Sermons by Rev. Jason S. Glombicki (Page 23)

Today’s gospel started with Jesus’ frustration about the negative response to his teaching. He mentioned that, historically-speaking, some had problems with John the Baptist because he was too demanding. On the other hand, some were frustrated that Jesus was too welcoming. Jesus identified the human truth that sometimes nothing will make us happy. On a simplistic level, we experience it on a hot summer day, when we long for snow; but, in the middle of February, we, then, wish for the hot sun. And this discontentment permeates our lives. During the pandemic, we were frustrated being locked down, and we are equally unhappy when we can emerge but now it’s with a mask. Then, in responding to racial inequality, taking a knee was wrong, and peaceful protesting was wrong, and disruptive protesting was wrong too. Sometimes, we, as humans, are never happy no matter the situation. And, frequently, these disgruntled responses come from our discomfort. Our discomfort in wearing a mask, our awkwardness in responding to racism and oppression, and, in today’s reading, our unease with the true essence of our God…

Last week, Jesus sent the disciples with the authority to cast out all that which separates us from God’s vision, and today’s reading was a part of that sending. And the location of today’s episode is really important because Jesus shared hard truths about enacting God’s vision­­–namely that those who do will be called names and accused of wrong-doing, they will have their bodies threatened, and they will feel useless and devalued. And Jesus went on to articulate that God’s vision, or to say it another way, God’s kingdom, will produce division- namely, that we will find those closest to us against God’s vision and our enemies more supportive…

“When [Jesus] had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” (John 20:22) Christ’s statement stands in sharp contrast to what we’ve heard this week. The world does not echo Christ’s vision, but rather, we heard the pleas, the gasps, and the belabored words saying, “I can’t breathe.” Parker J. Palmer reminds us that these words are the words that give voice to the terror that has haunted black Americans since the founding of this country. “I can’t breathe” were the dying words of George Floyd as a police officer kept a knee on his neck until his body lay lifeless. “I can’t breathe” might have been the dying words of over 100,000 victims of COVID-19 in America. Yet, into a gasping world, Jesus breathed on them and said “receive the Holy Spirit…”