Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 14, August 10, 2025: Isaiah 1:1, 10-20; Psalm 50:1-8, 23-24; Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16; Luke 12:32-40
This is a week where the readings should be read in reverse order. Jesus is telling us to be ready for the second coming, to store up treasures in heaven. Paul reminds us of the power of faith. And Isaiah tells us what the Lord expects of us.
In the reading from Luke we have a continuation of last week’s concerns: after reminding us to be rich towards God, Jesus tells his followers to “sell your possessions and give alms“. In doing this, we make “purses that do not wear out”, “treasure in heaven“. For, Jesus reminds us, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also“. So, to be ready for the Son of Man, we are to turn away from worldly desires and see the heavenly.
There’s some disagreement about when the letter to the Hebrews was written, probably around 64 CE, but possibly as late as 100. By the time the it was written, at least thirty years (and maybe more) had passed since the crucifixion of Jesus, so waiting for the Son of Man has become a bit of a problem: there is only so long you can sit and wait for the second coming. What are you supposed to do? You cannot be certain when the Son of Man is coming. You can’t really be certain of anything. I was recently reminded by a post on Facebook that the opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty. In the absence of certainty, faith is what we live by. Thus the letter’s litany of those who have lived in faith, with no knowledge of what was to come. Abraham lived with his faith in the messages he received from the Lord, but the promise, of descendants “as many as the stars of heaven” was not one he saw fulfilled in his lifetime. It is worth remembering that our uncertainty about the end times that Jesus promised over 2000 years ago is one that has been shared by Christians ever since!
The reading from Isaiah is for me the final piece of the puzzle. In his vision, the Lord tells him he is tired of all the ritual observances of the people of Judah. The Lord does not want any more burnt offerings, or solemn assemblies. The people need to “wash [themselves] clean”.
Cease to do evil, learn to do good;
Seek justice, rescue the oppressed,
Defend the orphan, plead for the widow.
Isaiah is clear: when the people do this, “though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow”. And more: “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword”.
Jesus told his followers that they would never know when the Son of Man was coming. For over 2000 years, Jesus’ followers have struggled with the promise of the second coming and its apparently endless delay. What do we do while we are waiting? We can’t just twiddle our thumbs. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that the faithful have often lived without seeing the promised end of the story. We are not alone. But Isaiah tells us how to live. If we live as Isaiah says, we will be ready. So now we just need to do it.
Seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.
Amen.
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