Today we reflect on the life and death of HM Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022).

Both of today’s readings give us a lecture on table manners. Proverbs 25:6-7 reminds us to be humble and not assume a status greater than we have. But it still holds out the hope that our humility will be rewarded. It looks as though Jesus, in Luke 14:1, 7-14, is just repeating this advice, but then he begins to talk about reciprocity. Human relations are built on the idea of reciprocity: I give to you and you will, in turn, give back to me; I invite you to dinner, you invite me to dinner. Instead Jesus tells us to give without expecting reciprocity: none of us are capable of reciprocating what God offers us. In the kingdom of God none of us are hosts, we are all guests. We are invited to share that divine hospitality without favour.

Image copyright: Jan Richardson, The Painted Prayerbook

In today’s gospel, Luke 13:10-17, Jesus heals a woman who has been bent over and bowed down. The faith community are not happy with him because he healed her on the Sabbath. The Sabbath, Isaiah 58:9b-14 reminds us, is a day in which to delight in the Lord and the freedom we have received. For Christ, freedom is something we share: I cannot be truly free if you are not also free; injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere. Christ points out, as Isaiah does, that we are often responsible for the burdens of others, and invites us all to be agents who share in the unbinding of others.

No easy summer reading for us this week. The prophet, Jeremiah (Jeremiah 23:23-29), and Jesus, (Luke 12:49-56), both promise us fire and division. This is not Christ, the bringer of peace, that we are used to. This feels like a much more Old Testament Christ, sending down the fire of punishment. The conflict that Jesus warns of is not, however, a punishment; he is merely describing the reality of a world in which some have power and prosperity and some do not. In such a world crisis (the baptism of fire which Jesus speaks of) reveals already existing divisions. Sadly, it often takes the fire of race riots to reveal the divisions of racism. It takes the crisis of refugees risking their lives on small boats and washing up on our shores to reveal the injustice of our immigration policies. The fire offered in this morning’s readings is a fire that reveals injustice, that offers us a chance to burn down existing inequalities. Yes, it is fire that destroys but also a fire that transforms.

Is enough ever enough?

In this week’s texts Abraham has been promised everything (Genesis 15:1-6), and Jesus’ followers have been promised the kingdom (Luke 12:32-40). But still they are behaving as if they do not have enough.They are acting out of a fear of scarcity.

In the midst of a cost of living crisis it is easy to do the same. But the advice given by God is “stop counting, start living”. The image of the thief in the night may seem like scaremongering, but it is really the opposite. Like the parable of the rich fool in last week’s gospel, its message is that all we need is right here before us.

Fear makes us look inward. To look outward we require both hope and trust.

Do we believe that life is about more than mere security? Can we risk behaving as if a different life is possible?

My word, how miserable are the characters in both our readings today! They are both successful, wealthy men, yet one, Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-23, bemoans the fact that others will benefit from his prosperity, and the other, Luke 12:13-21, the man who has been obsessed with hoarding his bounty, drops dead before enjoying any of it (exactly what the character in Ecclesiastes is afraid of!). The readings are NOT peddling the line that “money is the root of all evil”, but rather asking us what the point of plenty is. What is money for? Are our riches, talents and resources a source of anxiety or are they the way of bringing blessing and life to ourselves and others?

This week’s readings are both about prayer, or more accurately, our relationship with God. In Genesis 18:20-32 Abraham has an extraordinary exchange in which he argues with God about the nature of God’s justice; surely God would not punish the innocent for the actions of the guilty? Whereas in Luke 11:1-13 Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. It is striking that in both passages the purpose of prayer is seen as advocacy on behalf of others: Abraham negotiating for the life of the inhabitants of Sodom, and in Luke the example of the ideal prayer of someone petitioning a neighbour for help in fulfilling the needs of a visitor. In neither case is the prayer a list of demands or requests. Prayer at heart is a relationship of trust. A relationship which changes us rather than God. If our prayers shape and form us into the likeness of Christ they will change us into a people whose deepest desire is the well-being of those in need.

Today’s readings both concern the role of those who serve, those whose unseen and unsung labours keep the world turning.

Our Old Testament reading, Genesis 18:1-10, is known as the “hospitality of Abraham”, but Abraham does precious little to provide for his guests. It is his elderly wife and unnamed servants who do all the work whilst Abraham is served with his guests. Sarah does not eat or sit with the guests; she does not even enter the tent. In contrast, in Luke 10:38-42, Mary sits at Jesus’ feet alongside the male disciples. What is also significant is that Martha, unlike Sarah, is given a voice. She can raise her concerns about the injustice of her role. 

In our lives we are provoked to ponder who is listening to the voices of those whose essential work is often unseen and unsung? Who is inviting them into the conversation to make decisions about how our world and our future could be shaped?