“Demanded of our lives”
Sunday, August 3, 2025
Luke 12: 13-21 St. John the Evangelist Church, Kitchener
‘This very morning, our lives are being demanded of us.’ Please be seated.
This paraphrase of Jesus’ injunction, as it is recalled by St. Luke as part of the Parable of the Rich Fool, is haunting. As family inheritances and personal stewardship can sometimes be!
At an estate planning workshop, addressing people who had the privilege and the ‘mixed blessing’ of sorting out the ownership of a family cottage, the keynote speaker got up to the microphone and said simply: “sort out the cottage”. And then the speaker sat down! Having made their point, moments later, they got up again, to elaborate!
In the Gospel reading assigned for today, someone asks Jesus to ‘tell my [sibling] to divide the family inheritance with me’, and then is cautioned with this warning from Jesus: “, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” Unquote. ‘Take care’ is among our friendly salutations, but Jesus is being much more direct, about the ‘discipleship of our living’. Seeming to distinguish between a fair profit motive or the provision for oneself and family, and greed. (Year C, Cousar et al)
Sadly but surely, I’m aware of several families who didn’t ‘sort out the cottage’ before the elders died. In those cases, no one (or two) of the siblings in each family could afford to ‘buy out’ the others, and the beloved family cottage had to be sold, which created lasting hard feelings.
In that powerful scene from Victor Hugo’s “Les Miserables”, the hero Jean Valjean, had taken refuge with a local Bishop, but in desperation, Valjean takes several sterling silver items as he leaves in the night. Vanjean is dragged back by Inspector Jalvert, and the Bishop completely reframes the moment by offering the Valjean a pair of silver candlesticks, saying: “I think you forgot these”.
At the recent funeral for Mike Williamson, the late great owner of neighbouring Central Market, one of the eulogists told the story of Mike being alerted that a person was shop lifting some food, and when Mike approached, he gently asked the person: “what else do you need?”
These stories are not told to condone theft or shop-lifting, but rather to reframe what could be called ‘situational generosity’. As if in the light of to the Parable of the Rich Fool that Jesus told, responding to the request about dividing up a family inheritance.
Parables are stories Jesus is remembered for telling, where everyday examples are ‘thrown alongside’ the Gospel of God’s grace: parabolic. In this case, a prosperous landowner plans to pull down their existing barns, and build larger ones. I smile at how the exchange with their conscience is described, ‘saying to [their] soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” And no less than the voice of God is heard to reply: “This very night, your life is being demanded of you.” Or, in our case, this very morning, of us.
And an answer comes in the form of a rhetorical question: “ … the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.” Unquote.
With the privilege to preach the Gospel, including being among those from this historic pulpit, I take the liberty to suggest that changing one word in that rhetorical question, can open up its meaning for us … those of us who store up treasures for ourselves – and, let’s face it, we all do, or aspire to, to some extent – and (rather than but) are perhaps not rich towards God.
One of so many things I admire and appreciate about this community of faith, and its ecumenical sense of welcome, is its growing sense of stewardship, of ‘time, talent and money’, including being willing to ‘welcome home’ the namesake St. John’s Kitchen of The Working Centre agency, for these soon to conclude two years, while their renewed home is completed at nearby 97 Victoria this Fall. What began forty (!) years ago as a food security/community building outreach program in the Upper Church Hall here, has grown to serve hundreds of souls (!) each weekday, and will soon include 44 units of desperately needed supportive housing; hopefully for some of our neighbours currently living in the adjacent encampment. And then, new forms of ‘situational generosity’ are for St. John’s Church to discern and pursue.
When each of us perceives life as a gift from God, rather than simply a hard-earned acquisition, it is often because we realize that prosperity doesn’t always secure one’s future. One need only attend a funeral, among other reminders of that.
Rather, to use the Jesuitical maxim, it is how we respond to a situation, that is often the measure of our faithfulness. Empowered by the phase from our Prayer After Communion, about ‘God’s power, working in us, [that] can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine’.
A retired Minister told me they welcomed any request to conduct a funeral when it would otherwise have been the ‘day off’ for a colleague. Sabbath is important for all of us. One Monday, I took them up on that kind offer, partly because they had some connection to the reclusive soul (!) who had died. The next day, I called my colleague to reiterate my appreciation for their collegiality, and to inquire how the arrangements came together… “Oh very well thanks” they said. “I was paid “$140,000!” Chuckling, they added: “There weren’t many of us there, and the lawyer/trustee suggested the Will could be read aloud at the intimate Reception. And each of the nine people present – me representing the Congregation, of course – received one-ninth of the estate: “$140,000”.
Generous to their family and friends, and the recluse was also ‘rich towards God.’
Perhaps particularly on this Civic Holiday Weekend, when the greed (!) of tariffs overhangs so many countries and lives, may the ‘contextual generosity’ of this Parable inspire all of us – and those who lead us – anew, to help build up the Kingdom of Peace with Justice, that Jesus came to proclaim. Our lives – and faith – demand it of us.
(Rev.) John Lougheed
Perhaps particularly on this Civic Holiday Weekend, when the greed (!) of tariffs overhangs so many countries and lives, may the ‘contextual generosity’ of this Parable inspire all of us – andthose who lead us – anew, to help build up the Kingdom of Peace with Justice, that Jesus came to proclaim. Our lives – and faith – demand it of us.
Angus Sinclair was appointed Director of Music of St. John the Evangelist on February 1, 2023. Having graduated in 1981 (Honours B.Mus.) in organ performance from Wilfrid Laurier University, he went on to distinguish himself as a church musician, recitalist and accompanist touring in both Canada and the UK. For over 40 years Angus has served parishes and congregations throughout Southwestern Ontario as director of music. He experiences his present appointment to St. John’s as a welcome homecoming, both spiritually and musically.
As our parish musician, he provides both support and leadership so that a variety of parish programs can find musical expression and attract participation. When our handbell choir is in season, he is one of our ringers. At parish dinners, he provides popular piano music for the guests to dine by. For both worship services and concerts, he will rehearse and accompany vocal and instrumental soloists from our congregation on piano, organ, or even accordion.
Angus Sinclair was appointed Director of Music of St. John the Evangelist on February 1, 2023. Having graduated in 1981 (Honours B.Mus.) in organ performance from Wilfrid Laurier University, he went on to distinguish himself as a church musician, recitalist and accompanist touring in both Canada and the UK. For over 40 years Angus has served parishes and congregations throughout Southwestern Ontario as director of music. He experiences his present appointment to St. John’s as a welcome homecoming, both spiritually and musically.