The Unfaithful Steward meets Billy Budd, Pentecost XV, Proper 20, 22 September 2019

Preaching at Saint Mark's Church
The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 20
22 September 2019

“Choices”

Amos 8:4-7

Psalm 113

I Timothy 2:1-7

St. Luke 16:1-13

INI

The comparisons of Billy Budd

Tuesday evening, I sent to see Benjamin Brittan’s excellent opera, Billy Budd. Its initial import to me was seeing for the first time in my life the sexual ambiguity and confusion of John Claggart, the Master-at-arms who suppresses his own (with what I saw as) latent homosexuality in violence and repression aimed at other young men on the ship. Specifically, he frames the “handsome and good” Billy Budd. 

On further reflection and needing to wrest a sermon out of Jesus’ difficult parable about the “Unjust Steward” I began to see the opera as a good comparison with the complexities of the parable. Both are filled with men we admire and at the same time despise. In both there are interior conversations aimed at solving the moral questions that are posed for, in the parable, the steward, the rich owner, and the listener. In the opera it is Captain Veer of the HMS Indomitable who struggles between what he understands to be justice, and that which society and the law demand of him. We sit in the middle of this dilemma and wonder how to come to a proper resolution. Jesus intersperses two soto voce interjections in the parable that can, perhaps, help us to find a righteous compass in it. 

For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. (Luke 16:8b)

We are, all of us, “children of this world”. One only needs to go to the movies every now and then to discover oneself rooting for the “bad guy”. In the recent film “The Favourite” I wanted Abigale, the maid to Lady Marlborough, and later to Queen Anne, I wanted her to win – to prevail over what I saw as the evil behavior of Sarah Marlborough. She does prevail, but when her equally perverse attitude is revealed I didn’t feel betrayed, I felt sorrow at its revelation. Both women, Sarah and Abigail were children of this world, scheming to be successful and influential. We, however, are here to become the children of light. How do we operate in this world of scheming and shrewd people? When is it in business or in life that we are suddenly confronted by a moral choice that invites us to come into the Kingdom of Light? What stays our step in these instances are what motivated the characters of the opera, the film, and the parable. It is what others will think of us that gives us pause.

It is that consideration that informs the unfaithful steward as to what he must do, and it is that attitude that commends itself to the rich owner. The steward buys a reputation with the debtors of the master. He will be remembered as the one who reduced a debt, who alleviated the dire circumstances of those who owed great sums to the rich owner. Indeed, the owner as well, will be an heir to the reputation of the steward, for he will be seen as gracious and giving. But is this really the Kingdom of Heaven?

Amos paints the situation in darker tones when he charges the people of his time with unkind intentions toward others. Seemingly faithful to God, they wonder when the new moon will be over so that they might sell grain, or the Sabbath be over so that they can sell. Remember the Blue Laws which restricted what you could buy and sell on Sundays? Ostensibly this was a tip of the hat to the God we worship on Sunday, but what was its real motive? That is the heart of the matter and that is what God sees. The wisdom of the marketplace may not be a reasonable place for the children of light. 

No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

It is wealth that gets Billy Budd into trouble. The Master-at-arms connects the beautiful and righteous Billy with a cache of French gold, gold supposedly used to buy the affections of other seamen, and allegiance to the enemy, the French. It is this association that gives the Commander pause. Knowing his own attraction to wealth and status, he surmises that others would be tempted as well – as well as Billy. 

Who are the masters in your life? Is it your job, your family, your social status, your friendships, your financial security? Jesus wants us to choose only one. He wants clarity on our part as to whom we will be faithful. For the children of light, the choice is between faithfulness and dishonesty – and the choice must be faithfulness. This is the choice for Captain Vere – faithfulness to the law or faithfulness to what Christ would ask of him. The same holds true for the steward, faithfulness to his master, or to himself. Vere chooses the law, which forces him to order the execution of the good, beautiful, righteous Billy Budd. It forces the steward to bilk his master. The world looks un the two and approves.

Supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings.

Paul is advising his young friend and compatriot Timothy. How does one live in the world, and yet attempt to be a citizen of the Kingdom of Light? How does one make proper choices in this world? Our time seems so approving of those who follow the behavior of the unjust steward. These attitudes and behaviors are the acceptable methods for maintaining a life in our world. Paul proposes something that intervenes, not only with ourselves, but the others in our world who strive for success and social status. His advice to Timothy is simple – it is a commendation for prayer. 

“I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.”

It cannot be like the prayer in James, was an ineffective response to someone in need:

“Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well.” 

The words of prayer need to be accompanied by action, by feeding and caregiving. The prayers and supplications we make for ourselves, our leaders, our neighbors – these likewise need to be accompanied by the actions of the Children of Light. On Friday of this week the Children of this World taught us what we ought to be as Children of Light. All over th world they walked and taught us about Climate Change and what it means to be faithful stewards of the earth – the gift of our Creator. Some in the world would have the economy and greed be the master, but these young people are arguing otherwise. So then, who shall be our master? Who shall be our neighbor? What shall our choices be?

SDG