LET US FACE IT!

 

Let Us Face It!

by Japhet Estorque

Theme: Working Towards Inclusive Ministry/Lenten Season/Ash Wednesday

Text: Matthew 4:1-11

Prayer                               

To the word that became flesh

Where the reign of God reveals

Stir our hearts and minds

To listen and be transformed by your grace that abounds. Amen.

Introduction

 

            Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening to all who are joining our worship service today. We are now celebrating Ash Wednesday as we start the Lenten Season. At this point in time, we are reminded to set the mood for self-introspection, penance, fasting, and abstinence. On the other hand, as well the Divinity School is also observing the theme, “Working towards Inclusive Ministry” as we trod going to its centennial celebration.

            But let me say this first, finally! I was assigned now to deliver a sermon in one of the services of the Divinity School, it is a privilege and to a certain extent a farewell to the institution that molded me holistically; where I was able to think critically, without forgetting to be sensitive in all dimensions of life, and applying the theories into a praxis. 

            Now, as we observe the season of Lent and continue to become grateful in celebrating the 100 years of God’s faithfulness to this institution who molded church workers across islands, the continuing challenge to face every circumstance is always present. We are called to face the reality in our midst. Our situation today challenges us to find new ways, so we say bring it on, let us face it!

            Let us face conversations. After the entire offer, Jesus is certain about his purpose. The tempter was not able to convince Jesus and so after that exchanged of conversation the tempter left Jesus in the wilderness, and then the angels came.

What is so interesting about this passage is the fact that Jesus engages in conversation. A kind of conversation where the tempter gives a good offer but Jesus as well offers the best option. Basically, the tempter did not succeed and welcomes us to view the passage as continuing theological wrestling of the things that are important in the ministry.

In my seminary life one of the things that will always stay, is the importance of discourse and conversation. We are encouraged to speak and express ourselves and in this manner, we can better look for good reflections. This training also was helpful during my internship. I understand the church by constant communication and listening to the members. Through our conversation, we are not opening our vulnerabilities but also discover the sacred stories of each person with whom we are talking with.

As our passage highlighted the act of conversation with Jesus and the tempter, along with in our journey as church workers we must not forget that conversation is sometimes the key in the ministry. We will meet people with different stories, concerns, backgrounds, and testimony of faith. That is why it is important to always mindful of our communication in this vocation. In this manner, we will be able to know the appropriate actions and the best options for the problem.

Sadly, in our present administration, they find it difficult to settle issues in a conversation as they always cancel the Peace-Talks. We have heard of people who are gunned and killed as they continue to oppose the present status quo. For example, the latest killing here in Bohol is the case of Lucresia Tasic a barangay councilor that was gunned inside her own house yesterday.

In this gospel, we are reminded that issues can be reconciled if both parties are being able to express their sentiments and start building forgiveness. Through conversations, we will be able to identify those we want to change and those we commit to fast. In doing this, let us face the things we need to fast.

 I chose Matthew’s gospel in my sermon today because he is so detailed about Jesus’ preparation before the ministry in Galilee. Among the two gospels (Mark and Luke) only the gospel writer of Matthew highlights the “temptation of Jesus” leading us into a kind of affirmation that the gospel writer of Matthew was portraying Jesus as the second Moses with a strong connection to the Jewish custom when it gives emphasis to the fasting.

As Jesus was brought into the wilderness to be tempted, after forty days and forty nights of his fasting, he was hungry. This verse would help us to understand the situation of Jesus during that time. The gospel writer brings us to an interesting confrontation between Jesus and the tempter. However, I want to understand this act as Jesus' faithfulness to God- the one who sent him. He dedicates his life to fulfill the kin-dom of God. In this way, we can see a paradigm shift of the typical fasting in the Jewish practice. Jesus’ way of fasting is confrontational as Jesus keeps responding to the tempter. Basically, Jesus knows why he fasts, and to whom these all about.

In observing the season of lent let us evaluate ourselves in facing together the necessary things that we need to fast. We may abstain from material things that hinder our relationship with God but most of all let us not forget a new way of understanding the reason why we do fasting. As Jesus confronted his own temptations, it serves as an invitation to explore the real fasting in the face of our society and from within. As what Prophet Isaiah puts it, the real fast is to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the homeless poor into your house, and to cover those you see naked (58: 6-8).

From this gospel account of Matthew, Jesus is setting out already the kind of mission that he is about to do. The best way to show our fasting is to be able to condemn injustices in our society today. To fast from being too self-centered to listening from others, to fast from being proud to be humble, to fast from being unwelcoming to have an open-wide arm, to fast from unfair treatment to giving everyone an opportunity to shine, and to fast from condemning one’s race, gender, and status to a more loving and inclusive society. This encourages us to know our context where we are not just encouraged to repent but also to resist oppression, and denouncing all the injustices at present. As we do this let us face resistance.

Going back to the scripture Jesus shows us during the confrontation that the tempter is attacking the weaknesses of Jesus. If Jesus is hungry so why not turn the stones into bread? If he is the son of God then why not go down from the pinnacle, and why not kneel down and prostrate before the tempter to own all the cities? All these concerns were able to confront by Jesus. He recognized and faces it without hesitation and with a strong conviction exercising his familiarity with the scripture.

The more I explore this text I am imagining Jesus who knows his own social location. Jesus here is grounded as the writer emphasized his weaknesses. Nevertheless, these weaknesses do not hinder him and are overcome by it. He overcomes it as manifested in the way he responded to every offer. We can see a clearer picture of resistance to what the tempter offers to Jesus.

In this passage, we can say the importance of resistance. Jesus' way of confronting the tempter as it attacks his weaknesses is through resisting all the demands. This active resistance of Jesus may lead us to reflect on why Jesus resisted it? And the answer would be in the whole gospel which means that we are taught by this experience of Jesus that the kin-dom of God is not just about comfortability and power but also faithfulness and the willingness to sacrifice oneself.

We all have weaknesses and that is the fact. But how are we coping with it? We came here to the Divinity School with our weaknesses and we are aware of that. But it does not stop us! We continue and overcome through resisting any circumstances that may stop us from fulfilling our calling. We open our laptops in this new normal though our eyes are aching, we patiently wait for us to go back to the meetings when our internet connection is challenging us, we motivate ourselves though there are times we do not want to continue and for my batch mates, we decided to enroll hoping to see each other again. This is our own way of resistance as we are in these abnormal times. We did not let our faith and calling be overcome by this situation but we find a fresh perspective on how to figure out things.

In our society may this resistance be present. With all the pressing issues that are obviously attacking our faith, let us resist being conformed to the pattern of this world as Paul would say in Romans 12:2. There are obviously abuses of power as the passing of the Anti-Terror law, there are no strategic plans in responding to our present health crisis, and there are laws that have been passed to redirect people’s attention in knowing the real problem of our society. If we will not resist with it, we are not just the one who is at stake but also more and more people will suffer. And when that happens, let us post for a while and ask ourselves about our prophetic ministry─ our faith.

Conclusion                                                                                                        

            In this Lenten season let us face it! Let us face conversations from the people around us and even from within through self-introspection. Let us face those things that we want to fast without forgetting the least, the last, and the lost. And let us face resistance in affirming our prophetic call.

Surely, I will always be grateful to this institution because for 6 years this place became my comfort zone, my Penuel where I wrestle with my calling and leads me to the rivers of Babylon as I recognized the need for us to struggle, and be with the least, the last, and the lost.

Let me take this opportunity to thank all the faculty and staff that became part of my spiritual journey here in the seminary. To all the students whom I met please know that memories count. And to this batch, we’ve been through a lot, we laugh, we cry as one, we eat, we look for the latest dance craze, we sing, and sometimes we fight among ourselves but all of these became now part of our journey. Though the sun hides from us because we are not given the chance to meet face to face yet our link is forever.

Thus, let us face the ray of hope in this time. Let us continue to face the realities of life. And let us face the ministry with dedication and passion. We may take a nap for a while along the journey but may we continue to face life’s challenges and grow wherever we are planted.

 

 (This was delivered during the Virtual Chapel Service held February 17, 2021 via ZOOM and Facebook Live to mark Ash Wednesday - the first day of the Lenten Season.)