Take all that you have and be poor
Luke 6: 17-26 New Ark United Church of Christ, Newark, DE February 16, 2025 Photo of Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland. In front is a sculpture of a homeless Jesus wrapped from head to toe in a blanket, lying on a bench. This 7-foot bronze sculpture by Canadian Tim Schmaltz was a gift to the city of Dublin in 2015 by an anonymous Episcopalian from North America, who also donated sculptures to 11 other European cities, including Vatican City in Rome. The sermon title comes from the 1973 poem “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front” by Wendell Berry. I’ve quoted from it many times over the years, especially my favorite phrase, “Be joyful though you have considered all the facts.” Among other things, Wendell Berry is a corn, small grains, and sheep farmer in Henry County, Kentucky. Much of his wisdom, his activism, and his writing is informed and inspired by his relationship with the natural world around him. It is the land and her creatures that are at the...
