Kahu's Manao
Keawala‘i Congregational Church
United Church of Christ (USA)
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Rev. Kealahou C. Alika
“Named for a Purpose”
Matthew
9:35-38 & Matthew 10:1-15
Our school year was determined by the coffee harvest. That’s the way it was in Kona on the island of Hawai‘i. The season began in July and ran through September.
While students in other schools around the island were on vacation during the summer months of June, July, and August, we were out in the coffee fields on the slopes of Hualalai with our lauhala baskets and tree hooks made out of the branches of guava trees.
It took three or four different rounds of a ripening process for the all the berries to reach maturity. Because the coffee berries ripened in different stages, each had to be picked when they turned from green to red. Any delay would result in the loss of a portion of the crop and the cost would be considerable.
It was important that there were enough hands out in the fields to do the intensive work that was required. Young and old – children and adults – stood side by side.
But long before the harvest occurred there were the months of preparation - trimming and cutting back some of the trees that had grown taller after the last season, clearing away weeds, and placing fertilizer at the base of each tree. As for irrigation, none was needed.
The trees depended on the protective cover of clouds that wrapped themselves just below the summit of Hualalai every day. Because the fields were located at the higher elevations away from the shoreline, there was enough precipitation each day to satisfy the trees.
If all went well the trees would break out in full bloom in late spring, each branch blanketed with countless white flowers. The white flowers were striking against a background of dark green leaves. Although winter had long since passed we still called the annual bloom our “Kona snow.”
In time the “snow” would disappear, coffee berries would appear and the first berries to ripen marked the start of the harvest. We knew we would be spending long days in the fields beginning at daybreak and ending in the late afternoon.
As we worked through the day there was time enough for us as children to wander off every now and then to play. We invented our own games and toys included wooden airplanes made out of dry coffee branches. If we wandered too far for too long, a familiar voice would eventually be heard calling us back to our work.
We learned to avoid spiders and bees. There was never any shortage of adventure or adversity. Occasionally we would find a branch infested with ants and every now and then a centipede would appear under the accumulation of dry coffee leaves that covered the ground.
Lunch was always the highlight of the day. And depending on what one had to do, going to the potty presented its share of challenges.
Some of you remember the first harvest of sugar cane during the old plantation days. Others of you remember working in the pineapple canneries – some on Maui, others on Moloka‘i and Läna‘i and still others on O‘ahu. The work was not easy. But each harvest – whether coffee, sugar cane, or pineapple- was always preceded by a time of preparation.
There was no point in picking green coffee berries. The same could not be said for pineapples. Picking pineapples that were green and not yet fully ripened allowed for the fruit to have a longer shelf life in the supermarket. As for sugar cane the color was always green.
Harvesting the cane before its bloom of tassels appeared was critical. When a field was ready to be harvested the irrigation would be discontinued. The green cane would quickly turn to brown and later set on fire to reduce the amount of debris, cut down and hauled off to the mill.
Our readings from The Gospel According to Matthew tell us about a harvest that was also preceded by a time of preparation. It was not a harvest with which his disciples were familiar.
It had nothing to do with sugar cane, pineapple or coffee berries and everything to do with people. Jesus went about cities and villages teaching in the synagogues. He spent time in each city and each village preaching the good news of the kingdom of God and healing every disease and every sickness.
While he went about his work of teaching, proclaiming, and healing, Jesus became aware of the needs of so many people. He became aware that many longed to be healed and that many were eager to learn and to listen.
In time he called upon his disciples or followers to cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those afflicted with infectious diseases, and cast out demons. He summoned the twelve disciples and others including Mray the mother of Jesus, Mary of Magdala, Joanna, Susanna, Bartimaeus, Nicodemus and many more.
Jesus sensed the urgency among those whom he encountered in the villages and cities and in his assessment many were ready to receive the word of God’s love and care for them and for the world. Some may want to say of our own day and time that the “harvest” is ready once more. After all, the message of God’s love and care for the world is timeless and is not bound to or by any season.
However, over the years I’ve grown a little more cautious when it comes to the “harvest” of people. The method of harvesting sugar cane, pineapple and coffee varies and if that is true for plants I believe it is equally true for people.
We cannot assume there is only one way of teaching, preaching or healing. It is true that teachable moments may occur anywhere and at any time. But we cannot assume that everyone is gifted with the ability or even desire to approach someone on the street or to knock on the door of a stranger’s home.
For some preaching on a street corner comes easily. For others talking to a stranger comes naturally. But what works for some may not work for others.
As for healing, what Jesus expects of the early disciples is daunting. It is one thing to teach and preach the good news. But to actually cure the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead?
Such authority is given to the early disciples by Jesus. And so it is that they go forth to do their work.
There are those who assume that we have been given that authority and called to do the same. One could argue the point given the medical technology available to us today. Some of us may, in fact, be able to bring someone who has died back to life.
It is true that the twelve were commissioned to enter towns and villages and called to do what Jesus did. But what of ourselves? Are we being asked to do the same?
I am not so sure.
We know the Holy Spirit gives to each person a spiritual gift for the benefit of all. Some, not all, are given the ability to heal the sick (1 Corinthians 12:9); others, not all, the power to drive out evil spirits (Matthew 8:16; Acts 13:7-12). It may be that the early disciples and other followers were gifted in that way and more.
As for you and me, we know that the gifts of the Spirit vary and they are to be sought diligently. (1 Corinthians 12:31) It may be that some among us are able to work miracles or to prophesy. It may be that others of us may be able to heal, to cast out demons, and raise the dead.
Whatever we may be able to do it must never be done at the risk of neglecting the “still more excellent way” of faith, hope, and love. Each of us is called by name for the purpose of carrying God’s love and care into the world. Each of us is called by name to look on all people with compassion, as did Jesus.
May we be obedient to God’s call. Amen.