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"Where Is Your Heart?"
Ash Wednesday
February 25, 2009Matthew
6:1-6, 16-21
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! As I thought about our gathering today, on this Ash Wednesday, I started thinking about ashes and what they come from and what they represent. Not only the burning of the palm branches from last year, their destruction so to speak, but the destruction of a life. The life of a man, the Son of Man, Son of God, Word who became Flesh, destroyed, ended, for no fault of his own. I thought of his life, his ministry, his suffering, his death on the cross, even his being laid in the tomb. I thought of the cross that will be on my forehead shortly, as well as on the foreheads of many of you. My thoughts went in the direction of my own life, your life. My own suffering, your suffering; not just physical or emotional suffering, but the suffering that is the fault of my sin, your sin. I thought of my death, your death, being laid in a grave, or being cremated with cremains in our columbarium. I then thought of the period we call Lent – a time which extends back to about 325, first mentioned in what is called the Canon of Nicea. Lent, a period of 40 days, originally meant for fasting and penitence. I thought of Christ’s 40 days in the wilderness, fasting, being tempted by Satan. It struck me that for many of us, perhaps most of us, Lent is “just the time before Easter,” a time when we have soup suppers or something similar every Wednesday evening, along with a short service following. From there my thoughts went to our text for today, which although Jesus wasn’t specifically talking about Lent, will help us through this period, and indeed, through the rest of our lives. So when you give alms, Jesus says, don’t sound any trumpets! In other words, don’t trumpet your giving, your service, the work you do for the poor, or even the work you do here at LCC. Just do it for the sake of service, not for the sake of recognition. It is important to give, but not to be known to give – if you’ve done something to secure a reputation, then Jesus tells us that you have secured your reward. It’s not a matter of gloating over how “good” you are when you give or do something to help others, it’s a matter of your reward coming from God, because it is God whom you want to please. I remember a man named Larry at my home church back in California. Larry was on the church council with me, he was a retired Air Force colonel and a man of few words, usually brusque and to the point. After we got to know each other, Larry invited me to go with him to serve at a place called “Loaves and Fishes.” I knew it served the homeless, and those generally down on their luck. To be honest, I didn’t particularly want to go, but I was intrigued enough to go anyway. We got there the morning of the day we were serving, along with a number of other members of our church. We served lunch to something like 1100 people that day, men, women and children. One of the things that I noted was that I hadn’t known that any of the people serving from our church, were even involved in this ministry. They simply went and did it, and no one ever heard about their service. And Jesus tells us how to pray, and how not to pray. Here you need a little background. Two thousand years ago, faithful Jews prayed at least three times a day, generally in the synagogue, but elsewhere if they couldn’t get to the synagogue at the appointed times, which were 9 am, 3 pm, and sunset. So imagine wanting to impress others with your piety – oops, couldn’t make it to the synagogue so you pray eloquently to the Lord that all who are there to witness are shown your devotion. Something wrong with this picture. If you are looking to impress others with your piety, and you do so, then Jesus tells us, you have received your reward. When you pray, keep your eye on God, with no sideways glances at the folks around you to see if they’re properly impressed. I remember the first time I went to a men’s breakfast back in Citrus Heights. The guys there were on the average, twice my age. A man named Wally, who organized the breakfasts, asked me if I would be willing to open with prayer in a couple of minutes. I said I would, but inside I was in a sudden state of panic. I’m a Lutheran, I don’t pray out loud in front of other people when they’re not praying. Could/would I be eloquent and not stumble over my words in front of all these guys I respected? I realized that I’m not eloquent, that I couldn’t impress them, and that I certainly couldn’t impress God with my prayer, and I simply thanked God for the blessing of the food and companionship and said “amen.” And that’s all that was needed. So how about fasting? When it first started as a custom during Lent, people fasted all day and broke their fast during the evening. Then at mid-afternoon, then noon, and so on. It came to the point where it is now – giving up something for Lent. Looking at Jesus’ time, fasting was either usually a means of calling for God’s direct assistance, e.g., demons that could only be driven out by prayer and fasting, or as a religious act of piety. And here Jesus is referring to religious acts of piety. Not that there’s anything wrong with fasting, but looking like you’re fasting, looking gaunt with shadow on your faces so that once again others will be impressed by your piety, is fasting for the wrong reason. It’s kind of funny how often I’ve heard over the years that someone is going to give up sweets, beer, second helpings, dessert, the second (or third) martini, etc., for Lent. And it will help them lose weight. Which really becomes the overriding factor in this form of “fasting” or giving up something, sacrificing something for Lent. Which means it’s being done for the wrong reason. Let me suggest that instead of giving something up for Lent, that you do something else. Instead of giving something up, do something you don’t normally do. Get up a half hour earlier than normal every day during Lent and spend that time in prayer, meditation, reflecting upon the devotional written by our confirmation students. If you’re determined that you will give something up, then figure out the value of what it is you’re giving up and add that accumulated value to your offerings during Lent. So what are the treasures you’re storing up? Where is your heart? Let me suggest that if you haven’t done so, that you give your heart to God, to Jesus. Consider that in just a short time, you will hear those wonderful words “He is risen!” and you’ll respond with “He is risen indeed!” And in the resurrection, in the work that Jesus has done for you, for me, for us, for all who believe, there is truly a treasure! AMEN. Rev. Bruce Hannem, Associate Pastor
Lutheran Church of the Cross, Nisswa, Minnesota |
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