judgment – Holy Cross Episcopal Church

Pentecost 12 August 15, 2010

Jeremiah 23:23-29Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Luke 12:49-56Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Our friend Bishop Walmsley is off at Grace Church, East Concord this morning, filling in for Fr. Wells whoâ€™s on vacation. I overheard the Bishop last Sunday at coffee hour grumbling (nicely, of course) about having to preach on the gospel weâ€™ve been given this morning. â€œItâ€™s that passage about Jesus dividing families,â€ he said. â€œWho wants to talk about that?â€ And I feel the same way. A beautiful summer day; who wants to hear about divisions in families or bringing fire to the earth? But here we are: the Lord is speaking to us and we must listen. This is holy ground.

Amos 5:6-7, 10-15Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Hebrews 4:12-16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Mark 10:17-31

This is the story of three people. Theyâ€™re at the age where suddenly they realize theyâ€™re not kids any more, they canâ€™t use the excuse that theyâ€™re still growing up, finding themselves. Itâ€™s that point where we say to ourselves, my life isnâ€™t infinite, I need to settle down, set myself to something meaningful. For some people that time comes in their twenties; for some, in their thirties; for some itâ€™s later on â€“ for me it was almost 40. It can be any age. For some people, well, it seems never to come.