The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 14), August 11, 2024

King David must deal with the worst thing possible ever. A child is rebelling against him. And in this case, it means his son Absalom has gotten others to participate in the rebellion. And y David, now must have him killed. And so the King, being David makes sure all the people hear his orders, when he says in v. 5 “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And then through verses: 7-8 we read the ugliness of battle and war. This is a great opportunity to preach and teach and approach this text in many ways. One way is relational, the family systems way,our children no matter what their age cannot be controlled by us. Our parents no matter what their age disappoint us…. but that does not give them permission to rebel against us to the point of trying to overthrow.. and from does not give the parent permission to have their prodigy killed.

For how often do we humans disappoint God? Yet God remains steadfast. God does not order us to be killed, when God gets frustrated with us. From a process perspective, we are part of the Divine, we are all interconnected including to the plant and animal life. Thus how could we

harm that of God? AND we are autonomous beings, we have free will and have the ability and the imagination to make decisions for ourselves. And when we do, we will affect others as well as ourselves. And others will make decisions and they too will have an effect on us. King David is in power and will not give up his power. Absalom wanted his power and now Absalom is dead along with many others. This is also a good opportunity Preacher- teacher to teach in a socio-political sense. War is hell. The hunger for power causes death, not just to your target, but to those who get in the way….and a good opportunity to ask the what, and where is of God in this situation?

I think it is in the grief expressed, here we the reader-listener-teacher-preacher feel in this moment the humanness of David when he cries out to God in v 33 “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son.”

We get to experience all the feelings as we continue the journey with Elijah and the Psalmist. Elijah I imagine, almost starving, lonely, and thirsty, and feeling down and out. In his down and outness he falls asleep where he becomes open to the Divine through an angel who provides for him. Making available food for him to eat and water to drink. And the next night the Angel appears and v.7 and touches him (the intimacy of the Divine) and says, “Get up and eat or the journey will be too much for you.” God is in partnership with Elijah, the journey can and at times will be difficult so go prepared. God reminds Elijah he needs to nurture himself. We the student-reader-teacher-preacher are reminded that we need to take time to nurture ourselves…taking time to care for the physical body honors the Spiritual part of the journey. Elijah, nourishes now so has strength enough to travel. So much so, he is able to travel for forty days and for forty nights, not an easy task.

And we flow to the Psalm which is a wonderful song of mercy and redemption. The singer knows exactly where mercy and redemption comes from! The Divine. And receiving is an action

word, oh wait let me change that, receiving God’s mercy and redemption is… an intentional word. As expressed in vs 5-6 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits, and in the Word of God hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning more than those who watch in the morning.”

And our senses are called into in Psalm 34 where the faithful singer sings in v 8 “taste and see the Lord is happy in those who take refuge in God.”

And to the Ephesians, Paul tells them then, and we today, to just be who we are, we need to speak only the truth of one another. We do not need to trash talk anyone to get our way, or get love. Remember Absalom had trashed talked his Dad and look what that got him. Literally he lost his head. Paul reminds the community be who you are, show your emotions, but do not harm others as you go through your emotions. Paul says in 4:31-5:2 “Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander together with all malice. Be Kind to one another…walk in love, as Christ loved us…”

Love is the power, walking and living in love is to be like Christ is what makes their community then different from any other then and makes our communities different than any other around us. Our communities are best centered in Christ.

Bread, bread and more bread! Says the Gospel of John. All of our texts for this week are tied together in one phrase we know oh so well 6:35 “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will be never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” It is important to be nurtured and nourished. And to know the difference of what is of substance and that makes fuel for us, and what is full of sugar and empty calories.

Preacher-teacher there are many ways to play with this using the food metaphor; and is also a great time to ask your people, how they are spending their time? With those who give them energy and

strength or are they spending time with people who are draining them of their own time energy and strength i.e. you can ask them, are they being fed or starved?

God knows that at every moment in the time we live in, we have the potential to do and be the best we want to be, to be in the best company we want to be, and to be with those who are the best for our lives, all we have to do is to choose to be with them.

Jesus says:” I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

We are all of God. We are all interconnected as if we were in the same flesh. Let us now live together and take care of each other like we are made of the sacred, because we are.

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This week’s lectionary integrates scripture, film, and music. Today’s congregants never receive scripture or sermon in isolation but in context of our cultural images, many of which involve drama and music. Below are some suggestions of some pop culture expressions that could add to your storytelling. This by no means is exhaustive just some that have meaning for me that might give light to your imaginations. I have my own tastes and realize there might be some genres missing, use these suggestions to let your creativity flow.

Themes: integrity death, mourning, denial, roominess of heart, humility, faith, love, nourishment, awareness.

Key words: Mercy, truth, taste and see, forgiveness, refuge bread, bread of life, eternal life, belief,

Pop Culture films and TV shows: Hamlet, any version depending on your congregation demographic. Becoming Elisabeth (Prime video series), Great Gatsby (any version)

Potential songs: Let Us Break Bread Together, I Still Haven’t Found What I am Looking For-U2, I know Where I Have Been, from the Musical Hairspray

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Reverend Doctor Monica Corsaro is the Settled Senior Pastor of Fairview Community Church in Costa Mesa.  Her career combines traditional ministry and political activism,steeped in a process understanding, serving diverse communities in Washington State, Illinois, Colorado, and Southern California.

Before coming to Orange County, she led United Methodist and Christian Church, Disciples of Christ congregations in the Seattle area, and served a variety of higher education communities and settings, as campus minister at the University of Washington, chaplain of community engagement at Monmouth College, University Chaplain at Illinois Wesleyan, and Director of Spiritual Life at Knox College.

She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from Illinois State University, a Master of Divinity degree from Iliff School of Theology, and a doctoral degree from Wesley Theological Seminary.