The Diocese of East Tennessee
Sermons

Sept. 24, 2000
Pentecost XV
Delivered at St. Michael's, Knoxville

Sermon: "Welcome the Least of These"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

About two thousand years ago, people lived in great expectation. Many believed that a Messiah, a savior, a man sent from God, soon would come to the earth. And so, people watched for him. They looked for leaders of armies, men who excelled in demonstrating authority over others. And they looked for political leaders, men who lived to control the destinies of people and of nations.

But men and women expecting such a messiah overlooked a stable and a manger. They disregarded a poor family who had to spend the night with animals - the night that a child was born. People were looking for a messiah - but they looked in all the wrong places.

When the stable child grew up, he traveled around the countryside with a rather motley crew. His little group did not have much to eat. At night, they usually did not have a place to stay. They often lived off the good will and the generosity and the pity of others.

One day the leader of this group - the man born in a stable - called his followers together. He presented to them a picture of the world turned upside down. "Jesus sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, 'Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.'"

Now, in fact, those words probably were encouraging to Jesus' followers. After all, these people could relate to the idea of being the last of all in society. And thus, images of the last becoming first and of the servant being most important probably were quite appealing to them. In our day, we need to recognize that Jesus and his disciples definitely did not represent the established people of that day. Quite the contrary.

For us, however, we need to acknowledge that these words of Jesus are frightening. They do turn the world upside down. Traits and characteristics and attributes valued by this world - and by us - suddenly become value-less in Jesus' terms. And if we consider that prospect carefully and if we examine the consequences honestly, we will admit that the picture of a wold turned upside down is frightening indeed.

As a way to understand this, I want to share with you some words from a seminary professor of mine - words that have haunted me ever since he uttered them. He made this observation: "God will judge each society through the eyes of its poorest, most unfortunate member." That is beyond frightening. It is downright scary. And, yet, I commend that haunting thought to you. "God will judge each society through the eyes of its poorest, most unfortunate member."

In the Gospel reading, Jesus goes on to say some things about children - about being receptive to children and welcoming them. Such a subject may seem out of place and inconsistent with the topic just considered - that is, about being one of the least important people in society and about becoming a servant.

Actually, though, these words about children follow the same theme. In the society of Jesus' day, children were of little value. They certainly were not productive citizens. They were of no use to their parents. They only represented additional responsibilities and burdens. Thus, childhood had to be endured - by children and parents alike - so that the time of value in life could follow.

I remember well my experience in Haiti in this regard. Birth control was much needed in poor Haitian villages, among people with too little food. However, for the poor in rural Haiti, children meant something beyond a demanding new life, and another mouth to feed, and another body to care for. Each child represented the possibility that one member of the family might make it … that someone might find a good job and build a nice house and move the family into a better life. By reckoning of the rural Haitian poor, each new child increased the odds that one would be economically successful. But in the meantime, each child drove the family deeper into poverty.

For Jesus' society - like that in Haiti - children represented additional burdens. Perhaps one day they would amount to something else … but that would be later, if at all. As a child, the little one was burdensome and valueless.

But Jesus says, "Welcome this child" - not this cute little thing, but this burden, this lowest one in society - "welcome this child, and you welcome me." "I identify with those who are called the least in this world." "Look deep into the eyes of the poor and the homeless and the mentally ill, and you will see me staring back at you."

"God will judge each society through the eyes of its poorest, most unfortunate member." Indeed, those are the eyes of Christ himself.

Therefore, we appropriately pray, "Lord have mercy on us!" Open our eyes to see you in the face and the life of our brothers and sisters living in poverty. Open our ears to hear the possibility that the least valued people in our world may be the continuing incarnation of Jesus Christ. And then, open our hearts to receive them, for as we receive the least of these, we also receive you. Amen.

Copyright © 2000 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee