Does anyone remember the radio personality Paul Harvey? He had several shows on the radio for many, many years. While Harvey was known as a conservative [by the standards of the 70’s and 80’s] talk show host he was also a historian, a collector of facts and trivia and information. I’m thinking today of the radio show he called
… and now the rest of the story
. In that show he covered extra interesting details of some historical event, giving … the rest of the story.
I thought of Paul Harvey and
the rest of story
while reading the Gospel assigned for this week, the 5
th
Sunday after the Epiphany. The words from Matthew for this Sunday are the rest of the story. The Sermon on the Mount continued. After Jesus declares that those within hearing; the poor, the meek, the suffering, the persecuted, are blessed, he continues with words that give a bit more direction about how the blessed might be … how they/we might believe who they/we are. L
et's not stop there ... how we are empowered to do/act/be in the world in ways that demonstrate, that reflect, that honor God's desire for us!
If we can hear and believe we are blessed by God for God, then we will shine, we will flavor all of life around us. Our light cannot be hidden, cannot be dimmed, cannot be extinguished. Our saltiness added to the soup of all life, for the life of all.
These qualities of salt and light are the life we have in knowing we are blessed as children of God. In recognizing we are God’s holy creation. Not idealized, not yet to come, right here, right now. That beloved is the rest of the story. The rest of the story with an ending we write ourselves, with God's help.
[Side note: There is a temptation here for triumphalism. That’s a word when used in churchy talk is talking about, or reflecting, an attitude that what we believe and practice is superior to and should triumph over all other ways of believing and practicing. That’s not the point, although for centuries this is how this very passage of scripture has often been interpreted. For reference read John Winthrop’s address to the pilgrims departing England in 1660 ‘A Shining City on a Hill’ or later Johnathon Edwards sermon, ‘Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God’ or today many of those who believe we are a nation called to be the new Jerusalem. Not as a light to bring people out of darkness or extend mercy and grace but to impose doctrine over others, using religion and belief as a new oppressor, and attempting to establish a hierarchy of privilege in the kingdom of God. It is often tied to economics and politics and policy in ways that are harmful, damaging and destructive.]
So, I mean the shining light in the sense of promise of opportunity, of hope, that’s God great love for all people will prevail over the systems that seek to destroy it, and as we can fully accept and honor that love, we too reflect that light. Not over and against some else’s’ light and salt, never.
This week could we consider what is your salt, what is our light? And for our parish, this earthly collection of containers of salt and light, what light can we shine into the world, what flavor might we add?
So many ways …
Shine on beloved, it is God’s amazing intention for each of us and the beginning of the rest of the story.
Rev. Alison +
