Signs of Being on God’s Path

As we approach the final weeks of the season of Pentecost and begin to plan for Advent and Christmas, Holy Scripture continues to remind us that keeping focus on God and following God’s ways as revealed by the Holy Spirit is hard work, and always has been. God’s people keep getting seduced by power and distracted by worldly values. Today both Isaiah and Matthew tell us the consequences of staying that way. 

The image used by both Isaiah and Matthew is the grapevine. Everybody in biblical times understood the vine as a metaphor for God; the branches represented God’s people; and the quality of the grapes was determined by people’s actions.

Isaiah lamented the wild grapes that manifested injustice and bloodshed. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus picks up this image in another parable that exposes the abuse of power and divine gifts by their religious leaders. Both Jesus and Isaiah were not condemning good people who aren’t always doing the right thing; they were condemning people who knew better but carefully cultivated selfish gain to the extreme, abusing others with their power. That should give us some pause for gratitude; God takes vengeance on those who deliberately and persistently reject God, and continues to give mercy and grace by the power of the Holy Spirit to those who seek God’s will and way.

As Jesus foretells his own fate at the hand of the powers, he reminds them that the work of evil cannot overcome divine purpose. “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this is the Lord’s doing and it is amazing in our eyes.” Jesus as our cornerstone sets the foundation of our faith. There is always mercy and hope with Jesus.

His Holy Spirit continues to infuse us with the ways and means to manifest the fruit of the Spirit, like a vine yields excellent grapes. It’s what happens when ordinary people seek to love as God loves. It is the same thing Jesus calls the fruit of the kingdom. It starts with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Ephesians 5:22). Seeking to live by these holy values leads people to a process of collaboration marked by growing convergence and persistence of ideas from various sources, as things come together in unexpected ways. If people are following this path, they will come into a time of disorientation that is holy. As Chief Black Elk said, “The good road and the road of difficulty you have made to cross. And where they cross, that place is holy.” Staying the good path together leads to emerging clarity that grows and reveals a connection to a higher purpose. The outcome of this process provides joy and energy to produce the fruits of the kingdom.

This is the journey St. Margaret’s is on. With patience and perseverance, sharing our insights, thoughts, hopes and concerns, you will discover God’s best intentions for you, celebrating and sharing God’s abundant love.

Amen.