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Under His Wings

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“Under His Wings”

Luke 13:31-35 (13:34) – March 16, 2025

During this season of Lent, our focus is on love.

When we think of the animal kingdom—and let’s broaden that to all birds and beasts, all creatures great and small—how does love fit into the picture? Picture this. A mama cat or dog, licking and cleaning her little ones. A mama horse or elephant or dolphin, feeding her baby. A mother hen on her nest, spreading out her feathers, her wings, to keep her chicks warm and safe at night. All loving and caring pictures. All maternal. Motherly. 

When we think about God and God’s actions, maternal and motherly images are not necessarily the first things that pop into a person’s mind.  

This little, short Scripture reading from Dr. Luke today really packs a lot into it! Just four verses, and, my! We start with some Pharisees, coming to warn the Rabbi Jesus. Many Pharisees were part of the Jewish leadership, which generally did not look very kindly upon Jesus. However, these particular Pharisees warned the Rabbi Jesus that King Herod was out to get Him, and there is definitely trouble ahead!

This is one of the times that Jesus is reported calling someone a name, and probably (knowing what we know about Jesus) His words were ironic. Jesus says, “Go and tell that fox: ‘I am driving out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I shall finish my work.’” The appellation “that fox” most probably meant “that wily, scheming person!” All of which was true, concerning King Herod!

Except, we are not going to focus primarily on foxes for our sermon today. No, we are going to continue on in our reading, and examine more closely what Jesus says and does next. But, just one mention first – Herod was someone who did a lot of evil things!

I said last week that we will look at a phrase (or petition) of the Lord’s Prayer each week in Lent. This week we think of “Deliver us from evil.” As we consider nasty King Herod and his evil clutches, being delivered from Herod certainly qualifies as being delivered from evil! But, that is this particular situation, with the Rabbi Jesus. There are plenty of other evil things and evil people in the world, more than enough to go around!

A clear, simple definition of evil is “bad stuff.” When we think of all the bad stuff we need to be saved from, we can come up with quite a list! Bullies, diseases, war, unemployment, natural disasters, anger and bitterness, being greedy. And that is hardly scratching the surface of all the evils that can happen! One of the best, straight forward translations of this part of the Lord’s Prayer is “Lord, save us from all the bad stuff that happens.” [1]

As our commentator on Psalm 27, Beth Tanner, says, “With all of the violence in our world, Christians are faced almost daily with a decision to live in fear, or despite their fear, to trust in God and God’s promises.“ [2]  “Deliver us from evil” is a powerful prayer! A prayer of trust and assurance in God’s provision, in God’s ability to keep us safe, whatever our situation.

Which brings us to the other image Jesus brings up in this short Gospel reading. Jesus says, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets, you stone the messengers God has sent you! How many times I wanted to put my arms around all your people, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would not let me!”

In my imagination, I can just see our Lord Jesus, on a hill looking down on a large portion of the city of Jerusalem. His heart is broken, and He says these very sad, very heart-breaking things about the city – and about the residents of the city. And by extension, about the Jewish people. Here is a very maternal, motherly image, “just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.” Jesus sees Himself as the loving, caring, nurturing mother hen!

When many people think of our Lord Jesus, often the images that come to mind are strong and mighty. The Lion of the tribe of Judah. The Messiah, the King. The Son of God, the Miracle Worker, the Lord Jesus Christ. All strong, powerful images!  

One of our commentators, Karoline Lewis, reflects that women are made in the image of God just as much as men are. She goes on to say, “if you rarely, if ever, hear about God’s femininity, female images for God, or female characteristics of God, then even that biblical truth will be hard to believe. And, if God is mostly assumed to be male, referred to with male pronouns, and described as male, then it will be more difficult and take more energy to imagine God in female categories — and to believe that you have a place in the kingdom of God.” [3]

I am reminded of the summer sermon series I preached in 2023, where I featured many of the maternal, motherly images of God in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. This mothering image used by our Lord Jesus in Luke 13 reminded me of a newer hymn, found in several newer hymnals. The lyrics for hymns are often theological, moving and stirring, emotionally and intellectually. Here is the first verse of a hymn called “Mothering God.”\

Mothering God, you gave me birth / in the bright morning of this world.

Creator, source of ev’ry breath, / you are my rain, my wind, my sun. [4]

Of course God has male attributes and characteristics. God also has female attributes and characteristics, as we can see from this motherly word picture that Jesus uses!

            Jesus welcomes us into His embrace, into His community of love and caring. Just as a lost little chick who finally finds the way home into the nest, into his or her mother hen’s warm feathery embrace, so we can find our way into a community of caring, love, nourishing and belonging. I hope our church community extends that caring and loving welcome to everyone. Jesus wants us to know that we are welcome with Him, always.  

            Are you still searching for that community of belonging? That warm, caring place? I pray that we all may find it. Not only here, in this community, but especially in the embrace of Jesus.

            Amen, amen.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

[1] http://worshipingwithchildren.blogspot.com/2016/01/year-c-second-sunday-in-lent-february.html

[2]  https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/second-sunday-in-lent-3/commentary-on-psalm-27-3

[3]  https://www.workingpreacher.org/dear-working-preacher/love-and-belonging

[4] “Mothering God, you gave me birth,” Evangelical Lutheran Worship, hymn #735,

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Gathered under God’s Wings!

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“Gathered under God’s Wings!”

Matthew 23:37-39 – August 13, 2023

            Growing up in Chicago, I never had the opportunity to see chickens. I mean, live chickens, in a barnyard or roosting in a henhouse. Lately, I still have never gotten up close and personal with a chicken. I may have read the story of “The Little Red Hen” to my young children, years ago, but haven’t had too much more contact with chickens than that.  

            I am certain that this image of a hen and her chicks was much more familiar to the people the Rabbi Jesus spoke to. It was much more common to have chickens in your yard, or at least down the street, in the first century. Remember the reading? Here’s the verse we are focusing on, where Jesus refers to Jerusalem: “I have often wanted to gather your people, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you wouldn’t let me.”

Our Lord Jesus made this serious and sad statement, when He was warning Jerusalem and the people of Israel. This lovely word-picture is so touching and tender! A mother hen fluffs herself up and gathers her chicks under her wings, keeping them safe and warm. Protecting them from harm, too. Jesus often used familiar images and common metaphors in His teaching and preaching. Except – one thing stood out about this particular image Jesus used.

“Jesus, let us note, employs a feminine image for himself and, to the degree that we confess Jesus reveals the essential character and disposition of the One who sent him, also for God.” [1] Those were not my words. Instead, they are the words of a well-respected Bible commentator, Dr. David Lose. (One of my favorite commentators, I may add!) It is not often that the Bible uses feminine or maternal images to describe God, but here is one of them!

I know I have been preaching this summer sermon series about Re-Imaging God for two months now. Many of the examples and Scripture references I’ve been using come from the Hebrew Scriptures. Yet, right here we have an important one, used by our Lord Jesus! At a critical time in His ministry, too. Jesus was in Jerusalem, during the Passion Week, face to face with the Jewish leaders and members of the Sanhedrin. And, what does He do here? Jesus compares Himself to a mother hen, wanting to gather her chicks protectively under her wings.

Just as I have done during this sermon series, David Lose makes the very good point that “if Jesus can describe himself and God as a mother hen, can we not also employ a variety of images to describe God? Scripture, after all, is replete with a variety of images for God, both male and female.” [2] I must say, that most of the images and metaphors used for God in the Bible are masculine and male. However, this week we highlight this important maternal image, given by our Lord Jesus at a critical time of His work here on earth. Shortly before the Passion and Crucifixion.

Which brings us to the following question: who was Jesus talking to? Yes, the Jewish leaders were listening to Him, but in this reading, Jesus addresses Jerusalem. That’s the historic capital of the land of Israel. We see Jesus saying that He has been reaching out to Jerusalem, and the Jewish people, and they have not listened. They have not heard the invitation of Jesus.

We turn to the next question: where do you and I come in? Sure, it breaks my heart to see Jesus offering His powerful, protective love to those He was sent to serve and to save. Yes, that is the people of Israel, but couldn’t it be us, too? Jesus has His arms open wide to us. Are we not hearing? Not listening to Jesus? Or even worse, just like the Jewish people, are we rejecting His love and caring, where He offers to be like a protective mother hen with her chicks?

As the Rev. Janet Hunt says, we are, indeed, “that brood of chicks who are scattered, distracted, unable, somehow, to comprehend the very real danger which is threatening. Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem is also over you and me and this world which all too often still refuses the gifts Jesus would so freely give.” [3] 

This loving image, this metaphor for Jesus is so perfect for all of us, today. Can you see how Jesus as a mother hen would comfort the one who grieves? What about the weary ones who are fearful or anxious? What about protecting the safety for those in the care of Jesus? What about those gathered under His protective love, today?

Today’s Gospel reading does not give instruction, or commands. It does not prescribe something for the followers of Jesus to do or to say. Instead, this reading is descriptive. This description of the loving, caring mother hen – Jesus! – has His wings open wide to us all!

As Pastor Janet says, “we do not hear directly that we are to be or do anything as a result of Jesus’ words today. And yet, how might the world be changed if all of us” stopped to think of the consequences, both for those who wage war and those who suffer as a result. Or, for those who struggle to contain or direct our frustration, our anger and take it out on innocent ones. [4]

            Yes, these words were written almost 2000 years ago, but they resonate so deeply within. I don’t know about other people’s understanding, but these words and this image of the Lord Jesus speaks directly to the heart. Going to some deep, elemental place within, inviting you and me to turn to the One who would draw us close, our Lord Jesus.

If we recognize our deep need for nurture, protection and caring from all that would harm us, we can also watch out for one another! Jesus urges us to nurture, protect, and care for one another, too. As our loving, caring Lord Jesus always does for us. Without fail.

Join me in bringing thanks to our Lord for the loving, everlasting care and nurture of Jesus.  Praise God! Alleluia, amen.

@chaplaineliza

(Suggestion: visit me at my other blogs: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers. #PursuePEACE – and  A Year of Being Kind . Thanks!

(I would like to thank the Rev. Janet Hunt for her commentary on today’s Gospel reading, https://dancingwiththeword.com/mining-the-metaphor-jesus-as-a-mother-hen/. I got several excellent ideas and phrases for this sermon from this excellent article.)

[1] https://www.workingpreacher.org/dear-working-preacher/re-imagining-god

[2] Ibid.

[3] https://dancingwiththeword.com/mining-the-metaphor-jesus-as-a-mother-hen/

[4] Ibid.

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Love, Under His Wings

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“Love, Under His Wings”

Luke 13-34 under His wings, mosaic

Luke 13:31-35 – February 21, 2016

During this season of Lent, our focus is on love.

When we think of the animal kingdom—and let’s broaden that to all birds and beasts, all creatures great and small—how does love fit into the picture? Picture this. A mama cat or dog, licking and cleaning her little ones. A mama horse or elephant or dolphin, feeding her baby. A mother hen on her nest, spreading out her feathers, her wings, to keep her chicks warm and safe at night. All loving and caring pictures. All maternal. Motherly.

When we think about God and God’s actions, maternal and motherly images are not necessarily the first things that pop into a person’s mind. `

Let’s turn to Jesus. The Rabbi Jesus has His disciples and other followers around Him. They are in Jerusalem—as they periodically are, since Jesus is an itinerant rabbi. Traveling round about Judea, Galilee, and all places in between. Jesus is speaking to and teaching a group of people. What does today’s reading from Luke tell us? Some Pharisees actually warn Jesus!

This might seem odd, or out of character. Imagine, Jesus is almost always fighting with the Pharisees! And here, we find several of them going out of their way to warn Rabbi Jesus: “Go somewhere else—far away! Herod wants to kill you!”

Oh, my! This is the puppet king that the Roman Empire installed as supposed king of Judea. Plus, Herod was the king who executed John the Baptist, Jesus’s cousin. Jesus may even have been knowledgeable about Herod and his plots. No surprise here. What else is new?

It doesn’t particularly matter whether the Pharisees who hurried up and visited Jesus were doing this in all seriousness, or whether they were just kidding around. After all, Pharisees were among the foremost Jewish teachers of the Law. As one of the commentaries I consulted said, Pharisees were “community leaders, [who] actively opposed the ministry of Jesus. They were scared of His miracles. Perplexed at His teachings. Most of all, they were angry – angry and shocked – that so many people were drawn to this carpenter turned Rabbi.” [1]

Jesus had a fascinating response to that warning from the Pharisees: “’Go tell that fox, ‘I will keep on driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.’ 33 In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day—for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!’”

This is important stuff! Yes, Jesus identifies Himself as a rabbi. But, there is more. Much more! Jesus also embraces His role as a prophet. It says so, right here!

There are so many fascinating directions to go. I could write several sermons from this one short passage, each on a different topic. However—our topic for this morning is love. Remember? This whole service this morning is brought to you by the word “love!”

True, Jesus wants Herod to know that He is not afraid of Herod’s threats and muscle. True, Jesus has set His face toward Jerusalem. He is going forward to reach that goal, that journey to the Cross. Eugene Peterson has a marvelous translation of Jesus’s response: “Tell that fox that I’ve no time for him right now…I’m busy clearing out the demons and healing the sick.”
Question: why did Jesus call Herod a fox? I return to my commentator, Drew McIntyre, who says, “Did Herod have red fur and a bushy tail? No. A fox had a reputation for cunning, for sneakiness, and trickery. Today, we might say, ‘a weasel.’ Throughout most of human history foxes have been regarded as clever creatures – animals that the wise farmer would not turn their back on for an instant.” [2]
The next moment, Jesus compares Himself to a hen. A hen!

I am not aware of exact practices of the keeping of chickens in Israel. I know there must have been some chicken coops in the area. Just think of Peter denying his Lord three times before the rooster crowed. But, let’s assume chicken coops were fairly common.

Jesus says, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you.” Using His vivid skill in drawing pictures with words, Jesus continues: “How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”

Jesus just got done telling people He was a prophet, and He was going to continue doing His work of healing people, body and soul. The next words out of His mouth contain this warm, nurturing word picture. Can you think of anything more caring and comforting than to be drawn under the wings of a mother hen? To rest amid that soft, feathery embrace? I can’t.
Let’s transfer this situation fraught with tension to the modern day. We all know how wonderful it is to be wanted, to be welcomed and loved. This is exactly what Jesus offers us. This is what He wishes to do for us; to welcome us, and love us. Just like a hen gathering her chicks under her wings.

Yet, there is the tension of Herod, looking to kill Jesus. Jesus is in danger, and we are following Him. What kinds of images come to our minds, in that case?

Yes, we hear about the mother hen who gathers her chicks under her protective wings in dangerous situations. It can be at the eruption of the volcano at Mt. Saint Helens, or at a sudden fire in the barnyard. Yet, the hen is sacrificed to save her chicks. Stories are repeated that tell of a hen dying, showing sacrificial love towards her chicks. Her live chicks are found unharmed, safely beneath her protective wings.

Jesus is telling us exactly that. He is the protective mother hen. We are the defenseless, helpless chicks that need protection.

Here we have a feminine image of God! This is so rarely seen in the Bible, in either the Old or the New Testaments. One commentator I consulted talks about the theological rationale of women’s gender and their bodies. I remind you that women are made in the image of God just as much as men!

Speaking of her talk at a women’s retreat, Karoline Lewis says, “If [we] rarely, if ever, hear about God’s femininity, female images for God, or female characteristics of God, then even that biblical truth will be hard to believe. And, if God is mostly assumed to be male, referred to with male pronouns, and described as male, then it will be more difficult and take more energy to imagine God in female categories — and to believe that you have a place in the kingdom of God.” [3]

Yes, of course God has male attributes and characteristics. God also has female attributes and characteristics. As we can see from this motherly image or word picture that Jesus uses!

Jesus welcomes us into His embrace, into His community of love and caring. Just as a lost little chick who finally finds the way home into the nest, into his or her mother hen’s warm feathery embrace, so we can find our way into a community of caring, love, nourishing and belonging. I hope our church community extends that caring and loving welcome to everyone. Jesus wants us to know that we are welcome with Him, always.

Are you still searching for that community of belonging? That warm, caring place? I pray that we all may find it. Not only here, in this community, but especially in the embrace of Jesus.

Amen.

[1] http://drewbmcintyre.com/2010/03/01/luke-1331-35-the-fox-and-the-hen-lent-2/

[2] Ibid.

[3] http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=4530 “Love and Belonging,” Karoline Lewis, Working Preacher, 2016.

@chaplaineliza

Suggestion: visit me at my sometimes-blog: matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers– where I am doing a Lenten journey.  #PursuePEACE – And my other blog,  A Year of Being Kind -Thanks!