Trust in the mercy of God. Psalm 52:8

Proper 11, Yr C

There was a tough news cycle this week: the recession of funding for international food and medical aid programs along with the recession of funding for public TV and radio; the intensification of bombing in Ukraine by Russia in spite of the new sanctions threatened; the deportation of documented and undocumented people to African prisons where they will be held indefinitely in solitary confinement; the Israel Defense Force (IDF) bombed the only Roman Catholic Church in Gaza killing two women sheltering there and wounded the parish priest; and a 75% increase in Affordable Care Act health insurance premiums resulting from changes in the federal budget. Some of the bad news this week felt personal. Public TV and radio are news sources I rely on, I have family members who purchase health insurance through the ACA, and parents of youth Christ Church served dinner to this week are being detained and may be deported. These news reports might leave the impression that wickedness and tyranny have triumphed. Psalm 52 testifies to another reality. The reality that God vanquishes tyrants and vindicates victims. Verses 8 and 9 say,

I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever. I will give you thanks for what you have done and declare the goodness of your Name.

The psalmist made this claim and it has been preserved in Scripture because despair does not have to eradicate hope. Despair does not have to eradicate hope. The Psalmist remembered God’s saving actions. These recollections fueled the Psalmist’s conviction. If God righted wrongs, checked evil doers, and restored justice to the oppressed in the past, God could and would do the same in the future. In the past, God blessed patriarchs and matriarchs transforming their small families into great tribes. In the past, God heard the suffering of the tribes enslaved in Egypt and liberated them. In the past, God gave commandments and prophecies to develop the tribes into a nation. Whenever adversaries destroyed the lives and homes of believers, God preserved a remnant bringing some home and allowing others to prosper in new places. When hearing bad news overwhelms, when experiencing bad news victimizes we have a choice. We can choose to despair with hope (like the Psalmist) or we can choose to despair without hope.

In the Gospel lesson Mary despaired with hope while Martha despaired without hope. Martha was overwhelmed by the many tasks required to feed and shelter Jesus and the disciples. Jesus preached, taught and healed wherever the Spirit led him. This meant his arrival at the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus was unpredictable. Jesus never showed up alone. When Jesus sent the others ahead to the places he intended to visit, Jesus arrived at Martha, Mary and Lazarus’ home with only a handful of apostles. When the apostles, disciples, and others were with Jesus, Martha, Mary and Lazarus had to accommodate more than 20 guests. Today’s gospel lesson describes a visit when Jesus showed up with his whole crew.

Martha scurried to and fro much like the people in Amos’ prophecy. In Amos the people ran to and fro relying on their own wealth and wisdom in stead of turning to God. Martha scurried to and fro to secure and prepare food, borrow bedding, clean feet, mend sandals, and wash clothing for her guests. As she rushed around, Martha noticed Mary was not working. Mary was taking a break sitting with the men who were listening to Jesus. She was absorbed in what Jesus was saying she did not notice Martha signaling her, calling her, trying to get her back to work. The sight Mary doing nothing enraged Martha. Martha, like the children and grandchildren we know, marched over to Jesus. Boiling over with envy and anger at her sibling, Martha asked Jesus to tell Mary to get back to work. Jesus refused. Jesus refused not because food and shelter are less important matters. Jesus knew people could survive without food and shelter. Jesus knew well how essential rest and renewal were to effective ministry. Jesus refused because Martha because she allowed the bad news of 20 unexpected guests to distraction from the power and promise of God’s help. Martha allowed the experience of hosting 20 unexpected guests to overwhelm her to point of despair. Martha assumed she and her sister had to handle everything. Mary, on the other hand, had put things into perspective. Sure, there were a large number of guests, but Jesus (their friend and teach) was among the guests. Making time to be with Jesus needed to happen along with all the domestic chores. If the food and shelter Mary, Martha and Lazarus could provide was insufficient, they ask neighbors for help. If what they and their neighbors could offer was not enough, they could ask Jesus for help. After all, Jesus had turned water into wine, restored sight to the blind, and raised the dead. Martha responded to bad news by despairing without hope, despairing without God. Mary responded to the bad news of too many guests by despairing with hope, despairing with Jesus. In the words of Psalm 52, Mary trusted in God’s mercy and gave thanks. She gave thanks for Jesus and his whole crew.

When bad news takes place in the world, when bad news affects your family, when bad news impacts you, how do you respond? I have vivid memories of the first time I receive horrible news, I despaired. Like Martha and the people in Amos’ prophecy, I was tossed to and fro. The death of a close friend died in a car accident caused intense despair. A year later, when the fog of grief began to life and loss no longer immobilized, more bad news came. Another friend died. He committed suicide. My despair returned with greater intensity. I was hapless and hopeless. People around my looked out for me, cared for me and kept me busy. Their actions demonstrated God’s love and concern for me. From their actions I learned that while a particular source of love can end, love is eternal and available from other sources. In the 44 years since those overwhelming pieces of bad news, there have been others. Many, many other difficulties and disasters. When new pieces of bad news come, when new trauma are experienced, I remember. I remember how God cared for me in the past. How God loved through the people around me. I recall how God was with me in the valley of shadow of death in the final days of my father and mother’s lives. Remembering allows me to despair with hope, to despair with God. Despairing with God fosters trust. Trust in God, over time, can deepen our conviction that God can vanquish tyrants and vindicate victims. When bad news overwhelms you, when hardships renders you hapless and helpless you have a choice. Remember the how God helped and saved you in the past so that you can choose to despair with hope. Remember so that you speak as the Psalmist spoke saying, “I trust in the mercy of God… and give thanks for what God has done.” Psalm 53:8. Remember and do as I have done for you today, “declaring the goodness of God.” Psalm 53:9