9th Week of Pentecost

Acts 19:23-29,35-40
About that time a serious disturbance broke out concerning the Way. There was a silversmith named Demetrius who made miniature silver shrines of Artemis and provided no little work for the craftsmen. He called a meeting of these and other workers in related crafts and said, “Men, you know well that our prosperity derives from this work. As you can now see and hear, not only in Ephesus but throughout most of the province of Asia this Paul has persuaded and misled a great number of people by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all. The danger grows, not only that our business will be discredited, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be of no account, and that she whom the whole province of Asia and all the world worship will be stripped of her magnificence.” When they heard this, they were filled with fury and began to shout, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” The city was filled with confusion, and the people rushed with one accord into the theater, seizing Gaius and Aristarchus, the Macedonians, Paul’s traveling companions. Finally the town clerk restrained the crowd and said, “You Ephesians, what person is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell from the sky? Since these things are undeniable, you must calm yourselves and not do anything rash. The men you brought here are not temple robbers, nor have they insulted our goddess. If Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, courts are in session, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. If you have anything further to investigate, let the matter be settled in the lawful assembly, for, as it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today’s conduct. There is no cause for it. We shall (not) be able to give a reason for this demonstration.” With these words he dismissed the assembly.

Luke 11:47-51
Woe to you! You build the memorials of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building. Therefore, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and persecute’ in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who died between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood!

We see in the readings today riots, persecution, and condemnations. Christianity is not all puppies and butterflies. We must deal with realities that have consequences for ourselves and others. C.S. Lewis once imagined a world where there were millions of tiny aliens the size of ants in addition to men of normal size. Each step the men took had consequences for this tiny race, for good or for bad. The only way to avoid affecting them is to cease moving and become a statue. If we are living our Christianity or if we are living for the world we will have repurcussions for others. If our Christianity does not affect others, it is lifeless and unmoving. If I tell the truth with love, others must change, fight or flight. The world will be transformed if we are willing to live our faith.

Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
Lord, in your goodness have compassion on sinners
and bring back to your truth those who are wandering.
Draw us to yourself,
enrich our voices with your praises and our tongues with inspired songs.
Captivate us by your teachings.
Drawing from your treasure of compassion,
grant us the consolation that gives healing to body and soul.
Lord and God, to you be glory forever.
Amen.