Sermon for Sunday, July 9, 2017

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost July 9, 2017
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Decorah, Iowa
Rev. Marion Pruitt-Jefferson

First Reading: Zechariah 9:9-12; Psalm 145: 8-14; Second Reading: Romans 7:15-25a; Gospel: Matthew 11: 16-19; 25-30

Beloved of God, Grace and Peace to you from Jesus, our hope and our salvation.

These are some pretty familiar texts we’ve just heard, and it wouldn’t surprise me if some of you may be wondering when we’re going to break out Handel’s Messiah. “Come Unto Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” “My Yoke is Easy and my Burden is Light” and that sparkling soprano aria “Rejoice, Rejoice, Rejoice Greatly O Daughter of Zion” Unfortunately, we won’t be able to indulge in those stirring musical renditions of Jesus’ words, but we can spend a few moments pondering their meaning for us today.

To those who are suffering and who have given up hope, Zechariah says REJOICE! He’s addressing the people of Israel who were held captive in Babylon. Now they have been released and allowed to return to Jerusalem. But return to what???? Their temple is destroyed, the city is in ruins, the economy has ground to a standstill, the people are hungry and poor and they are languishing in despair. They have longed for a return to the ways things used to be– when mighty kings ruled over them and all of Israel’s enemies were subdued. That has not come to pass.

Enter Zechariah who announces a new hope. A new vision for the future. Zechariah tells of a messianic King whose dominion will be a radical reversal of the established order. This Sovereign will not rule with the power of military strength, but with righteousness and humility. This king will not be one who sits in the safety of a far off palace, removed from the people. He will be a ruler who comes into their midst – who does no shy away from entering into their suffering and despair. This king does will stand in domination over the people, but will draw near to them…. will stand beside them. And identify himself with their pain. (I’m reminded of Pope Francis, who has shunned the lavishness of the palace to live simply in a guest house. Who goes to the places where people are suffering, homeless shelters, hospitals, refugee camps.)

In describing the King’s arrival Zechariah does say that this promised ruler will come Triumphant and Victorious, which at first seems to call to mind great military victories. But the deeper meaning of these Hebrew words has nothing to do with battle. They are words of faith: Triumphant meaning Righteous and Victorious meaning Saved. This King will not stride into town on a mighty war horse flashing his sword. Instead, he shows up riding a donkey – and a baby donkey at that. This King comes in lowliness and humility, riding an animal hardly fit for a child, much less a king.

The first thing this new king will do is to enact a program of disarmament and demilitarization. Gone are the chariot, the war horse, the battle bow. This ruler will be the King of Peace – who commands peace to ALL nations – to farthest reaches of the sea. Resources previously spent on military build-up, on weaponry and armies, now will be available to enact those programs which build-up all the people and make for peace and prosperity. Feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, tending to the widow, housing the orphan, welcoming the stranger, rebuilding the temple, restoring the granaries, the fields and the orchards, renewing the whole economy so that all have a share in its abundance.

The promise of a righteous, just and merciful sovereign is a powerful word of hope for people whose lives are marked by suffering and despair. It is a hope that we, too are called to share in, and to strive towards.

In the prophet’s words, we recognize this hoped for King to be Jesus – the King of Peace, the King of righteousness, the king of Love. That is why each year on Palm Sunday we hear Zechariah’s prophecy: “Lo! Your King comes to you, humble and riding on a donkey.” In Jesus’ life the true nature of God’s coming kingdom is revealed – a kingdom where the hungry are fed, the poor are lifted up, and the rich and powerful are sent away empty. Under God’s gracious rule, the powers of this world are subjugated to the power of love and compassion. Things are no longer as they’ve always been – but as they should be. In Jesus’ death and resurrection we see that not even the power of death can hold sway against the power of God’s endless life.

Like the Israelites of old, we too still await the fulfillment of the promised kingdom. We long to see a world in which our leaders rule with integrity and justice, and with compassion towards those who lives are marked by the heavy burdens of poverty; those who are wearied by the daily struggle to provide for their families – the ones who have more month than money and can’t escape the continual burden having to decide between food or medication, rent or heat. We long for a world where the heavy burden of racism and prejudice is lifted from the shoulders of those who suffered violence, and have been excluded from the usual educational and economic systems that can lead to a better life. We long for a day when everyone will have access to medical care. Where no one will be burdened with the worry about losing their care coverage, or about facing bankruptcy because of their medical bills. We long for a world where no one will be labeled as an alien, or live daily in fear of officials arriving at the door to take children from parents of parents from children. We long for a world where the more than 20 million displaced people will be welcomed into new homes, into places of safety and refuge. This is not a Democratic vision, or a Republican vision….this is God’s dream for us and for all people. And we who have been claimed as citizens of this new kingdom, who in Holy Baptism have died and risen to new life in Christ, are called to claim this vision as our own. To live as prisoners of Hope, and to carry this hope, in word and deed, to all those whose lives are filled with suffering and despair.

This morning Jesus invites us today to Come to Him – to share in God’s dream, God’s vision for all humanity, and all creation. Jesus says: Come to me and listen to my Word. Hear again the promises of God. Come to me…..see me in the faces of your neighbors, in the faces of those who are carrying heavy burdens, who long to experience justice, mercy and compassion. Come to me and be fed at my table. Eat this bread and wine which are my life for you. Jesus invites us to come to him, to be renewed in hope and joy, and then to go out to all the places of pain and suffering in our world, bearing that hope to all longing to hear the good news of God’s kingdom.

A Primer on Krumkake
by Doris Barnaal

 Krumkake, a thin, cone-shaped cookie baked on a decorative iron, has an interesting history. It is one of seven kinds of traditional Christmas cookies in Norway. Today, the most popular varieties in both Norway and America are fattigman, sandbakkels), Berlinerkranser, goro and rosetteter, pepperkaker, and sirupsnipper, as well as krumkake. Most share the same basic ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and often spices or almonds.

 Krumkake is pronounced (kroom-kah-keh). One cookie is krumkake. Adding an “er” at the end makes it plural (kroom-kah-k-er).  Krum is (curved,) kake (cake), with the literal translation “curved cake. While still hot, each cookie is quickly rolled around a wooden cone. When cooled, it retains a cone shape. In Norway, cookies are often called cakes. (Another Norwegian word for cookie is bakkel as in sandbakkel.)

Krumkake irons date back to the 1700s. The first generation of krumkake irons were made by blacksmiths who used different designs and often inscribed their own initials in the pattern. They had long handles for holding them over open cooking fires and weigh about 10 pounds.

The second generation of krumkake irons originated in the late 1800s when wood stoves became popular. The iron was now placed in the round burner holes of the stove. The handles of the irons were shortened and a ball joint allowed an easy flip of the iron to heat the other side. Versions of this iron are still in use on modern stoves, although we now we enjoy the convenience of third generation electric irons. Much like a waffle iron, these come in two models – one designed to bake a single krumkake at a time as well as a double iron that allows two krumkaker to be baked at the same time.

Other notes:

• Krumkaker may be filled with whipped cream and fruit such as strawberries or raspberries.  This must be spooned in just before serving to keep the cookies crisp.
• Krumkaker are also made in Sweden.
• Examples of the two older types of krumkake irons may be seen in the food exhibit on the first floor of Vesterheim Museum in Decorah.

Sermon for Sunday, July 2, 2017 – “Be a Guest”

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
July 2, 2017
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Decorah, Iowa
Rev. Amy Zalk Larson

Click here to read scripture passages for the day.

Beloved of God, grace to you and peace in the name of Jesus.

When I first read the Gospel for today, I thought it was about how we need to welcome others. Except, Jesus says to his disciples, “Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me.” Here he isn’t instructing the disciples to show hospitality. He’s telling them to receive it. Jesus is calling his disciples, including all of us, to be in situations where we will be dependent on the hospitality of others.

Why?

Aren’t we supposed to help other people – care for them and welcome them?

Shouldn’t we give cups of cold water?

Why should we impose on others and ask things of them?

Because – Jesus says those who welcome others are blessed by his presence, “Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me”. Jesus wants people to get to experience his presence as they extend hospitality.

In this instance, Jesus is speaking about those who welcome his disciples, righteous people, and prophets.

But in Matthew 25 he says that those who welcome strangers of any kind welcome him, even if they don’t recognize him.

And it seems Jesus wants more people to be blessed by his presence as they offer hospitality. So, he calls us to make that possible by being in the role of vulnerable guests.

But this is so hard! As challenging as it is to practice hospitality, it’s often easier to be a host than a guest.

As a host, we get to stay in the comfort of our own house, institution, or congregation. We are at home, on familiar turf. We understand how things work.

When we are guests, we often have to step outside our comfort zones. We are dependent on the kindness of others. We are vulnerable. We wonder if we’re intruding. I experienced all that when I was hosted by a woman named Paulina during a semester of study abroad in Zimbabwe. Paulina was a widow who survived by gardening, raising chickens and selling the things she sewed. She often struggled to have enough food. Her home consisted of three mud huts – one for sleeping, one for cooking and one for storage. I got to know Paulina at the women’s cooperative where she sewed with other widows. We became friendly and she invited me and two other American seminary students to stay with her for a week.

Our professor and all of us were concerned about this invitation. We worried that our presence would be a burden for her. We didn’t want to impose. We would bring gifts but we knew that she would still face hardship in hosting us. To be honest, I also wasn’t sure I wanted to spend a week in a mud hut. Would I be safe? Could I drink the water? After much discussion, my friends and I decided we needed to accept the invitation.

It was an amazing week. There were awkwardness and discomfort, but slowly we began to see each other as full people beyond all the cultural barriers. At the end, Paulina told us that hosting us brought her great honor and joy. She said, “Many would think that white people would come to serve me. You gave me the honor of letting me care for you.” The experience was a blessing for Paulina and transformative for me.

Before studying in Zimbabwe, I had been friendly to the international students at Luther seminary but I had done little to really welcome them. They always sat at their own table and I never went out of my way to sit there and initiate conversation. When Paulina welcomed me, I discovered how much I needed to both give and receive hospitality. I experienced how Christ is present and at work when hospitality is extended and accepted.

This kind of thing often happens when we travel abroad, but we don’t need to leave the country to experience similar things. The international students at Luther appreciate when host families have them over for supper, but often get really excited when they get to prepare a meal for Americans. Newer members of the congregation often express gratitude when they can offer kindness and hospitality to longtime members.

My husband Matt remembers how a guest to the United States welcomed him to Luther Seminary. Matt is very tall and back then he had long hair and a huge beard and looked, as he says, like a jackpine savage.

When he showed up on campus he got a lot of strange looks and felt very out of place. He wasn’t sure he belonged with all the pious, straightlaced seminary students. Then one day when he was sitting in the computer lab considering other grad school options, a huge Nigerian student named Musa Filibus came in. Musa said, “Hello, I see you are new. I am Musa and you are most welcome here.” Matt was blown away that a guest to our country was extending such a warm welcome to him. His fears were alleviated and he realized there was room for him at the seminary.

We all have chances to go outside our comfort zones, be vulnerable, and experience welcome. We can visit a mosque and let our Muslim neighbors in Rochester or Cedar Falls host us. We can receive the hospitality of our Hispanic and Somali neighbors even as we also seek to advocate for them. We can receive and learn from those who have limited material goods. Those experiences will be a blessing for our hosts and they will work change in us as well. Christ will be present blessing and transforming us all – even if his presence isn’t explicitly recognized or named.

Whoever welcomes a disciple or a stranger, welcomes Jesus.

May we offer others the chance to experience Jesus’ presence in this way.

May we welcome others and experience Christ in the stranger.

Let’s take a moment of silent prayer.