Trinity Parish Church - 3rd Sunday after Pentecost - June 17, 2007
Luke 7:36-50
The Rev. Rachel Endicott

Little did you know that this morning you'd be participating in a game show sermon-time...  But so you are! 

The category is musical hits.  And don't worry, I won't be singing!  When you know the answer, please put your hand up.  What was the title of a single produced in March of 1963?  (By the way, the year that I was born, so I don't remember this personally, though do know the song.)  The performer was an American turned Canadian Rock and Roller Ronnie Hawkins?  The lyrics of the song start out, "I walked 47 miles of barbed wire, used a gopher snake for a neck tie..."  Any one know yet?  The words continue, "got a brand new house on the roadside, made of rattlesnake hide, I got a brand new chimney made on top, made from a human skull, now come on baby, let's take a little walk and tell me ...  Who do you love?"

And this is the question this week to which I keep returning, the question as posed by Ronnie Hawkins in his hit song, "Who do you love?" and the related question that Jesus asks Simon about the two debtors, "Now which one of them will love him more?"

And the question of love is a big one.  The Bible - as a wonderful compilation of literature as well as the story of God and God's people - has a lot about love.  Included in this collection of writings, we find the love of individuals for one another.  We find that love demonstrated within communities.  We find that love demonstrated between individuals through friendships as well as in intimate ways.  We find Jesus' love for those he cured.  We find Jesus' love for us, demonstrated through his crucifixion and resurrection.

And we find the question posed to us as well as to Simon the Pharisee, "Now which one of them will love him more?"

In the children's program here as I would think at most churches, we emphasize God's love for us.  We share stories that are about God's love...people being breathed into life during God's process of creation, the Good Samaritan, and the Prodigal son.  And so we should do this for both children and adults, provide clear reminders that God loves us whether we're good or bad, naughty or nice.

But the flip side of this discussion of love, is our response to it.  As those who continuously lean on God's forgiveness and grace, what is our response?  Do we indeed love God?  Do we love God with our whole heart?  Do we respond to others with that same kind of joyously unbounded love that the woman showed to Jesus?  Do we take our sense of self-worth and translate it into some sort of display of love?

Do we love God with the same amount of enthusiasm that we would as if indeed someone paid off the most pressing debt we have?  For those who own houses, what if one day you sent in your mortgage payment only to have them send it back because the mortgage in full had been paid off?  What about if your car loan was wiped out?  What about those student loans you're still paying off?  What about that unexpected medical bill?

Now the woman in the Gospel narrative translates her realization of Jesus' love and acceptance into an extravagant show of love.  She spends big bucks to douse his feet with costly ointment.  But it's not simply money she gives, but of herself - her tears and using her hair as a cloth.

While we here today don't have access to Jesus lying at table, we can respond to God's love in other ways.  Do you remember a few years ago when it seemed that every other car had a bumper sticker that said something about "Random acts of kindness"?  Have you ever tried it?  I've heard about folks who've indeed made anonymous payments on behalf of people.  I've heard about folks who've paid the tolls of the folks behind them on the ferries.  I've heard about folks who've given scholarships to people they didn't even know.  We can certainly love God and love our neighbor as ourselves by passing along the blessings and love we have received in random or non-random acts of kindness.

But I would encourage you to think further than simply about random acts of kindness.  To whom are we told that God shows partiality?  God shows partiality to the poor and outcast.  God shows partiality to those most in need of love and support.  It's from this biblical perspective that I have found my way to support the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs for short).  The Millenium Development Goals are an interlocking series of 8 goals.  They start with reducing extreme poverty, by that the U.N. means those who love on less than $1 per day. They also include providing and funding education for boys and more often girls who are currently denied access to basic education.  A third area for focus is the fight against HIV/AIDS and those with other diseases that are a plague in areas of the world.  So, the question individually, as a vestry, and as a church congregation simply becomes how do we support these goals?

As a community, we parallel these world-wide efforts with the needs of our immediate community.  We provide clothing to those who need it.  Anyone working in the church office regularly hears regularly from those to whom we give out vouchers how thankful they are that they can clothes other than the ones they have on their backs.  We also help Northwest Harvest feed those who, while many live on more than a dollar a day, short-term or long-term these folks don't have the resources to make ends meet.

Now, just down the hill from my home, there's a Congregational Church.  For the past several days, the reader board outside has said, "Love: Apply liberally," I'm sure the pastor had it put up in reference to the Gospel lesson we have today.  And yes, while it did sound a bit like directions on a bottle of sunscreen, I thought it was a good reminder to us to love others often and with great gusto.

As we think about how we can love others, let's not forget today's questions, "Who do you love?" and "Which one of these will love him more?"   We love others as a heartfelt response to the God who so loves us.

And lest you think I've forgotten our game show format...I' haven't.  Our wonderful departing winning contestant today will not leave empty handed.  Sorry to say that the big advertising dollars didn't pan out for today, but I do have a small thank you gift for playing on the show...  Read ... and enjoy!

And for all of you "silent" contestants in today's game show, I send you home with the knowledge that God loves you more than you can know.  God loves you with all the pride of a parent.  God loves you in spite of yourself in those areas where sin has crept into your life.  Reciprocate that love to God.  Live out that love in your interactions with your neighbor.

Don't forget...your debts (your sins small or large) are forgiven.  With that in mind, now "who do you love?"