they be treated with respect and honor as they indiscriminately serve all who call this nation home. Lovingly sustain them in times of uncertainty, and show us how to accompany them in a time such as this. Hear us as we pray. Amen.
