“If only…” Two of the most poignant words we ever say. None of us goes through this life without some regrets, some awareness of how things could have been different.
If only we’d taken better care of our health. If only we’d given more time to our family and less time to work. If only we, or they, hadn’t moved so far away. If only we’d known what that friend was going through. If only we had been there. It’s not hard to see how the “if only’s” can pile up over the years.
There was a story in the news a few years ago, about a man in New York City who was kidnapped. His kidnappers called his wife and demanded $100,000 in ransom.
She talked them down to $30,000. The story had a happy ending: the man was released, the money was recovered, and the kidnappers were caught and sent to jail.
But don’t you wonder what happened when the man learned that his wife got him back for a discount?
A couple weeks ago… in confirmation class… I gave the young developing Christians… a chance… To ask me any question… that they had on their minds… Anything in the whole world… they could ask…
And I prefaced the question and answer session… By telling them… how important it was… to learn about their faith… Just like in school… they learn about math… and English… and Science… And after school play sports… And those are all good things…
A group of Lutheran pastors were attending a Conference at a retreat center out in the country. Several of them set off to explore the area and they came upon an old bridge that crossed a small lake.
Unfortunately, they didn’t notice a sign declaring the bridge to be unsafe.
As they crossed it, the caretaker came running after them. “Hey! You there! Get off that bridge!” he shouted.
“It’s alright,” shouted one of the pastors, “We are at this retreat center with permission. We’re Lutherans from the Conference.”
I trust you heard the animal references in our gospel today loud and clear. The fox. The hen. We usually associate those animals with children’s stories or Aesop’s fables.
Today, Jesus applies those two animal images to worldly powers and to Godly actions, respectively.
In Jesus' world and in ours, there are fox-like individuals who want to control people and secure their personal advantage. In the opening of our gospel, the Pharisees warn Jesus that Herod is out to get him.
