The Gospel for December 11, 2004
Luke 22:31-38
‘Simon, Simon! Look, Satan has got his wish to sift you all like wheat; but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, and once you have recovered, you in your turn must strengthen your brothers.’ ‘Lord,’ he answered, ‘I would be ready to go to prison with you, and to death.’ Jesus replied, ‘I tell you, Peter, by the time the cock crows today you will have denied three times that you know me.’ He said to them, ‘When I sent you out without purse or haversack or sandals, were you short of anything?’ ‘No, nothing,’ they said. He said to them, ‘But now if you have a purse, take it, and the same with a haversack; if you have no sword, sell your cloak and buy one, because I tell you these words of scripture are destined to be fulfilled in me: He was counted as one of the rebellious. Yes, what it says about me is even now reaching its fulfilment.’ They said, ‘Lord, here are two swords.’ He said to them, ‘That is enough!’ -- The New Jerusalem Bible. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1995, c1985
A Study
This text emphasizes that even Peter -- appointed by Jesus to be the first leader of the Church -- could be weak. Although brave enough later to follow Jesus into the courtyard, he would lose his resolve when the going got tough. But Jesus had prayed that no matter how hard the evil one chose to shake ("sift") the eleven and their followers, Peter would come back from his momentary faithlessness to lead them.
And then speaking to all the disciples, Jesus tells them that it's going to get a lot tougher for them. Trying to make a point, he tells them that they're going to need as much help as they can garner, and that they will have to be in a position to defend themselves.
But the passage about swords is a bit over the top. Surely Jesus was speaking metaphorically as he often did, and when the eager group produced two swords, he was not saying that they had a sufficient quantity, but that they had misunderstood him. He was being dismissive, not counting the swords!
A Reflection
Even Peter, the stubborn, bull-headed one in the group, lost his resolve in the face of the fully-arrayed religious establishment. And this was before Rome got involved as the civil authority. They were about to face the temple rulers at a time when being a religious authority conveyed a very large portion of real power.
Very few, if any of us, will ever confront a religious establishment such as it was then. Aside from certain Muslim countries where Sharia law still prevails (and perhaps in Vatican City), there's not a parallel today. Thanks be to God!
For the first few centuries that Christianity existed, there was no "easy sledding." Today's popular religion was then almost a secret cult, and membership was, for many, a free ticket to the gallows.
The danger of going to church today is almost exclusively tied up in traffic accidents. Then, it could mean torture and death. Today, our worst experience is likely to be a bad sermon and dishwater-coffee after the service.
What, then, should we change about our religious practices now that it's safe to practice them? The early Christians and we share the same commandments; should we be doing something different without the threat of martyrdom hanging over us every second?
A Collect
Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon those who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives as seekers of justice and mercy for all your children. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of your world; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
8:48:05 PM 
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