Matthew 10:37-42
When I was growing up in Montana, my models were all the strong silent types who never asked anything from anybody. You’ve probably watched a few of those old western movies. That was really the way men behaved in public. As I learned later, not so much in private. But that attitude stuck with me most of my life. I didn't accept help from other people unless I had no other choice. But I guess God is trying to tell me something as I get older and begin to notice unwelcome changes in my ability to walk and notice the loss of strength and stamina. The other day I nearly toppled over when I got up from a chair and had to grab my daughter’s arm to steady myself.
The gospel we heard today contains instructions Jesus gave to his disciples as he sends them out on mission. You may remember he told them not to take extra clothing or money; they were to be dependent on the people to whom they were sent. Think about that. The disciples were without resources and totally dependent on strangers. And Jesus promises that those who receive them receive Jesus and by extension, the Father. He goes on to elaborate that those who extend hospitality to someone who is on mission share in the reward for the missionary. And he reminds them that even when a cup of water is offered to a “little one" for his sake, that person will receive his reward.
As I read this section of the gospel, I think it’s telling us something about God the Father. As the scriptures tell us elsewhere God loves his creation; he cares for the plants growing in the field, the birds of the air; he sends the rain to fall on the good as well as the bad. Every time Israel disobeyed him, they ended up in trouble; and time and time again he rescued them. Sometimes we think of God as arbitrary, or at least not constrained in any way. Yet we see by these words of Jesus as well as many other examples, that God acts in predictable ways; he binds himself, so to speak. And the speech about rewards for receiving others is part of that predictability. If we give a drink of water to one of these little ones in his name, we will certainly not lose our reward.
So think about that. If you give five dollars to help a missionary, you will receive the reward God gives to the missionary. And by extension, you share in the reward God gives for all those who do his work when you support their work. Now it’s a good thing to support people doing God’s work, and we shouldn’t be doing this to get rewarded. Nevertheless God promises that we will be rewarded; he will act in a predictable way, either in this life or the next.
I think that gives a way to see those first statements -- who loves mother or father more than me is not worthy of me, and so forth. Our goal as Christians is to become other Christs. Jesus certainly demonstrated in his life that he loved people. When he wept at Lazarus’ tomb before raising him up, the bystanders said, “see how much he loved him”. Every time Jesus healed someone he was demonstrating God’s love for that person. The first epistle of John tells us outright that God is love, not that God loves. So to become another Christ is to love like Jesus loved, and love others because we see Jesus in them.
One of the things we see about Jesus is that he wasn’t the strong silent type who wouldn’t take help from anyone. He sends disciples out on mission -- we read about him sending out the twelve, and later, 72 of his followers, and he still sends them out. Jesus fed the crowds in the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fishes; and he washed the disciples' feet; and he fixed them breakfast on the shore of the lake. Jesus offered hospitality. But he received hospitality as well. He accepted being waited upon by Peter’s mother in law. He took advantage of the hospitality offered by Martha and her family, and by Simon the Pharisee, and by the two traveling on the road to Emmaus. By his example he tells us to give to each other and receive from each other. How would the world be if you and I took his example to heart. Visitors to our parish would be welcomed, not ignored or avoided. The clerk in the grocery store would be noticed and be thanked for her service. Like Jesus we would see, really see, the presence of God in the people we encounter, because we love Jesus and want to honor him wherever we find him.
Jesus really wants a change in our hearts. And it’s not easy. It requires you and I to develop new habits, and that’s very difficult, that’s the cross we have to take up to follow him. And in my own case, it’s very hard to let go of my self-image as that old western stereotype, the strong, silent type. But as my body begins to fall apart, God is helping me to change that self-image, to realize that I am dependent on others and will be more so as time goes on. I try to love as Jesus loved; but can I learn to accept the love of others as well?
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