Alex Early August 7, 2020 Walter Brueggemann on Generosity Alex Early August 7, 2020 “On GenerosityOn our own, we conclude: there is not enough to go aroundwe are going to run shortof moneyof loveof gradesof publicationsof sexof beerof membersof yearsof lifewe should seize the dayseize our goodsseize our neighbours goodsbecause there is not enough to go aroundand in the midst of our perceived deficityou comeyou come giving bread in the wildernessyou come giving children at the 11th houryou come giving homes to exilesyou come giving futures to the shut downyou come giving easter joy to the deadyou come – fleshed in Jesus.and we watch whilethe blind receive their sightthe lame walkthe lepers are cleansedthe deaf hearthe dead are raisedthe poor dance and singwe watchand we take food we did not grow andlife we did not invent andfuture that is gift and gift and gift andfamilies and neighbours who sustain uswhen we did not deserve it.It dawns on us – late rather than soon-that you “give food in due seasonyou open your handand satisfy the desire of every living thing.”By your giving, break our cycles of imagined scarcityoverride our presumed deficitsquiet our anxieties of lacktransform our perceptual field to seethe abundance………mercy upon mercyblessing upon blessing.Sink your generosity deep into our livesthat your muchness may expose our false lackthat endlessly receiving we may endlessly giveso that the world may be made Easter new,without greedy lack, but only wonder,without coercive need but only love,without destructive greed but only praisewithout aggression and invasiveness….all things Easter new…..all around us, toward us andby usall things Easter new.Finish your creation, in wonder, love and praise. Amen.” — Walter Brueggmann, Inscribing the Text: Sermons and Prayers of Walter Brueggemann p. 3-4.