Sermon for Sept 2, 2018; Luke 12:13-24

Rev. George Miller
Sept 2, 2018
Luke 12:13-24 & Psalm 51:15-17

In West Africa there is a beautiful story told about a heavenly being called Aje Saluga.

Aje Saluga is the saint of riches and wealth.

One day, long long ago, Aje Saluga left the spiritual realm to journey around earth. She was very pleased to see all the small villages that appeared to share her gifts with one another.

However, as she moved closer to the city of Benin, she noticed the villages on the outskirts were in complete misery. She saw despair, famine, disease, and death.

It was clear that her riches were not being shared with these communities. She spoke to one of the local chiefs “Ah, this is a terrible thing!” she said, “My riches are abundant and meant to be spread throughout the land.”

The chief replied “All the riches of the land now belong to Benin City and none of it is shared with us.”

When Aje Saluga came to the city, the residents came out, singing praises in her honor. They were very happy to have her, and prepared huge feasts in her honor, hoping to get even more from her.

Aje Saluga was not pleased. “Why do these people with good fortune not help the people nearby?”

The next day she gathered the entire city to speak to them. “I am very happy that you welcomed me here, but I am sad at the misery I see nearby and that none of you cared to share your riches with the poor and sick. It is my wish that you show justice and kindness to your neighbors and share what you have.”

The crowd immediately became rowdy and rambunctious, ignoring her as they went back to their feast.

Aje Saluga returned to the heavenly kingdom and shared her concerns with the other saints. “I do not know how to address this concern. My gifts are enough for everyone to share, yet they are overcome by greed.”

A plan was devised to teach the people a lesson. The saints brought fire, lightening and strong winds over the city. Yet the people did not repent or seek out help. Fire, thunder, wind raged for days, weeks, day and night, yet the people never lifted up a prayer for wisdom or forgiveness.

Finally, after many many weeks, their king went to the high priest who told him “These things are happening because your city is plagued by greed while your neighbors suffer in misery with nothing.”

“What can be done?” asked the king.

“You must learn moderation in ALL things,” the priest responded. “You must invite your people to let go of their greedy ways. Then you must resume your ways of walking in faith and remember the joys of generosity.”

The king told the people what they were required to do and the next day, before the sun rose, they all gathered by the gates of the city, carrying gifts and offerings.

As the king and citizens of Benin moved towards the sacred ground, Aje Saluga appeared, walking towards them, singing. A brilliant light began to shine across the path in front of the people, lighting the dark skies.

Right behind Aje Saluga were the least of these- the poor, the elderly, the sick, the hungry, widow, the orphan, the naked, and the thirsty.

When the two groups of people met, Aje Saluga spoke in a heavenly voice “It is my wish that greed never rules your lives again. Always remember those who are poor and suffering. Share a portion of what you have been given in abundance. If you follow my teaching you will always have enough.”

The citizens placed their gifts and offerings before them, and as they did, the bright light began to dim as the morning sun began to rise. When the people returned to the city they saw the storms had ceased, and in its place was brilliant sunlight.

The people rejoiced and gave praises.

In this way, the African saint of wealth spoke out against greed and provided help for the poor. (This story is adopted from “African Narratives of Orishas, Spirits and Other Deities” by Alex Cuoco, 2014, pp. 376-381)

What you just heard was a take on wealth, in which being rich or having an abundance is not seen as a bad thing or a sin, but how greed and the desire to have it all at the expense of others is.

How do you think Jesus would have responded to this story? Considering that he lived where Asia and Africa intersected, he may have heard a variation of this story. Hopefully he would’ve enjoyed the insight it shared and the ending in which both rich and poor come together in coexistence.

As we discovered last week, Jesus was not afraid to talk about difficult or controversial things.

He addressed issues of sexuality like adultery. He addressed issues of politics in which he lifted God’s Kingdom over Rome.

He proved to be provocative when he told the masses to eat his flesh and drink his blood. He continues that trend by talking about greed.

When Jesus is asked to take on a legal matter, he sidesteps the matter at hand, using a story to do so.

Jesus speaks of a man whose farm has such fertile soil that it produces a wealth of abundance, more than any one person could ever need.

What does the man do?

Give praise to God? Give thanks to the Good Earth? Give his employees a $15 an hour raise?

Donate some of his surplus to The Shepherd’s Pantry or start a scholarship? Take his family and neighbors out to Don Joses for a celebratory feast?

No.

The man has been visited by the gifts of abundance, and instead of living in balance, giving thanks, or reaching out to the community, building relationships, he turns completely inward.

He decides that he must destroy what he has so that he can build something bigger, taller, better to collect even more and more and more, all so he can have a party of one, eating, drinking, and being merry.

But in this story, the man dies as he lived- alone and not making a whit of difference in the world.

Though some may use this story to shame the rich or make it sound like saving for a rainy day is bad, this story is much more complex than that.

It’s an account about the dangers of living only for yourself and only living in the future, because we were created to be much, much more than just ourselves, and life is so much more about the past that could have been or the future that may be.

A life well lived is about living in the here and now, the present, with other people, with creation, and with God.

This tragic story of lonely, selfish greed is a teachable moment- that Jesus came to earth to share with us the Reign of God; to remind us through miracles and meals, mystery and wisdom that God’s Reign is not defined by haves and have-nots, but that God’s Reign is made known through an abundance of good things flowing out of God’s own generosity and love.

Jesus knew that all we will ever need to live a life worthwhile has already been provided by the Father.

God’s wealth and riches are so abundant and so spread out that they can be gathered by all and shared by everybody.

In closing, what we have here is another example of Jesus’ wisdom, and how his teachings cause us to wrestle, to rethink, and to wonder what it means to exist in the Kingdom of God.

Is Jesus is saying that being rich is bad or being poor is good, or is he getting us to ponder “just how much is enough?”

How much does wealth imprison a person or make one blind to what’s around them?

Does abundance create anxiety in your life or promote joy?

Do we clutch tightly to all we have or do we step forward to share a portion?

How much do we to trust that through God, what we have can be used to make the world better, brighter, and more beautiful, in which angelic song and heavenly light prevails?

Amen and amen.