Hens and Prophets

Lectionary reflections for the Second Sunday in Lent (C)

by Robert W. Cromey

Readings for Lent 2, Year C, March 7, 2004

• Genesis 15:1-12,17-18
• Philippians 3:17 - 4:1
• Luke 13:31-35

In today's gospel, Jesus identifies himself as a prophet and uses an image comparing himself to the feminine: a hen. “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

In the patriarchal society in which Jesus lived and died, he scandalized men with his natural and humane relationship with women. Mary, Martha, the Magdalene, and the woman at the well all spoke of his ministry to women who had few rights and who were ill-regarded by the men of his day.

Here, Jesus compares himself to a hen taking care of his brood. He was not afraid to identify his feminine side, his caring protective side, and to perhaps be ridiculed for his choice of images. Jesus came to save and humanize both women and men.

Then he identifies himself with the prophets – without naming Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and others. The prophet's job is to proclaim liberty to the captives, justice for the poor, the orphans and widows, and to hold people accountable to the word of God.

Jesus goes to Jerusalem to confront the Jewish leaders who preach the letter of the law and who fail to catch its inner meaning of love and forgiveness. He had already angered them by showing them they must do acts of charity on the Sabbath Day, a day that the law says no Jew is supposed to work. He says that it is okay to pick grain on the Sabbath if you are hungry, or to pull the farm animal out of the pit if it happens on the Sabbath. He states that moneychangers have no business in the temple, and that it is right to love the hated Samaritans – love is the essence of the law.

Oh, how they hated Jesus for these ideas. And of course by going to Jerusalem with that reputation – a perceived threat to the Roman government and a mob scene on his entrance to the city – his enemies ganged up on him and had the Roman troops punish and execute him.

In the simplest possible terms, our job is to be hens caring for the brood and to be prophets. We are to care for the lonely, sick and hungry. But that is not enough; that is stopgap thinking and action. We are called to be prophets calling for a change in the hearts and rules that keep people lonely, sick and hungry.

In this passage we have the perfect outline for the ministry of the church, the role of the clergy and the laity. In the simplest possible terms, our job is to be hens caring for the brood and to be prophets. We are to care for the lonely, sick and hungry. But that is not enough; that is stopgap thinking and action. We are called to be prophets calling for a change in the hearts and rules that keep people lonely, sick and hungry. Prophets today need to call on the government to enact legislation to care for the mentally and emotionally disturbed, provide housing for the homeless, use surpluses to feed the hungry and end wars. But these are not popular ideas.

For us in the church, we do this in the context of liturgical worship, where we eat and drink in the mystical presence of Christ and in the magical connection with each other in community. We will probably not be crucified, only criticized. “When I gave food to hungry people. I was called a saint; when I asked why people are hungry, they called me a communist.” – Dom Helder Camarra

However, we can take heart: this is the good news of our vocation.

The Rev. Robert Warren Cromey is a retired Episcopal priest living in San Francisco, California. He frequently writes on issues of domestic and international peace and justice. Robert may be reached by email at twocromeys@earthlink.net .