Pr24C Track 1 Jeremiah 31:27-34, 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5, Luke 18:1-8
In an emergency there are special rules. “Drop, cover and hold on,” (earthquake.) “Get out, stay out, call for help,” (fire.) “Run, hide, fight,” (active shooter.)
In the chapter before this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus tried to prepare his disciples for the dangers they would face when they reached Jerusalem. In Luke 17, Jesus reminds the disciples of the special rules: basically, hold on to faith in God and in one another.
In the next chapter, this Sunday’s gospel, he adds “pray always.”
An argument can be made that Jesus always felt the urgency of the moment.1 Maybe because he saw himself as an apocalyptic figure – the “Son of Man.”2 Or maybe because he spent time with people for whom everyday life was an emergency. When there is illness, poverty or injustice, that’s what everyday life becomes -- one emergency after another.
The ideology that gave the world apartheid, the KKK, the Dred Scott decision, and concentration and death camps is now at the helm of our federal government. We don’t always know how to stop it or protect those being targeted.3 But by staying present and aware, we can push back against the lie that “those people” do not matter. They do. We do. That is the truth.
“Pray always” is part of the gospel version of emergency preparedness. We can pray for whatever it is we need to stay present, aware and willing to speak the truth. Jesus says that our persistence will get us what we need. That’s powerful.
Peace.
Luke 4:18-21. “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
The universe of possible meanings of “son of man” is well-summarized in this Wikipedia entry. After taking into account context and the three languages in which the term appears, (Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic), scholars agree that it’s hard to say exactly what the term meant to Jesus or to early Christians.
In the first reading, Jeremiah says God has a plan. God will put God’s law into human hearts. No more worries about not understanding what is required by the law. God’s people will just know. It’s an extravagant promise made by a God who is committed to making the covenant relationship work. I’d say it’s a promise fulfilled. Most of us do know what is just, loving and merciful, even if we do not always know what we must do to make those things happen.